We've found 656 phrases for sa (0.162 seconds):

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

a few sandwiches short of a picnic »    Exhibiting disquiet or unsoundness of mind; not sane; mad.

a good voice to beg bacon »    Said in ridicule of a bad voice.

a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step »    even the longest and most difficult ventures have a starting point

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 is worth a thousand words »    Alternative form of a picture paints a thousand words.

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 question of »    The important question is; the necessary question is.

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.

able seaman »    ordinary sailor

above the salt »    Of high standing or honor.

according to »    Based on what is said or stated.

acid test »    A rigorous test or appraisal of the quality or worth of something.

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

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

against the grain »    To sand or plane a piece of wood parallel or nearly parallel to the fibers such that splinters forming ahead of the tool originate below the cutting surface.

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

agree to disagree »    To tolerate each other's opinion and stop arguing; to acknowledge that an agreement will not be reached.

all at once »    All at the same time; all together.

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 in a day's work »    A nonchalant dismissal of a significant accomplishment.

all kidding aside »    Used to attempt to make a serious point in a jocular conversation.

all over grumble »    Unsatisfactory.

all roads lead to Rome »    different paths can take one to the same goal

all the same »    Anyway; nevertheless; nonetheless.

all things come to those who wait »    (dated) A patient seeker will be satisfied in due time; patience is a virtue.

all's fair in love and war »    unpleasant behavior is acceptable during love and conflict.

all-a-mort »    Sad; at death's door.

all-over oneself »    Feeling self-satisfied.

almighty dollar »    The dollar, satirically characterized as a being a god.

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.

and then some »    Used to confirm preceding utterance, while implying that what was said or asked is an understatement.

Apa Sâmbetei »    "for nothing", "to no result", or that what you have done was destroyed or is rendered useless after you finish it.

Apa Sâmbetei »    Saturday's waters.

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

apples and oranges »    Said of a comparison of items that are not comparable.

are your ears burning »    Said of somebody who was not present but was the topic of discussion.

around the bend »    Crazy, insane.

as is »    In its present state or condition, especially as a contractual condition of sale.

as long as »    The same length as.

as well »    To the same effect.

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

assault and battery »    . This legal distinction exists only in jurisdictions that distinguish assault as threatened violence rather than actual violence.

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

at odds »    In disagreement; conflicting.

at once »    At the same time; simultaneously; together.

at sixes and sevens »    In a state of dispute or disagreement.

at that »    In addition to what has been said; furthermore; moreover.

bad news »    News of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events.

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

bad taste in one's mouth »    A feeling of disappointment and frustration.

bang on about »    To keep talking endlessly about the same subject.

banyan day »    In modern usage it refers to a picnic or cookout for the ship's crew.

baptism by fire »    A rite of passage through the survival or success of a crisis.

bar none »    Without exception; excluding nothing else of the same kind.

barrel »    The hollow basal part of a feather.

barrel »    The quantity which constitutes a full barrel. This varies for different articles and also in different places for the same article, being regulated by custom or by law. A barrel of wine is 31 1/2 gallons; a barrel of flour is 196 pounds; of beer 31 gallons; of ale 32 gallons; of crude oil 42 gallons.

bash about »    To physically damage something or assault someone.

bash up »    To assault someone with the intention of causing physical injury.

bassackward »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

bassackwards »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

bat a thousand »    To achieve perfection.

bat a thousand »    To achieve success at each attempt.

bat a thousand »    To reach first base on every at-bat.

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

beam up »    To teleport another person or object in the same manner.

bear up »    To sail close to the wind.

beat around the bush »    To delay or avoid talking about something difficult or unpleasant.

beat Banaghan »    An Irish saying of one who tells wonderful stories, or of something which is amazing and remarkable.

beat up »    To sail to windward using a series of alternate tacks across the wind.

beat up »    To verbally assault repeatedly.

bed of roses »    A pleasant or easy situation.

been there, done that, got the T-shirt »    Same as been there, done that, bought the T-shirt.

before you can say Jack Robinson »    Very quickly. Quicker than you expect.

behind the eight ball »    At a disadvantage.

best bet »    The best proposal or plan.

better safe than sorry »    It is preferable to be cautious in one's choices and actions than to suffer afterwards.

between a rock and a hard place »    Having the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options; in a predicament or quandary.

bill of goods »    A collection of items purchased or offered for sale.

bite of the reality sandwich »    A wake-up call, a reality check.

bite one's tongue »    An admonishment to someone who has said something unfeeling or harsh.

bitter pill »    Something unpleasant that must be accepted or endured.

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.

blow chunks »    To be very bad, inadequate, unpleasant, or miserable; to thoroughly suck.

blow up »    To fail disastrously.

blow up in one's face »    To fail disastrously.

blurt out »    To say suddenly, without thinking.

box the compass »    To make a complete reversal in stance or opinion.

brace of shakes »    The time taken for a sail to shake or shiver twice as a ship comes into the wind.

brain fart »    Something ill-considered and said or done impulsively.

brain-dead »    Having an irreversible loss of brain function and cessation of brain activity.

brass monkey »    Said of the weather when it is very cold.

break even »    To stay the same; to neither advance nor regress.

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

break up »    Of a telephone conversation, to cease to be understandable because of a bad connection.

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.

bring in »    To introduce a new rule, law, or system of organisation.

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

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

brush off »    An abrupt rebuff or dismissal.

buckle up »    To fasten one's seat belt or safety belt.

bugger off »    An expression of disagreement or disbelief.

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

burst someone's bubble »    To disillusion; to disabuse someone of a false notion or rationalization that has grown comfortable.

busman's holiday »    A holiday or vacation during which you do the same thing that you do for your usual work.

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.

by leaps and bounds »    Rapidly. Said of making progress.

by the same token »    For a similar reason; in a similar manner; similarly; likewise; along the same lines.

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

call in »    To withdraw something from sale or circulation.

can of worms »    A troublesome situation; an issue whose resolution is difficult or contentious, but not necessarily complex.

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.

cat got someone's tongue »    Why are you not saying anything?.

cat in the sack »    Something to be suspicious of.

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 meow »    A self-satisfied person.

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

change horses in midstream »    To change plans or approaches at an inopportune time, such as when an effort is already underway, generally considered an inadvisable thing to do.

che sara sara »    Used to express a personal philosophy of fatalism1892 March 17, Cigarette,

chime in »    To talk; to join in conversation or discussion.

chip on one's shoulder »    A form of challenge in the same spirit as a medieval knight throwing down his gauntlet.

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

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 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 out of the closet »    To tell others about homosexuality, bisexuality or any minority or disapproved-of belief, preference, etc., where previously this had been kept secret.

come out with »    To say something unexpected.

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 grief »    To have a disastrous outcome.

come unhinged »    To become angered or crazy; to lose control of one's senses or sanity.

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.

conversation piece »    interesting object

correlation does not imply causation »    (statistics) The observed correlation between two parameters, say, the growth of a market and the growth of a neighbor's child may, in fact, have nothing to do with each other's causation.

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".

couldn't happen to a nicer »    Sarcastically asserts that those in question thoroughly deserve their fate.

covenant of salt »    A long-lasting agreement.

crack up »    To become insane; to suffer a mental breakdown.

criss-cross applesauce »    Cross-legged.

cross paths »    To be, by chance, in the same physical place at the same time, as a result of two completely separate journeys.

cry out for »    To say that a situation needs a thing, or a solution urgently.

cry the blues »    To complain, especially in order to obtain sympathy for one's own purportedly sad situation.

cut off one's nose to spite one's face »    To harm oneself as a result of attempting to harm an adversary.

day out »    An excursion, returning home on the same day.

deafening silence »    A silence, or a lack of any response, that signifies disapproval or lack of any enthusiasm.

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 »    ...grasp the demands and exactions of business life. He learns that the main thing to do is to "deliver the message to Garcia"....

deliver the message to Garcia »    ...heaves in a deep breath, gathers himself as though he's crossed a continent to deliver the message to Garcia.

deliver the message to Garcia »    Alternative form of carry the message to Garcia.

deliver the message to Garcia »    Programmers are consistently dehumanized because so many do indeed deliver the message to Garcia only to be at best ignored.

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.

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.

dirty word »    A word that is considered vulgar, not necessarily sexual in nature.

do as I say and not as I do »    Don't imitate my behavior but obey my instructions.

do someone proud »    To cause someone to feel pride, admiration, or satisfaction.

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

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.

double booked »    Of a single resource, reserved for two different users at the same time.

double Dutch »    Sex using a condom and the contraceptive pill at the same time.

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

down in the dumps »    Sad; lacking engagement or enthusiasm.

down in the mouth »    Sad or discouraged, especially as indicated by one's facial appearance.

draw out »    To make something last for more time than is necessary; prolong; extend.

dry run »    A practice; a rehearsal.

due course »    Regular or appropriate passage or occurrence.

e mail »    electronic message

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.

easy come, easy go »    Easily won and easily lost; usually said when resigned to a loss.

eat one's words »    To regret or retract what one has said.

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

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.

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.

enough is enough »    One should be satisfied, there should be no more

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 dog has its day »    Everyone has a time of success and satisfaction.

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

eye candy »    A very attractive person or persons, or the salient visible physical attributes of same.

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.

f** someone over »    To exploit somebody in a way which result in an advantage to oneself, at the cost of the other party gaining a considerable disadvantage.

face the music »    To accept or confront the unpleasant consequences of one's actions.

face up to »    To confront a condition or situation, typically one that is unpleasant or uncomfortable.

facts on the ground »    A euphemism, similar to fait accompli, used as an oblique way of saying that discussions over the possession of a given piece of territory has been rendered moot by the presence of military forces.

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.

falling out »    A disagreement; a major difference of opinion.

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

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.

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

fifth wheel »    Anything superfluous or unnecessary.

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

filter down »    Of information, or resources; to move slowly down to lower levels of an organisation, or population.

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

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

fly in the ointment »    Something which ruins or spoils everything else; a nuisance or problem; an unpleasant or disagreeable detail.

fly-by-night »    Businesses that appear and disappear rapidly, or that give an impression of transience.

follow in someone's footsteps »    To follow the same path as someone.

follow suit »    To play a card of the same suit as the previous or leading card.

for f**'s sake »    An expression of anger or frustration.

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

for goodness' sake »    This interjection expresses surprise or amazement.

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

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

for the sake of it »    For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.

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."

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

from the Department of the Bleeding Obvious »    So obvious it was unnecessary to say.

fruit salad »    dessert dish

full marks »    To exclaim complete satisfaction with someone's efforts.

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

funny farm »    An insane asylum.

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 room »    A jocular or sarcastic expression commanding a couple to stop displaying affection in public, and to rent a hotel or motel room to continue amorous activities in private.

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

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

get one's knickers in a twist »    To become overwrought or unnecessarily upset over a trivial matter.

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

get the sack »    To be fired

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

give away the store »    To transact, trade, or negotiate badly, by paying, providing, or conceding too much to the other party.

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 a piece of one's mind »    To express one's opinion strongly; to voice one's disagreement or dissatisfaction.

give the boot »    To fire, to sack, to dismiss.

give the devil his due »    To acknowledge the positive qualities of a person who is unpleasant or disliked.

glutton for punishment »    One persistent in an effort in spite of harmful or unpleasant results.

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

go mad »    To become insane.

go off at score »    Of a horse, to break suddenly into a gallop; of a person, suddenly to say or do something impetuous.

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

go the way of »    To end up the same way as. To receive the same fate as.

go the way of the dinosaurs »    To go extinct or become obsolete; to fall out of common use or practice; to go off the firsthand market; to become a thing of the past.

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 without saying »    To be obvious, apparent or clear, or already established.

going rate »    The current standard or usual price, rate, or salary for something.

gongoozle »    To leisurely watch the passage of boats, from the bank of a canal, lock or bridge.

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 things come to those who wait »    A patient seeker will be satisfied in due time; patience is a virtue.

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

grain of salt »    A bit of common sense and skepticism. Generally used in some form of to take with a grain of salt.

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.

great minds think alike »    Used to emphasize a coincidence, or two people reaching the same conclusion in any manner at the same time.

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

happy camper »    One who is thoroughly content or satisfied.

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.

hatchet man »    Someone who carries out brutal and unpleasant duties on behalf of another, such as firing dead wood employees.

have a go »    Shout at or tell off unnecessarily or excessively.

have a screw loose »    A phrase meaning that the subject is insane or irrational.

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.

head for the hills »    To go to a safe place; to seek refuge; to flee.

head-in-the-sand »    Exhibiting disregard or denial of a problem or threat.

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.

heavy-hearted »    Sad, melancholy.

hell on earth »    A very unpleasant situation; torment, particularly when widespread.

hen's teeth »    Anything very rare or impossible to obtain is said to be like finding hen’s teeth.

here you are »    Said when you hand something over to someone or do a favour to them, usually to draw the recipient's attention to the exchange; Equivalent to “thank you” when receiving something..

here's to »    Denoting proposed salutation while drinking alcohol, toast.

hic Rhodus, hic salta »    (politics) Prove what you can do, here and now.

highway robbery »    Said of excessive or exorbitant prices.

hit the sack »    To go to bed.

hold a candle »    To compare; to be even remotely of the same quality, skill, etc. as another.

hold one's tongue »    To keep quiet; especially, to leave something unsaid.

hold out »    To set something aside or save it for later.

hold that thought »    To pause in a conversation for an interruption.

hold that thought »    Used to acknowledge that one's attention needs to be diverted from what an speaker was saying.

hold with the hare and run with the hounds »    To oppose an action or behavior and yet engage in the same action or behavior; to be a hypocrite.

horse's ass »    A jerk; an unpleasant, unlikable person; an asshole.

hot button »    The principal desire that a salesman needs to "hit" in order to make a sale.

hot desking »    The working practice of sharing desks or workstations between workers, as a means of saving space and resources.

hot dog »    sausage in a roll

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.

howdy-do »    Same as how-d'ye-do.

hunger is a good sauce »    (dated) Being hungry makes one less concerned about the taste of one's food.1854, Mark Lemon, Henry Mayhew, Tom Taylor, Shirley Brooks, Francis Cowley Burnand, Owen Seaman, Punch, Vol. XXVI, Punch Publications Ltd., page 74:His bread and cheese were somewhat dry, to be sure; his ale had become flat, and considerably warmer than was desirable; but hunger is a good sauce, and thirst is not particular.

hunger is the best sauce »    Being hungry makes one less concerned about the taste of one's food.

if it's all the same »    If it makes no difference; if nobody minds; if it doesn't bother anyone.

if looks could kill »    A phrase said upon catching sight of someone's giving you a particularly nasty look of discontent or disapproval.

if need be »    If necessary; if there is a need.

if you can't beat them, join them »    If your adversaries are stronger than yourself, it is better to join the adversaries.

impiastro »    Nuisance, bore.

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 one's right mind »    Sane, sensible, reasonable; thinking clearly.

in the doghouse »    In trouble; the subject of somebody's anger or disapproval.

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 same boat »    In the same situation or predicament; having the same problems.

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

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.

jack up »    To raise, increase, or accelerate; often said of prices, fees, or rates. See also jack up the price.

jacktar »    Nickname for a sailor in the Royal Navy.

jumble sale »    fundraising event

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.

just the same »    Anyway; despite.

just what the doctor ordered »    Exactly what is necessary or useful in a given situation.

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

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 butt »    To be impressive; to be decisively good or pleasant.

kill the goose that lays the golden eggs »    To seek short term gain at the sacrifice of long term profit.

kindred soul »    Someone with the same feelings or attitudes as oneself; kindred spirit.

kindred spirit »    Someone with the same feelings or attitudes as oneself.

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

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

lay up »    To disable.

lead a charmed life »    To always be lucky and safe from danger.

less is more »    That which is less complicated is often better understood and more appreciated than what is more complicated; simplicity is preferable to complexity; brevity in communication is more effective than verbosity.1855, Robert Browning, "Men and Women":Well, less is more, Lucrezia: I am judged.1954, "'Less Is More'," Time, 14 Jun.:The essence of Mies's architectural philosophy is in his famous and sometimes derided phrase, "Less is more." This means, he says, having "the greatest effect with the least means."2007, Gia Kourlas, "Dance Review: An Ordered World Defined With Soothing Spareness," New York Times, 3 Mar. (retrieved 22 Oct. 2008):The program, which features two premieres

let alone »    Much less; to say nothing of.

let down »    To disappoint; to betray or fail somebody.

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 somebody down »    To fail somebody; to disappoint or to fail to uphold a commitment.

let someone have it »    To verbally assail someone.

let-down »    A disappointment or anticlimax.

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.

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

line in the sand »    A defining moment, a cutoff point.

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.

little pitchers have big ears »    Small children often overhear more of what is said than adults realize or desire.1844, Charlotte M. Yonge, Abbeychurch, ch. 2:Seeing me listening to something she was saying to Mamma, she turned round upon me with that odious proverb, "Little pitchers have long ears."1939, "Bedtime Bedlam," Time, 17 Apr.:A caution to U. S. parents, but a joy to radio merchandising, is the dread truth that little pitchers have big ears.2002, Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, ISBN 9780743455961, p. 185:I suppose he might say pushed or went woowoo, but took a shit is, I fear, very much in the ballpark (little pitchers have big ears, after all).

live paycheck to paycheck »    To spend all that one earns without saving anything.

log off »    To depart from conversation; to say goodbye.

look after »    To watch or protect; to keep safe.

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 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.

lose one's mind »    To become mad, insane.

lose one's shirt »    To lose all of one's money; to go broke; to undergo financial ruin or disaster.

lose out »    To be at a disadvantage.

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

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.

lucky dip »    September 2005, BBC News - Dome sale 'was like a lucky dip'.

lump in one's throat »    A feeling of emotional sadness. On the point of crying.

lump to one's throat »    A feeling of emotional sadness. On the point of crying.

make an example of »    He made an example of the drunken sailor with twenty lashes, to show that he must have a sober crew.

make someone's day »    To make someone happy or to be a source of satisfaction.

make the grade »    To prove satisfactory; to be successful or worthy of merit.

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

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.

mark up »    To increase the price of something between its wholesale and retail phase.

me three »    Used to express agreement, after someone has already said "me too".

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

melt into »    To disappear into.

member for Barkshire »    Said of one troubled with a cough, vulgarly styled barking.

mend fences »    To repair damage to a friendship or relationship after a disagreement or other mishap.

mess up »    To discombobulate, utterly confuse, or confound psychologically; to throw into a state of mental disarray.

mince words »    To restrain oneself in a conversation by withholding some comments or using euphemisms.

mint sauce »    serve this with lamb

mixed bag »    Something tending to have both good and bad results or characteristics; something having a mixture of advantages and disadvantages.

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

mock up »    To create a model or demonstration; to create a preliminary version or sample.

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.

motor mouth »    One who talks incessantly; a chatty or loquacious person.

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

move heaven and earth »    To do whatever is necessary, including extreme or unusual actions; to go to extremes.

muck around »    Means the same as muck about.

my arse »    Indicates disapproval, disregard, disdain, disgust or disbelief.

my eye »    Expression of disapproval, disregard, disdain, disgust or disbelief.

my foot »    Indicates disapproval, disregard, disdain, disgust or disbelief.

neither fish nor fowl »    Said of something not easily categorized or not fitting neatly into any established group.

nest egg »    A savings; a reserve of money.

no brainer »    Something that supposedly doesn’t take much intellectual thought. Whoever says that something is a no brainer is usually the one with no brains.

no comment »    A refusal to say the obvious impolite retort.

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

no frills »    Basic or simple; providing only what is necessary, without anything extra or fancy.

no matter how thin you slice it, it's still baloney »    Regardless of how many clever points or fine distinctions one makes, what one is saying is still false or is still nonsense.

no smoke without fire »    Indicative of the fact that gossip or accusations are often substantiated by fact.

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

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

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

not a pretty sight »    Something disappointing, disquieting, disreputable, or otherwise unworthy of admiration.

not a sausage »    Absolutely nothing, none of something.

not a sausage »    Jill: Not a sausage I'm afraid, I'm just visiting.

not a sausage »    John: Do you know how I get to the town center from here?.

not be able to get a word in edgeways »    To be unable to say a single word because of someone else's talkativeness.

not in Kansas anymore »    No longer in quiet and comfortable surroundings; in the big city.

not leave one's thoughts »    Said when one keeps thinking about something.

nutfarm »    An insane asylum.

of an »    Belonging to the same.

off one's rocker »    Crazy; insane.

off the rails »    Insane.

oh, well »    An expression of disappointment or resignation; too bad; pity.

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.

on high »    "The Lord our God who dwelleth on high" Psalms 63:5.

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 same wavelength »    In rapport or complete accord.

on top of the world »    Delighted; ecstatic; exceptionally pleased, happy, or satisfied.

on track »    On a well-defined promotion path in an organisation, usually tenure.

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

one brick short of a full load »    Not mentally sound; insane.

one card shy of a full deck »    Mentally deranged; demented; insane.

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 side »    You should move to one side and allow me to go through the passageway you are blocking.

one swallow does not a summer make »    One sighting or instance of an event does not necessarily indicate a trend.

one swallow doesn't make a summer »    One sighting or instance of an event does not necessarily indicate a trend.

one thousand »    Used in a common chronometric counting scheme, in which each iteration is sequentially numbered and supposed to be approximately one second in length.

one-man band »    An organisation or business that is effectively run by only one person.

one-track mind »    That said to be possessed by someone who is obsessed with something or only able to think of one thing.

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.

or what »    Or something else; allows for the existence of an unexpressed alternative to what was said.

out of house and home »    Cassandra Chrones Moore, Haunted Housing: How Toxic Scare Stories Are Spooking the Public Out of House and Home.

out of stock »    Temporarily unavailable for sale.

out of touch »    No longer conversant with facts; not aware or realistic.

over a barrel »    In a disadvantageous or helpless situation, in which one may be controlled or victimized.

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

over the transom »    Said of an unsolicited work submitted for publication.

overkill »    An unnecessary excess of whatever is needed to achieve a goal.

pachyderm »    What others say about him or her.

pain in the butt »    A nuisance; a source of trouble or annoyance.

pardon me »    Sorry; said as an apology.

parting shot »    An insult or barbed comment issued as the speaker departs or the conversation comes to an end.

party pooper »    Someone who unnecessarily dampens fun.

peachy keen »    Extremely good, exactly right; all right. Often used in the negative or with an ironic or sarcastic connotation to mean the opposite.

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

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.

pig in a poke »    Something whose true value is concealed or unknown, especially something offered for sale.

pinch and a punch for the first of the month »    Said the first day of a new month, accompanied by a pinch and a punch to the victim.

play it safe »    To take a cautious, risk-free approach.

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

play the same tape »    To repeat exactly what one previously said or did.

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.

pork sausages »    bangers

pound sand »    To engage in a futile activity.

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

proverbs run in pairs »    Every proverb seems to be contradicted by another proverb with an opposed message, such as "too many cooks spoil the broth" and "many hands make light work."1863, Sir Richard Burton, Abeokuta and the Camaroons Mountains, vol. 1, Tinsley (London), p. 309:Moreover, all the world over, proverbs run in pairs, and pull both ways: for the most part one neutralizes, by contradiction, the other.

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 rank »    To assert one's authority over a subordinate who disagrees.

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

put aside »    To save money.

put by »    To save money.

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

put up or shut up »    Desist from saying something unless one is able to prove it.

put words in somebody's mouth »    To attribute to somebody something he or she did not say; to claim inaccurately that somebody said or intended something.

rag bagger »    A sailboat, usually a cruising sailboats which tend to carry and store lots of supplies along the deck, or any sailboat that looks like a neglected vessel, or messy vessel.

rag bagger »    A sailor who tends to sail on messy cruising vessels.

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 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.

rain on someone's parade »    To disappoint or discourage someone.

raise the flag and see who salutes »    It generates, usually as a preliminary step.

read out »    To read something and say the words to inform other people.

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.

reap what one sows »    To receive as a reward or harvest in the same measure as one's exertions, in a good or a bad sense. To receive justice.

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.

reinvent the wheel »    To redo work unnecessarily when it has already been done satisfactorily; to rethink an already working system, technique, etc. in a pointless attempt to improve it.

ride tall in the saddle »    To act or conduct oneself in a manner that is imposing, impressive, resolute, or manly.

ride tall in the saddle »    To ride a horse in an erect, imposing manner.

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.

ring back »    To make another phone call to the same person.

ring off »    To finish a telephone conversation and disconnect.

road to Damascus »    A road to Damascus moment, or change, is an important point in someone's life where a great change, or reversal, of ideas or beliefs occurs.

rock salmon »    huss

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 the bend »    Crazy, mad or insane.

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 salt in the wound »    To make an injury feel worse.

run down »    To criticize someone or an organisation, often unfairly.

run something by »    To bring an idea or proposal to the attention of someone in order to obtain their opinion.

run something past »    To bring an idea or proposal to the attention of someone in order to obtain their opinion.

run through »    To pervade, of a quality that is characteristic of a group, organisation, or system.

sabre-rattling »    A flamboyant display of military power as an implied threat that it might be used.

sabre-rattling »    Any threat, such as one company threatening another with a lawsuit.

sack out »    To fall asleep, usually from implied exhaustion.

sacked out »    Sound asleep, usually from a healthy exhaustion.

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.

safety pin »    fastener

said and done »    Agreed to and accomplished or finished.

sainted »    Simple past tense and past participle of saint.

salad years »    The inexperienced, youthful prime of an individual, group, organization or entity.

same difference »    It makes no difference; it amounts to the same thing.

same old story »    What usually happens, a happening which is not surprising.

sauce for the goose »    A short form of what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander

save face »    To take an action or make a gesture intended to preserve one's reputation or honour.

save someone's bacon »    To save someone's life.

save the day »    To rescue the situation.

saw wood »    To snore loudly.

say goodbye »    To separate from someone.

say goodbye »    To wish someone farewell upon their leaving.

say grace »    To recite a prayer of invocation or thanksgiving at meal time.

say so »    power of decision

scissorbill »    The black skimmer bird native to the Atlantic states, USA.

scrimp and save »    To scrimp greatly; to economize; to live very frugally, particularly when saving for something.

sea dog »    old sailor

see a man about a horse »    A message signaling one needs to go missing for a short while, for any reason, without giving a real explanation.

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 ice to Eskimos »    To persuade people to go against their best interests or to accept something unnecessary or preposterous.

send away for »    To write to a business or other organisation, requesting a thing.

send up »    To imitate someone or something for the purpose of satirical humour.

set aside »    To disagree with something and reject or overturn it.

set sail »    depart

sexual congress »    Loose translation of the title of Aristophanes' play Ecclesiazousae, more literally translated as Assemblywomen.

shit-eating grin »    A broad smile indicating self-awareness that may suggest self-satisfaction, smugness, discomfort, or embarrassment.

shoot oneself in the foot »    To act against one's own interests, e.g., by saying what one is really thinking.

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.

show off »    To exhibit; to demonstrate one's skill, talent, etc. for its own sake.

sign off »    Term used to describe the closing of a radio or television station's studios and cessation of a broadcasting signal, usually during the overnight hours.

silence is golden »    Peace and quiet have immense value.Often the best choice is to say nothing.

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.

sit out »    To lean out to the windward side of a sailboat in order to counterbalance the effects of the wind on the sails.

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.

skimp and save »    Alternative form of scrimp and save.

skin and bones »    Said of one who is emaciated; very skinny, as from lack of nutrition.

sleep together »    To be intimate with another person in the same bed.

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 »    An indirect message or indication, especially concerning a future event.

sniff test »    An informal reality check of an idea or proposal, using one's common sense or sense of propriety.

so much for »    An expression of disregard, or resignation; something said upon giving up, quitting, or disposing of something.

so quiet one can hear a pin drop »    Said during a lull in a normally bustling place or scene, or as the result of a sudden dramatic or tense moment.

so-called »    Same as above, without the negative connotation.

sob story »    A sad story told to make others feel sympathy for the teller.

soft sawder »    "How the old boy swallowed my soft sawder and Brummagem notes!" —Tom Taylor, The Ticket-of-Leave Man.

soft sawder »    "If she goes to act ugly, I'll give her a dose of "soft sawder"; that will take the frown out of her frontispiece...!" —Thomas Haliburton, "The Trotting Horse" — first usage.

soft sawder »    Cajoling or flattery.

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.

some days you get the bear, other days the bear gets you »    One cannot always overcome a powerful adversary.

spark off »    To initiate something by providing the necessary conditions.

spark spread »    The difference between the cost of the fuel required to produce a unit of electricity, and the price of that same unit of electricity.

speak for oneself »    Expressing disagreement with an opinion expressed by another.

speak of the devil »    An expression sometimes used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive on the scene.

spit it out »    To overcome reluctance to say something particular or to speak in general.

split up »    Separate, disassociate, cause to come apart.

spot check »    A cursory inspection or examination or the inspection or examination of a sample of something.

square meal »    A satisfying meal, especially suitable for one performing physical labor.

squaring the circle »    The historical problem of how to construct, using compass and ruler, a square having the same area as a given circle.

squirrel away »    To stash or hide; to hoard, collect, save, or accumulate; to create a reserve, stash, or hoard of some supply, so as to recall a squirrel's burying of nuts.

stand back »    To maintain a safe distance from a hazard.

stand corrected »    Said to acknowledge someone who corrects something that one says or writes that was not correct.

stand stock still »    Paul Travers' Adventures, by Sam T. Clover.

step in front of a moving train »    To sacrifice one's own life for a noble and loyal cause.

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.

sticker shock »    Disgust, shock, or fright upon learning the price of an item offered for sale.

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

stop up »    To fill a hole or cavity, or block an opening or passage, as with a plug.

strike up »    To start something with somebody else. Usually a conversation or relationship.

stuffed shirt »    One who is overly official or officious; somebody in charge but not necessarily in power or effective.

sweet dreams »    Phrase said to someone before they fall asleep, wishing them a good sleep.

sweetheart deal »    A transaction, contract, or other agreement in which one party provides particularly favorable terms to the other, especially in suspicious circumstances.

switch off »    To turn a switch to the "off" position in order to stop or disable a device.

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.

take a number »    Recognize that many others are in the same situation; recognize that one's concerns are not of high priority; be prepared to wait.

take a powder »    To leave in a hurry; run away; scram; depart without taking leave or notifying anyone, often with a connotation of avoiding something unpleasant or shirking responsibility.

take aback »    Of a ship: to catch it with the sails aback suddenly.

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 »    To write a note. Usually to record something that is said.

take it or leave it »    It is said when a situation has to be accepted without change.

take it to the bank »    Said to emphasize that something is known for sure.

take off »    To imitate, often in a satirical manner.

take one's leave »    Say goodbye.

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 one's stride »    Not to allow oneself to be set back, daunted, upset or embarrassed by unpleasant or undesirable circumstances.

take the wind out of someone's sails »    To discourage someone greatly; to cause someone to lose hope or the will to continue.

take with a pinch of salt »    Not take entirely seriously.

talk dirty »    To use profane language, especially sexual vulgarities for the purpose of arousal.

tall in the saddle »    Imposing, impressive; resolute; manly.

tar with the same brush »    To characterize using the same undesirable attribute, especially unjustly.

tell it to Sweeney »    I do not believe what you said.

tell it to the marines »    I do not believe what you said.

tenon saw »    hand tool

thanks a bunch »    A mildly sarcastic thank you.

thanks a bunch »    An unsarcastic thank you.

that'll be the day »    Said in reply to something that one believes will never happen.

that's that »    There is nothing more to say or to do concerning the matter.

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 bigger they are, the harder they fall »    The larger something is, the more disastrous and spectacular its downfall

the end justifies the means »    Morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary to achieve morally right outcomes; actions can only be considered morally right or wrong by virtue of the morality of the outcome.

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 long and short of it »    The gist; the essence or substance; the most important or salient features; said of a summary or digest.

the map is not the territory »    Our models of the world, and our sensations of the world, are not the true world.

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 pits »    Something miserable or unpleasant.

the road to hell is paved with good intentions »    well-intended acts can lead to disaster

the salt of the earth »    wonderful

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.

there is an exception to every rule »    Usually said in a situation when the rule is incorrect and unusable.

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.

three Rs »    The basic education any child can expect to receive, but not necessarily limited to reading, writing and arithmetic.

three skips of a louse »    Said about some trifling or insignificant matter.

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 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 to the wolves »    To sacrifice someone, especially in an attempt to save oneself.

thumb a ride »    To flag or signal a passing vehicle in hopes of securing passage.

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 and tide wait for no man »    action is necessary without delay

time out »    To call for a suspension of activity or conversation.

timing is everything »    Consideration of other events can greatly influence some desired outcome (such as an audience laughing to a comedian's joke).Telling the old joke about a butt-crack was not a good idea, just as the plumber arrived, Bob.You know what they say: "timing is everything." I'm sure we can find another plumber before the house floods.

tip one's hand »    To inadvertently reveal any secret, particularly a secret that puts one at an advantage or disadvantage.

to one's heart's content »    Until satisfied; as much as is wished.

to say the least »    Used to suggest that what was previously stated was an understatement.

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.

tomorrow is another day »    Tomorrow will bring new opportunities and a fresh start for one's endeavors.1600, author unknown, "Phillidaes Love-call to her Coridon, and his replying" (song), in England's Helicon, printed at London by I.R. for John Flasket:Phil. Yonder comes my Mother, Coridon,whether shall I flie?Cor. Under yonder Beech my lovely one,while she passeth by.Say to her thy true-Love was not heere,remember, remember,to morrow is another day:1896, Amelia E. Barr, A Knight of the Nets, ch. 8:"Well, well, my dear lass, to-night we cannot work, but we may sleep. . . . Keep a still heart tonight, and tomorrow is another day."1936, Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind, ch. 63:"Tomorrow, I'll think of some way to get him back. After all, tomorrow is another day."2005, Fran Schumer, "JERSEY: In Princeton, Taking On Harvard's Fuss About Women," New York Times, 19 June (retrieved 18 Aug. 2009):"Half of me is depressed

top of the morning »    A generic greeting said to someone in the morning.

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.

touch%C3%A9 »    Used in a conversation or debate to concede a point as true, often in response to a successful counter of one's own logic.

train wreck »    An inevitable disaster.

turn a blind eye »    To ignore or deliberately overlook, especially with respect to something unpleasant or improper.

turn one's back »    To forsake, to abandon; to ignore.

turn the tables »    To reverse a situation, such that the advantage has shifted to the party which was previously disadvantaged.

turn up for the book »    A very unexpected, usually pleasant, surprise.

turnabout is fair play »    It is allowable to retaliate against an enemy's dirty tricks by using the same ones against him.

two birds with one stone »    Any two things that were performed or completed at the same time by one action.

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-second rule »    A rule of thumb for safe driving by which a driver must maintain a two-second distance from the vehicle in front.

uncle sam »    the us government

under sail »    With sails unfurled; powered by the wind.

under the table »    Secretly or without reporting, especially of payments made or business transacted.

under way »    A vessel is said to be underway when she is not anchored, moored, aground, or beached[1]. Compare with make way.

up to »    Considering all members of an equivalence class the same.

up to scratch »    Sufficient; adequate; of acceptable or satisfactory quality.

up to snuff »    Adequate; of acceptable or quality; satisfying an appropriate standard.

up to snuff »    Mentally alert, shrewd, savvy.

wade in »    To interrupt someone, or a situation, by doing or saying something abruptly, or forcefully, and usually without thinking about the consequences.

walk and chew gum at the same time »    To do something very easy.

walk in the park »    Something easy or pleasant, especially by comparison to something.

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.

walls have ears »    There is a risk of being heard, so pay attention to what you say.

wash over »    Said of the way an emotion affects one suddenly.

watch one's mouth »    To be careful about what one says, especially with regard to disrespectful or profane language.

wear off »    To disappear because of being abraded, over-polished, or abused.

wear out »    To deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain.

wet boy »    A contractor assassin or hit man.

what it says on the tin »    Exactly what is described or what one would expect from the name.

what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander »    If something is acceptable for one person, it is acceptable for another.

what's up »    A casual greeting with usage similar to "How are you?" or "Nice to meet you".

whatsamatta »    What is the matter? What is wrong?.

when all is said and done »    In the end; ultimately.

where there's muck there's brass »    (UK, Irish) There is money to be made in unpleasant dirty jobs.

whomp on »    To assail with overwhelming force; to defeat decisively.

window dressing »    These latest modifications are mere window dressing, the same problems remain.

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.

wipe the slate clean »    To forget about previous differences and disagreements, and make a fresh start.

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.

work the room »    To interact enthusiastically with the attendees at an event, by moving among them, greeting them, and engaging them in conversation.

worry wart »    One who worries excessively or unnecessarily.

worth one's salt »    Competent or adept.

wouldn't say boo to a goose »    Describing a quiet, exceptionally shy person.

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.

yes to death »    To agree with someone, often sarcastically.

you can say that again »    That is very true.

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 can't make an omelette without breaking eggs »    In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that something should be destroyed.

you can't say fairer than that »    That is good, reasonable, or fair; one cannot hope for a better decision or outcome.

you get what you pay for »    In commercial transactions, the quality of goods and services increases as the prices increase, i.e., the more one pays, the better the merchandise.2003, Michael Blumenthal, "For Whom the School Bell Tolls," Time, 7 Dec.:Though it may sound unapologetically capitalistic to say so

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 name it »    Used after a short list to show that further examples are unnecessary; all kinds of things.

you shouldn't have »    Used to express gratitude at unnecessary generosity, especially when receiving a gift.

you've got to crack a few eggs to make an omelette »    In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that something should be destroyed.

zip it »    Be quiet; the same as zip one's lip.

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