We've found 1567 phrases for ss (0.116 seconds):

a camel is a horse designed by a committee »    An expression critical of committees

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

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

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

a into g »    Ass into gear.

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

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

a miss is as good as a mile »    A failure remains a failure, regardless of how close to success one has actually come.

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 rolling stone gathers no moss »    A person who never settles in one place will never be successful.A person who does not keep active will grow mouldy.

a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down »    An otherwise unpleasant situation can be pleasant when a pleasant aspect is deliberately introduced.1999, Eli Yassif, The Hebrew Folktale: History, Genre, Meaning, Indiana University Press, ISBN 0253335833, page 372,One is known as the "sweetening parable," that is to say a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Thus, when the aim is to preach to the people, to guide them along the "bitter," arduous path of upholding burdensome precepts and prohibitions, a tale can lighten the load, make the "medicine" easier "to swallow."2001, Maureen Reagan, First Father, First Daughter: A Memoir, Little, Brown, ISBN 0316736368, page 319,It put some fun into the tedious business of preparing for a presidential debate. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, right?2004, John Hoover, How to Work for an Idiot: Survive & Thrive... Without Killing Your Boss, Career Press, ISBN 1564147045, page 11,If a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, a barrel of laughs can wash down the big pills you might need to swallow.

a watched pot never boils »    A process appears to go more slowly if one waits for it rather than engaging in other activities.

abound in »    To have something in great numbers or quantities; to possess in such abundance as to be characterized by.

abound with »    To have something in great numbers or quantities; to possess in such abundance as to be characterized by.

absence makes the heart grow fonder »    When someone or something is faraway, you realise how much you love (or miss) them or it.

account for »    To explain by relating circumstances; to show that some one, thing or members of a group are present or have been processed.

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

across the board »    Pertaining to all categories or things.

across the pond »    On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

act out »    To go through the process of a scene from a play, a charade or a pointless exercise.

act out »    To express one's feelings through disruptive actions.

ad fontes »    Go to the sources: An expression emphasizing the importance of conducting fundamental research and of consulting primary sources.

add insult to injury »    To further a loss with mockery or indignity.

Adds up »    To enhance. " Law of attraction adds up to the success in life."

air bed »    inflatable mattress

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

air out »    To discuss in the open.

albatross »    A double eagle, or three under par on any one hole.

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

albatross »    Any of various large seabirds of the family Diomedeidae ranging widely in the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific and having a hooked beak and long narrow wings.

all clear »    permission to proceed

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

all hollow »    Common misspelling of all hallow.

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

all nations »    A composition of all the different spirits sold in a dram-shop, collected in a vessel into which the drainings of the bottles and quartern pots are emptied.

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

all the same »    Anyway; nevertheless; nonetheless.

all the tea in China »    Something priceless or invaluable.

all walks of life »    All professions, lifestyles or social classes.

almost doesn't count »    Near success (or correctness) is not deemed success (or correctness).

am I right or am I right »    Rhetorical question from somebody who has stated what they consider to be an unassailable truth.

amateur hour »    A situation or activity in which the participants show a lack of skill, sound judgment, or professionalism.

an apple a day keeps the doctor away »    Apples are healthy and stave off illness.Eat healthy and you won't get sick.

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

and change »    And some quantity, but less than the increment to the next round number.

answer back »    To issue echo characters, protocol responses, reflexive connection requests, etc.

any press is good press »    Being mentioned in the media is beneficial to the subject because it gets publicity.

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

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

April showers bring May flowers »    April, traditionally a rainy period, gives way to May, when flowers will bloom because of the water provided to them by the April rains.By extension, that a period of discomfort can provide the basis for a period of happiness.

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

argue out »    To discuss to reach an agreed conclusion, or decision.

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

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

as best one can »    In the best possible way, given the circumstances.

as long as »    Depending upon some condition or requirement; provided that; if, assuming; so long as.

ass into gear »    Get going; get moving; start producing.

ass over teakettle »    Frantically.

ass over teakettle »    Tumbling upside down.

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

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

at a loss »    Below the cost or price of purchase.

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

at cross purposes »    Against one another; contrary in direction or goals.

at cross-purposes »    Mutually misunderstanding each other's plans, intentions or meanings.

at the mercy of »    In the power of; defenceless/defenseless against.

at the top of one's lungs »    Possible.

at work »    Working, in the process of doing work.

autem cackler »    Dissenters of every denomination.

avoir du pois lay »    Stealing brass weights off the counters of shops.

babe in the woods »    A person who is innocent, naive, inexperienced, or helpless.

baby blues »    Period and feeling of depressiveness after giving birth; a less severe form of postnatal depression.

back down »    To take a less aggressive position in a conflict than one previously has or has planned to.

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

back office »    The IT and infrastructure support services for a company, separate from the public face of the business.

back to our muttons »    To get back to the business at hand.

back to the drawing board »    Back to the beginning following an unsuccessful attempt.

back-assward »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

back-asswards »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

backassward »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

backasswards »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

backseat driver »    A passenger in a car who insists on giving the driver directions.

bad taste in one's mouth »    A feeling of guilt, responsibility, or embarrassment as to cause nausea.

bag and baggage »    All one's possessions.

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

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

ballpark figure »    An educated guess or estimation within acceptable bounds.

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

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

bang for the buck »    Efficiency; cost-effectiveness; value.

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

bang out »    To do something quickly, in a slipshod, or unprofessional manner.

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

bare one's teeth »    Of an animal, to show one's teeth as a sign of aggression.

bare one's teeth »    To show one's aggression.

barn burner »    Any successful or impressive event.

barrel »    A round vessel or cask, of greater length than breadth, and bulging in the middle, made of staves bound with hoops, and having flat ends or heads. Sometimes applied to a similar cylindrical container made of metal, usually called a drum.

barrel of laughs »    That which is immature, embarrassing, or disgraceful.

bash about »    To physically damage something or assault someone.

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

basket case »    One made powerless or ineffective, as by nerves, panic or stress.

bass-ackward »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

bass-ackwards »    Alternative form of ass-backwards.

bassackward »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

bassackwards »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

bat a thousand »    To achieve success at each attempt.

bat around »    To discuss.

bat away »    To avoid by diverting the focus of a discussion.

be still my heart »    Calm down, this situation is too exciting or overly distressing.

be taken ill »    Due to sudden illness.

be that as it may »    Even if that is the case; whether that is true or not; nevertheless.

be the way to go »    Represent the best of all possible options or courses of action; pre-eminate over all other choices or alternatives.

be-all and end-all »    Something considered to be of the utmost importance; something essential or ultimate.

bear down »    To approach another vessel from windward.

bear down »    To press down on someone.

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

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

beat up »    To verbally assault repeatedly.

bee in one's bonnet »    Something of particular interest or concern; an obsession.

been there, done that »    An assertion that the speaker has personal experience or knowledge of a particular place or topic and is now bored.

been there, done that, bought the T-shirt »    Expresses the speaker's complete familiarity with a situation, with overtones of cynicism or exhaustion.

below par »    Less than par for the hole or course.

best laid plans »    A proverbial expression used to signify the futility of making detailed plans when the outcome is uncertain.

better an egg today than a hen tomorrow »    It is better to have a sure thing now than a possibility of more later.

better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness »    In the face of bad times or hopelessness, it is more worthwhile to do some good, however small, in response than to complain about the situation.

big kahuna »    A boss, leader, chieftain, or top-ranking person in an organization.

big up »    To increase one's muscle mass through exercise.

bigger fish to fry »    A much more pressing issue to attend to.

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

birthday suit »    Nakedness; a lack of clothing.

bit on the side »    Secondary lover, mistress.

bite i gresset »    To bite the dust, to die.

bite i gresset »    To loose.

bite me »    An expression of discontent or aggravation to another party.

bits and bobs »    A random assortment of things; small remaining pieces and things.

bitter end »    The end of a long and difficult process.

black »    Absorbing all light and reflecting none; dark and colourless.

black babies »    Third world charities, the missions.

blame Canada »    A catch phrase for shifting attention away from a serious social issue by laying responsibility with Canada.

blessed event »    An occurrence or occasion which is particularly noteworthy and enjoyable.

blessed event »    The birth of a baby.

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

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

blind »    A covering for a window to keep out light. The covering may be made of cloth or of narrow slats that can block light or allow it to pass.

blow a kiss »    To kiss one's hand, then blow on the hand in a direction towards the recipient.

blow away »    Flabbergast; scintillate; impress greatly.

blow it »    To fail at something; to mess up; to make a mistake.

blow off »    To pass gas; to break wind.

blow off »    To vent, usually, to reduce pressure in a container.

blow off steam »    To rant or shout in order to relieve stress; to vent.

blow over »    To pass naturally; to go away; to settle or calm down.

blow this pop stand »    To exit or remove oneself from a less than exciting location or environment.

blue devils »    Low spirits; depression.

blue note »    Notes added to the major scale for expressive quality in jazz and blues music, particularly the flatted third, fifth and seventh.

bluewash »    To tout a business or organization's commitment to social responsibility, and to use this perception for public relations and economic gain; to present a humanitarian front in this manner.

board up »    To block doors or windows with boards, either to prevent access or as protection from storms, etc.

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

boot camp »    Indoctrination, physical fitness training and basic instruction in service-related subjects for recruits in the Navy and Marine Corps.

borganism »    An organization of autonomous organisms that exhibit collectivism: individual "units" that have merged to yield a unified construct. Such an amalgam may possess a collective consciousness, arguably an emergent phenomenon of social networking.

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.

boss about »    To act in a bossy manner with another person, ordering them to do things, whether or not one is actually their superior.

boss around »    To act in a bossy manner with another person, ordering them to do things, whether or not one is actually their superior.

bottle up »    Keep suppressed and hidden.

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'.

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.

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

box-office bomb »    A motion picture that generates relatively low revenue at the box office, especially that which is less than the budget for the motion picture.

boys and their toys »    Used to evoke the idea that adult men sometimes dote excessively on machines, automobiles, and gadgets in a childish manner.

boys will be boys »    It is hard, often fruitless, to attempt to curb the natural playfulness and tendency to mischief of most growing boys.1922, James Joyce, Ulysses Chapter 13But just then there was a slight altercation between Master Tommy and Master Jacky. Boys will be boys and our two twins were no exception to this golden rule.Even grown men usually remain somewhat boyish in heart"Boys will be boys", grinned grandpa while he joined his adult son playing with the fancy train-set he gave his grandson for Christmas while the kid was in school.

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

brain fart »    A lapse in the thought process; an inability to think or remember something clearly.

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

brass farthing »    Something worthless or of small value.

brass monkey »    A cocktail of vodka, rum and orange juice, sometimes with the addition of galliano.

brass monkey »    A kind of inexpensive liqueur.

brass monkey »    An Australian beer.

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

brass monkeys »    Very cold.

brass neck »    A person with gall.

brass neck »    Gall, shamelessness, cheek.

brass ring »    Figuratively, a prize or goal. Often used with respect to employment goals e.g. promotion, better job, etc.

brass-neck »    To behave boldly or shamelessly.

brass-necked »    Nervy; cheeky; shameless.

bread and butter »    That which is central or fundamental, as to one's business, survival, or income; a staple or cornerstone.

break a leg »    A wish for a successful performance; primarily a valediction to an actor wishing him or her a successful theatrical stage performance.

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

break into »    To try to start in a profession or business.

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

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

break up »    To dissolve; to part.

bridge »    A statement, such as an offer, that signals a possibility of accord.

bring home the bacon »    To have a job and earn money or to lead a successful career.

bring it on »    Used to indicate one's willingness to accept a challenge, confront a threat, etc.

bring it weak »    To fail to accomplish an accomplishable task or to make an attempt at less than maximum effort; to "half-ass" or "fake the funk".

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

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

bring round »    To resuscitate; to cause to regain consciousness.

broad across the beam »    Without fat on the hips and the bottom.

broken vessel »    A person who is destroyed or forgotten, or who feels flawed or broken.

broken-hearted »    Alternative spelling of brokenhearted. Feeling depressed, despondent, or hopeless, especially over losing a love.

brown noser »    One who sucks up; a bootlicker, ass-kisser, sycophant.

brown thumb »    Lack of skill at growing plants; something possessed by a poor gardener.

brush off »    An abrupt rebuff or dismissal.

bug out »    Miss school, play truant, play hooky.

bugger off »    An expression of disagreement or disbelief.

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

bull session »    An informal meeting among men.

bum steer »    Bad advice, regardless of intention.

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

bundle of energy »    The energy associated with being lively, continually active, or industrious.

burn one's candle at both ends »    To work extremely or excessively hard; to work too hard for good health or peace of mind.

bury the lead »    To begin a story with details of secondary importance to the reader while postponing more essential points or facts.

bury the lede »    To begin a story with details of secondary importance to the reader while postponing more essential points or facts.

bush league »    A low-ranking or inferior level among groups, professions, organizations, etc.

bush league »    A professional sports association at the lower levels of minor league organization.

bush telegraph »    A gossip network.

business as usual »    The normal course of an activity, particularly in circumstances that are out of the ordinary.

business before pleasure »    An admonishment that discharging one's obligations must take precedence over devoting time to pursuits meant solely for one's own gratification.

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

business girl »    A prostitute.

business girl »    A young woman employed in business or office work.

bust a cap in someone's ass »    Alternative form of pop a cap in someone's ass.

bust ass cold »    Extremely cold.

busted flush »    Anything which ends up worthless despite great potential.

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.

but then »    Then again, on the other hand; used to show that the opposite viewpoint is possible.

but who's counting »    Used as a retort or comeback, often to deprecate oneself or another for excessive concern or attention to.

button-down »    Serious; staid; businesslike.

by hook or by crook »    By any means possible; one way or another.

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

by oneself »    Alone; without assistance, accompaniment, or help from others.

by the way »    His mother will be coming for dinner tomorrow, and, by the way, she volunteered to bring dessert.

by the way »    Incidentally; a parenthetical statement not timely, central, or crucial to the topic at hand; foregone, passed by, something that has already happened.

by trade »    As a profession; professionally.

call 'em as one sees 'em »    To candidly and honestly express an opinion or viewpoint.

call on »    In a classroom, to select a student.

call out »    To arrange for a professional to call at your home for some purpose.

calling card »    A small printed card which identifies the bearer, traditionally presented for introduction when making a social visit to a home or when attending a formal social event or business meeting.

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

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

cap it all off »    To surpass or outdo something.

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.

carried away »    Made excessively emotional or excited.

carry away »    To break under sudden pressure of violent wind.

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

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

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

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

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

castle in the air »    A visionary project or scheme; a day-dream; an idle fancy; a pipe dream; any plan, desire, or idea that is unlikely to be ever realized; a near impossibility.

catbird seat »    Expression used to describe an enviable position, often one of great advantage.

catch-as-catch-can »    Intermittent; only when possible or when the opportunity presents itself.

caucus race »    The competitive process in which a political party selects their candidate, esp. presidential; a primary election via caucus.

caught with one's pants down »    Caught off guard, unprepared, or in an embarrassing situation.

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

chain reaction »    A nuclear reaction in which particles produced by the fission of one atom trigger fissions of other atoms.

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

charity mugger »    A person employed by a charity, or by an intermediary fundraising agency employed by the charity, who stands in the street and invites passersby to set up standing orders or direct debits to make regular donations to the charity.

chase a rainbow »    To pursue something illusory, impractical, or impossible.

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

che sera sera »    Used to express a personal philosophy of fatalism1604, Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus:Why then belike we must sin, / And so consequently die. / Aye, we must die an everlasting death. / What doctrine call you this ? Che, sera, sera: / What will be*, shall be; Divinity adieu. / These Metaphysics of Magicians, / And necromantic books, are heavenly.

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

cherry pick »    To position oneself near the opponent's goal to attempt to receive an errant or intentional pass for an easy score, as in basketball or versions of soccer where offsides are not enforced.

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

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

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

chip in »    To interrupt a discussion for the purpose of making a comment.

chit chat »    gossip

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.

class clown »    A student who frequently makes jokes or pokes fun; a wiseacre.

clean out »    To empty completely; to remove all money or possessions from.

clean up »    To make an area or a thing clean; to pick up a mess; to tidy.

clear up »    Of stormy weather, to dissipate, to become calm.

climb the walls »    To behave in a distressed or frantic manner; to feel very agitated.

close down »    To stop trading as a business.

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

close up shop »    To shut down a shop; to end a business activity.

cloud nine »    A state of happiness, elation or bliss; often used in the phrase on cloud nine.

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

coals to Newcastle »    A pointless venture, in the sense of sending something to a place where it's made, or where they already have an abundance.

cock up »    Unintentionally; to screw up, mess up or f** up.

cold comfort »    Much less reassurance, consolation, aid, or pleasure than one needs or desires.

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

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 come to pass; to develop; to occur; to take place; to happen.

come about »    To tack; to change tack; to maneuver the bow of a sailing vessel across the wind so that the wind changes from one side of the vessel to the other; to position a boat with respect to the wind after tacking.

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

come across »    To find, usually by accident.

come along »    To progress; to make progress.

come by »    To come near to; to pass.

come clean »    To confess; admit.

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

come down with »    To contract or get; to show symptoms of a minor illness.

come hell or high water »    Regardless of the hardships.

come on »    To progress, to develop.

come on »    An expression of encouragement.

come on »    An expression of disbelief.

come out »    To be published, be issued.

come round »    To recover consciousness.

come to »    To recover consciousness after fainting etc.

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

coming out of one's ears »    In great or excess quantity.

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

consume mass quantities »    To eat or drink abundant amounts of food or beverage.

consume mass quantities »    To use large amounts of any resource.

controlled substance »    Except for very limited professional testing purposes.

cool down »    To become less agitated.

cool down »    To cause to become less agitated.

cool one's jets »    To become less excited, intense, or active.

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

corner the market »    To have exclusive possession; to possess something to a high or excessive degree.

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

cover one's ass »    To make preparations or take precautions to ensure that one is not blamed or punished for one's conduct.

crab mentality »    A way of thinking best described by the phrase "if I can't have it, neither can you." The metaphor refers to a pot of crabs in which one tries to escape over the side, but is relentlessly pulled down by the others in the pot.

cramp someone's style »    To restrict someone's free actions, or to give the impression of such.

criss-cross applesauce »    Cross-legged.

cross my heart »    A declaration that the speaker is telling the truth.

cross off »    To strike out; to cross out; to draw a line through.

cross off »    To finish; to mark something as complete.

cross out »    To strike out; to draw a line through.

cross paths »    August 5 2004, SFGate.com.

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

cross someone's palm »    To give money to a person, especially as a bribe or as an inducement to perform a service.

cross someone's path »    To meet by chance.

cross that bridge when one comes to it »    To deal with a problem or situation only when it arises.

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

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.

cross the floor »    To vote against one's own political party in parliament.

cross the line »    To cross the equator, as a vessel at sea.

cross the line »    To overstep a boundary, rule, or limit; to go too far or do something unacceptable.

cross the Rubicon »    To make an irreversible decision or to take an action with consequences.

crown jewels »    A prized possession or asset.

crush out »    To force out or separate by pressure.

cry all the way to the bank »    To be happy due to the receipt of money, although expressing sorrow about the cause of such receipt.

cry one's eyes out »    To weep for an elongated time, or in an excessive manner.

cry out »    To shout in a loud voice, due to pain, or fear, or unhappiness.

cry someone a river »    To weep profusely or excessively in the presence of another person.

cry wolf »    To raise a false alarm; to constantly warn others about an imagined threat, thereby failing to get assistance when a real threat appears.

crying shame »    It's a crying shame that so much money has been wasted on this pointless political campaign.

cut a wide swath »    To clear a broad track through a grassland, woodland, geographical region, or other area, either by natural means or by human action.

cut corners »    To do a less than thorough or complete job; to do something poorly or take short cuts.

cut it »    To suffice; to be effective or successful.

cut it fine »    To achieve something at the last possible moment, or with no margin for error.

cut of one's jib »    Someone’s general appearance or the implications thereof, especially in relation to making an impression or one’s style..

cut up »    To aggressively move in front of another vehicle.

cut up »    distress greatly

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

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

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

dark horse »    An unexpected success.

dead set against »    Completely opposed, with no possibility of a change of mind.

dead weight »    That which is useless or excess; that which slows something down.

deadweight »    A useless, usually encumbering factor.

debris field »    Any area, non-dependent of locale, space, or contour, that contains the debris of wreckage, impact, sinking, or other material that once constituted a complete object. Debris fields can be found at the site of air crashes, water vessel sinking, explosions of buildings, collapses, and other events that render a whole entity into components, pieces, or other non-whole items.

deep down »    Fundamentally; in essence; in reality; really.

deep pockets »    An ample supply of money, especially money which one is willing to spend; the possessor of such money.

deep water »    A difficult or embarrassing situation.

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.

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

die »    Followed by for. Often expressing wider contextual motivations, though sometimes indicating direct causes.

die down »    To become less virulent.

dig up dirt »    To examine in order to find negative information for public opinion, usually with the purpose of embarrassing or discrediting a person.

dime a dozen »    So common as to be practically worthless.

diplomatic flu »    An illness feigned by one or more government officials or other public figures as an excuse for an absence really based on political reasons.

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

dirty word »    The name of a topic that a person does not like to hear or discuss.

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

do one's damnedest »    To do one's utmost; to make every effort or to try every possible approach or way.

do one's darnedest »    To do one's utmost; to make every effort or to try every possible approach or way.

do the math »    You can do the calculation yourself, with the implication that you don't have to trust someone else's assertions.

do the trick »    To work; to be successful; to solve a problem.

does Macy's tell Gimbel's »    (US, dated, colloquial, rhetorical question) A rhetorical question with the implied answer being that competitors do not share business secrets with one another.

dog my cats »    Used as a mild oath, or as an expression of astonishment.

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

dog-eat-dog »    Harsh and ruthless.

don't be penny wise and pound foolish »    Don't be careful when it comes to spending small amounts of money, but careless when spending much larger amounts.Don't focus on minutiae and lose sight of the big picture; don't obsess over tiny inconsequential efficiencies while glaring inefficiencies are going on elsewhere.

don't get me started »    About the subject currently being discussed.

don't shit where you eat »    (idiomatic, vulgar) One should not cause trouble in a place, group, or situation in which one regularly finds oneself.1998 April 14, Nelson Navarro, "Ever faithful, ever true," Manila Standard (Philippines) (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):The guiding principle is Don't shit where you eat. Office romances are always destructive of morale and objectivity.2003 Oct. 8, Jonathan Valania, "Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Pussy," Philadelphia Weekly (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):Limbaugh was scheduled to deliver the keynote speech at the NAB convention in, of all places, Philadelphia, thus violating the cardinal law of the animal kingdom: Don't shit where you eat.2006 Sept. 19, Michael Musto, "NY Mirror," Village Voice (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):Mitchell refused to indulge in on-set romances with either gender. "You don't shit where you eat," he told me, plainly.

don't shoot the messenger »    The bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news.

doss down »    To sleep on someone's sofa or floor because there is no bed spare.

dot the i's and cross the t's »    To take care of every detail, even minor ones; To be meticulous or thorough.

down the road, not across the street »    Along the radial artery rather than across the wrist from side to side.

down to the wire »    At the very end of a process or project, especially one with a fast-approaching deadline.

drag one's feet »    To procrastinate, put off; to dawdle, avoid, or make progress slowly and reluctantly.

drag out »    To extend or lengthen excessively.

draw on »    To advance, continue; to move or pass slowly or continuously, as under a pulling force.

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

dress down »    To scold.

dress down »    To wear casual or informal clothes.

dress up »    To wear smart clothes for an occasion.

dress up »    To wear fancy dress or a costume.

dress up »    To decorate; to prettify.

dress up »    To present in a favorable light.

dressed to the nines »    Very fancily or formally dressed; wearing very showy or splendid clothing.

dressing-down »    A reprimand or rarely, a thrashing.

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

drop off »    To lessen or reduce.

dry out »    To have excess water evaporate or be otherwise removed.

due course »    Regular or appropriate passage or occurrence.

dumb down »    To become simpler in expression or content; to become unacceptably simplistic.

dummy out »    From a video game in the process of localizing that game from a foreign country.

dusty miller »    A formulaic phrase for a miller, related to the dust generated in the milling process.

e mail »    electronic message

ears are burning »    Being the topic of discussion in another place; or sensing that this is happening.

east sussex »    english county

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

easy street »    A carefree situation or lifestyle, especially as resulting from possession of wealth.

eat one's hat »    Used in a result clause to express disbelief in the conditional clause proposition.

eat out of somebody's hand »    To behave in a docile, submissive way towards somebody.

eat pussy »    To perform cunnilingus.

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

elephant in the room »    A problem or difficult issue that is very obvious, but is ignored for the convenience or comfort of those involved.

embarrassment of riches »    An abundance or overabundance of something; too much of a good thing.

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

empty promise »    A promise that is either not going to be carried out, worthless or meaningless.

empty vessels make the most sound »    noisy, opinionated people are often stupid.

end of the line »    Final cessation or discontinuance of a process, institution, or person, especially one which has existed for a considerable period of time; death.

enough is as good as a feast »    Just the right amount is as good as more than enough: there is no value in excess.

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

err on the side of »    To behave in a manner which favours or which is biassed toward.

even keel »    Of a business or other activity which is under control and running smoothly.

even so »    nevertheless

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

every time »    Used to express a strong preference for something.

evil twin »    A rogue wireless access point installed near a legitimate one for purposes of eavesdropping or phishing.

experience is the best teacher »    Lessons learned from experience are the most lasting.

extract the urine »    To mess around, cajole.

f** it »    An expression of frustration.

f** it »    An expression of great indifference or nonchalance.

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

f** with »    To mess with; to interact with in a careless or inappropriate way.

face value »    No more or less than what is stated; a literal or direct meaning or interpretation.

faceplant »    The act of landing face first, often associated with bailing during extreme sports.

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.

fail over »    To automatically switch processing from a failed component in a critical system to its live spare or backup component.

fair enough »    An expression used to concede a point; denotes that, upon consideration, something is correct or reasonable; an expression of acknowledgment or understanding.

fair game »    Actions permissible by the rules.

fall behind »    To be progressively below average in performance.

fall into »    To be classified as; to fall under.

fall off a truck »    Of an item of merchandise, to come into a person's possession without having been paid for; to be acquired illegally.

fall off the back of a lorry »    Of an item of merchandise, to come into a perons's possession without having been paid for; to have been acquired illegally.

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

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

fall through »    To be unsuccessful, abort, come to nothing/naught; to be cancelled; not to proceed.

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

false step »    A misstep; a stumble.

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

far cry »    Something very dissimilar or different.

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

fat chance »    Little or no likelihood of occurrence or success.

feather one's nest »    To achieve benefits, especially financial ones, by taking advantage of the opportunities with which one is presented; to amass a comfortable amount of personal wealth.

feed a cold, starve a fever »    Eating more will cure the common cold, and eating less will cure a fever.1887, J. H. Whelan, "The Treatment of Colds.", The Practitioner, vol. 38, pg. 180:"Feed a cold, starve a fever." There is a deal of wisdom in the first part of this advice. A person with a catarrh should take an abundance of light nutritious food, and some light wine, but avoid spirits, and above all tobacco.1968, Katinka Loeser, The Archers at Home, publ. Atheneum, New York, pg. 60:I have a cold. 'Feed a cold, starve a fever.' You certainly know that.2009, Shelly Reuben, Tabula Rasa, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, ISBN 015101079X, pg. 60:They say feed a cold, starve a fever, but they don't tell you what to do when you got both, so I figured scrambled eggs, tea, and toast.

feel for »    To express sympathy for, to sympathise with.

field day »    A day of class taken away from school for a field trip.

fifth wheel »    Anything superfluous or unnecessary.

fight tooth and nail »    To use every means possible to overcome a difficult opposition.

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

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

final cut »    A group, after a selection process getting rid of other candidates.

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

first class »    excellent

first port of call »    The first place to go to start a process.

first port of call »    The first port that a vessel calls in at after the start of a voyage.

fit as a lop »    In good health, fitness.

fit to be tied »    Very agitated or distressed; enraged.

fix someone's wagon »    To punish someone; to cause injury, distress, or inconvenience for someone.

flash in the pan »    A career notable for early success not followed by significant accomplishment.

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

flogging the land »    Damaging agricultural land through excessive grazing or clearing.

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

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

fly-by-night »    Traveling businessmen and tradesmen.

fold up »    To go out of business.

fool's errand »    A foolish undertaking, especially one that is purposeless, fruitless, nonsensical, or certain to fail.

fool's errand »    Such an undertaking, assigned as a prank.

fool's paradise »    A state of happiness due to illusion or false hope.

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

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

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

for the birds »    Worthless; pointless; not deserving serious consideration.

for the love of »    Used to form interjections expressing exasperation.

force someone's hand »    Bring about a situation which necessitates an agent to act, often causing a plan to be executed prematurely.

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."

forked tongue »    The characteristic of deceptiveness; duplicity; untruthfulness.

foul up »    To botch; to make a mess of.

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

fourth estate »    Journalism or journalists considered as a group; the Press.

frig it »    An expression of frustration similar to, but not as coarse as f** it.

frog in one's throat »    Hoarseness or the need to cough.

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

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

fruit salad »    dessert dish

fudge the issue »    Adopt a solution to a specific problem which does not address the larger, more general problem of which the specific problem is an instance.

full of beans »    Incorrect; uninformed; exaggerating or expressing falsehood.

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

full tilt »    As quickly as possible; very rapidly.

game face »    The expression of one who is prepared for or is facing a lot of difficult and/or undesirable work, especially when it is imminent.

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 at »    gain access to

get better »    To recover from an illness.

get busy »    Start working, usually in opposition to idleness.

get by »    to pass

get carried away »    To become excessively involved, to take something too far.

get down to brass tacks »    Deal with the important details.

get down to business »    To become involved with something work-related.

get in »    To enter a place; to gain access.

get it »    To possess a preferred outlook on a given issue or issues.

get off »    To disembark from mass transportation, such as a bus or train.

get off one's high horse »    To stop acting in an imperious, overbearing or bossy manner.

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

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

get one's marching orders »    To be dismissed disgracefully.

get one's wires crossed »    To get confused or mixed up; to make a mistake.

get out of Dodge »    To leave; in particular to leave a difficult or dangerous environment with all possible haste.

get over »    cross, surmount

get stuck »    To be unable to make progress.

get the boot »    To be dismissed from employment.

get the chop »    To be dismissed from employment.

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

give 110%25 »    Make the maximum possible effort.

give a sneck posset »    To fasten the door latch.

give a sneck posset »    To give someone a cold reception; to close the door on someone; to reject them.

give and take »    A process of compromise or accommodation.

give it one's best shot »    To make one's best effort or attempt; to try as hard as possible.

give somebody a hand »    To help, aid, or assist.

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

give somebody the creeps »    To give someone a feeling of uneasiness or mild fright.

give somebody the runaround »    Especially by providing useless information or directions .

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

glimmer »    A faint or remote possibility.

gloss over »    To cover up a mistake or a crime; to hush up or whitewash.

gloss over »    To treat something with less care than it deserves; to skimp.

go all out »    To reserve nothing; to put forth all possible effort or resources.

go along for the ride »    To accompany someone passively, or to take a passive role in a project.

go back on »    To be treacherous or faithless to; betray; as, to go back on friends.

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

go by »    To pass, to go past, without much interaction.

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

go by the board »    To estimate the velocity of a boat or ship in knots by casting overboard the knotted line to whose end is attached the lead and thereafter counting the knots in the line as it goes aft along the side boards of the vessel.

go down »    To decrease; to change from a greater value to a lesser one.

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

go for broke »    To try everything possible or do last thing possible in a final attempt.

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

go native »    To adopt the lifestyle or outlook of local inhabitants, especially when dwelling in a colonial region; to become less refined under the influence of a less cultured, more primitive, or simpler social environment.

go off »    To like less.

go off the boil »    To become less successful.

go out on a limb »    To hazard a guess.

go over »    To create a response or impression.

go overboard »    Fall out of a vessel.

go overboard »    Go too far, be excessive.

go places »    To make progress or achieve success.

go public »    Make public, announce publicly or to the press.

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

go the whole hog »    To do something as entirely or completely as possible; to reserve or hold back nothing.

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

go to Canossa »    To submit to the pope.

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

go to sleep »    An expression used to dismiss an extremely foolish statement, or to dismiss somebody that one does not feel like talking to.

go to the mattresses »    To go to war; to use ruthless tactics; to act without restraint.

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...

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

good fences make good neighbors »    It is better to mind one's own business than get involved with other people's affairs.

good luck with that »    An expression wishing someone success in an unlikely enterprise.

good old boy »    A male friend or chum, especially a schoolmate; a man with an established network of friends who assist one another in social and business situations; a decent, dependable fellow.

good riddance »    Used to indicate that a departure, or loss is welcome.

good turn »    A good deed; a thoughtful or selfless act.

goose is cooked »    All hope is gone; there is no possibility of success.

grab bag »    Any random assortment, selection or possibility.

grasp at straws »    To guess randomly at or pursue any apparent option, as due to lack of options or information.

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

grass roots »    The essential foundation or source of something.

grass snake »    reptile

grass widow »    A divorcée..

grass widow »    A married woman whose husband is away.

grass widow »    A mother out of wedlock.

grass widower »    A divorcé..

grass widower »    A married man whose wife is away.

gratuitous violence »    The artificial depiction of excessive violence.

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 unwashed »    A contemptuous term for the populace, particularly the working class.

green light »    Approval, or permission to proceed.

greenwash »    A false or misleading picture of environmental friendliness used to conceal or obscure damaging activities.

grind to a halt »    Coming to a standstill, or ceasing to be productive or make progress, due to an obstacle.

gross out »    To sicken.

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

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

gunk up »    To soil or dirty; to mess up; to clog.

gussie up »    To make fancy or attractive, as by artificial or contrived means.

hack into »    To gain unauthorized entry to, particularly by exploiting little-known weaknesses.

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

hammer and tongs »    With tools indicating seriousness of intent and capability of harm.

hand down »    To transmit in succession, as from father to son, or from predecessor to successor.

hand off »    To pass or transfer something to someone.

hand over »    To relinquish control or possession of something to someone.

hand waving »    Discussion or argumentation involving approximation, vagueness, educated guessing, or the attempt to explain or excuse vagaries.

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

happily ever after »    Living happily until death. Typically associated with fairy tales.

hard cheese »    Expressed to someone suffering misfortune.

hard lines »    Expressed to someone suffering misfortune.

hard pressed »    Having or likely to have difficulty or to find a task almost impossible.

harden »    To become or make a thing resistant or less sensitive.

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 »    A professional killer.

hate somebody's guts »    To despise; to hate intensely or passionately.

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

haul somebody over the coals »    To express anger with someone in no uncertain terms when they do something wrong.

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

have an axe to grind »    To have a dispute, resentment, or grudge, sometimes with a disposition to act on that resentment covertly; to have a bias; to take issue with something.

have egg on one's face »    To suffer embarrassment or humiliation; to damage one's reputation.

have one's heart set on »    To want or desire deeply, regardless of practicality or rationality.

have the blues »    To be depressed, to have a low morale.

have the floor »    To have permission or time to speak, especially in a formal situation.

have the run of »    To have permission or freedom to move around throughout an area or to use something at will.

he who laughs last laughs best »    success is better after having previously endured ridicule.

head over heels »    Hopelessly smitten.

head start »    A factor conducive to superiority and success.

hear the grass grow »    To be very aware or discerning; to pay attention to every small detail.

hear the grass grow »    To have an extremely sensitive sense of hearing.

hear the grass grow »    To hear very well due to being in an exceptionally quiet environment.

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 of glass »    A very fragile romantic state.

heart of gold »    A kind, compassionate, or caring attitude; kindheartedness.

hedge one's bets »    To place bets with a third party in order to offset potential losses.

heebie-jeebies »    A general feeling of anxiety, fear, uneasiness, or nausea.

helping hand »    Any assistance, help or aid.

hem and haw »    To discuss, deliberate, or contemplate rather than taking action.

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

highway robbery »    Said of excessive or exorbitant prices.

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 it big »    To have great success.

hit the big time »    To become successful and widely known.

hit the bottle »    To continually drink alcohol to excess, particularly in response to a setback.

hit upon »    To address.

hog heaven »    A state of contented bliss.

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

hold one's breath »    To wait, as if breathlessly.

hold somebody's hand »    To guide somebody through the basics or assist with excessively small details.

hold someone's feet to the fire »    To maintain personal, social, political, or legal pressure on someone in order to induce him or her to comply with one's desires; to hold someone accountable for his or her actions.

hold the fort »    To assume responsibility, especially in another’s absence..

holding pattern »    Any failure to advance; useless or unproductive activity.

holy mackerel »    An expression of surprise.

home in on »    To focus or narrow down to something; to find or draw closer, as by trial and error or a gradual seeking process.

home run »    A success; especially, a popular success.

homeless dumping »    The practice of hospital employees or emergency workers releasing homeless patients on the streets instead of placing them into the custody of a relative or shelter or retaining them in a hospital where they may require expensive medical care.

honest-to-goodness »    Real; genuine.

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

horse's ass »    A thing or person which is visually unappealing.

horse's mouth »    Source; someone who directly experienced or witnessed something.

horses for courses »    A person suited for one job may not be suited for another job, regardless of their expertise in the former job.

hospital pass »    A poorly executed pass to a team-mate causing the receiver to present an easy target for a defender, and thus be tackled hard.

hospital pass »    A throw that stays in the air long enough that it allows too many people to get underneath it, increasing the risk of injury and a trip to the hospital. Thus, a hospital pass.

hospital pass »    An unwinnable case, often passed to a newly-qualified member of the firm.

hospital pass »    Exempting one from regular activities, to instead visit a hospital.

hot and heavy »    Passionate.

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

hot cross buns »    good friday cakes

hot mess »    A warm meal, usually cooked in a large pot, often similar to a stew or porridge; or, service of such a heated meal to soldiers.

hot mess »    Refers to a person, thing, or situation in such a state of disarray or disapproval by peers, often in reference to physical appearance, perceived to be disastrously embarrassing, pitiful, or beyond repair.

hot off the presses »    Freshly printed, minted, written, or created.

hot potato »    A child's game in which players pass a ball or other item between them, with the object of avoiding being left holding the item when time expires.

hot potato »    An awkward or delicate problem with which nobody wants to be associated.

hung the moon »    To view or be viewed with uncritical or excessive awe, reverence, or infatuation.

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.

ice cream »    dessert item

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

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

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

if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen »    If you cannot handle the pressure, you should not be in a position where you have to deal with it.

ignorance is bliss »    Lack of knowledge results in happinessSometime you are more comfortable if you dont know something.

ill health »    A state of illness, or bad health.

in business »    Engaged in business activity.

in business »    Ready to proceed in a desired activity.

in cold blood »    In a ruthless and unfeeling manner; premeditated and deliberate.

in focus »    Sharp and clear with no fuzziness.

in for a penny, in for a pound »    Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof; accepting that one must

in full swing »    Proceeding fully, quickly, or completely; thoroughly begun and in progress.

in line »    To assume a position in the future.

in no uncertain terms »    With great clarity, emphasis, or exactness; without any ambiguity.

in process of time »    In the course of time; as time goes on; gradually; in due course.

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

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

in spades »    To excess, a lot, considerably; without restraint.

in the act »    In the process of doing something; used to emphasize the eye-witness evidence.

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

in the loop »    Informed; up to date; current; part of the discussion.

in the making »    In development; in the process of being made.

in the nick of time »    At the last possible moment; at the last minute.

in the red »    Having net losses; in debt.

in vain »    Without success; ending in failure.

inside job »    A crime or other illicit action committed by or with the help of someone either employed by the victim or entrusted with access to the victim's affairs and premises.

it takes all kinds to make a world »    Diversity is essential: the world would be incomplete if everyone were alike.He irons his clothes how?! That's crazy! Well, I guess it takes all kinds.

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

it's all good »    Used to express unconcern.

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

it's better to ask forgiveness than permission »    The value of acting promptly and making a mistake requiring forgiveness is greater than value of delaying to get permission.

it's not what you know but who you know »    For success, and especially to obtain employment, one's knowledge and skills are less useful and less important than one's network of personal contacts.1951, G. P. Bush and L. H. Hattery, "Federal Recruitment of Junior Engineers," Science, vol. 114, no. 2966, p. 456:Eighty-four students referred to political influence as a disadvantage of federal employment with such remarks as: "There are too many political connections necessary . . . it's not what you know but who you know

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

jack 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 ruin; wreck; mess up; screw up; sometimes as a bowdlerized substitution for f** up.

joe job »    An act of e-mail spamming where the sender's identity and address are those of an innocent third party, intended either to tarnish that person's reputation or to flood that person's e-mail with bounces.

join the club »    An expression of sympathy for a shared experience.

jump »    To 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.

jumped-up »    Describes a person who thinks he is superior in some way that the speaker disagrees with. For instance, of a higher class, or has more authority than they have in reality.

jumped-up »    We're doomed if this wee jumped-up monkey gets Gordon Smith's blessing.

jungle telegraph »    A gossip network; an informal communication system within a group or organization.

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

keel over »    Of a vessel: to roll so far on its side that it cannot recover; to capsize.

keep a weather eye open »    To maintain a background awareness of something; to remain alert to changes without it occupying your full attention.

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

keep away from »    To deny access to.

keep down »    To repress.

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

keep one's mouth shut »    To keep a secret; to refrain from speaking indiscreetly or carelessly.

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 ass »    To be very impressive.

kick ass »    To beat someone at something.

kick ass »    To beat someone in a fight.

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

kick off »    To force the weaning of a bovine cow's calf by restricting the calf's access to its mother's udders. Used figuratively or literally.

kick off the team »    In sports, to dismiss an athlete from a team, usually for misconduct, poor academic performance or other offenses.

kick oneself »    To reproach oneself for making a mistake or missing an opportunity.

kick up a fuss »    To show annoyance, or to complain loudly about something, often when it is of little importance in reality.

kill the messenger »    To blame a problem on whoever reported it; to hold somebody accountable a problem because he/she brought attention to it.

kiss and make up »    To settle one's differences and forgive.

kiss of death »    A kiss on the cheek that signifies the death of the receiver, as delivered by a mob boss or one with such influence.

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

kiss of life »    Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

kiss up »    To pay false flattery to another, particularly a superior at work, in order to get special attention.

kiss up »    To pay false flattery.

kiss up to »    To pay false flattery to; to flatter in excess.

kitchen table software »    Especially in the early years of personal computers, a set of computer programs developed by an entrepreneurial advanced amateur or self-employed professional computer programmer in his or her own home; software developed by a small business using the services of such programmers.

knacker's yard »    That area of a slaughterhouse where carcasses unfit for human consumption are rendered down to produce useful materials such as glue.

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

knock somebody's socks off »    To impress greatly; amaze; stun.

knock together »    To assemble something quickly; to knock up.

knock up »    To put together, fabricate, or assemble, particularly if done hastily or temporarily. See also knock together.

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

ladies and gentlemen »    Used to address an audience.

ladies first »    A phrase encouraging polite gentlemanliness, allowing the ladies to go before the men.

lady abbess »    A bawd, the mistress of a brothel.

land on one's feet »    To be lucky, or successful, often in difficult situations.

lapsed academic »    A person formerly employed as a professor or researcher in a university or other institution of higher education, especially one who no longer attempts to remain current in his or her former academic field.

larger-than-life »    Very imposing, renowned, or impressively influential.

last word »    The finest, highest, or ultimate representative of some class of objects.

lay an egg »    To produce a failure or flop; to do something which is unsuccessful.

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

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

lay off »    From employment, e.g. at a time of low business volume, often with a severance package.

lead time »    The amount of time between the initiation of some process and its completion, e.g. the time required to manufacture or procure a product; the time required before something can be provided or delivered.

leading lady »    starring actress

lean and mean »    Efficient because of having nothing in excess of what is needed, and single-minded in one's objective.

lean on »    To apply pressure on.

leave no stone unturned »    To do a task very carefully and thoroughly, not missing any step.

leave somebody high and dry »    To abandon somebody; to stop providing assistance at a crucial moment.

leave to one's own devices »    To leave alone, unsupervised, without assistance.

left and right »    All over the place; indiscriminately; frequently or excessively.

left, right and center »    All over the place; indiscriminately; frequently or excessively.

left-handed compliment »    A complimentary remark which is ambiguous or ineptly worded, so that it may be interpreted as having an unflattering or dismissive sense.

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

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 go »    To dismiss from employment.

let someone have it »    To verbally assail someone.

let up »    To lessen.

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

level-headed »    Sensible; rational; possessing sound judgment.

licence to print money »    The authority to print money, usually given to a central bank exclusively as the issuer of currency.

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 through one's teeth »    To tell a gross or egregious untruth.

life's a bitch »    An expression of acceptance of misfortune.1950, Joy Davidman, Weeping Bay, page 184:She'd have been willing enough to use them, poor dead little bitch. Life's a bitch. Life's a bad joke.

lift a finger »    To make minimal effort; to help as little as possible.

lighten up »    To become less serious and more cheerful or casual; to relax.

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

like it's going out of style »    Enthusiastically, to an excessive degree.

like nobody's business »    In an extreme manner; rapidly; excessively; like crazy.

lion »    An individual who shows strength and courage, attributes associated with the lion.

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.

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.

lock lips »    To kiss on the lips; to engage in a French kiss.

long drink »    Any drink containing more than 5 ounces of liquid and less than 9 ounces. Typically, a long drink will have lots of ice and mixer.

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.

look off »    To put off by one's facial expression.

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

look-in »    A quick short pass to a receiver running diagonally toward the center of the field.

looking glass »    mirror

loose ends »    Leftover items that have not been addressed or attended to.

lord of the flies »    A ruler over a worthless kingdom; leader of a meaningless microcosm.

lose one's temper »    To be explosively angry. To get very cross.

lose the number of one's mess »    To die, to perish.

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

lost errand »    A mission likely to fail.

louse up »    Mess up; confuse; put into a state of disorder.

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

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.

made in the shade »    In a condition characterized by comfort, success, easy living, or general well-being.

make a pig's ear of »    To do badly; to make a mess of.

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

make a virtue of necessity »    To make the best of a difficult situation; to recast or portray an action or situation in which one has no alternatives as an action or situation which was deliberately chosen on its merits.

make amends »    To repair a relationship; to make up; to resolve an argument or fight; to make reparations or redress.

make an exhibition of oneself »    To embarrass oneself or others in public.

make hay »    To cut grass to turn into hay for animal feed.

make headway »    To progress; to move forward.

make it »    To become famous and successful.

make it big »    To become famous and successful.

make light of »    To regard without due seriousness; to joke or disregard inappropriately.

make out »    To kiss or to make love.

make out like a bandit »    To profit greatly; to get an excessively good deal.

make the cut »    To succeed; to be chosen out of a field of candidates or possibilities.

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

make the most of »    To profit as much as possible from.

make up »    To assemble, or mix.

mama's boy »    A male person, especially a young man or boy, who is overly attached to or influenced by his mother; a sissy.

man up »    To "be a man about it"; to do the things a good man is traditionally expected to do, such as: taking responsibility for the consequences of one's actions; displaying bravery or toughness in the face of adversity; providing for one's family, etc.

man up »    To staff adequately; to staff up; to successfully fill all needed labor positions.

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.

mandare a monte »    To mess up, to ruin.

many happy returns »    A greeting, usually for birthdays, in reference to the passing year; Happy birthday!.

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

match made in heaven »    A marriage that is likely to be happy and successful because the two people are very compatible with each other.

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

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

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

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

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

meet one's maker »    To die or to pass into the afterlife.

mess around »    To fiddle idly.

mess around »    To joke, kid, or play.

mess around »    To have a non-committal sexual relationship.

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

mess up »    To make a mess of; to untidy, disorder, soil, or muss.

mess up »    To cause a problem with; to introduce an error or mistake in; to make muddled or confused; spoil; ruin.

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

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

mess up »    To make unwanted mistakes in a given task, usually through distraction or obnoxious behavior.

mess up »    To damage; injure.

mess up »    To manhandle; beat up; rough up.

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

mess with »    To interfere.

mess with »    To diss; to put down.

mind one's own business »    To concern oneself only with what is of interest to oneself and not interfere in the affairs of others.

mind the store »    To remain present in a retail business, in order to maintain the security of the premises and to serve customers.

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

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

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

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

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

miss the boat »    To fail to take advantage of an opportunity; to overlook or be too late to pursue an option or course of action.

miss the mark »    To fail to hit the target.

miss the mark »    To fail to reach the result that was intended.

miss the point »    To fail to grasp the meaning of an utterance.

mixed bag »    By extension, a group of entities with few characteristics in common; an assortment.

mixed blessing »    Something that has both good and bad features.

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

money can't buy happiness »    Money can buy external things, but true happiness comes from inside.

monkey business »    An activity that is considered silly, or stupid, or time-wasting.

monkey business »    An activity that may be considered illegal, questionable, or a vice, but not felonious.

monkey business »    Do your homework and forget about all this monkey business.

monkey business »    Wasting time, or effort, on some foolish project.

monkey on one's back »    A state of persistent distress or worry or the cause of such a state.

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

more cry than wool »    Asserted but not grounded in reality.

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

morning, noon and night »    Constantly; ceaselessly; without stopping.

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

mouse potato »    A person who spends excessive amounts of time using a computer.

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

much of a muchness »    Of two or more things, having little difference of any significance between them.

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

mutton dressed as lamb »    A mature woman dressed in a style more suited to a young woman, especially if a deliberate attempt to appear young.

mutual admiration society »    A group of two or more people, in a workplace or other social environment, who routinely express considerable esteem and support for one another, sometimes to the point of exaggeration or pretense.

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

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

ne'er do well »    useless

near miss »    narrowly avoided accident

necessity is the mother of innovation »    Alternative form of necessity is the mother of invention.

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

neck and neck »    Very close in progress, as in a race or contest.

needle in a haystack »    Something that is difficult or impossible to locate; something impossibly complex or intractable.

nervous hit »    A production which receives generally favorably notice, but is not assured of success.

never you mind »    Do not concern yourself with it; it is none of your business.

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

no good deed ever goes unpunished »    Used to express the idea that beneficial actions often go unappreciated or are met with outright hostility.

no good deed goes unpunished »    Used to express the idea that beneficial actions often go unappreciated or are met with outright hostility.

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

no matter »    regardless of

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 pressure »    The situation at hand is rife with emotional pressure.

no prize for guessing »    Used to form expressions emphasizing the unsurprising nature of what follows.

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

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

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

no two ways about it »    No other possible action, choice or option.

none of someone's business »    A matter that someone is not entitled to be involved in or informed about.

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

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

not at all »    Used similarly to you're welcome, as a conventional reply to an expression of gratitude.

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

not to put too fine a point on it »    Used to apologise for a possibly impolite statement one is making.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    To avoid something at all costs; to refuse to associate with something; signifies a strong aversion.

not worth a brass farthing »    Worth nothing or next to nothing.

not worth a dime »    Worthless, lacking in value.

not worth a plug nickel »    Having no or almost no value; worthless.

noughts and crosses »    pen and paper game

number one with a bullet »    Superlative; impossible to beat.

object lesson »    A lesson taught using a familiar or unusual object as a focus.

object lesson »    A punishment intended as a deterrent to others.

object lesson »    An example that typifies a principle.

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.

odd one out »    A visual puzzle where the guesser has to choose which word/picture/symbol etc. does not fit with the others.

of an »    Indicates a more or less habitual activity during the given part of the day.

of course »    Acknowledges the validity of the associated phrase.

of course »    Asserts that the associated phrase should not be argued, particularly if it is obvious or there is no choice in the matter.

off the chain »    Free from work or direct supervision. In reference to slave labor, where workers are chained, or to the figurative chain of workers of an assembly line.

off the hook »    Relieved of a duty, burden, responsibility, or pressure.

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

old hat »    Something uninteresting, hackneyed, or passé due to overuse or long-standing familiarity..

old saw »    A cliché, saying, or overused expression; especially a proverb or maxim.

on a roll »    Having a streak of good luck or good progress or success.

on cloud nine »    Very happy, blissful.

on one's feet »    Being well again after a bout of illness.

on one's own »    Alone; by oneself; without the companionship or assistance of others.

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

on opposite sides of the barricades »    Of starkly different, opposite views on an issue.

on spec »    Short form of "on speculation": Creating a work with the hope of selling it, as opposed to creating a work "on commission" for hire.

on the back burner »    Not immediate; inactive; receiving less than full or regular attention.

on the bounce »    Consecutively, in succession.

on the brain »    Obsessively in mind.

on the bubble »    Holding the last qualifying position with qualification still in progress, and thus liable to lose that position.

on the bubble »    Uncertain of success.

on the defensive »    Prepared to defend or protect against criticism, attack or aggression.

on the mend »    Healing or recovering, as from an injury or illness.

on the square »    A discrete, unassuming reference to freemasonry.

on wheels »    To a large degree, excessive.

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

one by one »    Individually in succession; one at a time.

one good turn deserves another »    One act of kindness should be paid back by another act of kindness.

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 of his majesty's bad bargains »    A worthless soldier, a malingeror.

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

one step at a time »    Slowly and carefully, ensuring that each action has been completed successfully before taking the next.

one step forward, two steps back »    A situation in which progress is more than offset by adverse developments.

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 two »    wall pass

one who hesitates is lost »    A person who spends too much time contemplating what to do may miss a valuable but fleeting opportunity.

one's bark is worse than one's bite »    The individual acts threatening but is relatively harmless.

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

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

one-note »    Having only one opinion, outlook, tone, etc., especially as expressed repetitively; without variety or range.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

out of house and home »    Helping Your Dog Adjust to a New Home, The Progressive Animal Welfare Society.

out of one's league »    In a situation in which one is mismatched with one or more others, whose accomplishments, preparedness, or other characteristics are on a significantly higher or lower level than one's own.

out of pocket »    Lacking funds, or suffering a loss.

out of reach »    Inaccessible or unattainable.

out of sight »    Not accessible to view.

out of the loop »    Not informed up to date; current; not kept part of the discussion.

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 the question »    Impossible to even contemplate.

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

out on one's ear »    Fired, dismissed or thrown out, especially for some wrongdoing or otherwise with disgrace.

out the wazoo »    Out the ass; excessive or excessively; too much.

out the window »    A missed opportunity.

out to lunch »    Clueless, inattentive or careless.

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

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

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

overleap »    To leap over, to jump over, to cross by jumping.

own up »    To acknowledge, confess, or admit guilt. Often used with to.

pain in the ass »    Something that causes discomfort or is otherwise troublesome.

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

painting rocks »    Pointless or futile work organised by the government, supposedly to increase employment but in fact merely disguising the unemployment level.

palm off »    To attempt to pass off a counterfeit or inferior product as genuine.

parade of horribles »    A parade featuring a progression of people wearing comic and grotesque costumes.

parade of horribles »    A rhetorical device employing a series of progressively more terrible results following from an act.

pardon me »    Polite expression to get someone to repeat.

pare down »    To reduce by paring or a similar gradual process.

part and parcel »    An integral or essential piece; that which must be done or accepted as part of something else.

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

party animal »    A person known for frequent, enthusiastic attendance at parties, especially one whose partying behavior is exuberant or excessive.

party pooper »    Someone who unnecessarily dampens fun.

pass away »    To die.

pass by »    To proceed past something.

pass by »    To pass over. disregard, overlook.

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

pass muster »    To measure up to a particular standard.

pass off »    To happen.

pass off »    To misrepresent something.

pass on »    To convey or communicate.

pass on »    To die.

pass on »    To skip or decline.

pass out »    To faint; fall asleep.

pass out »    To distribute, to hand out.

pass out »    To graduate, usually marked by the ceremony at the end of their training.

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.

pass through »    To transit something.

pass through »    To make something move through something else.

pass through »    To infiltrate.

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

pay one's dues »    To outlay money which is owed as a membership fee or price of admission.

pay through the nose »    To pay a high price, especially an exorbitant or excessive amount, either in money or in some other manner.

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

pee off »    Euphemistic variant of piss off.

pelt of the dog »    An immoderate, excessive quantity of alcohol drunk the morning after whilst suffering withdrawal symptoms or a hangover, which goes beyond alleviating the complaint to causing drunkenness; cf. hair of the dog.

penalty box »    That is assessed after an infraction.

people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones »    Do not criticize others if you have weaknesses yourself.

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.

physical break »    A short break in a meeting or in a classroom setting, intended to improve attention.

pick on »    To bully or make fun of a victim; to bother or harass.

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

pick up »    To collect a passenger.

pick up stitches »    Stitches to the knitting needle that were previously bound off, or that belong to the selvage, during the process of knitting or entrelac.

piece of ass »    A male prostitute.

piece of ass »    A very attractive woman, when considered as a sex object.

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

pinch-hit »    To do something in the place of another person who is not able to perform or is less skilled; to substitute or stand in for somebody.

pink slip »    An automobile roadworthiness inspection certificate.

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

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

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

piss away »    To spend wastefully.

piss money up the wall »    To waste money, normally through ineptness in business.

piss off »    To leave, to go away.

piss off »    To annoy, anger.

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

pissed off »    Annoyed, upset, angry.

pissin like a race horse »    To urinate profusely.

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

pissing contest »    An argument which is instigated, or exacerbated while consuming alcohol.

pissing contest »    An immature dispute over some trivial matter.

pitch in »    To help out; lend assistance; contribute; to do one's part.

play ball »    An expression used at the beginning of a game of baseball.

play down »    To make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.

play fast and loose »    To be recklessly inaccurate, inappropriate, or otherwise ignoring guidelines and conventions.

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

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

play hookey »    To be absent without permission, especially from school.

play hooky »    To miss school, work, or other duties without permission or an excuse.

play it by ear »    To do something by guessing, intuition, or trial and error; to react to events as they occur.

play possum »    To dissemble or to feign ignorance; to disguise or conceal something in order to deceive.

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

play possum »    To feign sleep, illness, etc.

play silly buggers »    To act in a stupid or reckless manner.

play the race card »    To assert that race or racism is responsible for a course of events, especially when race is not of particular significance to the issue in question; to attempt to inspire a particular reaction by raising the issue of race.

plead the fifth »    To invoke the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which protects witnesses from being forced to incriminate themselves.

point of no return »    The point in any journey, process, or sequence of events when it is no longer possible to reverse course or stop the process.

pop a cap in someone's ass »    To shoot someone with a gun.

pop off »    To release flatulence, in most cases, in short rapid succession.

possession is nine-tenths of the law »    One who has possession of a thing has some right to it; a popular statement of the doctrine of adverse possession.

poster child »    One who is a prototypical or quintessential example of something.

potter about »    To potter, to be gently active doing various things in an almost aimless manner.

potter around »    To potter, to be gently active doing various things in an almost aimless manner.

pound of flesh »    Something which is owed and which will be hurtful or difficult to provide; a debt owed to someone who is merciless and demanding.

pound the pavement »    To campaign diligently; to seek something, such as business, employment, or answers.

pour out »    To serve a drink into a cup or glass.

powers that be »    The holders of power or the authorities in a given situation, especially as seen as being faceless or unreasonably bureaucratic.

press stud »    snap fastener

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

proverbs go in pairs »    Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.1932, Bertrand Russell,

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.

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

puff up »    To swell due to injury or illness.

pull a face »    To make an abnormal facial expression.

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

pump up »    To cause one's muscles to swell by means of focussed weightlifting.

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

put across »    To explain or state something clearly and understandably.

put across »    To perform a theatrical production.

put on airs »    To become haughty, to assume a haughty manner.

put on the dog »    To dress up; to put on airs; to make a show of wealth and/or importance; to be pretentious.

put one foot in front of the other »    To move forward, progress steadily.

put one foot in front of the other »    To walk, decomposed to stress the fundamentality of the task.

put one's best foot forward »    To show oneself in the best or most positive way possible; to make a favorable impression.

put one's foot in it »    To make a mistake in public, or a social blunder, that is embarrassing, or offensive.

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

put oneself across »    To explain one's ideas and opinions clearly so that another person can understand them and get a picture of your personality.

put someone down as »    To assume someone has a particular character from very little information.

put someone in mind of »    To remind someone of; to inspire a mental image or awareness of; to cause thoughts concerning.

put the cat among the pigeons »    Professor Stephen Hawking put the cat among the pigeons last week with his cheery remarks about comet Machholz-2, which some astronomers believe could be heading our way. — The Times, 19 September 1994.

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

put together »    To assemble, construct, or build.

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

quantum mechanics »    The branch of physics which studies matter and energy at the level of atoms and other elementary particles, and substitutes probabilistic mechanisms for classical Newtonian ones.

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 the puck »    To retain possession of the puck by skillful skating and stickhandling without attempting to score, as a deliberate tactic intended to use up time.

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 or shine »    Regardless of what the circumstances are, and how the weather is.

rake »    A garden tool with a row of pointed teeth fixed to a long handle, used for collecting grass or debris, or for loosening soil.

ramp up »    To be in the process of learning a new ability.

rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic »    To do something pointless or insignificant that will soon be overtaken by events, or that contributes nothing to the solution of a current problem.

rebrousser chemin »    To retrace one's steps, to turn back.

red face test »    A hypothetical test of a person's embarrassment, that is either passed or failed. Saying one passes the red face test means one would not blush and thus would not be embarrassed by disclosing something to others or doing something, and saying one fails the red face test means a situation would cause them discernible embarrassment.

red ink »    A euphemism for financial loss.

red light »    Denial to proceed. Ruling out of any possibility.

red tape »    A derisive term for regulations or bureaucratic procedures that are considered excessive or excessively time- and effort-consuming.

reflect on »    To give an impression of .

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.

rest assured »    Be sure; no need to worry; trust.

rest on one's laurels »    To rely on a past success instead of trying to improve oneself further.

revenge is a dish best served cold »    An expression that emotional detachment is ideal when taking revenge, as one is righting the wrongs that have been done to the doer.

ride shotgun »    To assist and protect.

ride shotgun »    To ride in the front passenger seat of a vehicle, next to the driver.

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

right on »    An expression of enthusiasm or encouragement.

ring off the hook »    Of a telephone, to ring constantly or excessively.

rivet counter »    A person who has an obsession with the minutae of their particular interest. Anyone preoccupied with small distinguishing features between different items.

roadwarrior »    A person who carries a mobile device such as a laptop or PDA and uses wireless internet connections to work.

robber baron »    Especially in the 19th-century and early 20th-century, a business tycoon who had great wealth and influence but whose methods were morally questionable.

robber baron »    In Europe, an aristocrat who charged exorbitant fees or otherwise exacted money from people who journeyed across land or waterways which he controlled.

rock bottom »    The very lowest possible level.

rock salmon »    huss

Rome wasn't built in a day »    It takes a long time to create something complicated or impressive.

rose-colored glasses »    An optimistic perception of something; a positive opinion; seeing something in a positive way, often thinking of it as better than it actually is.

rose-colored glasses »    Glasses that are tinted in a pink or rose shade.

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 it in »    To add insult to injury; to emphasize one's strengths or another's weaknesses in a manner that degrades another.

rule out »    To cross an item out by drawing a straight line through it, as with a ruler.

rule out »    To reject an option from a list of possibilities.

rule out »    To make something impossible.

rumor mill »    A group or network of persons who originate or promulgate gossip and other unsubstantiated claims.

run across »    To cross by running.

run across »    To find or discover by chance.

run back »    To rewind a film or cassette.

run down »    To reduce the size or stock levels of a business, often with a view to closure.

run for »    To try to obtain political position through the democratic voting process.

run hot and cold »    To alternate between two opposite extremes, such as enthusiasm and disinterest or success and failure.

run into the ground »    To discuss ad nauseam.

run into the ground »    To wear out, especially through excessive use.

run out the clock »    To preserve a lead in a game by retaining possession, to waste time.

run over »    To cross by running.

run rampant »    To go unchecked or without control; to be wild or excessive.

run somebody ragged »    To exhaust; to demand excessive effort or work from somebody.

run the gamut »    To encompass the full range or variety possible.

running on empty »    Losing enthusiasm or willingness, lacking energy.

scared shitless »    Very scared, terrified.

scissorbill »    And railroad term for someone who refused to join the union or who openly colluded with management to thwart the union.

scissorbill »    Someone considered contemptible or foolish.

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

scrape through »    To marginally manage to progress.

scrape together »    To collect, assemble or gather small amounts , from various sources, with some difficulty.

scratch the surface »    To barely begin; to see or do only a fraction of what is possible.

scream »    A form of singing associated with the metal and screamo styles of music. It is a loud, rough, distorted version of the voice; rather than the normal voice of the singer.

screw this »    "I don't care enough to continue"; "This is too stressful for me"; whatever.

seagull approach »    The occurence of casual, ill-informed and hasty decisions or comments made by outside authorities who lack an understanding of the local issues or a real understanding of the facts of a particular situ.

seat-of-the-pants »    Done by feel, guess, or trial and error rather than by careful planning, thought or technique.

second banana »    A person who serves in a supporting, secondary, or subsidiary capacity; an assistant.

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 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 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.

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

seller's market »    An excess of demand over supply, leading to abnormally high prices; a market condition favoring the seller.

send away »    To dismiss from one's presence.

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

senior note »    A bond that takes priority over other debt securities sold by the issuer. In the event the issuer goes bankrupt, senior debt must be repaid before other creditors receive any payment.

serpentine »    Of, or having attributes associated with, the mythological serpent, such as craftiness or deceitfulness.

set for life »    Possessing sufficient resources, especially financial, to last a lifetime.

set up shop »    To establish a business.

sex machine »    Someone with considerable sexual prowess.

sexual congress »    Intercourse.

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

shirtless »    Not wearing a shirt. Having a bare torso.

shirtless »    Very poor.

shit a brick »    To react strongly or excessively, especially in anger or fear.

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

shoot off at the mouth »    Don't let [presidential press secretary Ron] Ziegler shoot off at the mouth without our knowledge.

shoot one's mouth off »    To make reckless or exaggerated statements.

shoot the messenger »    To blame a problem on whoever reported it; to hold somebody accountable a problem because he/she brought attention to it.

shoot the moon »    To achieve the lowest score possible, such that the player is usually rewarded with bonus points.

shoot the shit »    To chat casually; to gossip.

short of »    Less than.

short of a length »    Of a ball that pitches short of a good length; a ball that bounces closer to the bowler than the area of the pitch regarded as the best for dismissing or restricting the scoring of the batsman.

short strokes »    Bare essentials.

shot in the dark »    A guess, attempt, or choice made with little or no evidence or knowledge.

shotgun »    A play formation in which the quarterback is a few feet behind the snapper when the ball is hiked, ideally allowing for an easier pass play.

shotgun »    The front passenger seat in a vehicle, next to the driver.

shoulder to cry on »    Someone offering emotional support to another in distress.

show somebody the door »    To dismiss or reject; to exclude someone who was formerly included.

show the flag »    Of a naval vessel or military force, to identify itself by displaying the flag of its country of origin, especially in order to establish an authoritative presence and to exert diplomatic or political influence.

show the flag »    To display the flag of one's country, especially as an expression of patriotic pride.

showstopper »    Any impediment that prevents all further progress.

shroud »    Especially, the dress for the dead; a winding sheet.

shuffle »    A rhythm commonly used in blues music. Consists of a series of triplet notes with the middle note missing, so that it sounds like a long note followed by a short note. Sounds like a walker dragging one foot.

side issue »    An issue or topic which is not of direct significance to a primary concern.

sigh of relief »    A reassurance or support, something that reduces stress from an arduous activity.

sigh of relief »    A release of stress through breathing motions.

sign in »    To take some action to access a secured program or web page on a computer; to log in.

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.

silver bullet »    Any straightforward solution perceived to have great effectiveness or bring miraculous results.

silver spoon »    Wealth passed down or inherited.

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.

sit on »    To block, suppress, restrain.

sit still »    To remain motionless.

sitting pretty »    In a favorable situation, especially a situation in which one possesses an advantage.

skeleton crew »    The minimum number of personnel needed to operate and maintain an item at its most simple operating requirements, such as a ship or business, during an emergency or shut down, and at the same time, to keep vital functions operating.

skip out »    To shirk; to avoid attending or to leave early, especially without permission.

slam dunk »    An impressively forceful dunk.

slim chance »    Little or no likelihood of occurrence or success.

slip-up »    A mistake or error; a minor misstep.

slippery as an eel »    So slippery that it is almost impossible to hold with one's hands.

smack of »    To seem like; to appear or give an impression or feeling of; to arouse suspicion of.

smash hit »    Something that is tremendously popular or successful.

smell test »    An assessment of a subject's ability to detect and distinguish odors.

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

smoke signal »    A method of long-distance communication sometimes used in ancient and undeveloped societies, consisting of messages conveyed by means of columns or intermittent puffs of smoke.

smoke signal »    A type of flare or combustion device sometimes used as a distress signal.

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

smoking gun »    Evidence, particularly of a crime, that is difficult or impossible to dispute.

snake in the grass »    A treacherous person.

snap someone's head off »    To suddenly and sharply rebuke or insult a person, especially in response to a harmless remark.

snazz up »    To improve appearance or appeal by increasing stylishness or functionality, or by adding other attractive features.

sneck posset »    A cold reception, closing the door on a visitor.

sneck posset »    A fastened latch.

snipe hunt »    A prank in which a gullible victim is sent off on a fruitless search for a nonexistent item.

snowball's chance in hell »    Little or no likelihood of occurrence or success.

so long as »    Depending upon some condition or requirement; provided that; if, assuming; as long as.

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

so there »    A defiant expression used to finish a poorly-made argument.

soapbox »    Especially when only tangentially relevant to an ongoing discussion.

soft spot »    A sentimental fondness or affection.

some people »    Expresses disgust at the actions of a person; a response to a person doing something silly, bizarre, nonsensical or ill-mannered.

song and dance »    An excessively complex set of instructions.

song and dance »    An excessively elaborate story or excuse used to justify something.

sour grapes »    A putting down or expression of disdain about something that one desires but cannot have.

spare tire »    Excess weight or fat accumulated near the waist.

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

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.

speak out »    To assert or promote one's opinion; to make one's thoughts known.

speak to »    To address a particular topic.

speak up »    To make oneself or one's opinions known; to advocate or assert oneself.

spectator sport »    Something, especially a process or activity, which is a popular object of observation; an activity which a person prefers to watch rather than to participate in.

spill one's guts »    To confess, or to divulge secrets, typically speaking freely and at length after a change of motive or an incentive.

spin one's wheels »    To make no progress despite making an effort; to get nowhere.

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

spring fever »    A feeling of invigoration and restlessness associated with the arrival of the warm weather and renewal of nature in the spring season.

spring fever »    A feeling of laziness or listlessness associated with the arrival of the warm, comfortable weather of the spring season.

spruce up »    To dress or arrange smartly, elegantly, and neatly.

square one »    The place where one begins; a lack of progress.

squaring the circle »    A hopeless or impossible task.

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

squeaky wheel gets the grease »    The person who complains or speaks up most loudly receives the redress or attention which he or she seeks.

stage of the game »    A point in the progress of an ongoing dispute or process.

stand stock still »    To stand completely motionless.

stars in one's eyes »    The state of being overly or extremely impressed with something; enchanted with romance.

step up to the plate »    To initiate action; to assume a responsibility.

stepping razor »    A dangerous person, who is not to be messed with.

stepping stone »    A stone that can be stepped on in crossing something, especially a marsh or creek.

stepping stone »    Something used as a way to progress to something or somewhere else.

stick in the mud »    More generally, one who is slow, old-fashioned, or unprogressive; an old fogey.

stick it to the man »    To take some action intended to defy a source of oppression such as globalization, commercialization, big business or government.

stickhandle »    To maintain individual possession of the puck or ball by controlling it with movements of one's stick, especially to do so in a skillful manner.

sticking at nothing »    Being ruthless

sticking point »    A disputed issue or state of affairs that causes an interruption or outright impasse in progress towards some goal or resolution, especially in negotiation or argumentation.

sticking point »    The point at which a process or thing, especially a state of mind or emotion, reaches its greatest strength and remains steadfast; sticking-place.

sticking-place »    The point at which a process or thing, especially a state of mind or emotion, reaches its greatest strength and remains steadfast; sticking point.

stiff upper lip »    The quality of being resolute and showing self-restraint, associated with stereotypical British people.

stir-crazy »    By extension, restless, uncomfortable, or impatient due to inactivity.

stock phrase »    A phrase frequently or habitually used by a person or group, and thus associated with them.

stop press »    The event or news article important enough to delay or interrupt the print, or require a reprint, of a publication, particularly of a newspaper edition.

stop the lights »    An interjection expressing exasperation or incredulity. or to illustrate the humour in a situation.

stop the presses »    An imperative form used to introduce especially new, important, surprising, or recent developments.

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

stop up »    To increase the aperture of a photographic lens, moving from an f/stop represented by a higher number to an f/stop represented by a lower number and causing more light to pass into the camera.

storm in a tea-kettle »    A big fuss made in a small context.

straight face »    A face that is expressionless, especially not laughing.

strip down »    To remove inessentials from.

stroke of work »    With "do not do a", to do none of the assigned task at all.

strut one's stuff »    To behave, or to perform in a showy or ostentatious manner, especially in a way to impress others; to show off.

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

stumble across »    To discover or find something by accident.

stumble across »    To meet somebody by chance.

success has many fathers, failure is an orphan »    Many will seek credit for success, few will accept responsibility for failure.

suck face »    To kiss, especially deeply and for a prolonged time.

suck in »    To cause someone to become slowly more and more involved in a business or situation that is often not to that person's liking.

suck into »    To cause someone to become slowly more and more involved in a business or situation that is often not to that person's liking.

suck up »    To adulate or flatter somebody excessively, generally to obtain some personal benefit or favour.

surprise surprise »    An indication that the unsurprising happened, especially contrary to someone's hopes or assertions.

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.

sweet tooth »    A liking for foods that are sweet; a weakness for sweets.

swing for the fences »    To swing at the ball as hard as possible, with the aim of getting a home run, increasing the chance of missing the ball.

swings and roundabouts »    Offsetting gains and losses.

swiss roll »    cake

switch on »    To change one's expression or appearance as if by turning a switch.

tail between one's legs »    A reaction to a confrontation, specifically one with excessive shame and hurt pride.

take a back seat »    To be second to someone or something; to be less important or have a lower priority.

take a stab at »    To guess.

take a stand »    To assert an opinion or viewpoint; to defend one's point of view or beliefs.

take away »    To leave a memory or impression in one's mind that you think about later.

take back »    To regain possession of something.

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 exception to »    Express offense at; to.

take for granted »    To assume something to be true without verification or proof.

take in »    To receive into your home for the purpose of processing for a fee.

take it from me »    Believe me, rest assured.

take off »    To become successful, to flourish.

take off »    To absent oneself from work or other responsibility, especially with permission.

take on »    To assume responsibility for.

take over »    To assume control of something, especially by force; to usurp.

take over »    To buy out the ownership of a business.

take over »    To appropriate something without permission.

take over »    To become more successful than someone or something else.

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 fall »    To assume blame for oneself.

take the lead »    To assume leadership over a group.

take the piss »    Are you takin' the piss? You'll get yer 'ead bashed in.

take the piss »    Everyone takes the piss out of the bankers these days.

take the piss »    To ridicule or mock.

take the reins »    To assume charge over.

take the stand »    To testify as a witness in a trial.

take the wheel »    To assume control of a situation.

take the wheel »    To be in control of the steering wheel of a vehicle or a vessel.

take upon »    To take charge of an item of business, or an obligation, as a personal initiative.

talk a mile a minute »    To speak quickly or excessively.

talk like an apothecary »    To use hard or gallipot words: from the assumed gravity and affectation of knowledge generally put on by the gentlemen of this profession, who are commonly as superficial in their learning as they are pedantic in their language.

talk of the town »    A subject discussed by many people.

talk out of turn »    To make a remark or provide information when it is inappropriate or indiscreet to do so, or when one does not have permission or the authority to do so.

talk out one's ass »    To speak authoritatively on a subject which one actually knows little about; to exaggerate.

talk over »    To discuss.

talk somebody under the table »    With excessive talk or numerous arguments.

talk someone's ear off »    To talk excessively or far more than is wanted or appreciated.

talk through one's hat »    To assert something as true or valid; to bluff.

talking head »    A pundit who discusses issues of the day, especially one on TV.

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

taper off »    To diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.

tart up »    To dress like a prostitute.

tart up »    To dress garishly.

task force »    A group of people working towards a particular task, project, or activity, especially assigned in a particular capacity.

team up with »    To associate with another in a joint enterprise.

tear away »    To remove oneself reluctantly; often expressed in the negative.

tell you the truth »    Used to positively assert the frank honesty of an associated statement of set of statements; equivalent to "to you tell the truth".

tempest in a teapot »    A major fuss over a trivial matter.

tempus fugit »    time flies (used as an alternative to this phrase)."Meanwhile, the irreplaceable time escapes", expressing concern that one's limited time is being consumed by something which may have little intrinsic substance or importance at that moment.

ten a penny »    So common as to be practically worthless.

than a bygod »    Used with a comparative to express extreme heat or cold.

thanks for nothing »    Expression of displeasure towards a person who has not provided what was wanted.

that does it »    Expression of annoyance or frustration; indicates that one has reached the limit of one's patience or temper.

that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger »    Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.

that's just me »    Indicates the expression of a personal opinion, but often used ironically as an understatement.

that's the way life is »    That is the way things happenCertain things cannot be changed, helped or improved; struggle and objection are pointless.1935, Louis Bromfield, The Man Who Had Everything [1], page 279:That's the way life is, and there's no use trying to go against it.1979, Jay Edward Abrams, A Theology of Christian Counseling: More Than Redemption [2], ISBN 0310511011, page 45:There are no standards, no values; that's the way life is. Learn to accept it and slide with it. Stop fighting it.2002, B. Eugene Ellison, Rings of the Templars, ISBN 059524050X, page 337:Shit happens; that's the way life is. In fact, I want you to take an additional thousand for your efforts.

that's what's up »    Used to express acquiescence or concurrence.

the bee's knees »    Most excellent; surpassingly wonderful; cool.

the bends »    decompression sickness

the dogs bark, but the caravan goes on »    Life goes on, even if some will try to stop or talk against progress.

the early bird gets the worm »    Whoever arrives first has the best chance of success; some opportunities are only available to the first competitors.

the end all-be all »    Something ultimate; the best part of something; the thing which solves all problems associated with something.

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 grass is always greener on the other side »    Other circumstances seem more desirable than one's own but in reality are often not

the jig is up »    An expression used to mean "We have been caught out and have no defence", or if spoken to a person who's just been found out as the perpetrator of an offense, it means "You've been discovered.".

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

the man »    The oppressive powers that be, including the government and corporations; the system, as coordinated outside of one’s control..

the nose knows »    Despite the addressee's belief that the speaker was unaware of something, the speaker, in fact, was already aware.

the sky is the limit »    Nothing is impossible or out of reach

the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak »    (proverbs) For much as one wishes to achieve something, the frailties of the human body often make it impossible.

the straw that broke the camel's back »    A small and seemingly insignificant addition to a burden that renders it too much to bear; the small thing which causes failure, or causes inability or unwillingness to endure any more of something.

there but for the grace of God go I »    A recognition that others' misfortune could be one's own, if it weren't for the blessing/kindness/luck bestowed by fate or the Divine.Man's fate is in God's hands.More generally, our fate is not entirely in our own hands.

there ya go »    Expressing exasperation.

there you go »    Expressing exasperation.

third degree »    Intensive rough interrogation in order to extract information or a confession.

thrash out »    To discuss something so fully as to resolve a problem or conflict; to hammer out.

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

three-martini lunch »    A leisurely, expensive, midday meal associated with drinking, which is tax-deductible because business is discussed.

three-on-the-tree »    On an automobile, describing the gearshift lever of a steering column-mounted three-speed manual transmission.

throw a sickie »    To take a day off from work, supposedly because of ill health. The illness could be either real or feigned.

throw cold water on »    To belittle or dismiss; to cast doubt upon; to debunk.

throw dirt enough, and some will stick »    If enough allegations are made about someone or something, then even if they are all untrue, people's opinion of the person or thing will be diminished.1759, John Wesley, letter to John Downes, Rector of St. Michael's, Wood Street, read at Wesley Center Online at [1] on 14 Oct 06.I hope...that you are ignorant of the whole affair, and are so bold only because you are blind...And blind enough; so that you blunder on through thick and thin, bespattering all that come in your way, according to the old, laudable maxim, 'Throw dirt enough, and some will stick.'1857, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's Schooldays, read at fullbooks.com on 14 Oct 06,But whatever harm a spiteful tongue could do them, he took care should be done. Only throw dirt enough, and some will stick.1864, John Henry Newman, Apologia Pro Vita Sua, Penguin Classics (1994), p. 10,Archbishop Whately used to say

throw down »    To accomplish or produce something in a grand, respectable, or successful manner; to "represent".

throw down the gauntlet »    To issue a challenge.

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 one's weight around »    To exercise influence or authority especially to an excessive degree or in an objectionable manner.

throw out »    To dismiss or expel someone from any longer performing duty or attending somewhere.

throw the baby out with the bathwater »    To discard something valuable, often inadvertently, in the process of removing waste.

throw the book at »    To apply the harshest possible punishment to.

throw to the dogs »    To throw away useless.

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

tie someone's hands »    To render one powerless to act, to thwart someone.

tiger team »    A specialized group tasked with testing the effectiveness of an organization's ability to protect assets by attempting to circumvent, defeat or otherwise thwart that organization's internal and external security.

tiger team »    An engineering or other group assembled to tackle especially difficult or critical problems, often outside the normal chain of command.

tight-lipped »    Having the lips pressed together.

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

time flies »    Time seems to pass quickly. Time flies when you're having fun.

time flies when you're having fun »    Time seems to pass quicker when one is enjoying oneself.

tip of the hat »    A gesture of acknowledgement; often, an expression of gratitude.

tip of the iceberg »    Only the beginning; just a small indication of a larger possibility; a problem is much bigger than it seems.

to a fault »    To an excessive degree; extremely.

to be the cat's whiskers »    To perform better than was generally supposed possible.

to give a person line »    To allow a person more or less liberty until it is convenient to stop or check him/her, like a hooked fish that swims away with the line.

to go »    Belonging to the subgroup that have not passed or have not been finished or have not been addressed yet.

to hand »    accessible

to tell the truth »    An attestation to the truthfulness and frankness of an associated statement.

to the gills »    Entirely or extremely; to the greatest degree possible.

to the max »    To the maximum possible degree or extent.

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.

tomato tomato »    Uses insignificant pronunciation difference to dismiss a correction to one's adherence to an alternative standard.

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

tone down »    To relax; to make quieter or less obtrusive; to make milder.

tone down »    To make a television program, piece of writing, etc. less offensive and so more suitable for a family audience.

tongue-tied »    Unable to speak; at a loss for words.

too big for one's boots »    Far less capable than one's claims to be.

top banana »    The boss, the leader.

torque off »    To annoy, distress, or anger.

toss-up »    A decision in which neither choice is clearly favorable or unfavorable, or for which the outcome does not matter.

toss-up »    Either of two outcomes that are equally likely.

toss-up »    The toss of a coin used to decide some issue.

toss-upness »    The quality of being a toss-up, usually used in reference to a toss-up state in American presidential elections.

touch a nerve »    To make a remark or perform a deed which produces a strong response, especially an emotional response such as anxiety or annoyance, because it calls to mind something which has been a source of concern or embarrassment.

touch%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.

touchy-feely »    Having a fondness for physical contact with other people, especially to an excessive degree.

tough love »    The compassionate use of stringent disciplinary measures, to attempt to improve someone's behavior.

toy with »    Handling something in a careless or frivolous manner.

trailer park trash »    Lower-class people who live in trailer parks.

travel iron »    holiday accessory

trench mouth »    Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, a severe bacterial infection of the gums, typically characterized by inflammation, bleeding, deep ulceration, necrotized tissue, pain, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, fatigue, and halitosis.

trick of the trade »    A shortcut or other quick, or very effective way of doing things, that professional workers learn from experience.

trigger-happy »    Inclined to behave recklessly, especially with machinery.

trigger-happy »    Inclined to react excessively or violently at the slightest provocation.

tuits »    Virtual tokens for an amount of time or attention that a particular issue would need to resolve.

turf war »    A fight or confrontation between two divisions or parties for access to resources or capital.

turn a phrase »    To create a particular linguistic expression which is strikingly clear, appropriate, and memorable.

turn back »    To refuse to allow someone to pass a border or enter a place.

turn the corner »    To pass a critical point.

twatfaced »    F**ed, pissed, drunk as a skunk.

twist in the wind »    To be unassisted and without comfort in a situation likely to result in distress or failure.

two cents »    A nearly worthless amount, alluding to placing a copper penny on each of the eyelids of a pauper's or slave's body before burial.

two for two »    Successful at both of two efforts.

two left feet »    Exhibiting particular clumsiness, especially at dancing or at soccer.

two wrongs make a right »    A logical fallacy whereby a wrongful action is justified by the commission of another

two-bit »    Insignificant or worthless.

under pressure »    Being subjected to physical pressure.

under pressure »    Subjected to pressure.

under the gun »    Under great pressure to perform.

under the impression »    Thinking or making assumptions, often incorrectly.

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

under the wire »    Across the finish line.

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

under way »    In operation, in progress, commenced.

underwater basket weaving »    An easy and useless college or high school class.

unring a bell »    To perform the impossible.

until one is blue in the face »    Forever; for a hopelessly long time.

unwashed masses »    Of people who are considered by someone to be somehow uneducated, uninformed, godless, or in some other way unqualified for inclusion in the speaker's elite circles.

up the wazoo »    Up the ass; excessive or excessively; too much.

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

up to eleven »    Beyond the maximum possible threshold.

up-and-comer »    Someone who is up-and-coming, who has begun to be successful in some field and is likely to become even more successful in the future.

uphill battle »    A challenge with the odds of success stacked strongly against.

valley of death »    The phase of a startup business beginning with the entrepreneur's fulltime commitment to it and ending when the business has achieved sustainable cash flow.

victory at sea »    Ocean conditions very windblown and messy, possibly to the point of being inimical to surfing and other water sports.

walk the line »    To participate in the procession at a graduation ceremony; to graduate.

war bride »    A company or individual whose business is increased by warfare.

warm down »    Gentle excercise at the end of a training session before cooling off.

warm fuzzy »    A good impression; a feeling of comfort or trust.

warm the cockles of someone's heart »    To provide happiness, to bring a deeply-felt contentment.

wash over »    To pass unnoticed so that one is unaffected by it.

waste breath »    To speak in a manner which is needless or futile; in discussion or argument to make points which are not appreciated or heeded.

water down »    To simplify or oversimplify; to make easier; to make less difficult.

way out of a paper bag »    A minimal level of competence or effectiveness, as used in phrases where one is unable to perform such.

way to go »    An expression of congratulations, encouragement, or approval.

weaker vessel »    A woman; women collectively.

wear out »    To cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use, especially hard, heavy, or careless use.

wear out »    To exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness, as by continued strain or exertion.

wear rose-colored glasses »    To see the positive in things while being oblivious to the negative.

weigh in »    To bring in one's weight, metaphorically speaking, to bear on an issue.

weigh up »    To assess a person or situation.

well ain't that the catfish in the trap »    A sentence commonly spoken in the Southern United States. It can often be used in place of "well, I'll be damned". Used to express surprise.

wet blanket »    A person who takes the fun out of a situation or activity, as by pessimism, demands, dullness, etc.

wet boy »    A contractor assassin or hit man.

what do I know »    Implies that a statement is based on a guess or assumption rather than on knowledge or evidence.

what doesn't kill you makes you stronger »    Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.

what of it »    So what? Who cares? Expresses disinterest, disregard or lack of concern.

what's up with »    Used to express disbelief or curiosity.

when push comes to shove »    When the pressure is on; when the situation is critical or urgent; when the time has come for action, even if it is difficult.

when the chips are down »    When the pressure is on; when the situation is urgent or critical.

when the shit hits the fan »    A reference to the messy consequences of a secret or private situation becoming public.

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

whipped cream »    dessert topping

whistle Dixie »    To engage in a pointless or unproductive activity; to do something without resolve, seriousness or commitment.

whistle past the graveyard »    To enter a situation with little or no understanding of the possible consequences.

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.

white hole »    A theoretically possible but physically highly unlikely singularity which would emit matter and energy; the antithesis of a black hole.

white on rice »    A descriptive analogy of closeness. See like white on rice.

white-knuckle »    Causing fear, excitement, apprehension, suspense, or nervousness.

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

whoop it up »    To have a great time; to party or revel excessively or noisily.

wide of the mark »    Missing the target.

wild-goose chase »    A futile search, a fruitless errand; a useless and often lengthy pursuit.

wind back »    To wind a tape, cassette, or film, etc towards the beginning; to rewind.

wind down »    To slow; to become calmer or less busy.

wind down »    Relax; get rid of stress.

window dressing »    A means of creating a deceptively favourable impression of something or someone; something for appearance only.

window dressing »    The decorative display of retail merchandise in store windows.

window dressing »    The goods and trimmings used in such display.

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

wine tosser »    A person who buys wine, but does not drink it.

wine tosser »    A person who talks a great deal about wine but actually knows very little.

word of mouth »    Verbal means of passing of information.

word on the wire »    The rumour or news going around on the Internet, in business, on the street, or in social circles.

work at »    To make a physical or mental effort to progress some specified task.

work one's arse off »    Work excessively or to the point of exhaustion.

work one's butt off »    To work very hard or to excess.

work one's tail off »    Work excessively or to the point of exhaustion.

work out »    To habitually exercise rigorously, especially by lifting weights, in order to increase strength or muscle mass or maintain fitness.

work spouse »    A man or woman in the workplace with whom one shares a special relationship having bonds similar to those of a marriage: special confidences, loyalties, shared jokes and experiences, and unusual degree of honesty or openness.

worked up »    Excessively emotional, excited or aroused.

worry wart »    One who worries excessively or unnecessarily.

worth the risk »    The benefit of the success is more valuable than the problems caused by the potential loss.

wouldn't you know it »    Expresses dismay or annoyance, especially at bad luck or misfortune.

wrestling with a pig »    To engage in a pointless task that leaves one worse off for having made an honest attempt.

wring out »    To squeeze a wet material, either by twisting with one's hands, or by passing it through a wringer, to remove the water.

write down »    To make a downward adjustment in the value of an asset.

write off »    To reduce an asset's book value to zero.

write off »    Figuratively, to assign a low value to something.

written all over someone's face »    Very obvious, from someone's facial expression.

wrong side of the tracks »    . May refer to area where the working class, poor or extremely poor live.

yak shaving »    Any apparently useless activity which, by allowing you to overcome intermediate difficulties, allows you to solve a larger problem.

yellow press »    Newspapers which publish sensationalist articles rather than well researched and sober journalism.

you bet »    Expresses support, agreement, certainty or emphasis.

you can't always get what you want »    It is not always possible to get what is wanted.

you can't get a quart into a pint pot »    What is being discussed is not possible.They've asked me to get to New York by five o'clock, but you can't get a quart into a pint pot!

you can't judge a book by its cover »    It is not possible to make reliable judgments about things or people by considering external appearances alone.

you can't 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 take it with you »    It is not possible to take one's material wealth to whatever world may await one after death.1900, E. Phillips Oppenheim, A Millionaire of Yesterday, ch. 6:"The clause which

you can't teach an old dog new tricks »    It is impossible, or almost impossible, to change people's habits or traits or mindset.

you 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 snooze you lose »    If you are not alert and attentive, you will not be successful.

you're never too old to learn »    It is possible to learn new things, at any age; (implying) follow your desires and dreams

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.

your mileage may vary »    To express a possible difference in taste, "this is just my opinion, your opinion may be different".

zero in on »    To successfully narrow down a search.

zig when one should zag »    To misstep or err.

zoom in »    So as to make it larger and possibly more detailed.

zoom out »    So as to make it smaller and possibly less detailed.

zoom past »    To pass very quickly.

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