all kidding aside »
Used to attempt to make a serious point in a jocular conversation.
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an apple a day »
Healthy eating and living using traditional temperate-zone fresh foods.
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back to the drawing board »
Back to the beginning following an unsuccessful attempt.
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bark up the wrong tree »
To attempt or pursue the wrong thing; to take the wrong approach; to follow a false lead.
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bat a thousand »
To achieve success at each attempt.
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bite off more than one can chew »
To try to do too much; to take on or attempt more than one is capable of doing.
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blow a fuse »
To lose one's temper; to become enraged.
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blow one's top »
To be explosively angry. To lose one's temper.
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boys will be boys »
It is hard, often fruitless, to attempt to curb the natural playfulness and tendency to mischief of most growing boys.1922, James Joyce, Ulysses Chapter 13But just then there was a slight altercation between Master Tommy and Master Jacky. Boys will be boys and our two twins were no exception to this golden rule.Even grown men usually remain somewhat boyish in heart"Boys will be boys", grinned grandpa while he joined his adult son playing with the fancy train-set he gave his grandson for Christmas while the kid was in school.
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branch out »
To attempt something new or different, but related.
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break off »
To end abruptly, either temporarily or permanently.
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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".
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burn a hole in one's pocket »
To cause someone to be tempted to spend money.
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but seriously folks »
Directs attention to immediately preceding failed attempt at humor.
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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.
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close the stable door after the horse has bolted »
To attempt to prevent a problem only to find it has already happened.
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cool down »
To become cooler, to be reduced in temperature.
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cool down »
To cause something temperature to lower.
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count sheep »
To attempt to go to sleep by thinking of something boring, traditionally by counting imaginary sheep.
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crashpad »
Any place used for temporary lodging.
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crashpad »
In the aviation industry, used for a place of temporary lodging for airline flight crews.
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cut off one's nose to spite one's face »
To harm oneself as a result of attempting to harm an adversary.
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dummy run »
A trial or practice before the real attempt.
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fall between two stools »
To attempt two tasks and fail at both, when either one could have been accomplished singly.
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familiarity breeds contempt »
The more acquainted one becomes with a person, the more one knows about his or her shortcomings and, hence, the easier it is to dislike that person.1894, H. Rider Haggard, The People Of The Mist, ch. 25:This was the beginning of evil, for if no man is a hero to his valet de chambre, much less can he remain a god for long in the eyes of a curious woman. Here, as in other matters, familiarity breeds contempt.
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flog a dead horse »
To attempt to get extra work out of a ship's crew during the dead horse period.
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flog a dead horse »
To attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more.
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for the time being »
Temporarily; until later.
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frog in one's throat »
Any temporary physical difficulty in speaking.
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give it a go »
To try or attempt.
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give it a whirl »
To try, test or attempt.
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give it one's best shot »
To make one's best effort or attempt; to try as hard as possible.
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go for broke »
To try everything possible or do last thing possible in a final attempt.
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go for the gold »
To attempt to achieve the maximum reward or result in an endeavor.
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great unwashed »
A contemptuous term for the populace, particularly the working class.
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hand waving »
Discussion or argumentation involving approximation, vagueness, educated guessing, or the attempt to explain or excuse vagaries.
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have a go »
To make an attempt; to try.
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have in mind »
To consider, to contemplate, to intend.
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hem and haw »
To discuss, deliberate, or contemplate rather than taking action.
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herd cats »
To attempt to control those resistant to control.
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hit the ceiling »
To be explosively angry. To lose one's temper.
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hold off »
To delay someone or something temporarily; to keep at bay.
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hold with the hare and run with the hounds »
To remain neutral by attempting to placate two factions or both sides of a controversy.
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hole in one »
A round that is completed by sinking the ball in a single shot or attempt, with one hit.
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hot up »
To increase in temperature.
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in your face »
An exclamation of derision or contempt.
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keep one's cool »
To remain composed, calm, and even-tempered, especially in a provocative situation.
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knock up »
To put together, fabricate, or assemble, particularly if done hastily or temporarily. See also knock together.
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lame joke »
An attempt at humor which is perceived to have been used previously to the point of being cliche, or was never funny to begin with.
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landing strip »
A runway for aircraft, especially one which is auxiliary or temporary.
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lapsed academic »
A person formerly employed as a professor or researcher in a university or other institution of higher education, especially one who no longer attempts to remain current in his or her former academic field.
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leave well enough alone »
To leave something alone; to avoid attempts to correct, fix, or improve what is already sufficient.
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leave well enough alone »
To leave something alone; to avoid attempts to correct, fix, or improve what is already sufficient
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lick one's wounds »
To withdraw temporarily while recovering from a defeat.
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lose it »
To be explosively angry; to lose one's temper.
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lose one's cool »
To become upset or disconcerted; to lose one's temper.
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lose one's shit »
To lose one's temper.
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lose one's temper »
To be explosively angry. To get very cross.
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lost cause »
A cause, attempt, or effort that is hopeless or futile.
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make a go of it »
To attempt; especially, to attempt to make a living.
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mend one's ways »
To recognise one's failings and attempt to remedy them.
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mercury »
A silvery-colored metallic chemical element, liquid at room temperature, with atomic number 80 and symbol Hg.
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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.
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off the top of one's head »
Without great thought or investigation; extemporaneous; natural; offhand.
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off-the-cuff »
Extemporaneous; without prior preparation; impromptu.
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old college try »
A vigorous, committed attempt or effort.
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on one's soapbox »
Stating or professing one's opinion; attempting to persuade others of something.
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on the fly »
Spontaneously or extemporaneously; done as one goes, or during another activity.
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one can't hold two watermelons in one hand »
do not attempt to take on more than you can handle
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one who hesitates is lost »
A person who spends too much time contemplating what to do may miss a valuable but fleeting opportunity.
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one-hit wonder »
A musical performer or musical group known for a single hit song, especially after failing at later attempts at success.
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out of luck »
Experiencing a temporary misfortune.
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out of stock »
Temporarily unavailable for sale.
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out of the question »
Impossible to even contemplate.
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palm off »
To attempt to pass off a counterfeit or inferior product as genuine.
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party crasher »
Someone who attempts and often gains entry to a party or club to which they were not invited, often using social engineering techniques. The party crasher usually tries to blend into the party so as not to be kicked out.
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pay the piper »
To pay a monetary debt or experience unfavorable consequences, especially when the payment or consequences are inevitable in spite of attempts to avoid them.
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play down »
To make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.
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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.
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play up »
To make or attempt to make something appear more important, likely or obvious; to showcase or highlight.
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push one's luck »
To take an excessive risk or to attempt some task unlikely to succeed, especially after having already been unexpectedly lucky.
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put aside »
To ignore or intentionally forget something, temporarily or permanently, so that more important things can have one's attention.
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quick-and-dirty »
Done or constructed in a hasty, approximate, temporarily adequate manner, but not exact, fully formed, or reliable for a long period of time.
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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.
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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.
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scissorbill »
Someone considered contemptible or foolish.
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send up »
To make prices or temperatures etc. rise.
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sharp cookie »
One who is intelligent, bright, or sharp; especially, one who can identify attempts to deceive or mislead.
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short temper »
The personality trait of being quick to anger.
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shot in the dark »
A guess, attempt, or choice made with little or no evidence or knowledge.
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snow job »
An attempt to persuade a person using flattery or deception.
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stand in »
temporary substitute
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stand one's ground »
To attempt to hold a position in battle.
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stand up »
To stand immediately behind the wicket so as to catch balls from a slow or spin bowler, and to attempt to stump the batsman.
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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.
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take a crack at »
To attempt or try.
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take a stab at »
To attempt or try.
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take down »
To remove a temporary structure such as scaffolding.
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take on »
To attempt to fight or compete.
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take over »
To relieve someone temporarily.
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tempest in a teapot »
A major fuss over a trivial matter.
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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.
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that does it »
Expression of annoyance or frustration; indicates that one has reached the limit of one's patience or temper.
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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.
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throw one's toys out of the pram »
To lose one's temper; to throw a tantrum.
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throw to the wolves »
To sacrifice someone, especially in an attempt to save oneself.
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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.
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tough love »
The compassionate use of stringent disciplinary measures, to attempt to improve someone's behavior.
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try one's hand »
To attempt a skill, craft, or trade.
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two for two »
In baseball, meeting two out of two attempts at-bat. Specifically, it means the batter has reached base safely two out of two times.
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whistle past the graveyard »
To attempt to stay cheerful in a dire situation; To proceed with a task, ignoring an upcoming hazard, hoping for a good outcome.
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wrestling with a pig »
To engage in a pointless task that leaves one worse off for having made an honest attempt.
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