a different ballpark »
Something totally unrelated or of a vastly different scale or scope.
|
a drop in the bucket »
An effort or action having very little overall influence, especially as compared to a huge problem.
|
a gentleman and a scholar »
An admirable person.
|
a little bird told me »
Of information which was gathered from a source not to be overtly exposed.
|
a man's home is his castle »
(US) a proverbial expression of personal privacy and security
|
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 scholar and a gentleman »
An admirable person.
|
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 kettle never boils »
Alternative form of a watched pot never boils.
|
above board »
Honestly, reputably.
|
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.
|
actions speak louder than words »
It is more effective to act directly than to speak of action.
|
against the grain »
Unwillingly, reluctantly. It went much against the grain with him, i.e. it was much against his inclination, or against his pluck.
|
all ears »
Listening intently; fully focused.
|
all eyes »
Watching alertly or attentively.
|
all hat and no cattle »
Full of big talk but lacking action, power, or substance; pretentious.
|
all in all »
Generally; for the most part; mostly.
|
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 map »
Widely scattered or distributed; numerous and differing greatly.
|
all talk and no action »
Speaking, promising, or boasting much, but doing little
|
all the time »
Always; constantly; for the complete duration.
|
all the time »
Very often; frequently.
|
an Englishman's home is his castle »
(UK) a proverbial expression of personal privacy and security
|
angle for »
To try to obtain something by subtle indirect means. Political manoeuvres, suggestion, etc.
|
answer back »
To reply impertinently; to talk back.
|
around the clock »
All the time or seemingly all the time; constantly.
|
ass over teakettle »
Frantically.
|
ass over teakettle »
Tumbling upside down.
|
assume the mantle »
To take on a specific role or position, along with any associated responsibilites.
|
at the drop of a hat »
Without any hesitation; instantly.
|
back-burner »
Having low urgency; not currently important.
|
bang on »
Exactly at.
|
bash in »
To break or dent badly by hitting violently.
|
bash in »
To injure someone by hitting violently.
|
battle cry »
By extension, a strong motto or purpose statement, especially in regards to winning a goal in sports, games or work.
|
battle cry »
Something the troops yell out when going to war or battle.
|
bawdy basket »
The twenty-third rank of canters, who carry pins, tape, ballads, and obscene books to sell, but live mostly by stealing.
|
bear hug »
wrestling hold
|
beefed out »
Having been improved greatly or upgraded; beefed up.
|
beer and skittles »
Fun times.
|
beer and skittles »
Something pleasurable.
|
behind somebody's back »
Without somebody's knowledge; secretly.
|
bells and whistles »
Extra features added for show rather than function; fancy additions or features.
|
big fish in a small pond »
One who has achieved a high rank or is highly esteemed, but only in a small, relatively unimportant, or little known location or organization.
|
bird's-eye view »
The view from directly or high above.
|
blanket term »
A word or phrase that is used to describe multiple groups of related things. The degree of relation may vary. Blanket terms often trade specificity for ease-of-use; in other words, a blanket term by itself gives little detail about the things that it describes or the relationships between them, but is easy to say and remember. Blanket terms often originate as slang, and eventually become integrated into the general vocabulary.
|
blow away »
Flabbergast; scintillate; impress greatly.
|
blow hot and cold »
To behave inconsistently; to vacillate or to waver, as between extremes of opinion or emotion.
|
blow over »
To pass naturally; to go away; to settle or calm down.
|
blow someone out of the water »
To trounce; to defeat someone thoroughly, at a game or in battle.
|
blow the whistle »
To disclose information to the public or to appropriate authorities concerning the illegal or socially harmful actions of a person or group, especially a corporation or government agency.
|
blow the whistle »
To make a piercing sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game.
|
born with a silver spoon in one's mouth »
Note. The original nautical expression is just born with a silver spoon and describes those young gentlemen who were able to enter the Royal Navy without examination and whose promotion was assured. the converse was born with a wooden ladle.
|
bottle out »
To fail to perform a promised or planned action due to lack of courage.
|
bottle up »
Put into bottles.
|
bottle up »
Keep suppressed and hidden.
|
bottom of the line »
The worst, the most lackluster, or lowest quality currently on the market, especially among selections in a product line.
|
bought the farm »
Simple past tense and past participle of buy the farm: died; often refers to death in battle.
|
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.
|
break off »
To end abruptly, either temporarily or permanently.
|
break out »
To escape, especially forcefully or defiantly.
|
bright-line rule »
A clearly defined rule or standard, comprised of objective factors, which leaves little or no room for varying interpretation.
|
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.
|
brown noser »
One who sucks up; a bootlicker, ass-kisser, sycophant.
|
bustle with »
To teem with; abound with; to exhibit an energetic and active abundance of a thing; to be full of a certain activity or active beings.
|
buy the farm »
To die; often, to die in battle.
|
by and large »
Mostly, generally; with few exceptions.
|
by the book »
In a manner which adheres strictly to rules, legal requirements, or official procedures.
|
by the Grace of God »
Used as part of the titles of royalty.
|
by the numbers »
To do something exactly, precisely, or in a formulaic way.
|
by-the-book »
Adhering strictly to rules, legal requirements, or official procedures.
|
call 'em as one sees 'em »
To candidly and honestly express an opinion or viewpoint.
|
calling card »
An attribute, object, or behavior which is distinctly characteristic of someone or something.
|
camel's nose »
A metaphor for a situation where the permitting of some small act will lead consequently to a larger undesirable act or circumstance.
|
carry coals to Newcastle »
To do something that is unneeded or redundant.
|
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.
|
catch a buzz »
To become slightly inebriated, but not yet be drunk.
|
cattle call »
An audition which is open to the public and thus draws a large number of applicants, many of whom are inexperienced.
|
champ at the bit »
To bite the bit, especially when restless.
|
change one's mind »
To decide differently than one had decided before.
|
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.
|
cheaper by the dozen »
Things are handled more efficiently as a group, rather than individually.
|
chip on one's shoulder »
A form of challenge in the same spirit as a medieval knight throwing down his gauntlet.
|
chump-change »
Of or pertaining to something of little monetary value.
|
class clown »
A student who frequently makes jokes or pokes fun; a wiseacre.
|
clean code »
Software code that is formatted correctly and in an organized manner so that another coder can easily read or modify it.
|
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.
|
cold fish »
A heartless individual; a person lacking empathy and emotion.
|
come out of the woodwork »
To appear or emerge as though out of nowhere, frequently in large numbers or quantity.
|
come to a head »
To suddenly make mature or perfected that which was inchoate or imperfectly formed.
|
come to grips »
To confront or deal with directly.
|
come to terms »
To reach an agreement or settle a dispute.
|
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.
|
crack down »
To enforce more stringently or more thoroughly.
|
crack down on »
To enforce laws or punish more vigilantly.
|
cross the aisle »
Of a member of a parliament, to resign from one's political party and join another party, resulting in moving from one's currently assigned desk or seat in the legislative chamber to a new desk or seat physically located with the other members of one's new party.
|
cross the floor »
Of a member of a parliament, to resign from one's political party and join another party, resulting in moving from one's currently assigned desk or seat in the legislative chamber to a new desk or seat physically located with the other members of one's new party.
|
cry out for »
To say that a situation needs a thing, or a solution urgently.
|
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 behave in an expansive, flagrantly showy, or pushy manner, especially in public venues; to exert sweeping influence.
|
cut down »
To insult, to belittle.
|
cut off »
To end abruptly.
|
cut to the chase »
To get to the point; to get on with it; to state something directly.
|
cut up »
distress greatly
|
day in, day out »
Every day; daily; constantly or continuously; especially, of something that has become routine or monotonous.
|
dead on »
Exactly at.
|
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.
|
dog around »
To follow diligently.
|
don't get me started »
About the subject currently being discussed.
|
double Dutch »
A game of jump rope with two ropes and frequently two jumpers.
|
drag one's feet »
To procrastinate, put off; to dawdle, avoid, or make progress slowly and reluctantly.
|
each to his own »
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion or tastes.My housemate is a strict vegan. I personally could never not eat meat, but each to his own.
|
easy does it »
Relax; do something gently, lightly or carefully; slow down; calm down.
|
eat someone out of house and home »
To consume such a portion of one's store of food that little is left for the owner.
|
every cloud has a silver lining »
In every bad situation there is an element of good1881, National Academy of Code Administration (U.S.), Folio, page 417:Every cloud has a silver lining; but in the old-fashioned meeting-houses every cloud of hymnal melody generally had a nasal lining before the congregation...1887, Shakers, Religion, page 36:that "a little reserve and thou'lt fail surely," will prove to be true in our experience. Every cloud has a silver lining and so has every sorrow,1918, George Jean Nathan, Performing Arts, page 222:But the most popular attitude toward what we may call "sad" plays is the peculiar one of believing that, since every cloud has a silver lining,
|
every little helps »
Even the smallest things are helpful when towards a goal.
|
everything happens for a reason »
All events are purposeful.Everything happens for a reason, so there is no such thing as failure. Mary-Kate OlsenPeople like to say "everything happens for a reason." If you repeat that in your head long enough that starts to sound like "anything can happen with a razor." Laura KightlingerI believe that everything happens for a reason, but I think it's important to seek out that reason - that's how we learn. Drew Barrymore
|
f** all »
Nothing at all or very little.
|
face to face »
In person; directly; in the physical presence of somebody.
|
far and away »
By a large degree or margin; greatly.
|
fat chance »
Little or no likelihood of occurrence or success.
|
fifteen minutes of fame »
A very short time in the spotlight or brief flurry with fame, after which the person or subject involved is quickly forgotten.
|
fight a losing battle »
To continue to wage war when it is clear that one is not going to win.
|
fight a losing battle »
To try to do something so difficult that it will probably end in failure.
|
first of all »
Firstly; before anything else.
|
fit as a fiddle »
Perfectly fit; in excellent health.
|
flat out »
Bluntly, no holds barred.
|
flat-earther »
A person who believes or advocates an outlandish, discredited theory; a person who refuses to acknowledge the truth despite overwhelming evidence.
|
flesh out »
To complete; to create details from a basic outline, structure or skeleton.
|
fool's errand »
A foolish undertaking, especially one that is purposeless, fruitless, nonsensical, or certain to fail.
|
footloose and fancy free »
Able to do as one pleases, unconstrained by social ties or responsibilities.
|
for good »
Forever; permanently.
|
for good and all »
Permanently, forever.
|
for keeps »
Permanently.
|
for the birds »
Worthless; pointless; not deserving serious consideration.
|
for the most part »
Mostly; in general; usually.
|
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."
|
fresh out of »
Of someone who has recently left one stage of life to begin another.
|
gentleman of the back door »
A sodomite.
|
get into one's stride »
To become familiar with something recently learnt.
|
get it »
To possess a preferred outlook on a given issue or issues.
|
get off lightly »
End up with a mild punishment.
|
get someone's back up »
To annoy a person either deliberately or inadvertently.
|
give somebody the brush-off »
To rebuff, snub or curtly reject someone.
|
give somebody the cold shoulder »
To snub, resist or reject somebody; to regard somebody distantly.
|
glow worm »
beetle
|
go along with »
To comply with something, even if reluctantly; to accept or tolerate.
|
go by the board »
To be superseded, rejected, or obliterated; to pass by with little consequence; to amount to nothing.
|
go down that road »
To settle a way of doing something; do decide to do something in a particular way.
|
go from zero to hero »
To change from negative outcome to positive outcome. To improve one's fortunes significantly.
|
go it alone »
To do something alone or independently, especially something that is normally or better done in groups.
|
go native »
Of a contractor or consultant, to begin working directly as an employee for a company and cease to work through a contracting firm or agency.
|
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 on the rampage »
To behave violently or to riot.
|
go to town »
To proceed enthusiastically, vigorously, or expertly.
|
golden hello »
A payment offered to an employee as an inducement to join, especially if currently working for a competitor.
|
gravy train »
An occupation or any lucrative endeavor that generates considerable income whilst requiring little effort and carrying little risk.
|
great oaks from little acorns grow »
Alternative form of mighty oaks from little acorns grow.
|
greatest thing since sliced bread »
A relatively recent invention likely to significantly improve people's lives.
|
hack into »
To gain unauthorized entry to, particularly by exploiting little-known weaknesses.
|
half nelson »
wrestling hold
|
hardwired »
Of devices, closely or tightly coupled.
|
have a whale of a time »
To enjoy oneself greatly.
|
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 ants in one's pants »
To be agitated and constantly fidgeting.
|
hiding to nothing »
A situation in which victory has little or no value, but defeat has a huge cost.
|
high noon »
Exactly noon; midday; the middle of the day.
|
high on the hog »
Well off; living comfortably or extravagantly.
|
hit the bottle »
To continually drink alcohol to excess, particularly in response to a setback.
|
hit the headlines »
To appear prominently in the news, especially on the front page.
|
hit the nail on the head »
To identify something exactly; to arrive at exactly the right answer.
|
hit the rock »
To make a gesture to show celebration, friendship, or to be part of a secret handshake by one person raising their fist so the fist is pointing at the person and the other person lightly punches the fist.
|
hoover up »
Quickly, especially by taking it into the mouth directly from the plate rather than using cutlery.
|
horse of a different color »
An unrelated or only incidentally related matter with distinctly different significance.
|
horse's mouth »
Source; someone who directly experienced or witnessed something.
|
hot lunch »
A sexual act in which a pouch of clingfilm or similar material filled with faeces is placed in one of the participants' mouth and subsequently penetrated by the second participant.
|
house warming »
Presented as a way of welcoming someone to a home into which he or she recently moved.
|
hustle and bustle »
A large amount of activity and work, usually in a noisy surrounding.
|
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!"
|
in bed with »
Engaging in a close mutually beneficial relationship, especially secretly and illicitly.
|
in black and white »
Explicitly, in writing, clearly and without doubt or misunderstanding, without any grey areas.
|
in for an inch, in for a mile »
Given that one is partly involved in or committed to a project, action, position, etc., there is no reason to refrain from becoming fully involved or fully committed.
|
installed base »
The number of units of a system or product that are currently in use.
|
it ain't the whistle that pulls the train »
Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.
|
it is not the whistle that pulls the train »
Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.
|
it isn't the whistle that pulls the train »
Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.
|
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 the whistle that pulls the train »
Boasting and loud talk should not be mistaken for the work that produces real achievements; bravado is no proof of action.1956, James Reston, "Washington: It's Not the Whistle that Pulls the Train," New York Times, 1 July, p. E8:
|
jump »
By jerking the body violently.
|
jump »
To attack suddenly and violently.
|
just what the doctor ordered »
Exactly what is necessary or useful in a given situation.
|
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.
|
kettle of fish »
An awkward situation; a predicament.
|
kick up a fuss »
To show annoyance, or to complain loudly about something, often when it is of little importance in reality.
|
kind »
Mild, gentle, forgiving.
|
kind of »
Slightly; somewhat; sort of.
|
kiss and make up »
To settle one's differences and forgive.
|
knock around »
To hit someone, or behave violently towards them.
|
knock back »
To drink an alcoholic beverage swiftly or often.
|
knock somebody's socks off »
To impress greatly; amaze; stun.
|
knock up »
To gently hit the ball back and forth before a tennis match, as practice or warm-up, and to gauge the state of the playing surface, lighting, etc. See knock-up.
|
ladies and gentlemen »
Used to address an audience.
|
ladies first »
A phrase encouraging polite gentlemanliness, allowing the ladies to go before the men.
|
lap up »
To revel in, to overtly enjoy.
|
late model »
Recently designed or fabricated; new.
|
lay a finger on »
If you lay a finger on my little brother, I'll have your guts for garters.
|
leave nothing to the imagination »
To cover or hide very little or nothing.
|
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.
|
let the cat out of the bag »
To disclose a secret; to let a secret be known, often inadvertently.
|
licence to print money »
A means of generating a large income with little effort.
|
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.
|
life's not all skittles and beer »
Skittles and Beer refers to the carefree, indulgent bar life; skittles being a British pub game. Thus, life's not all skittles and beer means that not everything is about pleasure.
|
lift a finger »
To make minimal effort; to help as little as possible.
|
listen in »
To eavesdrop; to listen secretly.
|
little pitcher »
A child.
|
little pitchers have big ears »
Small children often overhear more of what is said than adults realize or desire.1844, Charlotte M. Yonge, Abbeychurch, ch. 2:Seeing me listening to something she was saying to Mamma, she turned round upon me with that odious proverb, "Little pitchers have long ears."1939, "Bedtime Bedlam," Time, 17 Apr.:A caution to U. S. parents, but a joy to radio merchandising, is the dread truth that little pitchers have big ears.2002, Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, ISBN 9780743455961, p. 185:I suppose he might say pushed or went woowoo, but took a shit is, I fear, very much in the ballpark (little pitchers have big ears, after all).
|
little pitchers have long ears »
Alternative form of little pitchers have big ears.
|
long shot »
Something unlikely; something that has little chance of happening or working. The term arose from the accuracy of early ship guns, which were effective only at close range and unlikely to hit the mark at any great distance.
|
Loose cannon »
A cannon that breaks loose during battle or a storm and causes serious damage to the ship and its crew.
|
make a virtue of necessity »
C. 1595, William Shakespeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona, act 4, sc.1.
|
make out like a bandit »
To profit greatly; to get an excessively good deal.
|
make someone's teeth itch »
To bother or unsettle a person; to put someone on edge.
|
man of parts »
A man that is talented in multiple areas of life. This includes but is not limited to the area of seduction. He puts very little emphasis on memorized scripts or "peacocking" and instead relies on individualized ways to charm a woman.
|
manoeuvre the apostles »
To rob Peter to pay Paul; that is, to borrow money of one man to pay another.
|
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
|
mess up »
To make a mistake; to do something incorrectly; to perform poorly.
|
mighty oaks from little acorns grow »
Something great can come from a modest beginning.Don't give up on the project - mighty oaks from little acorns grow!
|
mind one's p's and q's »
To be very careful to behave correctly.
|
mocking is catching »
An admonishment to be careful of criticising others, lest the same happen to you.Mocking is Catching was the title of a 1726 song by Henry Carey.
|
morning, noon and night »
Constantly; ceaselessly; without stopping.
|
motor mouth »
One who talks incessantly; a chatty or loquacious person.
|
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.
|
ñapa »
the little something extra
|
neither fish nor fowl »
Said of something not easily categorized or not fitting neatly into any established group.
|
no ifs, ands, or buts »
Period; exactly so; without modification, limitation, or addendum.
|
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.
|
none of someone's business »
A matter that someone is not entitled to be involved in or informed about.
|
not much of anything »
Very little; not a lot.
|
of late »
In the recent past; recently; lately.
|
off and on »
Intermittently.
|
off the beaten path »
In a secluded location; in a place which is not frequently visited or not widely known.
|
off-the-wall »
Greatly inappropriate.
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old school »
Characteristic of a style, outlook, or method employed in a former era, remembered either as inferior to the current style, or alternately, remembered nostalgically as superior or preferable to the new style, the older denoting something that would be considered out of date or out of fashion to some, but as such, is considered by others as cool and hip.
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on a full stomach »
Directly after eating, after a meal.
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on a shoestring »
On a very tight budget; with few resources or little money.
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on the button »
Exactly, precisely.
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on the dot »
Exactly; precisely, especially of a numerical quantity.
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on the face of it »
Apparently; as far as can be seen or determined.
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on the nose »
Exactly; precisely.
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on the run »
Constantly traveling or moving from place to place.
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on the sly »
Slyly, in an inconspicuous manner, so as not to be seen; secretly; stealthily.
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on the town »
Casually enjoying the nightlife of a town or city.
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on tiptoe »
Moving carefully, quietly, warily or stealthily.
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once and for all »
Finally, permanently, conclusively.
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once in a blue moon »
Very rarely; very infrequently.
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one up »
To outdo, to do something slightly better than a competitor's prior effort.
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one-note »
Having only one opinion, outlook, tone, etc., especially as expressed repetitively; without variety or range.
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one-up »
To outdo, to do something slightly better than a competitor's prior effort.
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other days, other ways »
People of the past thought and acted differently.
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out loud »
Using the voice; not silently; aloud.
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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.
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outsider »
A competitor or contestant who has little chance of winning; a long shot; a dark horse.
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outsider »
A newcomer with little or no experience in an organization or community.
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over one's head »
Performing at a level greatly superior to one's usual level of performance.
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painting rocks »
Pointless or futile work organised by the government, supposedly to increase employment but in fact merely disguising the unemployment level.
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pay one's dues »
To outlay money which is owed as a membership fee or price of admission.
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peachy keen »
Extremely good, exactly right; all right. Often used in the negative or with an ironic or sarcastic connotation to mean the opposite.
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peel out »
To start abruptly from a standing stop, accelerating rapidly, especially so as to produce skid marks.
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penny pincher »
One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money.
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phase in »
To introduce something little by little.
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phase out »
To remove or relinquish the use of something little by little.
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pinchpenny »
One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money.
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pitched battle »
A hostile engagement involving sustained, full-scale fighting between opposing forces in close combat.
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pitched battle »
An intense, rancorous argument or confrontation.
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play Old Harry »
Blenkiron and I have been moving in the best circles as skilled American engineers who are going to play Old Harry with the British on the Tigris. — John Buchan, "Greenmantle", 1916..
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play the same tape »
To repeat exactly what one previously said or did.
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pot calling the kettle black »
A situation in which somebody comments on or accuses someone else of a fault which the accuser shares.
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potter about »
To potter, to be gently active doing various things in an almost aimless manner.
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potter around »
To potter, to be gently active doing various things in an almost aimless manner.
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pound the pavement »
To campaign diligently; to seek something, such as business, employment, or answers.
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problem child »
Someone or something persistently difficult or vexing; a frequent source of trouble or annoyance.
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puff out »
To blow briefly and lightly.
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pull an all-nighter »
Work diligently throughout the night.
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pull one's head in »
To withdraw as a turtle might; to discontinue support of a particular argument.
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pump up »
To cause one's muscles to swell by means of focussed weightlifting.
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push the boat out »
To do something, especially spend money, more extravagantly than usual, particularly for a celebration.
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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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put down »
To insult, belittle, or demean.
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put out »
The statistic of the number of outs a defensive player directly caused.
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put someone down as »
To assume someone has a particular character from very little information.
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rank and file »
Those lacking any particular title or status; those having no station.
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rattle off »
To list or recite quickly.
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rattle someone's cage »
To demand attention; to nag, nudge, or remind.
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read between the lines »
To infer a meaning that is not stated explicitly.
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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.
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reckon with »
To settle accounts with or to settle claims with.
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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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right on the money »
Exact; precise; exactly right.
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ring off the hook »
Of a telephone, to ring constantly or excessively.
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ringside seat »
A seat in the front row of a boxing or wrestling match.
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rolling stone »
A person who moves around a lot and never settles down.
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run away with »
To leave secretly with another person. Usually with the intention of getting married or of living together against the wishes of the family.
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run on fumes »
By extension, to operate with few resources or little money.
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rustle up »
To quickly prepare something.
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sabre-rattling »
A flamboyant display of military power as an implied threat that it might be used.
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sabre-rattling »
Any threat, such as one company threatening another with a lawsuit.
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scare the pants off of »
To scare or startle thoroughly.
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scared shitless »
Very scared, terrified.
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scissorbill »
The black skimmer bird native to the Atlantic states, USA.
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scrimp and save »
To scrimp greatly; to economize; to live very frugally, particularly when saving for something.
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see a man »
To go have a drink or to meet one's bootlegger.
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sell a bargain »
A species of wit, much in vogue about the latter end of the reign of Queen Anne, and frequently alluded to by Dean Swift, who says the maids of honour often amused themselves with it. It consisted in the seller naming his or her hinder parts, in answer to the question, What? which the buyer was artfully led to ask. As a specimen, take the following instance: A lady would come into a room full of company, apparently frightened, crying out "It is white, and follows me!" As soon as someone responded "What?" she sold him the bargain, by saying "Mine arse".
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settle for »
To accept or allow something, especially something not entirely desirable.
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settle in »
To get comfortable or established, as in a new place.
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settle on »
To make a decision or selection; to decide.
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settle someone's hash »
To physically or verbally subdue someone.
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settle upon »
To decide something over other options.
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sexual congress »
Loose translation of the title of Aristophanes' play Ecclesiazousae, more literally translated as Assemblywomen.
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shirtless »
Not wearing a shirt. Having a bare torso.
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shirtless »
Very poor.
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shoot the boots »
To kick swiftly and violently, especially in the groin.
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short of »
Insufficiently equipped with.
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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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shotgun »
A one-story dwelling with no hallways or corridors, with the rooms arranged in a straight line. Mostly heard in the southern United States.
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sit tight »
To wait patiently.
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slim chance »
Little or no likelihood of occurrence or success.
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slip into something a little more comfortable »
To wear something suitable to be stripped off by a lover.
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small fry »
One or more persons or things of relatively little consequence, importance, or value.
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small potatoes »
One or more persons or things of relatively little consequence, importance, or value.
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smallpox blanket »
An apparently benevolent offering whose real intent is to disrupt, destabilize or weaken.
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smoke like a chimney »
To smoke tobacco frequently.
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snipe hunt »
A prank in which a gullible victim is sent off on a fruitless search for a nonexistent item.
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snowball's chance in hell »
Little or no likelihood of occurrence or success.
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so quiet one can hear a pin drop »
Said during a lull in a normally bustling place or scene, or as the result of a sudden dramatic or tense moment.
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softly softly »
Discreet, low-key, careful.
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sound asleep »
Sleeping still and silently.
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sow one's wild oats »
To indulge in a period of irresponsible behavior, particularly sexually; Often used in reference to young adults or to the recently divorced.
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speak one's mind »
To state one's thoughts or opinions honestly or frankly.
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spic and span »
Perfectly clean.
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spring fever »
A feeling of invigoration and restlessness associated with the arrival of the warm weather and renewal of nature in the spring season.
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spring fever »
A feeling of laziness or listlessness associated with the arrival of the warm, comfortable weather of the spring season.
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spring in one's step »
Enthusiasm, energy or a positive outlook or cheerful attitude.
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spruce up »
To dress or arrange smartly, elegantly, and neatly.
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spy on »
To secretly watch; to surveil.
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stand on end »
To stand erect, bristle, especially from fear.
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stand one's ground »
To attempt to hold a position in battle.
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step down »
To gradually reduce something, a little at a time, as an electronic step down transformer.
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stickhandle »
To deal capably and swiftly with a situation, especially in a manner which deflects potential problems.
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stir-crazy »
By extension, restless, uncomfortable, or impatient due to inactivity.
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stitch up »
To maliciously or dishonestly incriminate someone.
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stock phrase »
A phrase frequently or habitually used by a person or group, and thus associated with them.
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storm in a tea-kettle »
A big fuss made in a small context.
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straight from the horse's mouth »
Directly from the source; firsthand.
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strike through »
Partly obliterate text by drawing a continuous line through the centre thereof, usually to indicate the deletion of an error or obsolete information.
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strike while the iron is hot »
To act on an opportunity promptly; to avoid waiting.
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take apart »
To dismantle something into it's component pieces.
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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,
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take for granted »
To give little attention to or to underestimate the value of, to fail to appreciate.
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take the wind out of someone's sails »
To discourage someone greatly; to cause someone to lose hope or the will to continue.
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take up the gauntlet »
To accept a challenge.
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talk back »
To reply impertinently; to answer in a cheeky manner.
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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.
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talk out one's ass »
To speak authoritatively on a subject which one actually knows little about; to exaggerate.
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tall tale »
A greatly exaggerated, fantastic story.
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tar with the same brush »
To characterize using the same undesirable attribute, especially unjustly.
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tear away »
To remove oneself reluctantly; often expressed in the negative.
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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'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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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."
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the other day »
Recently; lately; a few days ago.
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the whistle does not pull the train »
Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.
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the whistle doesn't pull the train »
Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.
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them's the facts »
That's the truth, that's how it is; frequently used in reference to an unfortunate truth.
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there ya go »
You have done it precisely correctly.
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there you go »
You have done it, or are doing it, correctly.
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throw cold water on »
To belittle or dismiss; to cast doubt upon; to debunk.
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throw down the gauntlet »
To issue a challenge.
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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
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throw off balance »
To unsettle, to catch by surprise.
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throw smoke »
To consistently pitch fastballs that are difficult to hit.
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throw the baby out with the bathwater »
To discard something valuable, often inadvertently, in the process of removing waste.
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tilt at windmills »
To go on a wild goose chase; to persistently engage in a futile activity.
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timing is everything »
Consideration of other events can greatly influence some desired outcome (such as an audience laughing to a comedian's joke).Telling the old joke about a butt-crack was not a good idea, just as the plumber arrived, Bob.You know what they say: "timing is everything." I'm sure we can find another plumber before the house floods.
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tin god »
An individual that abuses or exceeds his authority over others, frequently in petty ways; for example a low-level manager in situational comedies and other entertainment.
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tip one's hand »
To inadvertently reveal any secret, particularly a secret that puts one at an advantage or disadvantage.
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tit for tat »
Equivalent retribution, an eye for an eye, returning exactly what you get.
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to a T »
Precisely; exactly; perfectly; with great attention to detail.
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to be honest »
Frankly, honestly.
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to each his own »
Every person is entitled to his or her personal preferences and tastes.
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to the letter »
Literally, exactly, to follow the rules as they're written.
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touched in the head »
Demented, slightly mentally deficient.
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tread lightly »
To proceed carefully; especially, to seek to avoid causing offense.
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trigger-happy »
Inclined to react excessively or violently at the slightest provocation.
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under lock and key »
Imprisoned with little or no chance of escape.
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under one's breath »
Softly, so as not to be heard.
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under one's nose »
Directly in front of one; clearly visible.
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under the impression »
Thinking or making assumptions, often incorrectly.
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under the table »
Secretly or without reporting, especially of payments made or business transacted.
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uphill battle »
A challenge with the odds of success stacked strongly against.
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uphill battle »
difficult struggle
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wade in »
To interrupt someone, or a situation, by doing or saying something abruptly, or forcefully, and usually without thinking about the consequences.
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walk the walk »
Act competently, like an expert.
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warm down »
Gentle excercise at the end of a training session before cooling off.
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wet one's whistle »
To have a drink; to quench one's thirst.
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whack-a-mole »
The practice of trying to stop something that persistently occurs in an apparently random manner at the point where the occurrence is noticed, such as terminating spammers' e-mail accounts or closing pop-up advertisement windows.
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what it says on the tin »
Exactly what is described or what one would expect from the name.
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whistle Dixie »
To engage in a pointless or unproductive activity; to do something without resolve, seriousness or commitment.
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whistle in the dark »
To speak of something despite having little knowledge of it.
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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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whistle past the graveyard »
To enter a situation with little or no understanding of the possible consequences.
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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.
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whistle-blower »
One who reports a problem or violation to the authorities; especially, an employee or former employee who reports a violation by an employer.
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whistle-stop »
A small train station.
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whistle-stop train tour »
A tour in a political campaign that makes many brief stops in small communities.
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whistle-stop train tour »
Any travel that's quick and with only brief pauses.
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who's 'she', the cat's mother%3F »
A rebuke especially directed towards children for having referred to their mother, or any other woman in the third person, instead of using a properly respectful title or their name when appropriate.
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wild-goose chase »
A futile search, a fruitless errand; a useless and often lengthy pursuit.
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wine tosser »
A person who talks a great deal about wine but actually knows very little.
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wing it »
To improvise; to make things up or figure things out as one goes; or to perform with little or no preparation.
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winter rat »
An old, unattractive automobile, purchased for little money, to be driven during brutal Great Lakes winters while the owner's "good" car remains garaged and protected from corrosive road salt for the season.
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work like a charm »
works great - exactly as expected
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worlds apart »
Vastly different.
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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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yak shaving »
Any apparently useless activity which, by allowing you to overcome intermediate difficulties, allows you to solve a larger problem.
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yell silently »
To think very strong thoughts, that one wishes to yell out loud but does not.
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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.
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you can't polish a turd »
(vulgar) Something inherently bad cannot be improved.
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your mileage may vary »
It may work differently in your situation, or be different in your experience.
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| BTW, Why won't you become an editor? |
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