add fuel to the fire »
To worsen a conflict between people; to inflame an already tense situation.
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as the crow flies »
In a straight line distance between two locations, as opposed to the road distance or over land distance.
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bankers' hours »
The period between 10am and 3pm.
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between a rock and a hard place »
Having the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options; in a predicament or quandary.
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between Scylla and Charybdis »
Similar in meaning to between a rock and a hard place.
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between the jigs and the reels »
Eventually, despite all the confusion.
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betwixt and between »
Neither one thing nor the other.
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black-on-black »
A reference to interactions between black people .
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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.
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blind date »
A romantic meeting between two people who have never met before.
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blow hot and cold »
To behave inconsistently; to vacillate or to waver, as between extremes of opinion or emotion.
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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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bridge »
An unintended solder connection between two or more components or pins.
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caught between the devil and the deep blue sea »
Having a choice between two alternatives, both undesirable.
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correlation does not imply causation »
(statistics) The observed correlation between two parameters, say, the growth of a market and the growth of a neighbor's child may, in fact, have nothing to do with each other's causation.
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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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few and far between »
Rare and scarce.
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fish or cut bait »
To choose between taking action now, or forgoing the opportunity and putting that energy into another endeavor; to decide.
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food chain »
The feeding relationships between species in a biotic community.
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fourth wall »
The boundary between the fiction and the audience.
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go between »
an intermediary
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grey area »
An area intermediate between two mutually exclusive states or categories where the border between the two is fuzzy.
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happy medium »
A balanced position between two opposite extremes.
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hot desking »
The working practice of sharing desks or workstations between workers, as a means of saving space and resources.
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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.
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how do I get to Carnegie Hall »
A set phrase, spoken as a rhetorical question, which is answered "Practice, practice, practice!" or sometimes with the humorous literal directions to Seventh Avenue between 56th and 57th.
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lead »
Vertical space in advance of a row or between rows of text. Also known as leading.
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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.
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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.
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mark up »
To increase the price of something between its wholesale and retail phase.
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middle ground »
A compromise position between extremes.
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much of a muchness »
Of two or more things, having little difference of any significance between them.
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one-night stand »
A single sexual encounter between two individuals, where at least one of the parties has no immediate intention or expectation of establishing a longer-term sexual or romantic relationship. As the phrase implies, the relationship lasts for only one night.
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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.
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pitched battle »
A hostile engagement involving sustained, full-scale fighting between opposing forces in close combat.
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point blank »
The distance between a gun and a target such that it requires minimal effort in aiming it. In particular no allowance needs to be made for the effects of gravity, target movement or wind in aiming the projectile.
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pull my finger »
A phrase used when playing a prank regarding flatulence, in which a mark is asked to pull the finger of the person playing the prank, who simultaneously flatulates so as to suggest a causal relationship between the pulling of the finger and the resulting expulsion of gas.
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read between the lines »
To infer a meaning that is not stated explicitly.
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rivet counter »
A person who has an obsession with the minutae of their particular interest. Anyone preoccupied with small distinguishing features between different items.
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run hot and cold »
To alternate between two opposite extremes, such as enthusiasm and disinterest or success and failure.
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sexual relation »
Behaviour of a sexual nature between one or more individuals.
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sexual tension »
Physically induced libidinal unrest arising between two individuals when aware of each other's presence.
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shit or get off the pot »
To choose between taking action now, or foregoing the opportunity until a later date.
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shotgun shack »
A house with no internal barrier between the front and back doors.
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space out »
To plant seedlings etc at regular intervals with a calculated space between them.
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spark spread »
The difference between the cost of the fuel required to produce a unit of electricity, and the price of that same unit of electricity.
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switch off »
To alternate between; to trade.
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tail between one's legs »
A reaction to a confrontation, specifically one with excessive shame and hurt pride.
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tell apart »
To be able to know the difference between things; to distinguish.
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turf war »
A dispute over territory between rival gangs.
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turf war »
A fight or confrontation between two divisions or parties for access to resources or capital.
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walk the line »
To maintain an intermediate position between contrasting choices, opinions, etc..
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you only get what you give »
There is a positive correlation between the effort one puts in and the benefits one receives.
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