a life of its own »
An independent existence with some characteristics of life.
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a penny saved is a penny earned »
A maxim for thrift that says that money not spent may be spent later, or may earn interest in the meantime
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along about »
Approximately; at around some time.
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answer back »
To issue echo characters, protocol responses, reflexive connection requests, etc.
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assault and battery »
. This legal distinction exists only in jurisdictions that distinguish assault as threatened violence rather than actual violence.
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back-of-the-envelope »
Approximate, rough, simplified.
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bail out »
To exit an aircraft while in flight.
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ballpark estimate »
A ballpark figure, a very rough approximation.
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be around »
To be alive, existent, or present.
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be on the edge of one's seat »
To be in suspense; to wait eagerly or anxiously for some resolution.
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believe in »
To ascribe existence to.
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blow this pop stand »
To exit or remove oneself from a less than exciting location or environment.
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bring forth »
To create, generate, bring into existence.
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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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brush up »
To review; to improve an existing but rusty or under-developed skill.
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cash in »
To profit from; to use an opportunity to maximum advantage, especially financially.
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chalkface »
A musical concept or genre in which music is completely improvised and never played twice. Most often mixing elements of hip-hop, metal, punk and avant-garde jazz.
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cheek by jowl »
In close proximity; crammed uncomfortably close together.
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cry for help »
In her second year at the school Alexis stopped doing her homework and would often scribble on walls. Her teachers wondered whether this was a cry for help, or if she was simply misbehaving.
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deathblow »
Something that prevents the completion, or ends the existence of some project etc.
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deer in the headlights »
A mental state of high arousal caused by anxiety fear, panic, surpriseand/or confusion, or substance abuse. The behavioral signs are like a deer subjected to a car's headlights, such as widely opened eyes and a lack of motor reactions.
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dog's life »
A miserable, unhappy existence.
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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.
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fire escape »
emergency exit
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flat chat »
At maximum capability or speed.
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full blast »
Maximum capacity or effort.
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full speed ahead »
A command, especially on military vessels, to move forward at maximum speed.
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full speed ahead »
Maximum effort without reservations or delay.
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get along »
To be together or coexist well, without arguments or trouble.
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get cold feet »
To become nervous or anxious and reconsider a decision about an upcoming event.
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get high »
To intoxicate oneself with drugs or other substances.
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get out of here »
To leave or exit a place.
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give 110%25 »
Make the maximum possible effort.
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give or take »
Approximately; plus or minus some unknown amount.
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go figure »
Expresses perplexity, confusion, surprise, or puzzlement.
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go for the gold »
To attempt to achieve the maximum reward or result in an endeavor.
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go large »
To enjoy oneself to the maximum.
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go the distance »
To participate in a boxing match for its maximum number of rounds.
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good drunk »
A person who is cheerful and companionable when intoxicated, retaining reasonable control of his or her mental and emotional faculties.
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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 butterflies in one's stomach »
To be nervous, uncertain, or anxious.
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heaven helps those who help themselves »
A maxim encouraging people to get involved in their own problems.
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heebie-jeebies »
A general feeling of anxiety, fear, uneasiness, or nausea.
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hold one's liquor »
To be resistant to intoxication or to show few signs of intoxication, even after consuming a significant amount of alcohol.
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hopped up »
Drugged; intoxicated.
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hot to trot »
Eager to begin; anxious to get going.
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if it ain't broke, don't fix it »
Leave something alone; avoid correcting, fixing, or improving what is already sufficient, as it could end up being detrimental
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in a state »
Agitated and anxious.
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it is what it is »
This circumstance is simply a fact and must be accepted or dealt with as it exists.
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ivory tower »
A sheltered, overly-academic existence or perspective, implying a disconnection or lack of awareness of reality or practical considerations.
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keep on »
To remain in an existing position.
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keep straight »
To avoid confusing or mixing up something; to keep something clear or organized.
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knock around »
To do a relaxing activity.
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landing strip »
A runway for aircraft, especially one which is auxiliary or temporary.
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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
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life and limb »
Existence together with bodily faculties.
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light bucket »
Nickname for a reflecting telescope, especially one with a relatively large aperture and suitable for observing deep sky objects such as nebulae and galaxies.
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log out »
To exit an account in a computer system so that it doesn't recognize you until you log in again.
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make hay while the sun shines »
To act while an opportunity exists; to take action while a situation is favorable.
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make off »
To run away; to exit.
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mess up »
To make unwanted mistakes in a given task, usually through distraction or obnoxious behavior.
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miner's canary »
A caged bird kept caged in mines because its demise provided a warning of dangerous levels of toxic gases.
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miners' canary »
A caged bird kept caged in mines because its demise provided a warning of dangerous levels of toxic gases.
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nut-cutting time »
Time to exert maximum effort, for example, due to an approaching deadline or a looming competitive situation.
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old habits die hard »
Existing habits are hard to change.
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old saw »
A cliché, saying, or overused expression; especially a proverb or maxim.
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on pins and needles »
Feeling sharp anticipation or anxiety; in a state of suspense.
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on the clock »
Of a taxicab, engaged for hire; displayed numerically as time or fare on the meter of a taxicab.
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on the ropes »
Leaning against the ropes of the boxing ring, as when exhausted and nearing defeat or collapse.
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one thousand »
Used in a common chronometric counting scheme, in which each iteration is sequentially numbered and supposed to be approximately one second in length.
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or so »
approximately; there abouts
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or what »
Or something else; allows for the existence of an unexpressed alternative to what was said.
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out of house and home »
Cassandra Chrones Moore, Haunted Housing: How Toxic Scare Stories Are Spooking the Public Out of House and Home.
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out of thin air »
From non-existent resources.
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peaches-and-cream »
Of facial complexion, smooth, with attractive yellow-pink coloring.
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play to the gallery »
To appeal to the least sophisticated parts of an audience in order to obtain maximum approval.
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problem child »
Someone or something persistently difficult or vexing; a frequent source of trouble or annoyance.
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pronunciamiento »
A military uprising or coup in Spain or the Spanish American republics, particularly in the 19th century. They received this designation because coups were usually accompanied by a statement declaring the existing government null and void.
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put the pedal to the metal »
To exert maximum effort.
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put the pedal to the metal »
To press the gas pedal to the maximum extent.
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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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raring to go »
Extremely eager or anxious to begin.
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ringside seat »
A seat in the front row of a boxing or wrestling match.
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rocking horse shit »
A metaphor for something exceedingly rare or, more likely, nonexistent.
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round off »
To change a number into an approximation having fewer significant digits.
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rule of thumb »
A general guideline, rather than a strict rule; an approximate measure or means of reckoning based on experience or common knowledge.
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run to »
To reach a particular maximum amount, size, value, etc.
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show somebody the door »
To escort someone to the exit of the premises; to expel someone from a room, gathering, etc.
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sleeves from one's vest »
Something non-existent; something of no value or cost.
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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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sort of »
Approximately; in a way; partially; not quite; somewhat.
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space out »
To stupefy, intoxicate, disorient, or lose attention or focus, especially by the use of drugs.
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step out »
To exit a place on foot, often for a short time.
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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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sweat bullets »
To sweat profusely; especially, to be very nervous or anxious.
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taxi driver »
cabby
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there is nothing new under the sun »
There is nothing truly novel in existence. Every new idea has some sort of precedent or echo from the past.
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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
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to the max »
To the maximum possible degree or extent.
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top dollar »
The maximum amount of money that an item, service, or worker is worth; a very high price.
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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.
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turn off »
To leave a road; exit.
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under the influence »
Drunk; intoxicated; affected by alcohol.
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under the weather »
Somewhat intoxicated or suffering from a hangover.
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up to eleven »
Beyond the maximum possible threshold.
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variable tandem repeat locus »
Any DNA sequence that exists in multiple copies strung together in various tandem lengths.
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way out »
exit
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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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world »
Human collective existence; existence in general.
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| BTW, Why won't you become an editor? |
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