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Phrases related to: one can't fight city hall Page #29

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a pyrrhic victoryAn apparent victory, but one which is no victory at all, due to the great cost incurred. The phrase comes from the victory won by King Pyrrhus at Asculum in 279BC which cost him many of his best men. After the battle Pyrrhus remarked: "One more such victory and we are finished."Rate it:

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a week is a long time in politicsIn politics, a lot of change can happen in a short space of time.Rate it:

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acknowledge the cornTo cop a plea; to admit to a small error but not a larger one.Rate it:

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airs and gracesTo act in a pretentious or pompous manner; to put on airs and graces, derogatory term for one acting above their social status.Rate it:

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aliquem (tertium) ad (in) amicitiam ascribereto admit another into the circle of one's intimates.Rate it:

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aliquid in usum suum conferreto employ in the furtherance of one's interests.Rate it:

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all work and no play makes jack a dull boyToo much focus on one's career is often viewed unfavorably.Too much hard work and not enough leisure time can be unhealthy.Rate it:

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all-out brawlA brutal fight without honor, often referring to spontaneous conflicts that erupt in a public place like a bar.Rate it:

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and all thisUsed at the end of a statement to insinuate that there is more information that can be inferred from the preceding.Rate it:

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at heartIn spirit; according to one's beliefs, views or feelings; deep down, really, fundamentally.Rate it:

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at willAt one's preference; as one sees fit.Rate it:

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bad pennyA person or thing which is unpleasant, disreputable, or otherwise unwanted, especially one which repeatedly appears at inopportune times.Rate it:

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bald as a coottotally bald; without any hair on one's head.Rate it:

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banana republicA small country, especially one in Central America, that is dependent on a single export commodity (traditionally bananas) and that has a corrupt, dictatorial government.Rate it:

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bear oneselfTo behave and conduct oneself in such a manner that others will give one respect.Rate it:

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bet dollars to donutsTo suggest that something is very likely to be true or that one has a strong hunch about something.Rate it:

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blood in the waterIn a competitive situation, the exhibition of apparent weakness or vulnerability by one party, especially when this leads to a feeling of vulnerability or greater pressure to perform on the part of the weak party, and/or enhanced expectation of victory by the other(s).Rate it:

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blood is thicker than waterFamily relations and loyalties are stronger than relationships with people who are not family members.1866, Anthony Trollope, The Belton Estate, ch. 30,Blood is thicker than water, is it not? If cousins are not friends, who can be?circa 1915, Lucy Fitch Perkins, The Scotch Twins, ch. 5,The old clans are scattered now, but blood is thicker than water still, and you're welcome to the fireside of your kinsman!Rate it:

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bonnet blanc, blanc bonnettomayto, tomahto; same difference; six of one, half a dozen of the otherRate it:

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brass ringOne and one half inch diameter iron rings were offered riders on a Carousel by a dispensing device alongside: A Brass Ring was inserted into the dispenser at random. The Carousel Rider who succeeded in snatching the Brass Ring was rewarded A Free Ride upon return to the Operator of the Brass Ring:Rate it:

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breast upTo cut the face of on one side so as to lay bare the principal upright stems of the plants.Rate it:

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brebis comptées le loup les mangeCounting one’s chickens will not keep the fox off; If you count your chickens, harm will happen to them.Rate it:

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bring owls to athensTo undertake a pointless venture, one that is redundant, unnecessary, superfluous, or highly uneconomical.Rate it:

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bucket listA list of things to accomplish before one's death. [Circa 2007]Rate it:

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buckle upTo fasten one's seat belt or safety belt.Rate it:

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butt inTo join a conversation or situation in which one is not welcome or invited; to interjectRate it:

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by hook or by crookBy any means possible; one way or another.Rate it:

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c'est bonnet blanc et blanc bonnetIt is six of one and half-a-dozen of the other.Rate it:

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catch fliesAn ostensible product of awkwardly having one's mouth open wide.Rate it:

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ce n'est pas à un vieux singe qu'on apprend à faire des grimaces (fam.)One does not teach one’s grandmother to suck eggs. Rate it:

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chain reactionA series of events, each one causing the next.Rate it:

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cognitive dissonanceThe state of behaving in a way that runs contrary to one's core values, worldview, ideals, and/or moral compass. One who does not practice as they preach could be said to have cognitive dissonanceRate it:

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combattre le feu par le feuto fight fire with fireRate it:

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curb crawlerA prostitute's client, especially one who travels in a car to search for a prostitute.Rate it:

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death spiralA manoeuvre in which a male skater spins in place while holding one hand of his female skating partner as she circles around him with one skate on the ice and one leg extended outward parallel to the ice surface, all the while slowly lowering herself until her back almost touches the ice surface.Rate it:

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

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do the mathYou can do the calculation yourself, with the implication that you don't have to trust someone else's assertions.Rate it:

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do unto others as you would have them do unto youOne should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself; an expression of the golden rule.Rate it:

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domino effectAn accumulation of events where one event is triggered by the previous eventRate it:

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don't look at meA response indicating that one is not willing or able to perform a task.Rate it:

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don't shit where you eatOne should not cause trouble in a place, group, or situation in which one regularly finds oneself.Rate it:

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down to the wireAt the very end of a process or project, especially one with a fast-approaching deadline.Rate it:

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dress for the slide, not the rideWhen choosing clothing for riding a motorcycle, priority should be given to protective gear that helps one survive an accident.Rate it:

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eat crowTo recognize that one has been shown to be mistaken or outdone, especially by admitting that one has made a humiliating error.Rate it:

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every man for himself!Everyone has to fight for his or her own survival. This extraordinary admonition, generally applies during an extreme emergency, commercial or military wherein rescue assistance or other lifesaving help is unlikely.Rate it:

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everything happens for a reasonAll 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 BarrymoreRate it:

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Eyes in the Back of Your HeadTo be able to imagine and feel what is happening behind or outside of one's field of visionRate it:

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faith will move mountainsBelief in oneself (read sometimes as belief in God) can help one overcome any hurdle in life's path.Rate it:

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fashion policeThe mythical fashion police are always standing in the wings eyeballing female employees as they pursue their careers in the executive offices of New York City.Rate it:

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fender-benderA minor accident involving at least one motor vehicle.Rate it:

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