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Phrases related to: treat them mean, keep them keen Page #2

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boss aboutTo act in a bossy manner with another person, ordering them to do things, whether or not one is actually their superior.Rate it:

(4.00 / 4 votes)
boss aroundTo act in a bossy manner with another person, ordering them to do things, whether or not one is actually their superior.Rate it:

(4.00 / 2 votes)
bottle upKeep suppressed and hidden.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
breathe down someone's neckTo follow someone too closely, making it uncomfortable for them.Rate it:

(4.50 / 2 votes)
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:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
bring down the hammerTo treat very harshly.Rate it:

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brush byTo walk past another person, touching them slightly, normally by accident, and ignoring them.Rate it:

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bug in one's bonnetSomething that makes someone act crazy or excites them or is of particular interest or concern to them; something that bothers or irritates someone; a lesser known version of the expression “bee in one’s bonnet”Rate it:

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bug offUsed to tell somebody to leave them alone.Rate it:

(4.00 / 3 votes)
bunged uppronounced with a hard "G" sound, not a "j" sound; injured, mangled; usually used to mean a bodily injury; often said by small children and often with the word "all" in front of the phraseRate it:

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butter someone upTo praise someone; to flatter someone to attain his/her favor, especially before asking them for somethingRate it:

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button one's lipTo remain silent, especially in order to keep a secret or to avoid saying something inappropriate.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
button upTo fasten all the buttons on a coat, or similar item of clothing, to keep warm.Rate it:

(3.00 / 1 vote)
Button Your LipTo be quite, to keep silenceRate it:

(3.00 / 1 vote)
c'est lui qui fait les sottises et c'est moi qui en paye la façonHe commits the mistakes and I have to pay for them.Rate it:

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c'est pain bénitIt serves you (him, her, them) right.Rate it:

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calm before the stormA time of peace before any storm or disaster--either an actual storm or hurricane or figuratively to mean any calm before anything bad happensRate it:

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cast adriftTo place a person in a ship's boat or raft and leave themRate it:

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cast offTo finish the last row of knitted stitches and remove them securely from the needle.Rate it:

(4.00 / 2 votes)
casual expressiona word in the dictionary that has an alternate definition than the dictionary definition or a phrase that means something different than its words put together would literally mean when put togetherRate it:

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catch someone's driftIf you catch someone's drift (or get someone's drift) it means you understand what they mean; this phrase is used especially when you want to get an idea across to someone but you don't want to exactly speak the words you mean or if you think the listener may be confused about what you meanRate it:

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caveat emptorA provision of Roman law which gave the seller of a house the legal right to keep quiet about any defects of the house.Rate it:

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ce mot m'est échappéThat word escaped me inadvertently (i.e., I did not mean to say it).Rate it:

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ces poires sont de bonne gardeThese pears will keep well.Rate it:

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ceux qui n'ont point d'affaires s'en fontThose who have no troubles invent them; Idle people make business for themselves.Rate it:

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Chew Someone OutTo handle someone roughly and scold them severelyRate it:

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chicken outBack-out of an activity because of fear or other mindless reason. Refuse to keep your word.Rate it:

(4.67 / 3 votes)
chickens come home to roostA person's past wrongdoings will always return to negatively affect them.Rate it:

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Chickens Come Home to RoostCertain words or actions, which carry evil intentions, always haunt a person - who uses them or carries them outRate it:

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chickens coming home to roostConsequences visited upon someone who originally had appeared to escape them.Rate it:

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civitatem servitute oppressam tenere (Dom. 51. 131)to keep the citizens in servile subjection.Rate it:

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cock in the henhouseA man in a situation where he has access to many women, presumably intending to seduce them.Rate it:

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coffee soup and crackersA Depression Daze midnight treat of crumbled salted soda crackers immersed in a mug of hot coffee, well accented with cream and white sugar.Rate it:

(2.00 / 1 vote)
come forto search for something or someone, in order to catch them/it.Rate it:

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come throughNot to let somebody down, keep one's promise.Rate it:

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comment celaWhat do you mean?Rate it:

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companyKeep the house clean, I have company coming.Rate it:

(1.00 / 1 vote)
consuetudinem suam tenere, retinere, servareto keep up a usage.Rate it:

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copias castris continereto keep the troops in camp.Rate it:

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count outTo enumerate items while organizing or transferring them.Rate it:

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counting sheepFarmers in the medieval ages would count their sheep before leaving them.Rate it:

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cracher dans la soupeto treat what's given to you or what's available to you with neglect and disdain, to bite the hand that feeds youRate it:

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cuff Jonassaid of one who is knock-kneed, or who beats his sides to keep himself warm in frosty weather.Rate it:

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custodias agere in valloto keep watch on the rampart.Rate it:

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cut down to sizeDiminish the prestige or exaggerated importance of someone or something to reduce (them) to a suitable stature; To humble or humiliateRate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
dead men tell no talesOnce someone is dead, they can no longer communicate, hence killing someone is the best way to keep him/her quiet.Rate it:

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deliver the goodsTo keep one's promises.Rate it:

(4.00 / 1 vote)
devil take the hindmostAn imprecation that everyone should look after their own interests, leaving those who cannot cope to whatever fate befalls them.Rate it:

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diem festum agere (of an individual)to keep, celebrate a festival.Rate it:

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diem festum celebrare (of a larger number)to keep, celebrate a festival.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)

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