[on one’s account] {adv. phr.} For your good; because you want tohelp or please someone. Barry studied hard on his mother’saccount. I hope you didn’t bring tea to the picnic just on myaccount. The teacher stayed in school a little late on Tom’saccount. Compare: OF ONE’S OWN ACCORD, ON ACCOUNT OF.
[turn down] {v.} 1. To reduce the loudness, brightness, or forceof. The theater lights were turned down. Turn down that radio, will you? The hose was throwing too much water so I turned downthe water a little bit. 2. To refuse to accept; reject. Hisrequest for a raise was turned down. If she offers to … Читать далее
[warm the bench] {v. phr.}, {informal} To act as a substitute on anathletic team. Bill has been warming the bench for three footballseasons; he hopes that the coach will let him play this year. -[bench warmer] {n.}, {informal} A substitute player. Last year Tedwas only a bench warmer, but this year he is the team’s … Читать далее
[pad the bill] {v. phr.} To add false expenses to a bill; make abill larger than it really was. The salesman padded the bill forhis traveling expenses by exaggerating his food expenses.
[dead to the world] {adj. phr.}, {informal} 1. Fast asleep. Tim went to bed very late and was still dead to the world at 10 o’clock this morning. 2. As if dead; unconscious. Tom was hit on the head by a baseball and was dead to the world for two hours.
[behind the scenes] {adv. phr.} Out of sight; unknown to most people; privately. Much of the banquet committees work was done behind the scenes. John was president of the club, but behind the scenes Lee told him what to do.
[knock off] {v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To burglarize someone. Theyknocked off the Manning residence. 2. To murder someone. Thegangsters knocked off Herman.
[horse] See: BET ON THE WRONG HORSE, CART BEFORE THE HORSE, CHANGEHORSES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREAM or CHANGE HORSES IN MIDSTREAM, EATLIKE A HORSE, HOLD ONE’S HORSES. IRON HORSE, LOCK THE BARN DOOR AFTERTHE HORSE IS STOLEN, LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH, OFF ONE’S HIGHHORSE, ON ONE’S HIGH HORSE, PUT ONE’S … Читать далее
[square peg in a round hole] {n.}, {informal} A person who does notfit into a job or position; someone who does not belong where he is. Arthur is a square peg in a round hole when he is playing ball. George likes to work with his hands. When it comes to books, he’s asquare peg … Читать далее
[keep up] {v.} 1a. To go on; not stop; continue. The rain keptup for two days and the roads were flooded. Compare: KEEP ON. 1b. Togo on with ; continue steadily; never stop. Mrs. Smithtold John to keep up the good work. The teacher asked Dick to stopbothering Mary, but he kept it up. Compare: … Читать далее
[out of one’s pocket] {adv. phr.} Having sustained a financialloss; poorer by a said amount. The show was so bad that, besideshaving a lousy time, I was also $35 out of my pocket.
[red cent] {n. phr.} The one-cent coin; a copper coin; very littlemoney. Poor Oscar is so broke he doesn’t have a red cent to hisname.
[be-in] {n.}, {slang}, {hippie culture} A gathering or social occasion with or without a discernible purpose, often held in a public place like a park or under a large circus tent. The youngsters really enjoyed the great springtime jazz be-in at the park.
[giveaway] or [dead giveaway] {n.} 1. An opensecret. By mid-afternoon, it was a dead giveaway who the new bosswould be. 2. A forced or sacrifice sale at which items are sold formuch less than their market value. The Simpson’s garage sale wasactually a big giveaway. 3. A gift; something one doesn’t have to payfor. The … Читать далее
[salad days] {n. phr.}, {informal} The period of one’s youth; aperiod of inexperience. He was silly and immature during his saladdays in high school.
[pull the wool over one’s eyes] {v. phr.}, {informal} To foolsomeone into thinking well of you; deceive. The businessman hadpulled the wool over his partner’s eyes about their financialposition. Bob tried to pull the wool over his teacher’s eyes, butshe was too smart for him.
[worth one’s salt] {adj. phr.} Being a good worker, or a productiveperson; worth what you cost. Mr. Brown showed that he was worth hissalt as a salesman when he got the highest sales record for the year. — Often used with «not» or «hardly». When the basketball team didso poorly, people felt that the coach … Читать далее
[inside of] {prep.} In; within; on or in an inside part of; notbeyond; before the end of. There is a broom inside of the closet. There is a label on the inside of the box. Hand your papers into me inside of three days. Contrast: OUTSIDE OF.
[feel one’s way] {v. phr.} To proceed cautiously by trial anderror; probe. I won’t ask her to marry me directly; I will feel myway first.
[for the sake of] or [for one’s sake] {adv. phr.} On behalf of; forthe benefit of. For the sake of truth and freedom, Dr. Sakharov, the Soviet dissident, was willing to be banished from Moscow. «Doit for my sake, please!» Tom begged.
[on the dot] also [on the button] {adv. phr.}, {informal} Exactlyon time; not early and not late. Susan arrived at the party at 2:00P. M. on the dot. Ben’s plane arrived on the dot.
[drive home] {v. phr.} To argue convincingly; make a strong point. The doctor’s convincing arguments and explanation of his X-ray pictures drove home the point to Max that he needed surgery.
[play ostrich] {v. phr.} To refuse to face painful facts orunpleasant truths. She plays ostrich when it comes to her husband’sdrinking problem.
[order] See: APPLE-PIE-ORDER, CALL TO ORDER, IN ORDER, IN ORDER TO, IN SHORT ORDER, JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED, MADE TO ORDER, OUT OFORDER, PUT ONE’S HOUSE IN ORDER or SET ONE’S HOUSE IN ORDER, SHORTORDER COOK, TO ORDER, WALKING PAPERS or WALKING ORDERS.
[hold a candle to] also [hold a stick to] {v. phr.} To be fit to becompared with; be in the same class with. — A trite phrase used innegative, interrogative, and conditional sentences. Henry thoughtthat no modern ball club could hold a candle to those of 50 yearsago.
[cave in] {v.} 1. To fall or collapse inward. The mine caved in and crushed three miners. Don’t climb on that old roof. It might cave in. 2. {informal} To weaken and be forced to give up. The children begged their father to take them to the circus until he caved in. After the atomic … Читать далее
[steal the show] {v. phr.} To act or do so well in a performancethat you get most of the attention and the other performers areunnoticed. Mary was in only one scene of the play, but she stolethe show from the stars.
[ride on one’s coattails] {v. phr.} To succeed in a certainendeavor by attaching oneself to the greater weight of another personor corporate body. «We will never get our Ph. D. program approved onour own,» said the head of the modern dance department, «but we mightsucceed if we stay in the Division of Fine Arts, riding … Читать далее
[fob off] {v.}, {informal} 1. To get something false accepted asgood or real. The peddler fobbed off pieces of glass as diamonds. Syn.: PALM OFF, PASS OFF. 2. To put aside; not really answer but getrid of. Her little brother asked where she was going, but shefobbed him off with ah excuse.
[come at] {v.} 1. To approach; come to or against; advance toward. The young boxer came at the champion cautiously. 2. To understand or master ; succeed with. The sense of an unfamiliar word is hard to come at.
[lay by] {v.} To save, especially a little at a time. Thestudents laid a little money by every week till they had enough for atrip to Florida. The farmer laid by some of his best corn to usethe next year for seed.
[wind] See: GET WIND OF, GOD TEMPERS THE WIND TO THE SHORN LAMB, GONE WITH THE WIND, IN THE WIND, IT’S AN ILL WIND THAT BLOWS NOBODYGOOD, SECOND WIND, STRAW IN THE WIND, TAKE THE WIND OUT OF ONE’SSAILS, THREE SHEETS IN THE WIND or THREE SHEETS TO THE WIND, THROWCAUTION TO THE WIND, WAY … Читать далее
[writer’s block] {n. phr.} A condition of being unable to write; aperiod when the words just won’t come. One of the more commonproblems writers occasionally experience is a writer’s block that maylast a shorter or a longer time. They say that the reason forErnest Hemingway’s suicide was a severe and seemingly endless writer’sblock.
[have kittens] {v. phr.}, {slang} To become very much worried orupset. Mrs. Jones was having kittens because if was very late andSusan wasn’t home yet. Compare: HAVE A FIT.
[under the sun] {adj.} or {adv. phr.} On earth; in the world. — Used for emphasis. The President’s assassination shocked everyoneunder the sun. Where under the sun could I have put my purse?
[at great length] {prep. phr.} 1. In great detail. Jim told us the story of his life at great length. 2. For a long time. The boring speaker rambled on at great length.
[on the air] {adj.} or {adv. phr.} Broadcasting or being broadcaston radio or TV. His show is on the air at six o’clock. The ballgame is on the air now.
[fourth world] {n.}, {informal} The poor nations of the world, asdistinguished from the oil-rich nations of the third world. SriLanka will never join OPEC, since it is a fourth world nation.
[free-for-all] {n.} 1. Unlimited, free access to somethingeverybody wants. The Smith’s party was a lavish free-for-all;everybody could eat and drink as much as they wanted. 2. A barroom, tavern, or street fight in which everybody participates. Thecelebration after the soccer game victory turned into anuncontrollable free-for-all.
[let off] {v.} 1. To discharge ; explode; fire. Willieaccidentally let off his father’s shotgun and made a hole in thewall. Syn.: GO OFF, LET LOOSE. 2. To permit to go or escape;excuse from a penalty, a duty, or a promise. Two boys were caughtsmoking in school but the principal let them off with a … Читать далее
[say a mouthful] 1. {v. phr.}, {slang} To say something of greatimportance or meaning; say more by a sentence than the words usuallymean. — Usually in past tense. Tom said a mouthful when he guessedthat company was coming to visit. A dozen people came. 2. {v. phr.},{informal} To vent one’s honest opinion, even in anger. … Читать далее
[you’re telling me] {interj.}, {informal} — Used to show that athing is so clear that it need not be said, or just to show strongagreement. «You’re late.» «You’re telling me!» Compare: YOU BET, YOU SAID IT.
[to hell with] or [the hell with] {prep. phr.}, {informal} Used toexpress disgusted rejection of something. It’s slop; the hell withwhat the cook calls it. Compare: FED UP, GIVE A HANG.
[have an edge on] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To have an advantageover someone or something else in the course of an evaluativecomparison. I can’t beat you at tennis, but I have an edge on youin ping-pong. 2. To be mildly intoxicated; to have had a few drinks. Joe sure had an edge on when I … Читать далее
[let go] {v.} 1a. To stop holding something; loosen your hold;release. The boy grabbed Jack’s coat and would not let go. — Oftenused with «of». When the child let go of her mother’s hand, shefell down. Compare: GIVE UP, LET LOOSE. 1b. To weaken and breakunder pressure. The old water pipe suddenly let go and … Читать далее
[creature of habit] {n. phr.} A person who does things out of habit rather than by thought. Our boss is a creature of habit, so let us not confuse him with too many new ideas.
[port of entry] {n. phr.} 1. A port where things brought into thecountry to sell may pass through customs. Other ports of entry havebeen taking business from New York. 2. A port where a citizen ofanother country may legally enter a country; a port having passportand immigration facilities. Airports have joined seaports as portsof entry … Читать далее
[side] See: CHOOSE UP SIDES, FROM SIDE TO SIDE, GET UP ON THE WRONGSIDE OF THE BED, GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THEFENCE or GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HILL, LAUGHON THE WRONG SIDE OF ONE’S MOUTH, ON ONE’S BAD SIDE, ON ONE’S GOODSIDE, ON THE … Читать далее
[stay put] {v. phr.} To stay in place; not leave. Harry’s fathertold him to stay put until he came back. The rocks can be glued tothe bulletin board to make them stay put. After Grandmother camehome from her trip to visit Aunt May, she said she wanted to stay putfor a while.
[fall through] {v.}, {informal} To fail; be ruined; not happen orbe done. Jim’s plans to go to college fell through at the lastmoment. Mr. Jones’ deal to sell his house fell through. Contrast:COME OFF.