warm the cockles of someone's heart

warm the cockles of someone's heart (third-person singular simple present warms the cockles of someone's heart, present participle warming the cockles of someone's heart, simple past and past participle warmed the cockles of someone's heart)

warms the cockles of someone's heart (present singular third-person)
warming the cockles of someone's heart (participle present)
warmed the cockles of someone's heart (participle past)
warmed the cockles of someone's heart (past)

En-au-warm the cockles of someone's heart.ogg

First documented use in 1671. Corruption of Latin cochleae (“ventricles”) in cochleae cordis (“ventricles of the heart”). Earlier attempt to explain the etymology no longer noted in reference works: Possibly due to resemblance of cockles to hearts.

This contrivance of his did inwardly rejoice the cockles of his heart.

My sandwiches had gone the way of all good sandwiches, and no wine remained to warm the cockles of my heart, for my flask had long been emptied

1871, H F. Manley, A Continental Tour, Together with Notes and Anecdotes of Diplomatic Life:

“Surname?” ¶ “Blagodarev.” ¶ A handy name, easy to get hold of, and the ready way he gave it warmed the cockles of the heart.

1989, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, translated by H. T. Willetts, August 1914, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, →ISBN, page 214:

(idiomatic) To provide happiness, to bring a deeply-felt contentment.


pump iron

en-verb

pump iron (third-person singular simple present pumps iron, present participle pumping iron, simple past and past participle pumped iron)

pumps iron (present singular third-person)
pumping iron (participle present)
pumped iron (participle past)
pumped iron (past)

Her upper body strength has been improving since she started pumping iron at the gym.

(idiomatic) To lift weights; to engage in weight or strength training.


bell the cat

bell the cat (third-person singular simple present bells the cat, present participle belling the cat, simple past and past participle belled the cat)

bells the cat (present singular third-person)
belling the cat (participle present)
belled the cat (participle past)
belled the cat (past)

From a medieval fable in which mice agree that a bell should be put round a cat's neck so they will always be warned of its arrival, but cannot agree who should undertake the dangerous task.

(idiomatic) To undertake a dangerous action in the service of a group.

de kat de bel aanbinden

to undertake a dangerous action in the service of a group

پیش مرگ شدن، در انجام کار مشکلی پیش قدم شدن


ask for the moon

ask for the moon (third-person singular simple present asks for the moon, present participle asking for the moon, simple past and past participle asked for the moon)

asks for the moon (present singular third-person)
asking for the moon (participle present)
asked for the moon (participle past)
asked for the moon (past)

Major publishers think they are taking enough risk by simply publishing gay material. To want them to publish challenging, original gay books is asking them for the moon when they think they're already giving us the stars.

1987 February 1, T. R. Witomski, “Zeitgeist or Poltergeist? Why Gay Books Are So Bad”, in Gay Community News, volume 14, number 28, page 8:

(idiomatic) To claim or desire something that one cannot have.


dry one's eyes

dry one's eyes (third-person singular simple present dries one's eyes, present participle drying one's eyes, simple past and past participle dried one's eyes)

dries one's eyes (present singular third-person)
drying one's eyes (participle present)
dried one's eyes (participle past)
dried one's eyes (past)

"Be careful!" cried the green girl. "The tears will fall on your green silk gown and spot it."
So Dorothy dried her eyes and said, "I suppose we must try it; but I am sure I do not want to kill anybody, even to see Aunt Em again."

1900 May 17, L[yman] Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Geo[rge] M[elvin] Hill Co., →OCLC:

Dry your eyes mate
I know you want to make her see how much this pain hurts
But you've got to walk away now, it's over

2004, The Streets (lyrics and music), “Dry Your Eyes”, in A Grand Don't Come for Free:


tip one's hat

tip one's hat (third-person singular simple present tips one's hat, present participle tipping one's hat, simple past and past participle tipped one's hat)

tips one's hat (present singular third-person)
tipping one's hat (participle present)
tipped one's hat (participle past)
tipped one's hat (past)

To briefly remove or tap one's hat as a gesture of greeting, deference, or respect.

I tip my hat to whoever invented the root beer float.

(idiomatic) To acknowledge or show respect; to honor.


whack the illy

whack the illy (third-person singular simple present whacks the illy, present participle whacking the illy, simple past and past participle whacked the illy)

whacks the illy (present singular third-person)
whacking the illy (participle present)
whacked the illy (participle past)
whacked the illy (past)

Presumed (but not proven) to be a back-formation from illywhacker.

(Australia, colloquial, obsolete) To carry on small-time confidence tricks, ie. the activity of an illywhacker.


take it in turns

take it in turns (third-person singular simple present take it in turns, present participle taking it in turns, simple past took it in turns, past participle taken it in turns)

take it in turns (present singular third-person)
taking it in turns (participle present)
took it in turns (past)
taken it in turns (participle past)


swing the lead

swing the lead (third-person singular simple present swings the lead, present participle swinging the lead, simple past and past participle swung the lead)

swings the lead (present singular third-person)
swinging the lead (participle present)
swung the lead (participle past)
swung the lead (past)

Though he was by no means inclined to help carry a gas-cylinder on a pole, while watching the working party fall in on the road that night, Bourne felt rather out of it; he felt as though he were swinging the lead.

1929, Frederic Manning, The Middle Parts of Fortune, Vintage, published 2014, page 93:

I said, ‘Well, how d'you like having to do some work for a change, instead of swinging the lead at Fort Hommet?’

1974, GB Edwards, The Book of Ebenezer Le Page, New York, published 2007, page 129:

(intransitive) To avoid work, especially by pretending to be ill; to shirk, to malinger.


serve someone right

serve someone right (third-person singular simple present serves someone right, present participle serving someone right, simple past and past participle served someone right)

serves someone right (present singular third-person)
serving someone right (participle present)
served someone right (participle past)
served someone right (past)

"And they counts my money and tickets, when I gets home, to see if I's got the change; and if I han't they half kills me."
"And serves you right," said Jane, the pert chambermaid, "if you will take their money to get drunk on."

1851 June – 1852 April, Harriet Beecher Stowe, “Chapter XVIII”, in Uncle Tom’s Cabin; or, Life among the Lowly, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), Boston, Mass.: John P[unchard] Jewett & Company; Cleveland, Oh.: Jewett, Proctor & Worthington, published 20 March 1852, →OCLC:

(idiomatic, of an unpleasant event) To happen to someone who is thought to deserve it.

If my memory serves me right, we had a similar discussion a few months ago.

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see serve, right.


throw away the key

throw away the key (third-person singular simple present throws away the key, present participle throwing away the key, simple past threw away the key, past participle thrown away the key)

throws away the key (present singular third-person)
throwing away the key (participle present)
threw away the key (past)
thrown away the key (participle past)

An ellipsis of lock someone up and throw away the key.

Let's get these men together in a room and I would suggest feed them bread and water and throw away the key until they come together

1995 November 19, “Senators Pete Domenici and John Breaux Discuss the Shutdown of the Federal Government”, in CBS Face Nation:

To never release someone (e.g., from prison).


cut a rug

cut a rug (third-person singular simple present cuts a rug, present participle cutting a rug, simple past and past participle cut a rug)

cuts a rug (present singular third-person)
cutting a rug (participle present)
cut a rug (participle past)
cut a rug (past)

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see cut, a, rug.


flick the bean

flick the bean (third-person singular simple present flicks the bean, present participle flicking the bean, simple past and past participle flicked the bean)

flicks the bean (present singular third-person)
flicking the bean (participle present)
flicked the bean (participle past)
flicked the bean (past)

flick one's bean
flick one's bean#English


meet one's maker

meet one's maker (third-person singular simple present meets one's maker, present participle meeting one's maker, simple past and past participle met one's maker)

meets one's maker (present singular third-person)
meeting one's maker (participle present)
met one's maker (participle past)
met one's maker (past)

In various religions, when a person dies, they go to a supernatural place like heaven where they may meet their creator deity.

On the gallows high he has met his Maker...Your victim waits for you to meet your Maker

1871, Unknown (Execution ballad), “Execution of Frederick Baker.”, in Curiosities of Street Literature, Comprising "cocks," Or "catch Pennies", page 205:

He didn't die for a half-hour after that; nor did he speak again—aloud; but just a few seconds before he went to meet his Maker, his lips moved in a faint whisper.

1918 September–November, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “The Land That Time Forgot”, in The Blue Book Magazine, Chicago, Ill.: Story-press Corp., →OCLC; republished as chapter IV, in Hugo Gernsback, editor, Amazing Stories, (please specify |part=I to III), New York, N.Y.: Experimenter Publishing, 1927, →OCLC:

This parrot is no more! It has ceased to be! It's expired and gone to meet its maker! This is a late parrot! It's a stiff! Bereft of life, it rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed it to the perch it would be pushing up the daisies!

1969 December 7, Monty Python, “Full Frontal Nudity, Dead Parrot sketch”, in Monty Python's Flying Circus, spoken by Mr Praline (John Cleese):

(idiomatic, euphemistic) To die or to pass into the afterlife.


scream bloody murder

scream bloody murder (third-person singular simple present screams bloody murder, present participle screaming bloody murder, simple past and past participle screamed bloody murder)

screams bloody murder (present singular third-person)
screaming bloody murder (participle present)
screamed bloody murder (participle past)
screamed bloody murder (past)

(intransitive, idiomatic) To protest loudly or angrily.


chuck it down

chuck it down (third-person singular simple present chucks it down, present participle chucking it down, simple past and past participle chucked it down)

chucks it down (present singular third-person)
chucking it down (participle present)
chucked it down (participle past)
chucked it down (past)

It's really chucking it down! I'm glad I brought my umbrella.


bat an eyelid

bat an eyelid (third-person singular simple present bats an eyelid, present participle batting an eyelid, simple past and past participle batted an eyelid)

bats an eyelid (present singular third-person)
batting an eyelid (participle present)
batted an eyelid (participle past)
batted an eyelid (past)

When laptop computers first came out they were something of a novelty. These days, nobody bats an eyelid.

[…]he got the drop on Cox, the only time I had seen or heard of its being done — had his pistol out and stuck in Cox's face before Cox could bat an eyelid.

1914, Edgar Beecher Bronson, The Vanguard, page 155:

If you were to walk into a salon in America after a few 10–12 hour days of sweaty, dusty travel with no shower, you'd probably be politely asked to leave and not return until you've cleaned up. But here in a land whose resources and infrastructure cannot sustain such frivolity, the barber doesn't even bat an eyelid.

2006, Pete Takeda, An Eye at the Top of the World, page 116:

Dublin's not a bad place to be gay. Most people wouldn't bat an eyelid at public displays of affection between same-sex couples[…]

2007, Fionn Davenport, Dublin Encounter, page 153:

(idiomatic, chiefly in the negative) To react in any slight way; to respond; to care.

гла́зом не моргну́ть (glázom ne morgnútʹ, literally “not to wink an eye”)

у́хом не повести́ (úxom ne povestí, literally “not to stir an ear”)


cast the first stone

cast the first stone (third-person singular simple present casts the first stone, present participle casting the first stone, simple past and past participle cast the first stone)

casts the first stone (present singular third-person)
casting the first stone (participle present)
cast the first stone (participle past)
cast the first stone (past)

From the Bible John 8.7 where Jesus tells the accusers of a woman of adultery, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

2007, March 10, Mr Gingrich, on the impeachment proceedings in 1999. Reported in The Guardian
I knew I couldn't cast the first stone as I knew I had weaknesses. ... (But) as a leader of the government trying to uphold the rule of law I have no choice but to move forward and say you cannot accept perjury in your highest officials.

(idiomatic) To act self-righteously in accusing another person, believing oneself to be blameless.

people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones


accept service

accept service (third-person singular simple present accepts service, present participle accepting service, simple past and past participle accepted service)

accepts service (present singular third-person)
accepting service (participle present)
accepted service (participle past)
accepted service (past)

(law) To receive and acknowledge receipt of service of process.


watch one's mouth

watch one's mouth (third-person singular simple present watches one's mouth, present participle watching one's mouth, simple past and past participle watched one's mouth)

watches one's mouth (present singular third-person)
watching one's mouth (participle present)
watched one's mouth (participle past)
watched one's mouth (past)

You really need to watch your mouth. You're a teacher now!

(idiomatic, US) To be careful about what one says, especially with regard to disrespectful or profane language.

Hey. Watch your mouth. Don't you realize who's listening?

You watch your mouth, sis. I may be old, but I can still knock the stars out of the sky for you.

2012, Terese Pampellonne, The Unwelcome Child:

(idiomatic, chiefly US) In the imperative form, used as a warning to choose one's words carefully or else be silent, for fear of consequences.


park that thought

park that thought (third-person singular simple present parks that thought, present participle parking that thought, simple past and past participle parked that thought)

parks that thought (present singular third-person)
parking that thought (participle present)
parked that thought (participle past)
parked that thought (past)

hold that thought
hold that thought#English

(idiomatic, management) Alternative form of hold that thought


take heart

take heart (third-person singular simple present takes heart, present participle taking heart, simple past took heart, past participle taken heart)

takes heart (present singular third-person)
taking heart (participle present)
took heart (past)
taken heart (participle past)

England will not be catapulted among the favourites for Euro 2012 as a result of this win, but no victory against Spain is earned easily and it is right they take great heart from their efforts as they now prepare to play Sweden at Wembley on Tuesday.

2011 November 12, “International friendly: England 1-0 Spain”, in BBC Sport:

(intransitive) To be courageous; to regain one's courage.


trip the light fantastic

trip the light fantastic (third-person singular simple present trips the light fantastic, present participle tripping the light fantastic, simple past and past participle tripped the light fantastic)

trips the light fantastic (present singular third-person)
tripping the light fantastic (participle present)
tripped the light fantastic (participle past)
tripped the light fantastic (past)

"Swing Time:" Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers trip the light fantastic in this yarn about a dancer with a yen for gambling.

1978 May 31, "Movies", in the St. Petersburg Independent, page 11-B

In the fairy tale by the Grimm brothers, they each wear out a pair of dancing shoes nightly, tripping the light fantastic in a magic forest.

2005 June 1, Kevin Kittredge, “Royal Ballet”, in Roanoke Times, retrieved 2008-10-04:

To dance or to move rhythmically to musical accompaniment, especially in a graceful or nimble manner.


wipe the slate clean

wipe the slate clean (third-person singular simple present wipes the slate clean, present participle wiping the slate clean, simple past and past participle wiped the slate clean)

wipes the slate clean (present singular third-person)
wiping the slate clean (participle present)
wiped the slate clean (participle past)
wiped the slate clean (past)

(idiomatic) To make a fresh start, for example by forgetting about previous differences and disagreements.

նոր կյանք սկսել

to make a fresh start, forgetting differences


offer affordances

offer affordances (third-person singular simple present offers affordances, present participle offering affordances, simple past and past participle offered affordances)

offers affordances (present singular third-person)
offering affordances (participle present)
offered affordances (participle past)
offered affordances (past)

The two sides, the political and the erotic, necessarily obscure and misrepresent each other - but in ways that offer important and shifting affordances to all parties in historical gender and class struggle.

1985, Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, Between Men: English Literature and Male Homosocial Desire, Columbia University Press, page 15:

(idiomatic) To give elbow room or leeway (for something to happen).


sweeten the pot

sweeten the pot (third-person singular simple present sweetens the pot, present participle sweetening the pot, simple past and past participle sweetened the pot)

sweetens the pot (present singular third-person)
sweetening the pot (participle present)
sweetened the pot (participle past)
sweetened the pot (past)

He sweetened the pot since there were no takers in the office pool.


wet one's whistle

wet one's whistle (third-person singular simple present wets one's whistle, present participle wetting one's whistle, simple past and past participle wet one's whistle or wetted one's whistle)

wets one's whistle (present singular third-person)
wetting one's whistle (participle present)
wet one's whistle (participle past)
wet one's whistle (past)
wetted one's whistle (participle past)
wetted one's whistle (past)

I'll take another glass of the sherry wine, just to wet my whistle, as the vulgar saying is, before I begin.

1876, Wilkie Collins, chapter 9, in The Two Destinies:

(idiomatic) To have a drink; to quench one's thirst.


throw up one's hands

throw up one's hands (third-person singular simple present throws up one's hands, present participle throwing up one's hands, simple past threw up one's hands, past participle thrown up one's hands)

throws up one's hands (present singular third-person)
throwing up one's hands (participle present)
threw up one's hands (past)
thrown up one's hands (participle past)

(intransitive) To raise both hands in the air in an exasperated manner.

I see it warn't a bit of use to try to go ahead—I'd got to throw up my hands.

1884 December 10, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: (Tom Sawyer’s Comrade) […], London: Chatto & Windus, […], →OCLC:

I wanted to throw up my hands and say, "Thanks. See ya." But I couldn't walk away.

2001, James Patterson, Cradle and All, Warner Books, →ISBN, page 58:

So to us, the question isn't just "Does Vista suck?" but "Does Vista suck enough that businesses of any size should simply throw up their hands and migrate over to something else?"

2007 August 22, Oliver Rist, “Does Vista suck?”, in InfoWorld:

(intransitive, idiomatic) To cease an attempt because it is perceived as doomed.


blot one's copy book

blot one's copy book (third-person singular simple present blots one's copy book, present participle blotting one's copy book, simple past and past participle blotted one's copy book)

blots one's copy book (present singular third-person)
blotting one's copy book (participle present)
blotted one's copy book (participle past)
blotted one's copy book (past)

(idiomatic) To damage one's own reputation through bad behavior.


tilt at windmills

tilt at windmills (third-person singular simple present tilts at windmills, present participle tilting at windmills, simple past and past participle tilted at windmills)

tilts at windmills (present singular third-person)
tilting at windmills (participle present)
tilted at windmills (participle past)
tilted at windmills (past)

From a passage in the novel Don Quixote where the eponymous character tilts (i.e. jousts) at windmills that he has mistaken for giants.

(intransitive, by extension) To go on a wild-goose chase; to persistently engage in a futile activity.


steal a glance

steal a glance (third-person singular simple present steals a glance, present participle stealing a glance, simple past stole a glance, past participle stolen a glance)

steals a glance (present singular third-person)
stealing a glance (participle present)
stole a glance (past)
stolen a glance (participle past)

Each boy stole a glance at the other and met the same look of disbelief.

Zoe took a big breath and stood up, and promised herself she would not look back. That promise lasted only a dozen steps, as she couldn’t help stealing a glance one last time to the spot where she left him.

2012, David Walliams [pseudonym; David Edward Williams], Ratburger, London: HarperCollins Children’s Books, →ISBN:

(idiomatic) To look quickly at someone or something, hoping that nobody notices the action.


pass muster

pass muster (third-person singular simple present passes muster, present participle passing muster, simple past and past participle passed muster)

passes muster (present singular third-person)
passing muster (participle present)
passed muster (participle past)
passed muster (past)

From pass (“to undergo successfully”) + muster (“military assemblage or review”); from 1570s, originally as pass musters.

To get a raise, an employee must pass muster with the boss.

Also passing muster were the loin of lamb in a zinfandel sauce and a variation on chicken marsala served with an avocado, tomato and cheese topping.

1990 July, Pete Johnson, “A Taste of France in Huntington Beach”, in Orange Coast Magazine:

[George] Harrison's all-American band had passed muster on Dark Horse and were the leading performers of the period […]

2006, Simon Lang, While My Guitar Gently Weeps: The Music of George Harrison, Hal Leonard Corporation, published 2006, →ISBN, page 167:

Supple yet tough, these nylon pants can take a week of bushwhacking and still pass muster at a dress-code restaurant.

2009 March, “Field Test: Global Apparel”, in Backpacker:

(idiomatic) To meet or exceed a particular standard.


play hardball

play hardball (third-person singular simple present plays hardball, present participle playing hardball, simple past and past participle played hardball)

plays hardball (present singular third-person)
playing hardball (participle present)
played hardball (participle past)
played hardball (past)

From the American sport of baseball; the hardball is the heavier and harder type of the two types of throwing ball used when playing that sport (i.e. softball).

He was more than willing to extend the terms of the loan, but his boss decided to play hardball and demanded a balloon payment.

(idiomatic, informal) To use every means possible to achieve a goal, especially in disregarding the harm caused.


break water

break water (third-person singular simple present breaks water, present participle breaking water, simple past broke water, past participle broken water)

breaks water (present singular third-person)
breaking water (participle present)
broke water (past)
broken water (participle past)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-break water.wav

To lose one's amniotic fluid a.k.a. water, usually during the last phases of pregnancy.

To rise up partially out of the water when swimming underwater.


hang the moon

hang the moon (third-person singular simple present hangs the moon, present participle hanging the moon, simple past and past participle hung the moon)

hangs the moon (present singular third-person)
hanging the moon (participle present)
hung the moon (participle past)
hung the moon (past)

"Everybody in the 8th Wing thinks he hung the moon," says one of Olds's aviators. "We'd follow him anywhere."

1967 June 2, “The Old Man and the MIGs”, in Time:

If I had two dozens roses and an older bottle of wine,
If I really could have hung the moon,
Would it change your mind?

Did you really think last night would last forever?
Did you really think that guy hung the moon?
Right now you hate yourself 'cause you know better
But there's no use crying over spilled perfume.

1994, Pam Tillis, Dean Dillon, Spilled Perfume:

(idiomatic, US) To place the moon in the sky: used as an example of a superlative act attributed to someone viewed with uncritical or excessive awe, reverence, or infatuation.


make a killing

make a killing (third-person singular simple present makes a killing, present participle making a killing, simple past and past participle made a killing)

makes a killing (present singular third-person)
making a killing (participle present)
made a killing (participle past)
made a killing (past)

"Now if they were playing faro I could make a killing."

1913, Rex Ellingwood Beach, chapter 5, in The Iron Trail: An Alaskan Romance:

And I said I still make a pretty good living / But you must make a killing / A killing

1996, Ani DiFranco (lyrics and music), “Napoleon”, in Dilate:

Danny Boyle's critical darling 'Slumdog Millionaire' has made a killing at the box office and is now being lavished with awards.

2009 January 17, Tom Huddleston, “What's all the fuss about 'Slumdog Millionaire'?”, in Time:

(idiomatic) To win or earn a large amount of money.


arm the lead

arm the lead (third-person singular simple present arms the lead, present participle arming the lead, simple past and past participle armed the lead)

arms the lead (present singular third-person)
arming the lead (participle present)
armed the lead (participle past)
armed the lead (past)

(obsolete, nautical) To fill the hollow in the bottom of a sounding lead with tallow in order to discover the nature of the bottom by the substances adhering.


get a room

Suggesting that the couple rent a hotel or motel room to continue amorous activities in private.

One night he kissed me on a park bench. I knew we shouldn’t but he would be gone so soon. The next night a homeless guy on a bench nearby hollered at us to get a room, but we couldn’t as we both had fierce landladies.

2021 December 26, Alys Fowler, “My winter of love: I was homesick in New York. The quiet Danish poet was just what I was longing for”, in The Guardian:

(idiomatic, informal, sometimes humorous) Used to instruct a couple to stop displaying romantic or physical affection in public.

menkää pussauskoppiin

used to instruct a couple to stop displaying physical affection in public

PDA

Initialism of public display of affection


go chase yourself

One of the boys nudged him and said,
"Hey! Your sister's followin' us."
"Yeah," agreed Neeley. The boy turned around and yelled at Francie:
"Go chase yourself!"

1943, Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, HarperCollins, published 2005, →ISBN, page 18:

1957, J. D. Salinger, "Zooey", in, 1961, Franny and Zooey, 1991 LB Books edition, page 147,
"This is what I was trying to get at last night. Before you told me to chase myself...."

(dated) Go away (and stop bothering me).


vote with one's feet

vote with one's feet (third-person singular simple present votes with one's feet, present participle voting with one's feet, simple past and past participle voted with one's feet)

votes with one's feet (present singular third-person)
voting with one's feet (participle present)
voted with one's feet (participle past)
voted with one's feet (past)

Probably based on the practice of pedibus in sententiam ire in the Roman Senate, but the phrase in its modern sense was popularized by Lenin, through whom it gained some currency in left-wing parlance in various languages. It became more widely known when Western journalists and politicians started using it, not without mockery, in reference to those millions who fled Communist East Germany towards the West between 1945 and the erection of the Berlin Wall in 1961.

But Khrushchev's economic plan for the East Germans means a new kind of dependence on their old Russian foes, and its fulfillment is a political question—on which East Germans, whatever their phony 99.9% elections say, still vote with their feet by fleeing West at the rate of 2,000 a week.

1958 December 8, "Most Useful Satellite", Time

That would enable the students to "vote with their feet" for programs of proven excellence and presumably for fields where the most jobs are available.

1973 April 2, “The Ph.D. Glut”, in Time:

TWA expects that its lounger will keep it flying high in transatlantic business, where it now leads all other airlines. Says Jesse Liebman, a TWA vice president: "Passengers vote with their feet."

1985 May 13, "Business Notes Airlines", Time

Please, vote with your feet—participate in IAP.

1991 December 10, “IAP needs you”, in The Tech:

Then again, I knew that shareholder democracy meant only that I should vote with my feet if I didn't like what management was doing.

2002, Jim Cramer, Confessions of a Street Addict, Simon and Schuster,, →ISBN, page 104:

The conventional wisdom ca. 1980 was that if an investor did not like the way a firm was managed, she could vote with her feet, moving her money elsewhere.

2005, Diane E. Davis, Political Power and Social Theory, Elsevier,, →ISBN, page 188:

Several big names have voted with their feet. The Russian business daily Vedomosti reported on Monday that Lev Khasis, a former senior executive at the state-owned Sberbank, had left the country for the US.

2022 April 20, Andrew Roth, “Russia’s latest military failures polarise society even more”, in The Guardian:

(idiomatic) To express one's preferences through one's actions, by voluntarily participating in or withdrawing from an activity, group, or process; especially, by physical migration to leave a situation one does not like, or to move to a situation one regards as more beneficial.

Berlin Wall
Foot voting
Lenin
Roman Senate

քվեարկել ոտքերով

to express one's preferences through one's actions


say grace

say grace (third-person singular simple present says grace, present participle saying grace, simple past and past participle said grace)

says grace (present singular third-person)
saying grace (participle present)
said grace (participle past)
said grace (past)

(idiomatic) To recite a prayer of invocation or thanksgiving at meal time.


bring it

(US, emphatic) Used to respond affirmatively and aggressively to a challenge by issuing one in return.


give it up

give it up (third-person singular simple present gives it up, present participle giving it up, simple past gave it up, past participle given it up)

gives it up (present singular third-person)
giving it up (participle present)
gave it up (past)
given it up (participle past)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-give it up.wav

“Ladies and gentleman, give it up for the next First Lady of New York City!”

2013, Bill de Blasio’s Victory Speech, New York Times, retrieved 2014-04-27:

(usually followed by for) To welcome onto a stage by cheering or applauding.

My husband thinks it's 'cause they're all raised Catholic and their girls don't give it up easily, except for the prostitutes.

(euphemistic) To agree to sexual intercourse, especially if reluctantly.

(intransitive, slang) To hand over or relinquish; to explain something or tell a secret.


be taken ill

be taken ill (third-person singular simple present is taken ill, present participle being taken ill, simple past was taken ill, past participle been taken ill)

is taken ill (present singular third-person)
being taken ill (participle present)
was taken ill (past)
been taken ill (participle past)


take ill

take ill (third-person singular simple present takes ill, present participle taking ill, simple past took ill, past participle taken ill)

takes ill (present singular third-person)
taking ill (participle present)
took ill (past)
taken ill (participle past)

(intransitive, idiomatic) To become ill, to fall ill.


acknowledge the corn

acknowledge the corn (third-person singular simple present acknowledges the corn, present participle acknowledging the corn, simple past and past participle acknowledged the corn)

acknowledges the corn (present singular third-person)
acknowledging the corn (participle present)
acknowledged the corn (participle past)
acknowledged the corn (past)

An American expression. In a Congressional debate in 1828 one of the states which claimed to export corn admitted that the corn was actually used to feed hogs, and exported in that form. - Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable 1970 Centenary Edition.

I hope he will give up the argument, or to use a familiar phrase acknowledge the corn.

1846, Jesse Speight, address to the U.S. Senate

1859, J. Underwood, letter to the editor, Samuel W. Cole (editor), The New England Farmer, Volume 11,
I should like to take a job of that kind on a wager with him, or any other New Hampshire man, and if I did not come out a little ahead on the "home stretch," why then I would "acknowledge the corn," and own myself beaten.

Will the hon. gentleman acknowledge the corn? He does not do it. He is non-committal.

1880, Parliament of Canada, Official report of the debates of the House of Commons of the Dominion of Canada:

They had simply to "acknowledge the corn," round up, and — "vamoose"; then, so soon as the soldiers had gone back to the fort, there was no law to prevent their returning.

(idiomatic) To admit to the truth of the point at issue or to a mistake; to cop a plea; or perhaps to admit to a small error but not a larger one.


break bulk

break bulk (third-person singular simple present breaks bulk, present participle breaking bulk, simple past broke bulk, past participle broken bulk)

breaks bulk (present singular third-person)
breaking bulk (participle present)
broke bulk (past)
broken bulk (participle past)

a plan is under advisement for the extension of the present newly installed method by the utilization of breaking bulk at a transfer, transferring the freight to containers which will be moved by special container floats to a centrally located pier and then by trucks to destination or to inland stations.

1922, “Erie Adopts Direct Freight Delivery at New York: Plan Involves Breaking Bulk at Jersey City, N. J., and Use of Auto Trucks, Tractors and Trailers and Ferries”, in Railway age, volume 72:

To remove one or more items from the packaging, container, vehicle, or vessel in which shipped with other items.

purkaa lastia

to remove items in shipment from their packaging, container, or vessel


catch it

catch it (third-person singular simple present catches it, present participle catching it, simple past and past participle caught it)

catches it (present singular third-person)
catching it (participle present)
caught it (participle past)
caught it (past)

"You'll catch it, you know," said Tom, nodding his head in an admonitory manner, and hesitating a little as he took the scissors.

1860, George Eliot, The Mill on the Floss:

a. 1887, George Bernard Shaw, An Unsocial Socialist
If they beat us, we shall catch it, and serve us right.

I'll catch it for your mischief in running away. And I'll catch it again when the tutor claps eyes on the handwriting.

2003, Sid Fleischman, The Whipping Boy, page 39:

(idiomatic) To be severely reprimanded, punished, or beaten.


pass the buck

pass the buck (third-person singular simple present passes the buck, present participle passing the buck, simple past and past participle passed the buck)

passes the buck (present singular third-person)
passing the buck (participle present)
passed the buck (participle past)
passed the buck (past)

May have originated with the game of poker, in which a marker or counter, frequently in frontier days a knife with a buckhorn handle, was used to indicate the person whose turn it was to deal. If the player did not wish to deal he could pass the responsibility by passing the "buckhorn" or "buck", as the marker came to be called, to the next player.

Coordinate term: weasel out

McLean was quoted in the Austin American Statesman as saying that although he had expected the guidelines to be ruled illegal, an attorney general's opinion […] was required in order to clarify the law. But critics say Bernstein and McLean simply passed the buck to the attorney general in order to placate the small group of fundamentalist Christians who had been lobbying them.

1990 February 4, David Morris, “Attorney General Sides With Texas Gay Groups”, in Gay Community News, volume 17, number 29, page 3:

He closes the foreword by acknowledging that his proposals would have far-reaching impacts on railway staff, communities and industry - and passes the buck onto government to ensure that these consequences are managed appropriately.

2023 March 8, Gareth Dennis, “The Reshaping of things to come...”, in RAIL, number 978, page 44:

(idiomatic, informal) To transfer responsibility or blame from oneself onto another; to absolve oneself of concern for a given matter by claiming to lack authority or jurisdiction.

passar la pilota

to transfer responsibility or blame from oneself

蜥蜴の尻尾切りにする (tokage no shippo giri, literally “to play the lizard's tail cut”)

盥回しにする (taraimawasi ni suru, literally “to play the turning of the tub”)

переводи́ть стре́лки impf (perevodítʹ strélki, literally “move the arrows”)


lose face

lose face (third-person singular simple present loses face, present participle losing face, simple past and past participle lost face)

loses face (present singular third-person)
losing face (participle present)
lost face (participle past)
lost face (past)

Calque from Chinese 丟臉／丢脸 (diūliǎn) or 丟面子／丢面子 (diū miànzi), both literally “lose face”.

zh-l

丟臉／丢脸 (diūliǎn)

丟面子／丢面子 (diū miànzi)

"The Chengtu revolutionaries were fantastically colourful in the Szechwanese manner—they costumed themselves as heroes of the stage and their energies were chiefly occupied in tying ropes across the main streets so that when Imperial officials rode by in their litters they would have to get down and crawl under, losing face.

1942 March, “Notes and News: Monument to a Stillborn Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 88:

Ahithophel, Absalom's chief counsel, hanged himself when he lost face after his advice was rejected.

1986, John Shelby Spong, Beyond Moralism: A Contemporary View of the Ten Commandments, HarperCollins, published 2000, →ISBN:

The intelligence sources said the Chinese would not want to lose face. One source said, however: "The show of military muscle has provoked an international reaction and that may be enough face saved."

1996 March 15, Michael Evans, “China offensive cannot be ruled out, experts say”, in The Times, number 65,528, →ISSN, →OCLC, Overseas News, page 14, column 7:

When you start to feel unmotivated, you will look for ways to weasel out of your commitments. We all do it. If there's a stealth way to back out, without ever losing face, you will do it without hesitation.

2011, Mel Robbins, Stop Saying You're Fine: Discover a More Powerful You, Crown Archetype, published 2011, →ISBN, page 221:

He had arranged for one of his managers to be present in the office with us, so I should have realised immediately that there was little chance of him backing down since that would have meant losing face in front of a subordinate.

2012, Sharon Pincott, Battle for the President's Elephants: Life, Lunacy and Elation in the African Bush, Jacana Media, published 2012, →ISBN, page 97:

(idiomatic, intransitive) To lose the respect of others; to be humiliated or experience public disgrace.


meet one's doom

en-verb

meet one's doom (third-person singular simple present meets one's doom, present participle meeting one's doom, simple past and past participle met one's doom)

meets one's doom (present singular third-person)
meeting one's doom (participle present)
met one's doom (participle past)
met one's doom (past)

I'm off to meet my doom.


cut one's losses

cut one's losses (third-person singular simple present cuts one's losses, present participle cutting one's losses, simple past and past participle cut one's losses)

cuts one's losses (present singular third-person)
cutting one's losses (participle present)
cut one's losses (participle past)
cut one's losses (past)

Coordinate term: throw good money after bad

But our culture has reinforced the belief that a good marriage just happens, and if it doesn't, you should simply cut your losses and move on to the next partner. After all, that's what we see in the movies.

2007, Catherine Weber, A Woman's Guide to Overcoming Depression, Baker Books, →ISBN, page 47:

I mentioned already in this chapter that you need to cut your losses before they drag you down. No matter how much it hurts and no matter how much you believe that you are right, you need to close out a losing position and move on.

2011, Ann C. Logue, Day Trading For Dummies, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 43:

Sometimes when things are not going as you expected, it's better to cut your losses and move on than to hang on and deal with the stress, financial drain, emotional drag, and loss of time.

2017, Meera Lester, Rituals for Life: Find Meaning in Your Everyday Moments, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 174:

To discontinue something to put a stop to continued losses after facing that it is unlikely it will ever bear fruit.

減少損失 /减少损失

discontinue an effort that seems unlikely to ever bear fruit


blame Canada

blame Canada (third-person singular simple present blames Canada, present participle blaming Canada, simple past and past participle blamed Canada)

blames Canada (present singular third-person)
blaming Canada (participle present)
blamed Canada (participle past)
blamed Canada (past)

Blame Canada
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut

From “Blame Canada”, a song from the satirical 1999 film South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut.

So, if you don't like this performance, blame Canada!

2004, The Mockingbird Foundation, comp., The Phish Companion: A Guide to the Band and Their Music, 2nd edition, San Francisco, Calif.: Backbeat Books, →ISBN, page 113:

We surely can't blame Canada. Nike, we suspect, is where we must point the finger for what has become the somewhat too familiar norm in television advertising put forth by major global sporting goods brands. As we all know by now, it was Nike and the agency's longtime marketing partner Wieden+Kennedy in Portland, Ore., that became famous for delivering a steady stream of soft-sell advertising that sold mood, atmosphere and brand image with minimal reference to the actual goods a particular television commercial might have been created to push.

2007 November 14, Lewis Lazare, “Ads are ‘sno’ big deal; Reebok spot gives Bears chance to sparkle”, in Chicago Sun-Times:

Basically, instead of blaming the U.S. government or society or poor parenting for the way our children behave (poorly), we'll just blame Canada. Everything is Canada's fault.

2013 April 22, “hopefulmom11”, “Blame Canada?”, in What to Expect: Pregnancy and Parenting, Every Step of the Way, archived from the original on 2015-10-01:

Blame their partner for something bad that happened […] It really depends on the circumstances for this one. If the something bad that happened was your dog getting run over, by your partner, then they might deserve to be blamed for it. Especially if they were drunk at the time. This doesn't necessarily mean you’re in an unhealthy relationship. Sometimes people are at fault. And if in doubt, just blame Canada.

2015 October 9, Siobhan Smith, “9 things couples in healthy relationships probably do – and it’s OK”, in WOW247, archived from the original on 2015-11-14:

(US, idiomatic, humorous) A catch phrase for shifting attention away from a problem or serious social issue by humorously laying responsibility on Canada.


get drunk

get drunk (third-person singular simple present gets drunk, present participle getting drunk, simple past got drunk, past participle (UK) got drunk or (US) gotten drunk)

gets drunk (present singular third-person)
getting drunk (participle present)
got drunk (past)
got drunk (UK participle past)
gotten drunk (US participle past)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-get drunk.wav

I'm going out tonight to get drunk.

Would I take someone here for a first date? No. Would I go here for a cheap bite? Also no, but would I go here to get drunk on the cheap? Absolutely.

2023 July 21, Billie Schwab Dunn, “I Tried Wetherspoons Food for the First Time-I Feared I'd Get Scurvy...”, in Daily Star:

(intransitive) To intoxicate oneself with alcohol. (This entry is a translation hub.)

zapić się

to fall asleep or to die because of get drunk or alcoholism

We got him drunk by spiking the punch.

(transitive) To make drunk. (This entry is a translation hub.)

spić

to make strongly drunk or with falling asleep


go Pete Tong

go Pete Tong (third-person singular simple present goes Pete Tong, present participle going Pete Tong, simple past went Pete Tong, past participle gone Pete Tong)

goes Pete Tong (present singular third-person)
going Pete Tong (participle present)
went Pete Tong (past)
gone Pete Tong (participle past)

Named after disc jockey Pete Tong, coined by Paul Oakenfold in late 1987.

But when Bobby got busted, it all went Pete Tong for him.

2007, Robbie Fithon, Rainy City Players, page 95:

It didn't take a brain surgeon to realize that things were obviously in danger of going Pete Tong. It was time to back off.

2008, Dan Mills, Sniper One: On Scope and Under Siege with a Sniper Team in Iraq:

Things started going Pete Tong as the superficially attractive two- or three-year fixed mortgage deals ran out, interest rates went up and the housing bubble inevitably burst.

2010, Geraint Anderson, Cityboy Beer and Loathing in the Square Mile:

On leaving the train at Piccadilly, everything goes 'Pete Tong'. Services are in complete disarray, as a tree has come down onto the line at Gatley.

2024 October 30, Paul Bigland, “The heat is on... and will the railway fray?”, in RAIL, number 1021, page 46:

Cockney rhyming slang
Cockney rhyming slang


lower the boom

lower the boom (third-person singular simple present lowers the boom, present participle lowering the boom, simple past and past participle lowered the boom)

lowers the boom (present singular third-person)
lowering the boom (participle present)
lowered the boom (participle past)
lowered the boom (past)

Whenever he got his Irish up, Clancy lowered the boom.

1947, Hy Heath, Johnny Lange, Clancy Lowered the Boom:

(idiomatic) To use one's superior physical strength.

When Jack came back late from lunch, the team leader really lowered the boom on him.

(idiomatic, with "on") To scold severely.


get on someone's wick

get on someone's wick (third-person singular simple present gets on someone's wick, present participle getting on someone's wick, simple past and past participle got on someone's wick)

gets on someone's wick (present singular third-person)
getting on someone's wick (participle present)
got on someone's wick (participle past)
got on someone's wick (past)

His silly questions are really getting on my wick.

(UK, colloquial) To annoy or upset someone, especially by repeated disagreeable actions.


dog it

dog it (third-person singular simple present dogs it, present participle dogging it, simple past and past participle dogged it)

dogs it (present singular third-person)
dogging it (participle present)
dogged it (participle past)
dogged it (past)

The boss made him do extra cleaning work, because he was caught dogging it on his prior assignment.

The coach made him run extra laps, because he was dogging it in practice.

(slang) To underperform; to lag behind; to fail to exert effort.


unring a bell

unring a bell (third-person singular simple present unrings a bell, present participle unringing a bell, simple past unrang a bell, past participle unrung a bell)

unrings a bell (present singular third-person)
unringing a bell (participle present)
unrang a bell (past)
unrung a bell (participle past)

"We can't unring any bells here. There's no point in trying to second-guess anyone right now. What's done is done."

2004, Fern Michaels, The Real Deal, page 413:

“We move for a mistrial based on the testimony this morning,” Blanche said. “There’s no way to unring that bell, in our view.”

2024 May 7, Victoria Bekiempis, quoting Todd Blanche, “Trump hush-money trial: Stormy Daniels describes being ‘startled’ by sexual encounter”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

(idiomatic) To reverse the irreversible; to perform the impossible.


blow a fuse

blow a fuse (third-person singular simple present blows a fuse, present participle blowing a fuse, simple past blew a fuse, past participle blown a fuse)

blows a fuse (present singular third-person)
blowing a fuse (participle present)
blew a fuse (past)
blown a fuse (participle past)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-blow a fuse.wav

(electricity) To overload a circuit sufficiently that a fuse protecting it melts away (or informally a circuit breaker trips), stopping current from flowing.

faire sauter les plombs

to cause an electrical circuit to break open by overloading it


bat a thousand

bat a thousand (third-person singular simple present bats a thousand, present participle batting a thousand, simple past and past participle batted a thousand)

bats a thousand (present singular third-person)
batting a thousand (participle present)
batted a thousand (participle past)
batted a thousand (past)

From a baseball batting average, often stated as the number of hits per 1000 at bats- 1000 would be 100 percent.

(baseball, literal) To reach first base on every at-bat.


harden someone's heart

harden someone's heart (third-person singular simple present hardens someone's heart, present participle hardening someone's heart, simple past and past participle hardened someone's heart)

hardens someone's heart (present singular third-person)
hardening someone's heart (participle present)
hardened someone's heart (participle past)
hardened someone's heart (past)

Seeing so much suffering for so long hardened his heart.

She hardened her heart against his inevitable pleas.

And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.

1611, Authorized King James translation of Exodus 7:3–4

Farrell had been to prison, and he thought the daily malignancy he had witnessed there had hardened his heart.

1998, Michael S. Ledwidge, The narrowback:

(idiomatic, usually reflexive, dated) To make someone more resistant to something.


battle it out

battle it out (third-person singular simple present battles it out, present participle battling it out, simple past and past participle battled it out)

battles it out (present singular third-person)
battling it out (participle present)
battled it out (participle past)
battled it out (past)

(intransitive) To fight or compete against one or more opponents, in order to decide a winner.


do battle

do battle (third-person singular simple present does battle, present participle doing battle, simple past did battle, past participle done battle)

does battle (present singular third-person)
doing battle (participle present)
did battle (past)
done battle (participle past)

(intransitive) To engage in a fight; to battle.


work someone's arse off

work someone's arse off (third-person singular simple present works someone's arse off, present participle working someone's arse off, simple past and past participle worked someone's arse off)

works someone's arse off (present singular third-person)
working someone's arse off (participle present)
worked someone's arse off (participle past)
worked someone's arse off (past)

work someone's ass off
work someone's ass off#English

(idiomatic, British spelling) Alternative form of work someone's ass off.


work one's fingers to the bone

work one's fingers to the bone (third-person singular simple present works one's fingers to the bone, present participle working one's fingers to the bone, simple past and past participle worked one's fingers to the bone)

works one's fingers to the bone (present singular third-person)
working one's fingers to the bone (participle present)
worked one's fingers to the bone (participle past)
worked one's fingers to the bone (past)

En-au-work one's fingers to the bone.ogg

You work all week long / You work your fingers to the bone / Friday's at an end / I can't wait for Saturday to begin

1983, “Get Down Saturday Night”, in Saturday Night, performed by Oliver Cheatham:

(idiomatic) To work especially hard, usually for an extended period.


walk on eggshells

walk on eggshells (third-person singular simple present walks on eggshells, present participle walking on eggshells, simple past and past participle walked on eggshells)

walks on eggshells (present singular third-person)
walking on eggshells (participle present)
walked on eggshells (participle past)
walked on eggshells (past)

/ˌwɔːk ɒn ˈɛɡʃɛlz/

/ˌwɔk ɑn ˈɛɡʃɛlz/

1800s usage, probably from the imagery that eggshells are easily broken when stepped upon.

(idiomatic) To be overly careful in dealing with a person or situation because they get angry or offended very easily; to try very hard not to upset someone or something.

վարվել շրջահայաց կերպով

to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone


whistle in the dark

whistle in the dark (third-person singular simple present whistles in the dark, present participle whistling in the dark, simple past and past participle whistled in the dark)

whistles in the dark (present singular third-person)
whistling in the dark (participle present)
whistled in the dark (participle past)
whistled in the dark (past)

(idiomatic, US) To speak of something despite having little knowledge of it.


whistle past the graveyard

whistle past the graveyard (third-person singular simple present whistles past the graveyard, present participle whistling past the graveyard, simple past and past participle whistled past the graveyard)

whistles past the graveyard (present singular third-person)
whistling past the graveyard (participle present)
whistled past the graveyard (participle past)
whistled past the graveyard (past)

(idiomatic, US) To attempt to stay cheerful in a dire situation; to proceed with a task, ignoring an upcoming hazard, hoping for a good outcome.

对着墓地吹口哨，指在害怕时故作轻松

to try to be cheerful in the face of one's fears

zweckoptimistisch sein

more idiomatic, but usually referring to emotions other than fear

두려우면서도 두렵지 않은것처럼 행동한다

duryeoumyeonseodo duryeopji aneun'geotcheoreom haengdonghanda


walk the talk

walk the talk (third-person singular simple present walks the talk, present participle walking the talk, simple past and past participle walked the talk)

walks the talk (present singular third-person)
walking the talk (participle present)
walked the talk (participle past)
walked the talk (past)

(idiomatic, US) To perform actions consistent with one's claims.

faut que les bottines suivent les babines


see a man about a horse

see a man about a horse (third-person singular simple present sees a man about a horse, present participle seeing a man about a horse, simple past saw a man about a horse, past participle seen a man about a horse)

sees a man about a horse (present singular third-person)
seeing a man about a horse (participle present)
saw a man about a horse (past)
seen a man about a horse (participle past)

A variant of see a man about a dog, from the implied context of seeing someone about a bet on a horse race.

I'll be back in two shakes of a lamb's tail. I've just got to visit the ladies' room to see a man about a horse.

(idiomatic, euphemistic) Used in place of a real explanation when excusing oneself for a short period of time, particularly to use a toilet.


take a look

take a look (third-person singular simple present takes a look, present participle taking a look, simple past took a look, past participle taken a look)

takes a look (present singular third-person)
taking a look (participle present)
took a look (past)
taken a look (participle past)

Can you take a look at the engine to see what's wrong?

(idiomatic, intransitive) To examine or observe.


blow someone's brains out

blow someone's brains out (third-person singular simple present blows someone's brains out, present participle blowing someone's brains out, simple past blew someone's brains out, past participle blown someone's brains out)

blows someone's brains out (present singular third-person)
blowing someone's brains out (participle present)
blew someone's brains out (past)
blown someone's brains out (participle past)

(idiomatic, vulgar) To perform fellatio on another person, as to give them an orgasmic experience.


make a decision

make a decision (third-person singular simple present makes a decision, present participle making a decision, simple past and past participle made a decision)

makes a decision (present singular third-person)
making a decision (participle present)
made a decision (participle past)
made a decision (past)

You need to make a decision whether or not to go.


tell the truth

Then it sneezed. Considering what it was smelling, that was no surprise. Tell the truth, I'd gotten so used to the jof jof dung that I didn't notice it anymore.

1991, Mike Sirota, Bicycling Through Space and Time:

(idiomatic, informal) Used to positively assert the frank honesty of an associated statement of set of statements; equivalent to "to tell the truth".

老實說 /老实说

asserting the frank honesty of an associated statement


press charges

press charges (third-person singular simple present presses charges, present participle pressing charges, simple past and past participle pressed charges)

presses charges (present singular third-person)
pressing charges (participle present)
pressed charges (participle past)
pressed charges (past)

I'm pressing charges against you for assaulting me.

"Still, it's not as though women don't commit acts of violence. She herself is a prime example, otherwise we wouldn't even be talking about this. I'm pretty sure you'd be within your right to press charges."

2015 August 11, Jocelyn Samara D., Rain (webcomic), Comic 713 - I'm Done:

To formally accuse a person of a crime, especially by an ordinary person.


read like a book

read like a book (third-person singular simple present reads like a book, present participle reading like a book, simple past and past participle read like a book)

reads like a book (present singular third-person)
reading like a book (participle present)
read like a book (participle past)
read like a book (past)

I love playing poker against Maria because I can read her like a book.

(transitive, simile) To be able to discern someone's thoughts from their body language or other behavior, especially in great detail and with little effort.

lire en quelqu’un comme dans un livre ouvert


been to the rodeo

Some years ago I was talking to a ten-year-old boy who had been to the Rodeo. He was a lad whom most casual observers would readily have called tough.

1950, Melbourne S. Applegate, Helping Boys in Trouble: The Layman in Boy Guidance, page 35:

I'm a man past his prime who's been to the rodeo and back, as they say. I've been an actor, a bartender, a maitre d', and a hustler, without much success at any of them.

2002, Vincent Lardo, Lawrence Sanders, McNally's Chance:

I was one of the few graduating privates promoted from Army class El to E-2. To paraphrase Joan Crawford, I'd been to the rodeo and survived.

n.d., Alan Neff, Precious Tribes, Vicious Lies, page 72

(idiomatic) Been exposed to conmen and hucksters; experienced.


take action

take action (third-person singular simple present takes action, present participle taking action, simple past took action, past participle taken action)

takes action (present singular third-person)
taking action (participle present)
took action (past)
taken action (participle past)

To act; to act positively and decisively to resolve a problem.


rob the cradle

rob the cradle (third-person singular simple present robs the cradle, present participle robbing the cradle, simple past and past participle robbed the cradle)

robs the cradle (present singular third-person)
robbing the cradle (participle present)
robbed the cradle (participle past)
robbed the cradle (past)

The actress, 31, also pooh-poohs the notion that she's robbing the cradle with Timberlake, 22.

2004 January 8, Karen Thomas, “Cameron won't pull a Britney”, in USA Today:

(idiomatic, disapproving) To marry or become romantically involved with a much younger person, especially one from a younger generation.


play hard to get

play hard to get (third-person singular simple present plays hard to get, present participle playing hard to get, simple past and past participle played hard to get)

plays hard to get (present singular third-person)
playing hard to get (participle present)
played hard to get (participle past)
played hard to get (past)

(courtship) To be coy; to feign lack of romantic interest in a certain person, so as to force that person to be more overt in expressing interest.

欲擒故縱 /欲擒故纵

to be coy; to feign lack of romantic interest in a certain person, so as to force that person to be more overt in expressing interest


not win for losing

Figure 1 depicts a number of these forces, and suggests the ways in which the Individualistic Ethic "could not win for losing."

1910, Hartley Withers, The Meaning of Money, page 42:

Manboy grinned, and looked up as Two-Way joined them, laughing. "Gabe, you is just naturally a Jonah to your own self, and can't win for losing no matter what.

1936, Reuben Davis, Butcher Bird, page 14:

(idiomatic, US) To repeatedly fail in one's gambles or efforts.


move it

move it (third-person singular simple present moves it, present participle moving it, simple past and past participle moved it)

moves it (present singular third-person)
moving it (participle present)
moved it (participle past)
moved it (past)

You'd better move it if you want to get there on time.


tell tales

tell tales (third-person singular simple present tells tales, present participle telling tales, simple past and past participle told tales)

tells tales (present singular third-person)
telling tales (participle present)
told tales (participle past)
told tales (past)

Don't listen to him; he's telling tales.

(idiomatic) To lie, to be making false claims.

(UK) To report someone for a wrongdoing.


break someone's heart

break someone's heart (third-person singular simple present breaks someone's heart, present participle breaking someone's heart, simple past broke someone's heart, past participle broken someone's heart)

breaks someone's heart (present singular third-person)
breaking someone's heart (participle present)
broke someone's heart (past)
broken someone's heart (participle past)

Don't go breaking my heart / I couldn't if I tried / Honey if I get restless / Baby you're not that kind

1976, Elton John (lyrics and music), “Don't Go Breaking My Heart”, performed by Elton John ft. Kiki Dee:

If you break her heart, I'll break your legs.

2003 February 7, Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, directed by David Dobkin, Shanghai Knights, spoken by Chon Wang (Jackie Chan):

"We're just friends," what are you sayin'? / Said "there's another," and looked right in my eyes / My first love broke my heart for the first time

2010, “Baby”, performed by Justin Bieber ft. Ludacris:

Oh no, I was doin' better alone / But when you said "Hello" / I know that was the end of it all / I should've stayed at home / 'Cause now there ain't no letting you go / Am I falling in love / With the one that could break my heart?

2020, Dua Lipa, Ali Tamposi, Stefan Johnson, Jordan K. Johnson, Andrew Watt, Andrew Farriss, Michael Hutchence, “Break My Heart”, in Future Nostalgia, performed by Dua Lipa:

(idiomatic) To cause a person to feel grief, disappointment or sadness.

սիրտը կոտրել

to cause a person to feel grief or sadness

разби́ть се́рдце impf (razbítʹ sérdce) (+ dative case or possessive pronouns used)


break a sweat

break a sweat (third-person singular simple present breaks a sweat, present participle breaking a sweat, simple past broke a sweat, past participle broken a sweat)

breaks a sweat (present singular third-person)
breaking a sweat (participle present)
broke a sweat (past)
broken a sweat (participle past)

Are you feeling stronger and more energetic, and even—dare I say it—breaking a sweat? No, not a pink-faced, dripping sweat; nevertheless, a little dewy under the arms and around your forehead.

2001, Karon Karter, The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Pilates Method, →ISBN, page 119:

He succeeded effortlessly, without breaking a sweat.

Consider, for instance, that Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Marat Safin and even the supposedly out-of-sorts Lleyton Hewitt all won the opening set of their first-round matches 6-0 before barely breaking a sweat in the two sets that followed.

2008 January 17, Richard Hinds, “Walkovers blaze a trail for women's equal-pay theory”, in The Age, Australia:

I've stumbled over gaming's simplest hurdles, been humiliated by the lowliest of enemies and will often go for an easy mode if one's available, and yet I've run through Bloodborne twice without ever really breaking much of a sweat.

2018 March 6, Martin Robinson, “Dispelling the myths of Bloodborne”, in Eurogamer:

(idiomatic, chiefly in the negative) To put effort into something.


see a man about a dog

see a man about a dog (third-person singular simple present sees a man about a dog, present participle seeing a man about a dog, simple past saw a man about a dog, past participle seen a man about a dog)

sees a man about a dog (present singular third-person)
seeing a man about a dog (participle present)
saw a man about a dog (past)
seen a man about a dog (participle past)

Unknown. As a Prohibition-era reference to getting alcohol, influenced by the expression hair of the dog.

I'll be right back, but I've got to go to see a man about a dog.

(idiomatic, dated) Used in place of a real explanation when excusing oneself for a short period of time, particularly (euphemistic) to use the toilet or (historical) drink alcohol.


shed a tear

shed a tear (third-person singular simple present sheds a tear, present participle shedding a tear, simple past and past participle shed a tear)

sheds a tear (present singular third-person)
shedding a tear (participle present)
shed a tear (participle past)
shed a tear (past)

Now, in coming down here, I journeyed part of the way with a jolly old cock, who shed a tear with me every time the coach stopped […]

1848, Thomas Frost, Paul the Poacher, page 118:

(UK, Ireland, slang, obsolete) To take a dram, or glass of spirits.


have eyes bigger than one's stomach

have<has,,had> eyes bigger than one's stomach

have eyes bigger than one's stomach (third-person singular simple present has eyes bigger than one's stomach, present participle having eyes bigger than one's stomach, simple past and past participle had eyes bigger than one's stomach)

has eyes bigger than one's stomach (present singular third-person)
having eyes bigger than one's stomach (participle present)
had eyes bigger than one's stomach (participle past)
had eyes bigger than one's stomach (past)

en-au-have eyes bigger than one's stomach.ogg

When choosing software, don't have eyes bigger than your stomach. Rather, stick to whatever level of software you need, and no more.

2010, Veechi Curtis, Lynley Averis, Bookkeeping For Dummies, page 75:

(idiomatic) To want more than one can handle.


make a mistake

make a mistake (third-person singular simple present makes a mistake, present participle making a mistake, simple past and past participle made a mistake)

makes a mistake (present singular third-person)
making a mistake (participle present)
made a mistake (participle past)
made a mistake (past)

To err, to be wrong. (This entry is a translation hub.)


blow one's top

blow one's top (third-person singular simple present blows one's top, present participle blowing one's top, simple past blew one's top, past participle blown one's top)

blows one's top (present singular third-person)
blowing one's top (participle present)
blew one's top (past)
blown one's top (participle past)

When my dad found out I had failed the exams, he just blew his top.

(slang, figurative) To become explosively angry; to lose one's temper.


lose it

lose it (third-person singular simple present loses it, present participle losing it, simple past and past participle lost it)

loses it (present singular third-person)
losing it (participle present)
lost it (participle past)
lost it (past)

When my dad found out I had failed the exams, he just lost it.

(informal) To become explosively angry; to lose one's temper.

When she heard the news about her cousin's death, she lost it.

(informal) To feel devastated, or distraught, especially when one's sadness is overwhelming.

When the teacher's chair broke, the class completely lost it.

(informal) To begin to laugh uncontrollably.

To be overcome with emotion.
To begin to laugh uncontrollably.

(informal) To lose one's mind, go crazy.

To be overcome with emotion.
To lose one's mind, go crazy.

When you think about all she's done for the sport, it's kind of sad, but she's completely lost it over the past few years.

(informal) To cease to have a skill or ability, to lose one's touch, to be washed up.

Even then, she defended everything she had sought to achieve, saying she had “the right policies at the wrong time”. “That’s when I thought ‘she’s totally lost it’,” said a former aide.

2023 September 1, Aubrey Allegretti, “‘She’s totally lost it’: inside story of the unravelling of Liz Truss’s premiership”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

(idiomatic) To lose control of a situation.


throw signs

throw signs (third-person singular simple present throws signs, present participle throwing signs, simple past threw signs, past participle thrown signs)

throws signs (present singular third-person)
throwing signs (participle present)
threw signs (past)
thrown signs (participle past)

"[…] Cause I be going around wearing red and throwing signs up."

1996, Scott H. Decker, Barrik Van Winkle, Life in the Gang: Family, Friends, and Violence, page 122:

Members of the Folk Nation throw their signs from the right and members of the People Nation will throw signs from the left.

2000, Thomas Capozzoli, R. Steve McVey, Kids Killing Kids: Managing Violence and Gangs in Schools, page 77:

[[…]] of a thirty-year-old pro, a light-skinned brother named Malik “Chilly” Tubbs, who carried gang tattoos and would sometimes throw signs to passing cars.

2005, F. X. Toole, Million Dollar Baby: Stories from the Corner, page 170:

Wearing certain types of jewelry and throwing signs can lead to tragic misidentification as a gang member.

2006, G. Larry Mays, Juvenile Justice, page 308:

To make a gesture of group affiliation (especially with a gang) from a distance.


be sick

be sick (third-person singular simple present is sick, present participle being sick, simple past was sick, past participle been sick)

is sick (present singular third-person)
being sick (participle present)
was sick (past)
been sick (participle past)

I am sick today, so can't come to work.

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: be sick.

The dog's been sick all over the carpet.


touch oneself

touch oneself (third-person singular simple present touches oneself, present participle touching oneself, simple past and past participle touched oneself)

touches oneself (present singular third-person)
touching oneself (participle present)
touched oneself (participle past)
touched oneself (past)

1990, Divinyls - I Touch Myself
I don't want anybody else; when I think about you I touch myself.

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see touch, oneself.


thumb a ride

thumb a ride (third-person singular simple present thumbs a ride, present participle thumbing a ride, simple past and past participle thumbed a ride)

thumbs a ride (present singular third-person)
thumbing a ride (participle present)
thumbed a ride (participle past)
thumbed a ride (past)

(US, intransitive, idiomatic) To hitchhike.


beat the rap

beat the rap (third-person singular simple present beats the rap, present participle beating the rap, simple past beat the rap, past participle beaten the rap or (colloquial) beat the rap)

beats the rap (present singular third-person)
beating the rap (participle present)
beat the rap (past)
beaten the rap (participle past)
beat the rap (colloquial participle past)

(slang) To escape legal conviction and punishment for a crime which one has been charged with committing; to be acquitted.


saw wood

saw wood (third-person singular simple present saws wood, present participle sawing wood, simple past sawed wood, past participle sawed wood or sawn wood)

saws wood (present singular third-person)
sawing wood (participle present)
sawed wood (past)
sawed wood (participle past)
sawn wood (participle past)

Monsignor Charles Kekumano, 78, was snoring loudly in his bed. Every so often, he would stop sawing wood—and break into the delightfully mischievous grin that made him so famous.

1998 January 23, Diane Chang, “Monsignor Kekumano is now in heaven”, in Honolulu Star-Bulletin:

"You keep all of Mouse Lodge awake sawing wood every night. You're a fine one to complain about someone else snoring."

2009, Elizabeth Haydon, The Dragon's Lair, →ISBN, page 125:


pay the penalty

pay the penalty (third-person singular simple present pays the penalty, present participle paying the penalty, simple past and past participle paid the penalty)

pays the penalty (present singular third-person)
paying the penalty (participle present)
paid the penalty (participle past)
paid the penalty (past)

To incur negative consequences of one's deeds; to suffer as a result of some choice.


wind back the clock

wind back the clock (third-person singular simple present winds back the clock, present participle winding back the clock, simple past and past participle wound back the clock)

winds back the clock (present singular third-person)
winding back the clock (participle present)
wound back the clock (participle past)
wound back the clock (past)

But wind the clock back some 60 years, and you would find that away from the South East of England, the North West once had the most extensive and varied selection of electric routes in the country.

2021 February 24, John Crosse, “North West Electrics”, in RAIL, number 925, page 62:

(idiomatic, figurative) To return in time to an earlier period of history.


turn a deaf ear

turn a deaf ear (third-person singular simple present turns a deaf ear, present participle turning a deaf ear, simple past and past participle turned a deaf ear)

turns a deaf ear (present singular third-person)
turning a deaf ear (participle present)
turned a deaf ear (participle past)
turned a deaf ear (past)

They turned a deaf ear to her entreaties.

This really confirms that Sacramentans turn a deaf ear to efforts to legislate bigotry and homophobia. Sacramento ought to take a lot of pride in looking at their community as one that tolerates diversity.

1986 December 14, Jeffrey Ruda, quoting Ron Gray, “Sacramento Holds On To Lesbian/Gay Rights”, in Gay Community News, volume 14, number 22, page 2:

(figuratively) To refuse to listen to. [with to ‘someone/something’]

kaikua kuuroille korville

subject is the thing that is ignored or disregarded

пропусти́ть ми́мо уше́й (propustítʹ mímo ušéj, literally “to let go past one's ears”)


set the stage

set the stage (third-person singular simple present sets the stage, present participle setting the stage, simple past and past participle set the stage)

sets the stage (present singular third-person)
setting the stage (participle present)
set the stage (participle past)
set the stage (past)

Pardew was a member of the Palace side that lost in a replay to United at Wembley in 1990 and was in charge of West Ham when they were hit by Steven Gerrard's famous late equaliser in Cardiff that set the stage for Liverpool to beat the Hammers on penalties after a 3-3 draw.

2016 May 22, Phil McNulty, “Crystal Palace 1-2 Manchester United”, in BBC:

White House policies—on taxing and spending, trade and regulation—will set the stage for recovery.

2008 March 20, Kristina Dell, “A Voter's Guide to the Economy”, in Time:

(idiomatic) To prepare; to establish the basis or required conditions.

There is clearly more to the quote than what you've cited here. Otherwise, how would you be able to claim it has anything to do with Pesach in the first place? Obviously there's something that comes before what you've quoted, which sets the stage.

2006 April 28, Steve Goldfarb, “Spilling out drops of wine at the Seder”, in soc.culture.jewish.moderated (Usenet):


turn the tide

turn the tide (third-person singular simple present turns the tide, present participle turning the tide, simple past and past participle turned the tide)

turns the tide (present singular third-person)
turning the tide (participle present)
turned the tide (participle past)
turned the tide (past)

The general who turned the tide at Alamein was not, prior to his arrival in the Middle East, one of the very "top brass"; but he was a soldier, not a detergent manufacturer.

1962 February, “No Talent on the Railways?”, in Modern Railways, page 74:

Images captured by the photojournalist Philip Jones Griffiths in Vietnam helped turn the tide of public opinion against the war.

2008 March 21, Owen Bowcott, “The man who captured the human cost of conflict”, in The Guardian:

(idiomatic) To undergo a change or reversal of a general trend.


pay the piper

pay the piper (third-person singular simple present pays the piper, present participle paying the piper, simple past and past participle paid the piper)

pays the piper (present singular third-person)
paying the piper (participle present)
paid the piper (participle past)
paid the piper (past)

Sense 1 is from the English phrase who pays the piper calls the tune; sense 2 may allude to the pied piper.

[T]he very constitution of society is based upon this volunteer system of paying the piper. Honest men pay the piper for rogues, and full purses for empty ones.

1831, April 16, Dandy Doricourt, letter to the editors, The New-York mirror, volume 8, issue number 41, page 325

He wanted to get rich too quickly I suppose. . . . He's got to pay the piper.

1921, Gertrude Franklin Horn Atherton, chapter 10, in The Sisters-In-Law:

Roosevelt never fully recovered his health, but he refused any regret. "I am always willing to pay the piper," he once wrote, "when I have had a good dance."

2006 June 25, Candice Millard, “The River of Doubt”, in Time:

(idiomatic) To pay a monetary or other debt or experience unfavorable consequences, especially when the payment or consequences are inevitable or a result of something one has enjoyed.

pay the price

to incur negative consequences of one's decision


put one's shoulder to the wheel

put one's shoulder to the wheel (third-person singular simple present puts one's shoulder to the wheel, present participle putting one's shoulder to the wheel, simple past and past participle put one's shoulder to the wheel)

puts one's shoulder to the wheel (present singular third-person)
putting one's shoulder to the wheel (participle present)
put one's shoulder to the wheel (participle past)
put one's shoulder to the wheel (past)

From the literal action of attempting to free a cart from a rut or muddy ground.

When he got to law school he knew he'd have to put his shoulder to the wheel to succeed.

War is a racket. It always has been. It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious. It is the only one international in scope. It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives... Of course, it isn't put that crudely in war time. It is dressed into speeches about patriotism, love of country, and "we must all put our shoulders to the wheel," but the profits jump and leap and skyrocket—and are safely pocketed.

1935, Smedley Butler, War Is a Racket, page 1 & 7:

Along the way, companies such as Facebook and Google employ every useful foot soldier, including social scientists such as [Alexander] Kogan who are willing to put their shoulders to the wheel as they help the company learn, perfect, and integrate the cutting-edge methods that can conquer the next frontier […]

2018, Shoshana Zuboff, chapter 9, in The Age of Surveillance Capitalism:

(figuratively) To work hard, to complete an activity with one's complete effort and focus.


bite someone's head off

bite someone's head off (third-person singular simple present bites someone's head off, present participle biting someone's head off, simple past bit someone's head off, past participle bitten someone's head off)

bites someone's head off (present singular third-person)
biting someone's head off (participle present)
bit someone's head off (past)
bitten someone's head off (participle past)

(idiomatic, informal) To severely berate someone.


flip one's lid

flip one's lid (third-person singular simple present flips one's lid, present participle flipping one's lid, simple past and past participle flipped one's lid)

flips one's lid (present singular third-person)
flipping one's lid (participle present)
flipped one's lid (participle past)
flipped one's lid (past)

Originally an Americanism; from the analogy of a boiling pot explosively popping off its lid due to built-up internal pressure.

Wait, you'll see. Three hours on a night like this is enough to make you flip your lid.

1948, Norman Mailer, The Naked and the Dead, New York, Toronto: Rinehart & Company, page 113:

Drag him out your window / Dragging out the dead / Singing "I miss you" / Snakes and ladders / Flip the lid

2003, Radiohead (lyrics and music), “A Wolf at the Door”, in Hail to the Thief, performed by Thom Yorke:

His parents flipped their lids when the two lovebugs got hitched. Jonnie couldn't stand the fact that her beautiful young son, gone so long over seas, had now tangled up with an older woman, and even worse, an older divorced woman […]

2009, Dee Kassabian, My Four Fathers and Other Short Stories, page 45:

(idiomatic, informal) To become explosively angry, to lose one's temper.


tie someone's hands

tie someone's hands (third-person singular simple present ties someone's hands, present participle tying someone's hands, simple past and past participle tied someone's hands)

ties someone's hands (present singular third-person)
tying someone's hands (participle present)
tied someone's hands (participle past)
tied someone's hands (past)

This contract would have tied my hands.

I'd like to help you, but my hands are tied.

(idiomatic, often in passive voice) To render someone powerless to act, to thwart someone.


shut one's face

shut one's face (third-person singular simple present shuts one's face, present participle shutting one's face, simple past and past participle shut one's face)

shuts one's face (present singular third-person)
shutting one's face (participle present)
shut one's face (participle past)
shut one's face (past)

Why don’t you just shut your face? I’m tired of listening to you.

(idiomatic, impolite) To stop talking; to be quiet.


wouldn't shout if a shark bit him

en-au-wouldn't shout if a shark bit him.ogg

A play on shout, which can mean either “to scream” or “to buy drinks”.

'Yeah, he's as silly as a two-bob watch. And mean. He wouldn't shout [buy a drink] if a shark bit him.' 'Too right, he's got snakes in his pockets. Anyhow, how's the punting?' 'No luck, mate.[…]'

1988, James Oram, G'day America: The Paul Hogan Story, Topsfield, Mass.: Salem House Publishers, →ISBN, page 25:

'Must be Martin's shout,' says one of them. The others roar with laughter. It's always Martin's shout but he's never there when you need him. 'Martin wouldn't shout if a shark bit him,' Harry explains to the tourist, filling up his glass.

2007, Andrea Mayes, Shearwater, Camberwell, Vic.: Penguin Books Australia, →ISBN:

Weasel was noted for the outlandish stories of his sexual and other exploits in Australia and the Philippines. No one believed him and he was generally considered a pain in the arse. To make matters worse he was known to have a "death adder" in his pocket. "Wouldn't shout if a shark bit him", was the general opinion.

2010, John Pullinger, The Last Jeep to Baclaran, Fremantle, W.A.: Vivid Publishing, →ISBN:

He was a fat, balding, bad-tempered man, with a deserved reputation for stinginess. "Bastard wouldn't shout if a shark bit him," Dusty used to say, punning on "shout."

2014 August 14, J. D. Frodsham, Fool's Mate, Bloomington, Ind.: AuthorHouse, →ISBN, page 66:

(Australia, idiomatic) To be frugal or miserly.


roll up one's sleeves

roll up one's sleeves (third-person singular simple present rolls up one's sleeves, present participle rolling up one's sleeves, simple past and past participle rolled up one's sleeves)

rolls up one's sleeves (present singular third-person)
rolling up one's sleeves (participle present)
rolled up one's sleeves (participle past)
rolled up one's sleeves (past)

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see roll, up, one's, sleeves.


set the pace

set the pace (third-person singular simple present sets the pace, present participle setting the pace, simple past and past participle set the pace)

sets the pace (present singular third-person)
setting the pace (participle present)
set the pace (participle past)
set the pace (past)

In May 2003, South Africa set the pace by banning thin plastic bags and imposing a tax on thick ones.

(idiomatic) To establish a common goal by example.


bend one's elbow

bend one's elbow (third-person singular simple present bends one's elbow, present participle bending one's elbow, simple past and past participle bent one's elbow)

bends one's elbow (present singular third-person)
bending one's elbow (participle present)
bent one's elbow (participle past)
bent one's elbow (past)

Suggesting the motion of an arm raising a glass to drink.

One day is no worse than the next for El Caucho; so it's a whim when he starts bending his elbow or ties one on. When he is really "plastered," El Caucho looks grim, but he isn't really nasty.

2002, Jacques Stephen Alexis, In the Flicker of an Eyelid, page 32:

(idiomatic) To drink alcoholic beverages, especially at a public house or bar.


raise the stakes

raise the stakes (third-person singular simple present raises the stakes, present participle raising the stakes, simple past and past participle raised the stakes)

raises the stakes (present singular third-person)
raising the stakes (participle present)
raised the stakes (participle past)
raised the stakes (past)

The bank robber decided to take a hostage in order to raise the stakes.

(idiomatic) To increase in significance or risk.

With a royal flush, he decided to raise the stakes.

(poker) Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see raise, stakes (used literally e. g. of a hand of poker)


letcha

I letcha do it.


cark it

cark it (third-person singular simple present carks it, present participle carking it, simple past and past participle carked it)

carks it (present singular third-person)
carking it (participle present)
carked it (participle past)
carked it (past)

A slang shortening of carcass + it. Not related to cark (“to worry”). Used frequently in Australia.

The guy was running, then he had a heart attack and carked it.

He′d always bragged about carking it before he hit twenty. When he turned twenty, he escalated the date of his demise to twenty-five.

1989, Kathy Lette, Girl′s Night Out, →ISBN, page 86:

If I hit the little shit too hard his parents could even sue me. There′s a fine line between self-defence and pure and simple mayhem. The little bastard might even cark it.

1998, Barry Westburg, Glenda & Me & Meathead Go For Broke: Rage of Angels: Expatriate Tales, page 74:

“Hi Bill. Zorah told you about Kate?”
“That she carked it? Yeh.” Translation: That she died. Yeah.
He flapped his hand in a go-away gesture and started toward the koalas, but not before I saw a haunted look in his eyes. Did he still care for Kate?

2010, Betty Webb, The Koala of Death, page 10:

(UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, slang) To die.


include me out

include me out (third-person singular simple present includes me out, present participle including me out, simple past and past participle included me out)

includes me out (present singular third-person)
including me out (participle present)
included me out (participle past)
included me out (past)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-include me out.wav

Reportedly a coinage (circa 1940) of US film producer Samuel Goldwyn (1879-1974), whose purported malapropisms were well publicized.

(nonstandard, humorous) Do not include me; leave me out; exclude me.


beggar belief

beggar belief (third-person singular simple present beggars belief, present participle beggaring belief, simple past and past participle beggared belief)

beggars belief (present singular third-person)
beggaring belief (participle present)
beggared belief (participle past)
beggared belief (past)

It beggars belief to suppose that corporate policies can always pursue the best interests of a company.

In Shakespeare's day boys or men took the part of women, and how characters like Lady Macbeth and Desdemona were adequately rendered by youths beggars belief.

1907, Sidney Lee, Shakespeare and the Modern Stage:

"It beggars belief that delegates are given smartcards for free travel around the city, yet ordinary Glaswegians will still be forced to use a disjointed ticketing system."

2021 November 17, “Network News: Anger at delegates' preferential treatment for Glasgow smartcards”, in RAIL, number 944, page 13:

2022 September 23, 0:07 from the start, in As Putin goes for broke: What next after Ukraine annexation referendums? • FRANCE 24 English, spoken by François Picard, France 24, archived from the original on 2022-09-27:

(intransitive, chiefly UK) To appear implausible or unbelievable.


hit the head

hit the head (third-person singular simple present hits the head, present participle hitting the head, simple past and past participle hit the head)

hits the head (present singular third-person)
hitting the head (participle present)
hit the head (participle past)
hit the head (past)

(US, slang) to urinate or defecate; to go to the bathroom


vent one's spleen

vent one's spleen (third-person singular simple present vents one's spleen, present participle venting one's spleen, simple past and past participle vented one's spleen)

vents one's spleen (present singular third-person)
venting one's spleen (participle present)
vented one's spleen (participle past)
vented one's spleen (past)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-vent one's spleen.wav

To openly express pent-up anger, often on an unrelated matter or person.

seine schlechte Laune an jmdm. auslassen

срыва́ть злость (sryvátʹ zlostʹ) (на ком-либо/чём-либо, prepositional case)


bite the hand that feeds one

bite<,,bit,bitten> the hand that feeds<feeds,feeds,fed> one

bite the hand that feeds one (third-person singular simple present bites the hand that feeds one, present participle biting the hand that feeds one, simple past bit the hand that fed one, past participle bitten the hand that fed one)

bites the hand that feeds one (present singular third-person)
biting the hand that feeds one (participle present)
bit the hand that fed one (past)
bitten the hand that fed one (participle past)

Granted that it is not "exquisitely rational" to bite the hand that feeds you, yet that is just what clients and patients do which is one reason they need therapy.

1967, Rollo May, Psychology and the Human Dilemma, W. W. Norton & Company, →ISBN, page 18:

And the reality is, for all the talk about lobbying reform, Congress has never been known to bite the hand that feeds it.

2004 November 15, Jay Newton-Small, “The Dems' Tax (and Spend) Dilemma”, in Time:

For entirely self-serving reasons, ministers and civil servants never dispelled the public belief that uncaring 'fat cat' privateers or foreign state railways were in control, ramping up fares and creaming off profits which either enriched shareholders or subsidised European rail fares. DfT left train operators to 'take the heat' - which they dutifully did, fearful of speaking up and 'biting the hand that feeds'.

2020 September 23, Nigel Harris, “Comment: We MUST seize the moment”, in Rail, page 3:

"Daddy, don't say that. I don't bite the hand that feeds me. What a horrible expression, 'the hand that feeds you'. How can you say that to me when you used to refuse to feed me, when you punished me by locking me in my room without a scrap of food, so I'd be skinny like Luz and like Mother."

2023 February 23, Mercedes Rosende, The Hand That Feeds You, Bitter Lemon Press, →ISBN:

(idiomatic) To cause harm to a benefactor (especially one that one is dependent on, thus with the idea that this behaviour is self-damaging).

руби́ть сук, на кото́ром сиди́шь (rubítʹ suk, na kotórom sidíšʹ, literally “to cut the branch one is sitting on”)

плева́ть в коло́дец impf (plevátʹ v kolódec, literally “to spit in a well”)


twist someone's arm

twist someone's arm (third-person singular simple present twists someone's arm, present participle twisting someone's arm, simple past and past participle twisted someone's arm)

twists someone's arm (present singular third-person)
twisting someone's arm (participle present)
twisted someone's arm (participle past)
twisted someone's arm (past)

I twist his arm, a snap signaling when it breaks. His screams reverberate in the tiny apartment.

2013, Justina Ireland, Vengeance Bound, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 295:

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: To apply torsion along the length of the arm of (a person).

They had to twist his arm, but they got him to join the project.

Either to sully his reputation or to twist his arm into further cooperation, the authorities slapped a second, unrelated charge onto his sheet: He was accused of defrauding his clients' trust funds of a few hundred dollars.

2009, Mark Gevisser, A Legacy of Liberation, St. Martin's Press, →ISBN, page 152:

(figuratively) To coerce, force, or cajole.


turn a phrase

turn a phrase (third-person singular simple present turns a phrase, present participle turning a phrase, simple past and past participle turned a phrase)

turns a phrase (present singular third-person)
turning a phrase (participle present)
turned a phrase (participle past)
turned a phrase (past)

Gerard coloured all over at the compliment; but not knowing how to turn a phrase equal to the occasion, asked her if he should resume her picture.

1861, Charles Reade, chapter 61, in The Cloister and the Hearth:

"Ah, how gracefully these wild northern men can turn a phrase!" whispered Chrysophrasia.

1887, Francis Marion Crawford, chapter 8, in Paul Patoff:

Everyone who was anyone at Long Barton spoke in careful and correct English, but no one ever troubled to turn a phrase.

1906, Edith Nesbit, chapter 3, in The Incomplete Amorist:

Nobody, however, can take issue with Purdy's ability to turn a phrase. He has that rare Joycean knack for illuminating an entire universe with one simple detail.

2004, Elisabeth Egan, "A world of talking cats and lost, lonely boys" (review of Moe's Villa and Other Stories by James Purdy), San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Dec. (retrieved 4 June 2008)

(idiomatic) To create a particular linguistic expression which is strikingly clear, appropriate, and memorable.


see double

see double (third-person singular simple present sees double, present participle seeing double, simple past saw double, past participle seen double)

sees double (present singular third-person)
seeing double (participle present)
saw double (past)
seen double (participle past)

To experience double vision, wherein the eyes do not focus on the same point and a single object is therefore perceived as two.


hold one's water

hold one's water (third-person singular simple present holds one's water, present participle holding one's water, simple past and past participle held one's water)

holds one's water (present singular third-person)
holding one's water (participle present)
held one's water (participle past)
held one's water (past)

[…] and if there is much oozing of blood, the application of ice to the penis. The patient is then instructed to hold his water as long as possible.

1877, Shirley Bragg MD, “Structure of the Male Urethra, with Report of Cases,”, in Atlanta Medical and Surgical Journal, Volume 14, pages 645–6:

(physiology, dated) To restrain one's urge to urinate.