kick the bucket

en-verb

kick the bucket (third-person singular simple present kicks the bucket, present participle kicking the bucket, simple past and past participle kicked the bucket)

kicks the bucket (present singular third-person)
kicking the bucket (participle present)
kicked the bucket (participle past)
kicked the bucket (past)

/ˈkɪk ðə ˈbʌkɪt/

There are many theories as to where this idiom comes from, but the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) suggests the following:
* A person standing on a pail or bucket with their head in a slip noose would kick the bucket so as to commit suicide. The OED, however, says that this is mainly speculative;
* An archaic use of bucket was a beam from which a pig is hung by its feet prior to being slaughtered, and to kick the bucket originally signified the pig's death throes. The OED finds this a more plausible theory.
Another theory is given by Roman Catholic Bishop Abbot Horne.

The old horse finally kicked the bucket.

My posthumous book Allegorizings, which will go to press in London and New York the minute I kick the bucket, is loosely governed by my growing conviction that almost nothing in life is only what it seems. It contains nothing revelatory at all.

2015 April 22, Sam Jordison, quoting Jan Morris, “Jan Morris talks about Venice”, in The Guardian:

(idiomatic, euphemistic, colloquial, humorous) To die.

сыгра́ть в я́щик (sygrátʹ v jáščik, literally “play into the casket”)

почить в бозе (počitʹ v boze, literally “sleep in God”) (solemn or ironical)

приказа́ть до́лго жить (prikazátʹ dólgo žitʹ, literally “order to live long”)

откинуть копыта (otkinutʹ kopyta, literally “throw away the hooves”)

протяну́ть ноги (protjanútʹ nogi, literally “stretch the legs”)

дать ду́ба (datʹ dúba, literally “give some oak”)

коньки́ отбро́сить (konʹkí otbrósitʹ, literally “throw away the skates”)


can it

can it (third-person singular simple present cans it, present participle canning it, simple past and past participle canned it)

cans it (present singular third-person)
canning it (participle present)
canned it (participle past)
canned it (past)

Can it, you two! I'm trying to work.

I told him to can it, 'cause he was getting to be annoying.

(idiomatic, imperative) To shut up, to be quiet; to quit doing something; to put an end to something.


lift a finger

lift a finger (third-person singular simple present lifts a finger, present participle lifting a finger, simple past and past participle lifted a finger)

lifts a finger (present singular third-person)
lifting a finger (participle present)
lifted a finger (participle past)
lifted a finger (past)

She lets me do all the work and never lifts a finger to help.

They weep when they see the country being so much exploited and yet nobody lifts a finger.

1973, Kenya National Assembly Official Record (Hansard): June 12 - July 27, page 904:

You've known about it all along, you haven't lifted a finger, so don't come crying to me. I don't have time for it.

2004, Gerald Shapiro, Little men: novellas and stories, page 6:

Lifting a finger to greet is dangerous because it may make us feel guilty about not lifting a finger to help.

2005, Larry T. McGehee, B. J. Hutto, Southern Seen: Meditations on Past and Present, page 80:

Distressed jeans bear all the signs of exertion, while the consumer never has to lift a finger. What could be more luxurious than that?

2022, Carolyn Purnell, Blue Jeans, Bloomsbury, →ISBN, page 44:

(figuratively, chiefly in the negative) To make minimal effort; to help as little as possible.

So if your next note involves lifting''' a finger, you need to plan to lift the finger promptly to above its spot on the string so that it's ready to play again at any time.

2010, Katharine Rapoport, Violin For Dummies:

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see lift, finger.


hold water

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

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

Possibly from the King James Version of Jeremiah 2:13: “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.”

At the parlay, Tyrion also tries to claim Tywin’s murder was self-defense, which holds some water, and despite Jaime’s anger, I suspect he can see it from that side.

2017 August 13, Brandon Nowalk, “Oldtown offers one last game-changing secret as Game Of Thrones goes behind enemy lines (newbies)”, in The Onion AV Club:

"Young man," he said, "upon this point I can only say that your story is grossly improbable. It won't hold water."

1888, Horatio Alger, chapter 35, in The Errand Boy:

(idiomatic) To withstand scrutiny or criticism; to be valid.


cast pearls before swine

cast pearls before swine (third-person singular simple present casts pearls before swine, present participle casting pearls before swine, simple past and past participle cast pearls before swine)

casts pearls before swine (present singular third-person)
casting pearls before swine (participle present)
cast pearls before swine (participle past)
cast pearls before swine (past)

From the Bible "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." – KJV, Matthew 7:6.

Blanche: ...Physical beauty is passing. A transitory possession. But beauty of the mind and richness of the spirit and tenderness of the heart—and I have all of those things—aren't taken away, but grow! Increase with the years! How strange that I should be called a destitute woman! When I have all of these treasures locked in my heart. [A choked sob comes from her] I think of myself as a very, very rich woman! But I have been foolish—casting my pearls before swine!

1947, Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire, Scene 10:

(idiomatic) To give things of value to those who will not understand or appreciate them.

猫に小判 (neko ni koban, literally “gold coins to cats”)

jogar pérolas aos porcos (other verbs used: atirar, lançar)

no se hizo la miel para la boca del asno


hold one's horses

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

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

"I'm going to tell you, ain't I?" he said, gruffly. "Just hold your horses a minute, please."

1921, Booth Tarkington, chapter 24, in Alice Adams:

"I would ask everybody to hold their horses until we go through the process," ElBaradei said.

2007 September 17, “Force is last resort in Iranian crisis”, in forbes.com/Thomson Financial News, retrieved 2008-10-05:


turn over a new leaf

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

turns over a new leaf (present singular third-person)
turning over a new leaf (participle present)
turned over a new leaf (participle past)
turned over a new leaf (past)

break bad

antonym(s) of “determination to do what is wrong or destructive”

Figurative by the same metaphor as with turn the page.

Every year he resolves to turn over a new leaf and start exercising.

(idiomatic) To engage in self-improvement; to begin a good habit or shed a bad habit.


turn up one's nose

turn up one's nose (third-person singular simple present turns up one's nose, present participle turning up one's nose, simple past and past participle turned up one's nose)

turns up one's nose (present singular third-person)
turning up one's nose (participle present)
turned up one's nose (participle past)
turned up one's nose (past)

A description of a gesture possibly universally understood as indicating scorn, contempt or disgust.
Already found in Ancient Greek as ἐκμυκτηρίζω (ekmuktērízō, “I hold in derision”), from ἐκ- (ek-) (intensifier with additional senses of out from or of the nature of) and μυκτηρίζω (muktērízō, “I turn up the nose, I sneer at”), from the stem μυκτήρ (muktḗr, “nostril”).

When your turn came, you were carefully collared, and led up to the presence, as if even at that awful moment you were mutinously and murderously disposed. The Pasha, looking at you with a vicious sneer, turned up his nose, ejaculated "'Ajami," and prescribed the bastinado.

1855, Richard F[rancis] Burton, Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to El-Medinah and Meccah. […], volume I (El-Misr), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:

Sir Felix, when he read this letter at his club in the afternoon of the Monday, turned up his nose and shook his head. He thought if there were much of that kind of thing to be done, he could not go on with it, even though the marriage was certain, and the money secure. "What an infernal little ass!" he said to himself as he crumpled the letter up.

1875, Anthony Trollope, The Way We Live Now, London: Chapman and Hall, […]:

The actors paused, their arms hanging limply by their sides, while Fontan turned up his nose and asked with a sneer :
'What do you mean? What's not like that?'

1972, Émile Zola, translated by George Holden, Nana, Penguin Books:

To make the gesture of raising one's nose, as a sign of scorn, contempt or disgust.

But he turned up his nose at their murmuring and stammering,
And cared (shall I say?) not a d—— for their damming;
So they first read him out of their church, and next minute
Turned round and declared he had never been in it.

1848, James Russell Lowell (initially published anonymously), A Fable for Critics:

So Old Cheeseman went on, and didn’t he lead a miserable life! Of course the Reverend turned up his nose at him, and of course she did—because both of them always do that at all the masters—but he suffered from the fellows most, and he suffered from them constantly.

1853, Charles Dickens, The Schoolboy's Story:

Lovely as he was, Satan could be cruelly offensive when he chose; and he always chose when the human race was brought to his attention. He always turned up his nose at it, and never had a kind word for it.

1916, Mark Twain, The Mysterious Stranger:

... but the rulers scoffed and sneered (turned up their noses) at Him, saying, He rescued others; let Him now rescue Himself, if He is the Christ (the Messiah) of God, His Chosen One!

1958, annotated translation based on documents deriving from postulated c.85 Greek text attributed to Luke (ἐξεμυκτήριζον δὲ καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες σὺν αὐτοῖς λέγοντες· Ἄλλους ἔσωσε, σωσάτω ἑαυτόν, εἰ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐκλεκτός.). Lockman Foundation, The Amplified New Testament, used in 1965 Zondervan Corporation, The Amplified Bible, Luke 23:35

(idiomatic, with "at") To regard with contempt or scorn; to treat with contempt or scorn; to ignore or disregard in a contemptuous or scornful way.

I tried to help, but they turned up their noses at my advice.

We listened in profound silence until the conclusion of this harangue, when Captain Guy replied by assuring the chief of his eternal friendship and goodwill, concluding what he had to say be a present of several strings of blue beads and a knife. At the former the monarch, much to our surprise, turned up his nose with some expression of contempt; but the knife gave him the most unlimited satisfaction, and he immediately ordered dinner.

1838, [Edgar Allan Poe], chapter XIX, in The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket. […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC, pages 159–160:

Why I recollect, a bit ago, having a tarrier dog what got old and disagreeable, and was turned out on that account from a swell house in Belgravy. Well, he come into my hands, and nat'rally I put him on paunch, like the rest. Would he eat it? Not he. He had been used to his chicken, and his mutton chops, and his 'ashes: and he turned up his nose at anything commoner.

What I want to know is what he gets to eat there. A piece of dried fish now and then--what? That's coming down pretty low for a man who turned up his nose at my table d'hote!

1915, Joseph Conrad, Victory: An Island Tale:

(idiomatic, with "at") To refuse, especially with disgust, contempt or scorn; to refuse with apparent disregard about offending the offerer.

ohrnovat nos

to refuse, especially as due to pride and status


turn in one's grave

turn in one's grave (third-person singular simple present turns in one's grave, present participle turning in one's grave, simple past and past participle turned in one's grave)

turns in one's grave (present singular third-person)
turning in one's grave (participle present)
turned in one's grave (participle past)
turned in one's grave (past)

Documented in English since 1801, perhaps from Jewish rabbinic tradition that the bones of Judah rolled about in his coffin for his shame during the Exodus

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see turn, in, one's, grave.


spill one's guts

spill one's guts (third-person singular simple present spills one's guts, present participle spilling one's guts, simple past and past participle spilled one's guts or spilt one's guts)

spills one's guts (present singular third-person)
spilling one's guts (participle present)
spilled one's guts (participle past)
spilled one's guts (past)
spilt one's guts (participle past)
spilt one's guts (past)

At first, the suspect would not tell us anything about the other participants in the crime. But after being offered a deal, he spilled his guts.

(slang, idiomatic) To confess, or to divulge secrets, typically speaking freely and at length after a change of motive or an incentive.


seize the day

seize the day (third-person singular simple present seizes the day, present participle seizing the day, simple past and past participle seized the day)

seizes the day (present singular third-person)
seizing the day (participle present)
seized the day (participle past)
seized the day (past)

Calque of Latin carpe diem, originally meaning "enjoy the day", literally "pluck (or harvest) the day", from a poem by the ancient poet Horace. In Latin, it was common to use carpo (“I pluck something, pick off”) metaphorically to express enjoying a period of time. The use of seize is a traditional mistranslation originating from a confusion with cape, singular imperative of capio (“I seize something, grab”).

(idiomatic) To enjoy the present and not worry about the future; to live for the moment.


take French leave

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

term-label

(idiomatic, intransitive, informal, dated)

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

From take + French leave, apparently from a French custom, already recorded in the 18th century, of leaving from receptions or other events without formally announcing one’s departure to the host or hostess.

As for Ditton, after all his courting, and his compliment, he ſtole avvay an Iriſhman's bride, and took a French leave of me and his maſter; […]

1771, [Tobias Smollett], “To Mrs. Mary Jones, at Brambleton-hall”, in The Expedition of Humphry Clinker […], volume II, London: […] W. Johnston, […]; and B. Collins, […], →OCLC, page 226:

Thus through the vveary vvatch of ſleepleſs night, / This learned ploughman plods in piteous plight; / Till the dim taper takes French leave to doze, / And the fat folio tumbles on his toes.

1797 July 20 (date delivered), Thomas Paine [i.e., Robert Treat Paine], The Ruling Passion: An Occasional Poem. […], Boston, Mass.: […] Manning & Loring, for the author, published 1797, →OCLC, page 10:

What, Master Peveril, is this your foreign breeding? or have you learned in France to take French leave of your friends?

1822, [Walter Scott], chapter XI, in Peveril of the Peak. […], volume II, Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, page 279:

[N]o sooner do European servants arrive in America, than, perceiving such an outcry about equality and independence, and learning the facilities which are afforded of otherwise procuring the means of existence, they immediately become ashamed of the fancied meanness of their station, take French leave of their employers, and, procuring land for themselves, commence the occupation of farming on their own account.

1824, Edward Allen Talbot, “Letter XXXV”, in Five Years’ Residence in the Canadas: Including a Tour through Part of the United States of America, in the Year 1823. […], volume II, London: […] [James Nichols] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, Brown and Green, →OCLC, page 244:

As, taking French leave, she passed me, I bowed and she, taking my hand, fixed her round violet orbs upon me as if to say: "How long since we met, do let us talk of it next time."

1931, Marcel Proust, “An Afternoon Party at the House of the Princesse de Guermantes”, in Stephen Hudson [pseudonym; Sydney Schiff], transl., Remembrance of Things Past: Volume XII: Time Regained, uniform edition, London: Chatto & Windus, published 1941 (1960 printing), →OCLC, page 352:

To leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone; to slip out.

zmizet po anglicku

to leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone — see also slip out

уйти́ по-англи́йски pf (ujtí po-anglíjski, literally “to take English leave”)

піти по-англійськи (pity po-anhlijsʹky, literally “to leave English-style”)

That officer […] reminded Burton of the necessity there was that all the officers of the Spitfire should hold themselves in readiness, as a court-martial was sure to be ordered relative to the loss of that ship: that order might possibly be telegraphed down, and he must therefore decline granting any leave, except for a few hours. Here was a disappointment with a vengeance. The first suggestion of the moment was one altogether unworthy of him, which was to incur the imputation of adopting Gallican habits, and taking, what is known by the term, "French leave."

1829, [William Nugent Glascock], “The Return”, in Sailors and Saints; or, Matrimonial Manœuvres. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, pages 222–223:

In spite of threats and punishment, many Canadians [in the French army] deserted in order to care for their families and to provide food for the coming winter; more than two thousand are said thus to have taken French leave.

1908, Elroy McKendree Avery, “Wolfe and Saunders before Quebec”, in A History of the United States and Its People from Their Earliest Records to the Present Time, volume IV, Cleveland, Ohio: The Burrows Brothers Company, →OCLC, page 269:

absent without leave
absent without leave

(specifically, chiefly military, euphemistic) To desert or be temporarily absent from duty or service without permission; to go absent without leave (AWOL).

lähteä bundelle

to desert or be temporarily absent from duty or service without permission


hang a Louie

en-verb

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

hangs a Louie (present singular third-person)
hanging a Louie (participle present)
hung a Louie (participle past)
hung a Louie (past)

Hang a Louie up at the next stoplight.

(US, slang, idiomatic) Make a left turn while driving a vehicle.


get one's kit off

get one's kit off (third-person singular simple present gets one's kit off, present participle getting one's kit off, simple past and past participle got one's kit off)

gets one's kit off (present singular third-person)
getting one's kit off (participle present)
got one's kit off (participle past)
got one's kit off (past)

The woman in this film is not shy about getting her kit off, is she?

(British, slang) To undress or be naked.


make water

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

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

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


be bothered

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

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

I can't be bothered to clean the house today.

He can't be bothered drying all those dishes.

An egg and rasher of bacon for breakfast supply quite enough nitrogenous food for the day. Sometimes I have a treat. A cauliflower, etc. But generally I can't be bothered.

1986, Vladimir Naumovich Zharkov, translated by William B. Hubbard, Interior Structure of the Earth and Planets, CRC Press, →ISBN, page 273:

This takes effort. It can be a lot of work. So, you see, magick is not an easy short-cut to achieving something because you can't be bothered to get it any other way.

1991, Raymond Buckland, Scottish Witchcraft: The History and Magick of the Picts, Llewellyn Worldwide, →ISBN, page 81:

I've been using a computer instead of a typewriter for four years now, but I can't speak the language at all. I don't need it, and I can't be bothered unless it's going to be useful. The only kind of mouse I recognize is the four-legged variety, and I can't tell a bit from a byte.

1992, Victoria Branden, In Defence of Plain English: The Decline and Fall of Literacy in Canada, Dundurn, →ISBN, page 88:

(chiefly in the negative) To have the enthusiasm (to do something).


see the forest for the trees

see<,,saw,seen> the forest for the trees

see the forest for the trees (third-person singular simple present sees the forest for the trees, present participle seeing the forest for the trees, simple past saw the forest for the trees, past participle seen the forest for the trees)

sees the forest for the trees (present singular third-person)
seeing the forest for the trees (participle present)
saw the forest for the trees (past)
seen the forest for the trees (participle past)

John Heywood documented the English use of the proverb in 1546.

Smith is good at detail, but can't see the forest for the trees.

It is, indeed, the principal drawback to the study of London that she is too vast—that the student is ever in danger of "not seeing the forest for the trees."

1902, Emily Constance Baird Cook, Highways and Byways in London:

On the other hand, I have purposely treated the empirical physical foundations of the theory in a "step-motherly" fashion, so that readers unfamiliar with physics may not feel like the wanderer who was unable to see the forest for the trees.

1916, Albert Einstein (tr. Robert W. Lawson), “Preface”, in Relativity: The Special and General Theory:

Your only failing is that you can't see the forest for the trees.

1919, Louis Tracy, The Strange Case of Mortimer Fenley, page 96:

(idiomatic, chiefly in the negative) To discern an overall pattern from a mass of detail; to see the big picture, or the broader, more general situation.

見樹不見林 /见树不见林

to be overwhelmed by detail to the point where it obscures the overall situation

βλέπουμε το δένδρο και χάνουμε το δάσος

vlépoume to déndro kai chánoume to dásos


spank the monkey

spank the monkey (third-person singular simple present spanks the monkey, present participle spanking the monkey, simple past and past participle spanked the monkey)

spanks the monkey (present singular third-person)
spanking the monkey (participle present)
spanked the monkey (participle past)
spanked the monkey (past)

(idiomatic, colloquial, vulgar) To masturbate by stimulating one's penis.


make love

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

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

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-make love.wav

Calque of Old Occitan far amor, Middle French faire l'amour.

So from thenceforth, when loue he to her made, / VVith better tearmes ſhe did him entertaine, / VVhich gaue him hope, and did him halfe perſvvade, / That he iunb time her ioyaunce ſhould obtaine.

1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book VI, Canto XI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], part II (books IV–VI), London: […] [Richard Field] for William Ponsonby, →OCLC, stanza 7, page 494:

[S]carcely had they passed the sweep-gate and joined the other carriage, than she found her subject cut up–her hand seized–her attention demanded, and Mr. Elton actually making violent love to her: availing himself of the precious opportunity, declaring sentiments which must already be well known, […]

1815 December (indicated as 1816), [Jane Austen], chapter XV, in Emma: […], volume I, London: […] [Charles Roworth and James Moyes] for John Murray, →OCLC, page 275:

About a week afterwards she said to him, point-blank, “Are you seriously making love to your little cousin?”

1878, Henry James, chapter VIII, in The Europeans, Macmillan and Co.:

After all, the chief charm is in the fact of being made love to. You are making love to me, aren't you?

1910, Saki [pseudonym; Hector Hugh Munro], “The Baker’s Dozen”, in Reginald in Russia and Other Sketches, London: Methuen & Co. […], →OCLC, page 107:

The first stage we tackled was just about as rickety as it could very well be and I had to sit with the driver, who was a Mormon and so handsome that I was not a bit offended when he insisted on making love all the way, especially after he told me that he was a widower Mormon.

1914, Elinore Pruitt Stewart, Letters of a Woman Homesteader, Houghton Mifflin Company, pages 3–4:

‘Ever since I was sixteen men have been making love to me.’

1941, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, Up at the Villa, Vintage, published 2004, page 24:

He's making violent love to me, Mother.

1946, It's a Wonderful Life, spoken by Mary Hatch (Donna Reed):

... she began making a tour of the whole castle and asking questions, but all in such an innocent, babyish way that no one could suspect her of any secret design. (...) She made love to everyone - the grooms, the porters, the housemaids, the ladies-in-waiting ...

1953, C.S.Lewis, The Silver Chair, page 107:

(archaic) To make amorous approaches (to); to woo, romance, court.

I caught them making love on my couch.

She takes just like a woman, yeah she does / She makes love just like a woman, yeah she does

1966, Bob Dylan (lyrics and music), “Just Like a Woman”, in Blonde on Blonde:

I feel like makin' love to you / That's the time / I feel like makin' dreams come true

1974, “Feel Like Makin’ Love”, performed by Roberta Flack:

There's many times that we've loved / We've shared love and made love / It doesn't seem to me like it's enough

1974, “Can't Get Enough of Your Love”, performed by Barry White:

Wake up and make love with me, wake up and make love / Wake up and make love with me / I don't want to make you, I'll let the fancy take you / And you'll wake up and make love

1977, “Wake Up And Make Love With Me”, in New Boots and Panties!!, performed by Ian Dury:

Actress Dana Delany fantasizes about making love with two men.

1995 March 22, “Seinfeld with Madonna? 'Cosmo' reveals sex fantasies”, in The Arizona Republic:

We made love and then you cried

2003 October 27, Alan Jackson (lyrics and music), “Remember When”, in Greatest Hits Volume II (Promo-only CD single), performed by Alan Jackson:

(euphemistic) To engage in sexual intercourse.

ضَاجَعَ

to engage in sexual intercourse — see also copulate


get lost

(colloquial, dismissal, impolite) Used to rudely tell somebody to go away or leave one alone.


get lost

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

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

Don't you have a map? How did we get lost?

I got lost in his reasoning.

My keys got lost while I was out today.

(intransitive, of an object) To go missing; to be in a location unknown to someone who is looking for it.

The violins get lost with the rest of the music.

(intransitive) To be absent, to seem to be absent.

I don't want to have to tell you again: Get lost!

They had a row and Fred told Jack to get lost.

Jack did a good job of getting lost: nobody saw him for 4 years.

(intransitive, usually in imperative and reported speech, idiomatic) To exit from the scene.


eat pussy

eat pussy (third-person singular simple present eats pussy, present participle eating pussy, simple past ate pussy, past participle eaten pussy)

eats pussy (present singular third-person)
eating pussy (participle present)
ate pussy (past)
eaten pussy (participle past)

Somethin' I wanted, but I never was pushy
The motherfucker never ate my pussy

1996, Lil' Kim (lyrics and music), “Not Tonight”:


zip one's lip

zip one's lip (third-person singular simple present zips one's lip, present participle zipping one's lip, simple past and past participle zipped one's lip)

zips one's lip (present singular third-person)
zipping one's lip (participle present)
zipped one's lip (participle past)
zipped one's lip (past)

Why don’t you just zip your lip? I’m tired of listening to you.

(informal, often imperative, idiomatic) To refrain from or to stop talking; to be quiet; shut up.


offer the light

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

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

(intransitive, cricket, of the umpires) To ask the batsmen if they wish to continue playing in conditions of poor light. If they do not, play is suspended for bad light.


take guard

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

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

(idiomatic, cricket) (For a new batsman, with help from the umpire) to mark a point on the popping crease in front of his wicket so that he knows where it is behind him; to guard.


touch cloth

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

tlb

(chiefly UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand)

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

(intransitive, slang) To be just on the point of soiling oneself.


go away

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-go away.wav

Go away! Stop annoying me!

(dismissal) A command demanding someone to leave.

don't let the door hit you on the way out


break wind

en-verb

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

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

First attested 1552. From break + wind (“flatulence”).

I broke wind and excused myself afterwards.

(idiomatic, euphemistic) To expel gases generated during digestion, especially through the anus; to fart.


bite the bullet

bite the bullet (third-person singular simple present bites the bullet, present participle biting the bullet, simple past bit the bullet, past participle bitten the bullet)

bites the bullet (present singular third-person)
biting the bullet (participle present)
bit the bullet (past)
bitten the bullet (participle past)

Possibly from the reported practice of soldiers biting a bullet to avoid crying out in pain, usually during a medical procedure or punishment. See the Wikipedia article Bite the bullet for a further discussion of possible etymologies.

(idiomatic) To accept a negative aspect of a situation in order to proceed.

empassar-se el gripau

accept or endure a negative aspect of a situation in order to proceed.

проглоти́ть го́рькую пилю́лю pf (proglotítʹ górʹkuju piljúlju, literally “to swallow a bitter pill”)


wet the shamrock

wet the shamrock (third-person singular simple present wets the shamrock, present participle wetting the shamrock, simple past and past participle wet the shamrock or wetted the shamrock)

wets the shamrock (present singular third-person)
wetting the shamrock (participle present)
wet the shamrock (participle past)
wet the shamrock (past)
wetted the shamrock (participle past)
wetted the shamrock (past)

/ˌwɛt ðə ˈʃæmɹɒk/

/ˌwɛt ðə ˈʃæmˌɹɑk/

From wet (“to celebrate by drinking alcohol”) + the + shamrock (“trefoil leaf of any small clover, especially Trifolium repens, or a clover-like plant, commonly used as a symbol of Ireland”), from the custom, also known as drowning the shamrock, of removing a shamrock worn on one’s clothing on Saint Patrick’s Day and placing it at the bottom of a glass which is then filled with an alcoholic beverage and consumed; according to some authorities the shamrock is then retrieved from the empty glass and thrown over the left shoulder.

The Meadovv Trefoyls are called in Iriſh Shamrocks, […] The VVord Seamar Leaune and Seamar-orge, being in ſignification the ſame, […] This Plant is vvorn by the People in their Hats upon the 17. Day of March yearly, (vvhich is called St. Patrick’s Day.) […] Hovvever that be, vvhen they vvet their Seamar-oge, they often commit Exceſs in Liquor, vvhich is not a right keeping of a Day to the Lord; Error generally leading to Debauchery.

[1727, Caleb Threlkeld, “TRIFOLIUM PRATENSE ALBUM, White Flowered Meadow Trefoyl.”, in Synopsis stirpium Hibernicarum alphabetic[a]e dispositarum. Sive commentatio de plantis indigenis præsertim Dublinensibus instituta. Being a Short Treatise of Native Plants, especially Such as Grow Spontaneously in the Vicinity of Dublin; […], Dublin: […] S. Powell, for the author; and are to be sold by T. Sanders, […], →OCLC, signature [K8], verso:

In the days of our forefathers it was always customary to wet the shamrock, and indeed this good old custom has by no means become obsolete. And to carry it into effect, the saint's [Saint Patrick's] health is drunk in the morning from a brimming bowl called "Paddy's pot," which has a very inspiring influence, and is considered to be an excellent preliminary for the joys of the day; […]

1869 March 13, R. C., “Notes. St. Patrick’s Day: The Shamrock and Shillelah”, in Notes and Queries: A Medium of Intercommunication for Literary Men, General Readers, etc., volume III (4th Series), number 63, London: […] George Andrew Spottiswoode, […] [for] William Greig Smith, […], →OCLC, page 235, column 1:

He [Caleb Threlkeld] refers to the custom of wetting the shamrock.

1878 March 16, “The Library. St Patrick’s Day.”, in The Bazaar, the Exchange and Mart, and Journal of the Household, volume XVIII, London: [s.n.], →OCLC, page 173, column 3:

We remembered friends at home in our potations, wet the shamrock, and sang the "Wearing of the Green."

1885, James McQuade, “St. Kitt’s”, in The Cruise of the Montauk to Bermuda, the West Indies and Florida, New York, N.Y.: Thomas R. Knox & Co. successors to James Miller […], →OCLC, page 120:

St. Patrick's Day passed off very quietly indeed, partly owing to the uncertainty of the weather. A number of the militia men wetted the shamrock so much that they forgot the legitimate use of their weapons, and employed them in knocking people on the head. A few threw their rifles away.

1888 May, “News and Notes. The Month.”, in The Australian Journal: A Family Newspaper of Literature, Science, and the Arts, volume XXIII, number 276, Melbourne, Vic.: A. H. Massina & Co., […], →OCLC, page 519, column 1:

Given long-standing drinking customs among the Irish at home and abroad, temperance was a difficult prospect. Traditions such as drinking to the health of Ireland and the patron saint, as well as the renowned ‘wetting the shamrock’ held considerable sway on St Patrick's Day.

2002, Mike Cronin, Daryl Adair, “Famine and Exodus”, in The Wearing of the Green: A History of St Patrick’s Day, London, New York, N.Y.: Routledge, published 2006, →ISBN, page 40:

[T]he crowd drifted away towards the hotel in search of something to wet the shamrock and warm themselves up. Unlike America, there was no green beer and no one I knew would dream of adding anything to their pint unless it was to tip in a shot of whiskey.

2010, Claire Hopper, “Wetting the Shamrock”, in A Fine Irish Season, [Morrisville, N.C.]: [Lulu.com], →ISBN, page 65:

(idiomatic, intransitive, Ireland, informal) To go for an alcoholic drink, especially as part of a victory celebration or on Saint Patrick's Day.

County Kildare Archaeological Society
Routledge
Sage Publishing

mennä ryyppäämään

to go for an alcoholic drink, especially as part of a victory celebration or on Saint Patrick’s Day

wet the baby's head

to celebrate the birth of a baby by drinking alcohol


batten down the hatches

batten down the hatches (third-person singular simple present battens down the hatches, present participle battening down the hatches, simple past and past participle battened down the hatches)

battens down the hatches (present singular third-person)
battening down the hatches (participle present)
battened down the hatches (participle past)
battened down the hatches (past)

From the practice aboard a ship of sealing hatches to prevent water getting below-decks in a storm by using covers secured by strips of material, called battens, firmly attached to the frame of the hatch opening.


beat to quarters

beat to quarters (third-person singular simple present beats to quarters, present participle beating to quarters, simple past beat to quarters, past participle beaten to quarters)

beats to quarters (present singular third-person)
beating to quarters (participle present)
beat to quarters (past)
beaten to quarters (participle past)

(intransitive, nautical) To summon the crew of a sailing man-of-war to their stations for action against an enemy. In the Royal Navy the drums were beaten to the rhythm of Heart of Oak.


pave the way

pave the way (third-person singular simple present paves the way, present participle paving the way, simple past and past participle paved the way)

paves the way (present singular third-person)
paving the way (participle present)
paved the way (participle past)
paved the way (past)

From the idea that once a paved path has been laid, travel on the route is easier and smoother for others.

Germany's development of rocket weapons paved the way for human controlled spaceflight.

A perverting of this Firſt and Original Chriſtian Principle, by Political and Aſpiring Church-Guides, […] did not only pave the way for Popery, but both laid the Foundation thereof and finiſh'd its Superſtructure: […]

1705, Robert Fleming, “[The Epistle Dedicatory]”, in Christology. A Discourse Concerning Christ: Considered I In Himself, II In His Government, and III In Relation to His Subjects and Their Duty to Him. In Six Books. Being a New Essay towards a farther Revival and Re-introduction of Primitive-Scriptural-Divinity, by way of Specimen, London: Printed for Andrew Bell, and the Bible and Cross-Keys in Cornhill, →OCLC, page ix:

The gratification of one inordinate pursuit paves the way for another; and no sooner is the present vain wish indulged, than a future imagined necessity arises, equally importunate.

1876, Henry Southgate, “A Few Things My Wife, when Won, Will Like Me to Observe and Do”, in The Way to Woo and Win a Wife. Illustrated by a Series of Choice Extracts, together with some Original Matter never before Printed, London, Edinburgh: William P. Nimmo, […] 14 King William Street, Strand, →OCLC, page 262:

Prince Louis Napoleon was president of France, and his dictatorial behaviour was paving the way for his assumption of the imperial crown.

1972, “Revolution at Floodtide”, in Thomas G[arden] Barnes and Gerald D[onald] Feldman, editors, Nationalism, Industrialization, and Democracy 1815–1914 (A Documentary History of Europe; III), Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Company, →OCLC; republished Lanham, Md.; London: University Press of America, 1980, page 91

As we have seen, some of the women active before the feminist movement showed a concern for women's oppression and rights and helped pave the way for the exploration of women's issues in performance.

1988, Sue-Ellen Case, “Radical Feminism and Theatre”, in Feminism and Theatre, New York, N.Y.: Routledge, →ISBN, page 62:

The film industry's current use of storyboards as a preproduction, pre-visualization tool owes its humble beginnings to the original Sunday comics. Pioneers like Winsor McKay,^([sic – meaning McCay]) whose Gertie the Dinosaur […] and animation of the Sinking of the Lusitania (1915) established him as the true originator of the animated cartoon as an art form. He paved the way for [Walt] Disney and others.

2013, John Hart, “The Storyboard’s Beginnings”, in The Art of the Storyboard: A Filmmaker’s Introduction, Burlington, Mass., Oxford: Focal Press, Elsevier, →ISBN, page 1:

Siemens has landed a contract to upgrade signalling on the entire 170km (105-mile) S-Bane suburban network in Copenhagen to pave the way for fully automated trains.

2024 May 1, “Network News: Danes plan fully automated trains”, in RAIL, number 1008, page 18:

To make future progress or development easier. [with for]


agree to disagree

agree to disagree (third-person singular simple present agrees to disagree, present participle agreeing to disagree, simple past and past participle agreed to disagree)

agrees to disagree (present singular third-person)
agreeing to disagree (participle present)
agreed to disagree (participle past)
agreed to disagree (past)

I know we’re never going to agree on the merits of vegetarianism, so let’s agree to disagree, shall we?

By 1849, they agreed amicably to disagree, and McCormick bought the Ogden and Jones half of the business for $65,000.

1931, Cyrus Hall McCormick III, The Century of the Reaper, page 29:

We knew that no agreement concerning Taiwan could be reached at this time. While both sides could agree that Taiwan was a part of China — a position supported by both the Peking and Taiwan governments — we would have to oppose the use of military force by Peking to bring Taiwan under Communist rule.
Our lengthy discussions resulted as we expected: we could only agree to disagree and to reflect our differences in the communiqué. Thanks largely to Kissinger's negotiating skill and Chou's common sense, the Chinese finally agreed to sufficiently modified language.

1978, Richard Nixon, RN: the Memoirs of Richard Nixon, Grosset & Dunlap, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 571:

(idiomatic, of two persons or other parties) To accept each other's opinions and cease arguing; to peacefully acknowledge that an agreement will not be reached.

求同存異 /求同存异

tolerate one another's opinion and stop arguing

توافق دو نفر بر سر اختلاف نظرشان و اتمام بحث و جدل برای متقاعد کردن یکدیگر

ponerse de acuerdo en estar en desacuerdo


eat crow

eat crow (third-person singular simple present eats crow, present participle eating crow, simple past ate crow, past participle eaten crow)

eats crow (present singular third-person)
eating crow (participle present)
ate crow (past)
eaten crow (participle past)

First appeared in the 1870s in America in the form eat boiled crow. Unknown origin, but probably a reference to the meat of the crow being very unappetizing.

He must apologise, he saw that clearly enough, must eat crow, as he told himself.

1901, Frank Norris, chapter 2, in The Octopus:

The Nationals started with Jerome Herman ("Dizzy") Dean, who reveled in striking out Lou Gehrig in the first inning. Gehrig made Dean eat crow in the third inning by smashing a home run.

1937 July 19, “Baseball Races”, in Time, archived from the original on 2008-12-06:

In political libel, furthermore, a public recanting by the vilifier is more likely to be believed by the public, for it is well known that no politician likes to "eat crow" unless he has to.

1950, J.C.N.P., “Libel Actions by Political Organizations”, in University of Pennsylvania Law Review, volume 98, number 6, page 883:

[Alison] Roman, now typical for such cases, ate crow with an apologetic statement about how she had reflected and realized her error.

2021, John H. McWhorter, chapter 1, in Woke Racism, New York: Forum, →ISBN:

Today’s change means we only have one Senate race, Ohio, rated as a Toss-up. Democrats surely hope we’ll have to eat crow on today’s update and pull Montana back into the Toss-up category later in the cycle.

2024 September 6, Kyle Klondik, University of Virginia Center for Politics:

(chiefly US, idiomatic) To recognize that one has been shown to be mistaken or outdone, especially by admitting that one has made a humiliating error.


beat around the bush

beat around the bush (third-person singular simple present beats around the bush, present participle beating around the bush, simple past and past participle beaten around the bush)

beats around the bush (present singular third-person)
beating around the bush (participle present)
beaten around the bush (participle past)
beaten around the bush (past)

From the older form beat about the bush, replacing the preposition.

(idiomatic) To treat a topic, but omit its main points, often intentionally.

ջուր ծեծել

to treat a topic but omit its main points

ходи́ть вокру́г да о́коло (xodítʹ vokrúg da ókolo, literally “walk round and about”)

тяну́ть рези́ну (tjanútʹ rezínu, literally “pull rubber”)

перелива́ть из пусто́го в поро́жнее (perelivátʹ iz pustóvo v poróžneje, literally “empty one container into another”)

ออกทะเล (ɔ̀ɔk-tá-lee, literally “to go out to the sea”)

ชักแม่น้ำทั้งห้า (chák-mɛ̂ɛ-náam-táng-hâa, literally “to allude to all the five rivers”)

Just stop beating around the bush and tell me what the problem is!

"Look here," said Smith, menacingly, "if you think I cheated you, you might as well say so right out. I don't like beating around the bush."

(idiomatic) To delay or avoid talking about something difficult or unpleasant.

ջուր ծեծել

to delay or avoid talking about something difficult or unpleasant

轉彎抹角 /转弯抹角

zyun³ waan¹ mut³ gok³, zyun³ waan¹ mut⁶ gok³

遊花園 /游花园 (jau⁴ faa¹ jyun⁴⁻², literally “to wander around the garden”)

fara í kringum eins og köttur í kringum heitan graut

тяну́ть рязи́ну (tjanútʹ rjazínu, literally “pull rubber”)


do a Reggie Perrin

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

does a Reggie Perrin (present singular third-person)
doing a Reggie Perrin (participle present)
did a Reggie Perrin (past)
done a Reggie Perrin (participle past)

From the name of the main character in the British sitcom The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, who faked his own suicide.

1998, "Whispering Bob", "There must be more to life than this!", uk.local.southwest, Usenet,
Anyway, I went to Weymouth Yesterday, and sat on the beach thinking I could do a Reggie Perrin, so I took off all my clothes, and ran into the sea. I had planned to fake my own death, but for those of you who don't know, Weymouth's beach is a tad shallow, and is so for a considerable distance, well I ran as far as I could before my gonads rested in my throat cos of the cold and decided...THERE HAS TO BE MORE TO LIFE THAN THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2003, Anthony Hulse, Insanity Never Sleeps, Mediaworld PR Ltd, →ISBN, page 20,
“Bloody hell, can’t you do a Reggie Perrin luv? Leave your clothes on Redcar beach and when I receive the dosh I’ll meet you in Australia?”

2007, Anthony Rosen, An UnOrdinary Life: Memoirs of Anthony Rosen, Roundtuit Publishing, →ISBN, page 135,
Following a mental breakdown in 1973, he did a “Reggie Perrin”, but was arrested in mistake for Lord Lucan (the peer wanted for murder) in Australia on Christmas Eve 1974.

(British, slang) To fake one's own suicide.


waltz Matilda

waltz Matilda (third-person singular simple present waltzes Matilda, present participle waltzing Matilda, simple past and past participle waltzed Matilda)

waltzes Matilda (present singular third-person)
waltzing Matilda (participle present)
waltzed Matilda (participle past)
waltzed Matilda (past)

From waltz + matilda (“romantic name for a swag”).

Coercionist Byrnes tells an S. M. Herald reporter that things in Queensland are eminently satisfactory. He doesn't "Waltz Matilda," evidently.

1894 December 29, The Worker, Brisbane, page 3, column 6:

As far as I was concerned the choice was Alice Springs, the center of the great Outback or a box car. There was no contest. I was ready to waltz Matilda.

2002, Stuart Dick, Outback to Asia, page 163:

A 1928 bestseller offered the opinion that ‘there is only one way of getting off the beaten track—take a swag. Victoria is full of possibilities for the walker willing to “waltz Matilda”,’ and went on to describe the track.

2005, Kristin Otto, Yarra: A Diverting History of Melbourne′s Murky River, unnumbered page:

Indeed, while in Australia before the war Simpson had “waltzed matilda,” tramped through the bush, independent and outside the constructed differentiating society, carrying all his worldy goods—his “bluey”——on his back.

2012, Bruce Kapferer, Legends of People, Myths of State, page 173:

(Australia) To travel on foot carrying a swag (belongings wrapped in a blanket); to travel in this manner looking for work.


blow off steam

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

blows off steam (present singular third-person)
blowing off steam (participle present)
blew off steam (past)
blown off steam (participle past)

Relief valves released the excess pressure in a steam engine to prevent the boiler from exploding.

Don't take it personally when he shouts like that. He's just blowing off steam.

I told her she could call me and talk any time she wanted to blow off steam.

(idiomatic) To vent; to talk or take action (especially in a ranting or unrestrained way) so as to relieve stress.


break the ice

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

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

By application of the metaphor that strangers are socially separated by ice.

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see break, the, ice.


get cold feet

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

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

As we accelerate after leaving Didcot, we pass a lot of masts erected for wires that have not yet materialised - and probably won't for years to come. That's because halfway through the Great Western Electrification Programme, ministers suddenly got cold feet as the cost escalated.

2020 July 12, Christian Wolmar, “Cab ride reveals the pluses and minuses of Oxford route”, in RAIL, number 987, page 44:

To develop cold feet, in the sense of nervousness about going through with something.

臨陣退縮 /临阵退缩

to develop cold feet (nervousness about going through with something)


scratch the surface

scratch the surface (third-person singular simple present scratches the surface, present participle scratching the surface, simple past and past participle scratched the surface)

scratches the surface (present singular third-person)
scratching the surface (participle present)
scratched the surface (participle past)
scratched the surface (past)

This beginners' course only scratches the surface of the subject.

(idiomatic) To barely begin; to see or do only a fraction of what is possible.


smell a rat

smell a rat (third-person singular simple present smells a rat, present participle smelling a rat, simple past and past participle smelt a rat or smelled a rat)

smells a rat (present singular third-person)
smelling a rat (participle present)
smelt a rat (participle past)
smelt a rat (past)
smelled a rat (participle past)
smelled a rat (past)

/ˈsmɛl ə ˈɹæt/

Oh, Are you thereabouts, Sir; then I ſmell a Rat Ifaith; but I'll ſay nothing.

1667 (revival performance), John Dryden, The Wild Gallant: A Comedy. […], In the Savoy [London]: […] T[homas] Newcomb for H[enry] Herringman, […], published 1669, →OCLC, Act IV, page 45:

[O]ur conjectures were like arrows ſhot in the dark—they were wide of the mark—till an old gentleman came into the room, who after affixing his ſpectacles on the ſuperior part of an aquiline noſe, told us—"he ſmelt a rat!" / "He ſmelt a rat!" and ſhaking his head with all the ſolemnity of Attic ſagacity—whiſpered to the perſon next his elbow, / "I know it!"

1776 February, “a Lady”, “A Sentimental Journey”, in The Lady's Magazine; or Entertaining Companion for the Fair Sex, Appropriated Solely to their Use and Enjoyment, London: Printed for G. Robinson, No. 25, Paternoster-Row, →OCLC, page 62, column 2:

Mr. Gresham, when he heard this, thought that he began to smell a rat, and was determined to be on his guard.

1873 July 19 – 1874 January 10, Anthony Trollope, “The Prime Minister is Hard Pressed”, in Phineas Redux, London; New York, N.Y.: George Routledge and Sons, December 1874, →OCLC, page 335

[John Broadus] Watson would have liked to continue his infant studies, but he never had the chance. His wife smelled a rat and found out his affair with his graduate student assistant, Rosalie Rayner.

2007, Alex Boese, Elephants on Acid: And Other Bizarre Experiments, Orlando, Fla.: Harcourt, →ISBN:

Eventually, the job was re-advertised and she applied for it. She applied repeatedly over several years, but was never selected. She began smelling a rat (this being a land managing agency, a woodrat). She did some checking and found out that contrary to its promises, the agency had done all it could to "blackball" her from working in federal service again.

2011, Russell L. Kaldenberg, “Being a US Government Cultural Resource Manager”, in Thomas F. King, editor, A Companion to Cultural Resource Management (Blackwell Companions to Anthropology; 17), Chichester, West Sussex, Malden, Mass.: Wiley-Blackwell, →ISBN:

One anecdote holds that when a pro-Constitution opponent demanded to know why [Patrick] Henry had not attended the convention, he replied, "I smelt a rat." Henry scented that decaying rodent in the notion that the states should surrender more power to a new national government.

2011, Thomas S. Kidd, “Defending the Revolution by Opposing the Constitution”, in Patrick Henry: First among Patriots, New York, N.Y.: Basic Books, →ISBN:

If Collins smells a rat, you might gain nothing and tempt the gang to persecute you and your daughter.

2015, Mary Brendan, chapter 2, in Tarnished, Tempted and Tamed (Mills & Boon Regency), Richmond, Surrey: Mills & Boon, →ISBN:

(idiomatic) To sense something suspicious.


cut the mustard

cut the mustard (third-person singular simple present cuts the mustard, present participle cutting the mustard, simple past and past participle cut the mustard)

cuts the mustard (present singular third-person)
cutting the mustard (participle present)
cut the mustard (participle past)
cut the mustard (past)

From cut (“to exhibit (a quality)”) + the + mustard (“(originally US slang) something adding spice or zest to a situation; something setting the standard”).

Give me the bigger hammer. This little one just doesn’t cut the mustard.

By nature and doctrines I am addicted to the habit of discovering choice places wherein to feed. So I looked around and found a proposition that exactly cut the mustard. I found a restaurant tent just opened up by an outfit that had drifted in on the tail of the boom.

1907, O. Henry [pseudonym; William Sydney Porter], “Cupid à la Carte”, in Heart of the West, New York, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company for Review of Reviews Co., →OCLC, page 163:

[I]f a man gets a loan and over a period of years he has demonstrated that he cannot cut the mustard, how is he going to demonstrate it in a period of 12 months?

1940 March 21, Fred Cummings, committee member, “Statement of Albert S. Goss [Former Land Bank Commissioner, Farm Credit Administration, Washington, D.C.]—Resumed”, in Farm Credit Legislation: Hearing before the Committee on Agriculture, Committee on Agriculture, House of Representatives, Seventy-sixth Congress, Third Session on H.R. 8748 […], Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, →OCLC, page 194:

(intransitive, idiomatic) To achieve the expected standard; to be effective or good enough; to suffice.

يفي بالغرض

to achieve the expected standard; to be effective or good enough — see also suffice


pull the plug

pull the plug (third-person singular simple present pulls the plug, present participle pulling the plug, simple past and past participle pulled the plug)

pulls the plug (present singular third-person)
pulling the plug (participle present)
pulled the plug (participle past)
pulled the plug (past)

(intransitive, informal) To turn off life support.


give someone the runaround

give<,,gave,given> someone the runaround

give someone the runaround (third-person singular simple present gives someone the runaround, present participle giving someone the runaround, simple past gave someone the runaround, past participle given someone the runaround)

gives someone the runaround (present singular third-person)
giving someone the runaround (participle present)
gave someone the runaround (past)
given someone the runaround (participle past)

They gave me the runaround when I called. I got a full tour of the facility by phone, but no answer to my question.

Deitch decided seven years ago that she wanted to film a lesbian love story. When major producers gave her the run-around, she formed her own production company, hustled for backers and gathered the right crew of technicians and actors to make it happen.

1986 April 19, Loie Hayes, Donna Deitch, “Leapin' Lesbians!”, in Gay Community News, page 8:

(idiomatic) To delay, dodge, or frustrate (someone), especially by providing useless information or directions.


hit the road

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

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

If we're gonna make it by sunset, we'd better hit the road.

(slang, idiomatic) To begin traveling in an automobile or other road vehicle.

lähteä tien päälle

to begin traveling in an automobile or other road vehicle

It's time for me to hit the road and walk home.

(slang, idiomatic) To leave a place; to go away.


get someone's goat

get someone's goat (third-person singular simple present gets someone's goat, present participle getting someone's goat, simple past got someone's goat, past participle (UK) got someone's goat or (US) gotten someone's goat)

gets someone's goat (present singular third-person)
getting someone's goat (participle present)
got someone's goat (past)
got someone's goat (UK participle past)
gotten someone's goat (US participle past)

/ˌɡɛt ˈsʌmwʌnz ˈɡəʊt/

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Persent101-get someone's goat.wav

Uncertain; it has been suggested that the term may be derived from French prendre la chèvre (literally “to take the goat”), or refer to the stealing of a goat mascot from a military unit, etc.

der

Coordinate term: yank someone's chain

It really gets my goat when inconsiderate people drop litter in public.

If he had legged it on his own account, because what he heard me say got his goat, I could understand that.

1915, Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, chapter XXIII, in Uneasy Money, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton and Company, published 17 March 1916, →OCLC, page 306:

"Unfortunately," said Soames, "there's no such thing as luck in properly regulated assurance, as we shall find, or I'm much mistaken. I shouldn't be surprised if an action lay against the Board for gross negligence!" That had got the Chairman's goat!—Got his goat? What expressions they used nowadays!

1924 October, John Galsworthy, “The Mark Falls”, in The White Monkey, London: William Heinemann, published November 1924, →OCLC, part II, page 123:

But there's one litte thing that gets my goat, / That certainly strikes a sour note. / It's that Southern Ship who has my place— / With her larger decks and her faster pace.

1941 May, “Milestone”, in T. Orchard Lisle, editor, The Log, volume 36, number 8, San Francisco, Calif.: Miller Freeman Publishers, →OCLC, page 34:

It sure did get their goat; they turned without saying a word and walked off toward the highway, red-necked, us laughing behind them. I forget sometimes what laughter can do.

1962 February 1, Ken Kesey, One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Signet Books; 225), New York, N.Y.: New American Library, →OCLC; republished New York, N.Y.: Signet, New American Library, February 1963, →OCLC, page 95:

Sometimes people are quite simply intent on riling us; on getting our goat. [...] If you don't want them to get your goat, don't let them know where it is.

2002, Barry Winbolt, “Looking for New Ideas”, in Difficult People: A Guide to Handling Difficult Behaviour, Seaford, East Sussex: ISR Publishing, Institute for Social Relations, published 2005, →ISBN, section 2, pages 191–192:

As Sandra Strain had seen it, as quickly as Natty had gotten her goat, she had slaughtered it by being apologetic. This was not what the girl had anticipated, nor wanted to hear.

2005, Sandy Santistevan, chapter 7, in Song of the Cicada: A Novel, Lincoln, Neb.: iUniverse, →ISBN, page 79:

(informal, idiomatic) To annoy or infuriate someone.

courir sur le haricot

to annoy or infuriate someone — see also annoy, infuriate


box the compass

en-verb

box the compass (third-person singular simple present boxes the compass, present participle boxing the compass, simple past and past participle boxed the compass)

boxes the compass (present singular third-person)
boxing the compass (participle present)
boxed the compass (participle past)
boxed the compass (past)

While in the school-ships the boys would be instructed in the elements of an ordinary education, in addition to being taught to row, heave the lead, box the compass, go aloft, reef, steer, and work the guns.

I say it is south, for the country is more deserted there." "And I say east," said my patient. "I am for west," remarked the plain-clothes man. […] "And I am for north," said I […] "Come," cried the Inspector, laughing, "it's a very pretty diversity of opinion. We have boxed the compass among us."

1892, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb:

(nautical) To know, and demonstrate by reciting, the 32 points and quarter points of the magnetic compass from North or East, both clockwise and anticlockwise.


tip one's hand

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

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

(card games) In card playing, to accidentally reveal one's cards or hand.

In Montreal, a 23-year-old pyromaniac tipped his hand by rushing into the fire station a few minutes before the gong rang, shouting: "Where's the fire?"

1952 March 10, “Cause for Alarm”, in Time, archived from the original on 2010-11-25:

In a nearly 13-minute address, he did not tip his hand about what he might do next.

2004 March 4, Randal C. Archibold, “As Edwards's Race Ends, Talk of No. 2 Spot on Ticket”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

The questioning during the two-hour argument was mostly technical, and several conservative justices did not tip their hands.

2022 February 28, Adam Liptak, “Supreme Court Considers Limiting E.P.A.’s Ability to Address Climate Change”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

(figurative) To inadvertently reveal any secret, particularly a secret that puts one at an advantage or disadvantage.


give up the ghost

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

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

Literally, to release one's spirit or soul from the body at death. From Middle English "gaf up þe gost", "ʒave up þe gost", from Old English phrases as "hēo āġeaf hire gāst" (literally, "she gave up her ghost [spirit]"), "þæt iċ gāst mīnne āġifan mōte" (literally, "that I must give up my ghost [spirit]"). Compare German den Geist aufgeben and Dutch de geest geven.
Perhaps most notable and survived in modern English for being used in traditional translation during the death of Jesus during His crucifixion:
The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], 1611, →OCLC, Matthew 27:50: “¶ Iesus, when hee had cried againe with a loud voice, yeelded vp the ghost.”

And Ieſus cryed with a loude voice, and gaue vp the ghoſt.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Mark 15:37:

(intransitive, idiomatic) To cease clinging to life; to die.


act one's age

act one's age (third-person singular simple present acts one's age, present participle acting one's age, simple past and past participle acted one's age)

acts one's age (present singular third-person)
acting one's age (participle present)
acted one's age (participle past)
acted one's age (past)

Act your age and stop fiddling with that pen – you’re showing us up.

(imperative, originally US) To behave in a mature manner; to avoid being childish.

vestí sebjá sootvétstvenno svojemú vózrastu

вести́ себя́ соотве́тственно своему́ во́зрасту


tickle the ivories

tickle the ivories (third-person singular simple present tickles the ivories, present participle tickling the ivories, simple past and past participle tickled the ivories)

tickles the ivories (present singular third-person)
tickling the ivories (participle present)
tickled the ivories (participle past)
tickled the ivories (past)

"I don't think your musical friend is much on the grub-box. Has to keep her hands white to tickle the ivories."

Mencken, more a music lover than a musician, sometimes tickled the ivories in a repertory of Beethoven, Bach, Strauss and W. C. Handy.

1984 June 9, Ben A. Franklin, “Mencken Monument Spurs ‘Frenzied Piffle’”, in New York Times, retrieved 2016-11-14:


shoot the breeze

shoot the breeze (third-person singular simple present shoots the breeze, present participle shooting the breeze, simple past and past participle shot the breeze)

shoots the breeze (present singular third-person)
shooting the breeze (participle present)
shot the breeze (participle past)
shot the breeze (past)

A slang phrase, alluding to talking into the wind, it was first recorded in 1919. In the variant, first recorded in 1908, bull is used instead of breeze, and means "empty talk" or "lies."

We were just standing around shooting the breeze.

Oh, I've just been upstairs with your boss, shooting the breeze… shooting his fish.

1989, Lethal Weapon 2 (motion picture), spoken by Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson):

Listen, I came here to do some business, not shoot the breeze. If you want to expound your personal philosophies, write another book.

1999, The Ninth Gate (motion picture), spoken by Dean Corso (Johnny Depp):

(idiomatic, US) To chat idly or generally waste time talking.


hot on someone's heels

She left the restaurant with him hot on her heels.

Newcastle beat Bolton to increase the pressure on the Londoners, while Chelsea are also hot on the heels of faltering Tottenham, who have one win from their last eight games.

2012 April 9, Mandeep Sanghera, “Tottenham 1 - 2 Norwich”, in BBC Sport:

Hot on the heels of Network Rail remodelling King's Cross comes news of cuts to East Coast Main Line services.

2021 June 30, Philip Haigh, “Regional trains squeezed as ECML congestion heads north”, in RAIL, number 934, page 52:

(idiomatic) Close behind; pursuing or following closely.


buy the farm

buy the farm (third-person singular simple present buys the farm, present participle buying the farm, simple past and past participle bought the farm)

buys the farm (present singular third-person)
buying the farm (participle present)
bought the farm (participle past)
bought the farm (past)

Not known with certainty. Two long-held hypotheses are as follows: One describes combat soldiers wistfully wishing to go back home, buy a farm, and live peacefully there; later, after they had been killed in combat, their fellow soldiers would say that they had bought the farm (compare the established metaphor pattern of having gone to that big [whatever sort of nice place] in the sky). Another links the phrase to the idea that governments compensate farmers whose land is damaged by a military aircraft crash; a deceased pilot was thus said to have bought the farm, and the term eventually entered wider use.

You're just as dead if you buy the farm in an "incident" as if you buy it in a declared war.

1959, Robert A. Heinlein, Starship Troopers, page 131:

Then tracers laced the sky in front of me. Forget the shooting! If I get distracted now, I'll buy the farm anyway!

BETTY. Shoot, if I knew you was gonna buy the farm I coulda asked for everything you got in the world... How were you gonna do it? ¶ROGER (takes revolver out of briefcase). With this.

1995, Steve Allen, “Having a Good Time”, in Ann McDonough, Kent R. Brown, editors, A Grand Entrance, published 2000, →ISBN, page 212:

They gambled with as much reckless abandon as they flew their airplanes. They knew they might buy the farm tomorrow.

2002, W. Barry Baird, Vietnam Journey, →ISBN, page 171:

(idiomatic, US, informal, euphemistic) To die; generally, to die in battle or in a plane crash.


watch paint dry

watch paint dry (third-person singular simple present watches paint dry, present participle watching paint dry, simple past and past participle watched paint dry)

watches paint dry (present singular third-person)
watching paint dry (participle present)
watched paint dry (participle past)
watched paint dry (past)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-watch paint dry.wav

I expected his new play to be as good as the last, but it was like watching paint dry.

I click on it. And wait. And wait. And wait. Why does it take so long? It's so slow. This is worse than watching paint dry. Not that I've actually ever watched paint dry. Or even painted.

2012, Sarah Mlynowski, Fishbowl, Harlequin, →ISBN:

“I am starving, that is true. But I'd never get bored. I could watch paint dry with you and I wouldn't get bored.” “You could watch paint dry with me? That sounds delightful,” I say.

2015, Kate McGovern, Rules for 50/50 Chances, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, →ISBN, page 224:

(humorous) To watch something that has virtually no movement, hence, something very boring.


throw in the towel

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

throws in the towel (present singular third-person)
throwing in the towel (participle present)
threw in the towel (past)
thrown in the towel (participle past)

From the traditional signal from a boxer's support staff of throwing such an item into a boxing ring to indicate that the contestant cannot continue the match and is forfeiting to the opponent.

If their restaurant can't get business even on Mother's Day, it might be time for them to throw in the towel.

In short, there was so much space and so many things to shove things behind that most people, called on to find a silver cow-creamer there, would have said “Oh, what's the use?” and thrown in the towel.

1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, chapter VIII:

One key imponderable is the attitude of the companies that will no longer have a role in the business. It is worth noting here that several have already thrown the towel in or been gently pushed out, such as Stagecoach and National Express.

2024 July 10, Christian Wolmar, “The future of the rail franchises is certainly uncertain”, in RAIL, number 1013, page 50:


make ends meet

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

makes ends meet (present singular third-person)
making ends meet (participle present)
made ends meet (participle past)
made ends meet (past)

Unknown. Perhaps originally referred to the ends of rope meeting, signifying continuity and therefore security and stability. Perhaps shifting later to refer to the attempt at making money last from one pay period to the next (i.e. the ends), thereby leaving no gap or break in the availability of funds. Compare French joindre les deux bouts (literally “join the two ends”) with the same meaning. The form make both ends meet is attested from the 17th century, and was the more common form until the early-to-mid 20th century.

noncog

... a schoolmaster, whose income being small, he was fain to keep a glass of good liquor for the entertainment of passengers, by which he made shift to make the two ends of the year meet.

1748, Tobias Smollett, “The Adventures of Roderick Random”, in The Miscellaneous works of Tobias Smollett, page 18:

Although most of the poor and displaced in Khartoum struggle to make ends meet, a very small number not only find work, but form small co-operatives.

1996, Chris Peters, Sudan: A Nation in the Balance, page 42:

'Cause it's a bitter sweet symphony that's life / Trying to make ends meet, you're a slave to money then you die

1997, Richard Ashcroft (lyrics and music), “Bitter Sweet Symphony”, performed by The Verve:

Very many Londoners reported to us that they were struggling to make ends meet; that it was a constant battle to keep their heads above water, or that they had only just got into the position of being able to breathe freely.

2007, Peter Geoffrey Hall, London Voices, London Lives, page 269:

Barclays, which until now has made ends meet with costly loans from the Middle East rather than take public money, may soon join the queue for the emergency medicine too.

2009 February 27, “Avarice and Audacity”, in The Guardian, UK:

Investigators discover that Captain Ospina was forced to take a second job, moonlighting in a bar, in order to make ends meet for his family.

2011 August 19, Carl Knutson, “The Plane That Flew Too High” (41:00 from the start), in Mayday: Air Disaster, season 11, episode 2, spoken by Jonathan Aris:

TSSA General Secretary Manuel Cortes was typically forthright in his criticism by claiming that Sunak had "blatantly failed" to cure "a growing tragedy", as "every single day, more and more families can't make ends meet".

2022 April 6, “Network News: Spring Statement: Sunak accused of making rail less competitive”, in RAIL, number 954, page 8:

(idiomatic) To have enough money to cover expenses; to get by financially; to get through the pay period (sufficient to meet the next payday).


get one's ass in gear

en-verb

get one's ass in gear (third-person singular simple present gets one's ass in gear, present participle getting one's ass in gear, simple past got one's ass in gear, past participle gotten one's ass in gear)

gets one's ass in gear (present singular third-person)
getting one's ass in gear (participle present)
got one's ass in gear (past)
gotten one's ass in gear (participle past)

He had been sitting there for two hours until the boss showed up and told him to get his ass in gear.

(US, idiomatic) To exert effective effort; to get going; to get moving; to start producing.


beat a dead horse

beat<,,beat,beaten:beat􂀿colloquial􂁀> a dead horse

beat a dead horse (third-person singular simple present beats a dead horse, present participle beating a dead horse, simple past beat a dead horse, past participle beaten a dead horse or (colloquial) beat a dead horse)

beats a dead horse (present singular third-person)
beating a dead horse (participle present)
beat a dead horse (past)
beaten a dead horse (participle past)
beat a dead horse (colloquial participle past)

After having shown us three hours of instructional and safety videos, the inspector was simply beating a dead horse by telling us to buckle up as we got into the van.

The library director believes the argument about “professionalism” is a “dead horse we should stop beating.”

1992, William A. Katz, Reference Services and Reference Processes, McGraw-Hill, →ISBN, page 220:

A friend, the political scientist Irving Bernstein, told me that political scientists and historians are inclined to regard the question of objectivity as a dead horse that one should stop beating, and maintained that it is not the scholar but the lay person who has problems with objectivity.

1999, Fredrick Carl Redlich, Hitler: Diagnosis of a Destructive Prophet, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page xii:

I won’t stop beating this dead horse until (male) TV executives stop this sexist practice.

2016, Anthony Livingston Hall, The iPINIONS Journal: Commentaries on the Global Events of 2015, volume XI, iUniverse, →ISBN:

(idiomatic) To persist or continue far beyond any purpose, interest or reason.


add insult to injury

add insult to injury (third-person singular simple present adds insult to injury, present participle adding insult to injury, simple past and past participle added insult to injury)

adds insult to injury (present singular third-person)
adding insult to injury (participle present)
added insult to injury (participle past)
added insult to injury (past)

Derived from the fables of Phaedrus in the first century C.E.. The story was of a bald man who swats at a fly which has just landed on his head, but instead hits himself on the head. The fly comments, "You wished to kill me for a touch. What will you do to yourself since you have added insult to injury?" (quid facies tibi,
Iniuriae qui addideris contumeliam?) The actual wording appears in English from the middle of the 18th century.

As if the hostile takeover weren't enough, to add insult to injury they scrapped ninety percent of our products and replaced them with their own.

[...] the line crossed over an iron bridge spanning Ludgate Hill itself [...] neatly obliterating any view of St Paul's from Ludgate Circus and Fleet Street. A thousand people had put their names to a petition against the bridge. To add insult to injury it carried a small thicket of railway signals as well as regular steam trains.

2012, Andrew Martin, Underground Overground: A passenger's history of the Tube, Profile Books, →ISBN, page 52:

(idiomatic) To further a loss with mockery or indignity; to worsen an already unfavourable situation.

زَادَ الطِّينَ بِلَّةً

to further a loss with mockery or indignity

óla tou gámou dýskola ki i nýfi gkastroméni

όλα του γάμου δύσκολα κι η νύφη γκαστρωμένη

bris mo chlaigeann air thùs, is an sin ciùrr mo chorrag


ask for it

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

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

Leaving your wallet visible on the car seat is just asking for it.

(idiomatic, informal) To provoke an unwanted action; to invite a problem or fail to prevent one.

If you'd like a fresh towel at any point during your stay, just ask for it.

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see ask for, it.


make do

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

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

Make the movie do! (Put on the movie!)

Brandon’s makin’ the grill do so we can get to eatin’.

(transitive, informal) To put into action.


chew the fat

chew the fat (third-person singular simple present chews the fat, present participle chewing the fat, simple past and past participle chewed the fat)

chews the fat (present singular third-person)
chewing the fat (participle present)
chewed the fat (participle past)
chewed the fat (past)

One of the possible origins is from the fact that after a meal people would go into their sitting room with their guests and chit chat while chewing on the fat left over from a meal.
Another possibility comes from sailors who often had salted beef and pork on long voyages and the fat would harden. Sailors would eat and complain about the hard life of the sea while "chewing the fat"
Probably just from comparison of the jaw movements in chewing to the jaw movements in talking.

We're not supposed to waste time chewing the fat with the customers.

(informal) To chat idly or generally waste time talking.


tie the knot

tie the knot (third-person singular simple present ties the knot, present participle tying the knot, simple past and past participle tied the knot)

ties the knot (present singular third-person)
tying the knot (participle present)
tied the knot (participle past)
tied the knot (past)

Rowena sacrificed her inclination to remain single, to her sense of duty; and contracted a second matrimonial engagement. . . . Cardinal Pandulfo tied the knot for them.

1869, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 3, in Burlesques:

After the 20-year-old mechanic tied the knot with his 18-year-old cousin, the newlyweds headed to Baghdad's Ishtar Hotel.

2002 November 25, Scott MacLeod, “Live from Baghdad”, in Time, archived from the original on 2008-04-24:

Couples tying the knot today will enjoy a marriage lasting an average of 40 years, according to an analysis of official statistics.

2019 December 15, Nicholas Hellen, “Newlyweds now stay married longer than the Victorians”, in The Sunday Times, number 10,188, page 5:

Congratulations to newlyweds Liam and Jennifer King, who surprised passengers at Manchester Oxford Road in late May when they boarded a Northern service to complete the journey from Manchester registry office (where they had just tied the knot) to their wedding celebrations in Stockport.

2022 July 13, “Stop & Examine”, in RAIL, number 961, page 71:

(idiomatic, intransitive) To marry, wed, get married.


rain on someone's parade

rain on someone's parade (third-person singular simple present rains on someone's parade, present participle raining on someone's parade, simple past and past participle rained on someone's parade)

rains on someone's parade (present singular third-person)
raining on someone's parade (participle present)
rained on someone's parade (participle past)
rained on someone's parade (past)

I hate to rain on your parade, but lots of people have tried that strategy and it hasn't worked yet.

If someone takes a spill / It's me and not you / Who told you you're allowed / To rain on my parade?

1964, Bob Merrill, Jule Styne (lyrics and music), “Don't Rain on My Parade”, in Funny Girl, performed by Barbra Streisand:

(figuratively) To disappoint or discourage someone by ruining or criticizing their plans or aspirations.


say cheese

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

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

Danny watched the birdie and said cheese, and then it was over and the wait began. Danny would wait for weeks in anticipation of the day the final product was passed out by his teacher Miss Turner.

2008, Tim Connelly, The Local News, page 41:

(idiomatic, chiefly imperative) To smile for a photograph by saying the word "cheese" (the vowel of which, when pronounced as is usual in English, forces a somewhat smile-shaped mouth).

茄子

elicit a smile from someone for a photograph


bite the dust

bite the dust (third-person singular simple present bites the dust, present participle biting the dust, simple past bit the dust, past participle bitten the dust)

bites the dust (present singular third-person)
biting the dust (participle present)
bit the dust (past)
bitten the dust (participle past)

London calling, now don't look to us / Phony Beatlemania has bitten the dust

1979, “London Calling”, The Clash (music):

My old backpack finally bit the dust the other day.

धूल चाटना (to get defeated, literally “licking dirt”)


cry uncle

cry uncle (third-person singular simple present cries uncle, present participle crying uncle, simple past and past participle cried uncle)

cries uncle (present singular third-person)
crying uncle (participle present)
cried uncle (participle past)
cried uncle (past)

The Powels would serve strong punch and play loud music, and their parties ended when the last guest cried uncle, often a day and half after they began.

1976, Geoffrey Wolff, Black Sun, New York Review of Books, published 2003, page 158:

(US, colloquial) To beg for mercy; to give up, admit defeat.


bend someone's ear

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

bends someone's ear (present singular third-person)
bending someone's ear (participle present)
bent someone's ear (participle past)
bent someone's ear (past)

Sorry to bend your ear with the whole story, but I think you ought to know.

(idiomatic) To bore; to talk too long, especially to one particular person.

I managed to bend his ear about the current crisis. I hope he will act now.

(idiomatic) To call someone's attention to an important matter.

(reflexive) To put a hand behind one's ear and cup it around so as to hear better.


burst someone's bubble

burst someone's bubble (third-person singular simple present bursts someone's bubble, present participle bursting someone's bubble, simple past and past participle burst someone's bubble)

bursts someone's bubble (present singular third-person)
bursting someone's bubble (participle present)
burst someone's bubble (participle past)
burst someone's bubble (past)

I hate to burst his bubble, but he is going to be disappointed if he tries that idea.

Second, the romance option brings up a unique issue: having sex with an alien. It’s somewhat difficult to say what the Christian should think on this issue because, well, the Bible doesn’t talk about aliens. Probably because they don’t exist (sorry to burst your bubble). Would this be considered bestiality? Or is it not bestiality since they are also beings capable of rational and ethical thought and self-reflection unlike usual animals?

2019 October 31, Garrick Beckett, “Beckett: How BioWare Approaches Religion & Sexuality”, in The Lutheran Column, archived from the original on 2020-09-17, Blog:

(idiomatic) To disillusion; to disabuse someone of a false notion or rationalization that has grown comfortable.

brát iluze

to disillusion; to disabuse someone of a false notion or rationalization that has grown comfortable


hop it

hop it (third-person singular simple present hops it, present participle hopping it, simple past and past participle hopped it)

hops it (present singular third-person)
hopping it (participle present)
hopped it (participle past)
hopped it (past)

It has been rather misty for several mornings, so I told my pal to get ready and we would hop it the next day.

1918 June 15, Private John A. Scott, “A Prisoner of War”, in The Saturday Evening Post, page 28:

"You stop that!" cried a voice in the passage. "It's that blasted Jewess!" said the woman. She went to the kitchen door. "What the 'ell are you doing in our 'ouse? 'Op it, quick, or it will be the worse for you!"

1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019:

‘[…] But when the others found out about it they got a bit restive, and I had to hop it. One of them pitched a spear at me. […]’

1952, Charlotte Jay, Beat Not the Bones, Wakefield Press, published 2000, →ISBN, page 13:

Alan popped round too at lunchtime but I politely told him to hop it and call back later. He was a bit miffed but three was definitely a crowd.

2003, Stephen Walton, Interference, Lulu, published 2007, →ISBN, page 160:

(British, dismissal) To leave; to go away.


pull out all the stops

pull out all the stops (third-person singular simple present pulls out all the stops, present participle pulling out all the stops, simple past and past participle pulled out all the stops)

pulls out all the stops (present singular third-person)
pulling out all the stops (participle present)
pulled out all the stops (participle past)
pulled out all the stops (past)

An allusion to organ stops, which are pulled out to turn on each set of sounds in a pipe organ. When all stops are pulled out, the organ will play all variations of its sounds at once, therefore being as loud as possible.

They pulled out all the stops for the gala wedding.

Despite missing the target to open for the Commonwealth Games, work on site hasn't slowed down. VolkerFitzpatrick and its contractors have pulled out all the stops to get the job done.

2024 January 24, Peter Plisner, “Rising to the University challenge”, in RAIL, number 1001, page 61:

(idiomatic) To reserve or hold back nothing.


flip the bird

flip the bird (third-person singular simple present flips the bird, present participle flipping the bird, simple past and past participle flipped the bird)

flips the bird (present singular third-person)
flipping the bird (participle present)
flipped the bird (participle past)
flipped the bird (past)

I accidentally bumped into him, and he flipped me the bird.

He held his right hand up in front of his face and flipped the bird.

2005, Vince Flynn, Consent to Kill, page 135:

The vaunted Attitude era was built, in many ways, on a level of crudity never before seen in wrestling. You had guys flipping the bird, women nearly naked in the ring and guys telling each other to “suck it.”

2007, R. D. Reynolds, The Wrestlecrap Book of Lists!, page 350:

2008, Vanessa Grigoriadis, Everybody Sucks, American Society of Magazine Editors (compilers), The Best American Magazine Writing 2008, page 9,
This summer, she took some time off in Maine, and before she went posted a picture of herself on Gawker in a bathing suit flipping the bird — "At least I didn't put up the ones of myself in a silver-lame bikini. That would have been a little much," she said, laughing.

(colloquial, idiomatic) To make a rude or obscene gesture (at somebody); particularly, to extend the middle finger.

豎中指 /竖中指

to make a rude or obscene gesture, particularly with the middle finger


see eye to eye

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

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

But the friend merely spoke of his friend; and since no two people in the world see eye to eye, the picture conveyed to Collinson was inaccurate.

1899 May, Rudyard Kipling, “The Flag of Their Country”, in Stalky & Co., London: Macmillan & Co., published 1899, →OCLC, page 206:

In the course of their professional career they did not often hear their superior make many suggestions with which they saw eye to eye, but he had certainly, in their opinion, spoken a mouthful now.

1920 March – 1921 February, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, “The Bomb”, in Indiscretions of Archie, New York, N.Y.: A. L. Burt Company, publishers […], published 1921, →OCLC, page 52:

Plainly, the Government and Dr. Beeching have not seen eye to eye, to say the least, on railway wages.

1962 March, “Talking of Trains: The not-so-free hand”, in Modern Railways, page 147:

Furthermore, Silverstein and Pataki never completely saw eye to eye on the master plan, disagreeing on such issues as the choice of architect.

2006 March 30, Ta-Nehisi Paul Coates, “What's Behind the Ground Zero Stalemate”, in Time:

And he enjoys conversations with regulators despite not always seeing eye to eye with them, according to another person close to him.

2024 July 13, Laura Onita, Eleanor Olcott, “Shein's master of reinvention treads tricky path to IPO”, in FT Weekend, page 11:

(idiomatic, chiefly in the negative) To agree, especially in every respect; to concur; to get along.

olla yhteisymmärryksessä

to agree, especially in every respect; to concur; to get along


split hairs

The Microsoft trial had been in danger of slipping out of the public eye. Its endless procession of less-than-riveting economics professors and forgetful executives, mixed with scads of legal and technical split hairs, just hasn't made for gripping headlines.

1999 February 4, Lev Grossman, “Microsoft Tangled Up in Videotape Evidence”, in Time:


split hairs

split hairs (third-person singular simple present splits hairs, present participle splitting hairs, simple past and past participle split hairs)

splits hairs (present singular third-person)
splitting hairs (participle present)
split hairs (participle past)
split hairs (past)

Let's get everything sorted into the right drawers and not split hairs about subdividing it further yet.

(idiomatic) To consider or argue about fine details; to worry about minutiae.

揣空揣縫 /揣空揣缝

chhē-khang-chhē-phāng / chhēr-khang-chhēr-phāng / chhōe-khang-chhōe-phāng

吹毛求疵 (chuīmáoqiúcī, literally “blow apart the hairs upon a fur to discover any defect”)

雞蛋裏挑骨頭 /鸡蛋里挑骨头

jīdàn li tiāo gǔtou, jīdàn lǐ tiāo gútou

मीन-मेख निकालना (mīn-mekh nikālnā, literally “distinguish between ‘Pisces’ and ‘Aries’”)

枝葉末節にとらわれる

しようまっせつにとらわれる

重箱の隅を楊枝でほじくる

じゅうばこのすみをようじでほじくる


bowl a googly

bowl a googly (third-person singular simple present bowls a googly, present participle bowling a googly, simple past and past participle bowled a googly)

bowls a googly (present singular third-person)
bowling a googly (participle present)
bowled a googly (participle past)
bowled a googly (past)

Fred bowled me a googly when he asked me to explain those statistics in the meeting.

(transitive, idiomatic, UK, figuratively) to surprise (someone); to introduce (to someone) something unexpected, underhand or requiring a quick reaction or correction.

lyödä ällikällä

to require a quick reaction from by doing something unexpected


make sense

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

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

→ Dutch: sense maken

→ Icelandic: meika sens

→ Swedish: mejka sense

The thing doesn’t make sense to me.

Somehow the combination didn’t make sense, but Cranston took it at face value, whatever that was worth.

I was in your arms
Thinking I belonged there
I figured it made sense
Building me a fence

1980, ABBA (lyrics and music), “The Winner Takes It All”:

Of course you're not coming over / Snap out of it / You're not making any sense

2002, Frou Frou (lyrics and music), “Psychobabble”, in Details:

(intransitive, idiomatic) To be sensible, coherent, reasonable.

Can you make sense of her handwriting?

(intransitive, idiomatic, with of) To decipher or understand.

Maybe we should take a break. I mean, our relationship just isn't making much sense anymore.

(informal) Used to express interest or desire in something; to be pleasing or beneficial; to work, be operative, or be advantageous to.

If you want to grow spinal erectors that don’t make sense, you have to do a lot of bent-over compound lifts.

(generally negated, bodybuilding slang) To be in the realm of the ordinary, to be not particularly developed.


take a back seat

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

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

The new chairman is happy to take a back seat when it comes to day-to-day operations.

(idiomatic) To adopt a position of noninvolvement.


hold one's breath

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

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

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see hold, one's, breath. To keep air in one's lungs, pausing noticeably before exhaling after previously inhaling.

ᎠᏔᏬᏍᏗᎭ

to keep air in one's lungs, pausing noticeably before exhaling after previously inhaling

He might pay back the money he borrowed without you reminding him, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Petraeus hoped they would succeed, and lent his support, but he was not holding his breath.

2008, Linda Robinson, Tell Me How This Ends: General David Petraeus and the Search for a Way Out of Iraq, page 271:

It would be nice to think there are grown-ups in the Government ready to sort out the mess for the sake of London and its people... but I'm not holding my breath.

2021 October 6, Christian Wolmar, “Both sides must work together to get London back on track”, in RAIL, number 941, page 35:

(idiomatic, usually in a negative) To wait expectantly for something to happen soon.

pidättää hengitystään

to wait expectantly for something to happen soon