walk the line

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

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

A Baldwin High School student will be able to wear slacks to her graduation ceremony, under an order from the Maui School District. . . . "I'm very glad she'll be able to walk the line with her graduating class," Rosaga said.

2002 May 7, Gary Kubota, “Maui girl wins right to forget the dress”, in Honolulu Star-Bulletin, archived from the original on 2006-04-09:

Montano's family, including her parents, sons and fiance, Thomas Gallegos, planned to be on hand to see her walk the line and be honored by the UNM-VC Advisory Board, faculty and staff and her fellow associate degree graduates.

13 May 2006, “Graduation 2006: Valedictorian seeks better life for her family”, in Valencia County News-Bulletin.com, archived from the original on 2007-08-16:

(idiomatic, US, education) To participate in the procession at a graduation ceremony; to graduate.


feed the dragon

en-verb

feed the dragon (third-person singular simple present feeds the dragon, present participle feeding the dragon, simple past and past participle fed the dragon)

feeds the dragon (present singular third-person)
feeding the dragon (participle present)
fed the dragon (participle past)
fed the dragon (past)

The dragon is a cultural symbol of China.

People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China

(idiomatic) To outsource (jobs) to the People's Republic of China.

(idiomatic) To buy or sell products labeled as "Made in China."


do business

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

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

I simply refuse to do business with such ruffians.

(intransitive) To be engaged in business, to be involved in commerce or trade.

(slang) Especially of a house pet: to urinate or defecate.


wear on one's sleeve

wear on one's sleeve (third-person singular simple present wears on one's sleeve, present participle wearing on one's sleeve, simple past wore on one's sleeve, past participle worn on one's sleeve)

wears on one's sleeve (present singular third-person)
wearing on one's sleeve (participle present)
wore on one's sleeve (past)
worn on one's sleeve (participle past)

This phrase may derive from a mediaeval custom at jousting matches. Knights are said to have worn the colours of the lady they were supporting, in cloths or ribbons tied to their arms.
The term does not date from that period though, and is first recorded in Shakespeare's Othello, 1604, in which the treacherous Iago's plan was to feign openness and vulnerability in order to appear faithful.

But religion is the one thing they encourage you to wear on your sleeve.

2008 June 25, Neela Banerjee, “Religion and Its Role Are in Dispute at the Service Academies”, in New York Times:

While he may wear his idealism and good-heartedness on his shirt sleeve, his passion is exuded more as an intellectualized than as a deeply felt quality. In modulating his voice, that is, Canin has chosen a character whose temperance might be admirable among the living but is less engaging when encountered in literature.

2008 June 28, Art Winslow, “Ethan Canin's "America, America"”, in Chicago Tribune, archived from the original on 2009-05-21:

(transitive) To express (an emotion, belief, or stance) overtly and make it an important part of one's public life.

襟懷坦蕩 /襟怀坦荡

express an emotion, belief, or stance overtly


chop logic

chop logic (third-person singular simple present chops logic, present participle chopping logic, simple past and past participle chopped logic)

chops logic (present singular third-person)
chopping logic (participle present)
chopped logic (participle past)
chopped logic (past)

Vngracious childe I warrant him, harke how hee chops logicke with his mother

1607 (first performance), [Francis Beaumont], The Knight of the Burning Pestle, London: […] [Nicholas Okes] for Walter Burre, […], published 1613, →OCLC, Act I, signature C3, recto:

(obsolete) To talk back, bandy words; to argue generally.


work the room

work the room (third-person singular simple present works the room, present participle working the room, simple past and past participle worked the room)

works the room (present singular third-person)
working the room (participle present)
worked the room (participle past)
worked the room (past)

In show business parlance, Miss Hudson knows how to "work the room." Her comic turns are as rooted in vaudeville as her high-style wit is straight out of the smart supper club circuit.

1989 February 26, Alvin Klein, “Theatre: ‘Jerry's Girls,’ Revue, in East Windsor”, in New York Times, retrieved 2008-07-03:

(idiomatic, of a performer or public speaker) To interact with one's audience, taking cues from its reactions and adapting one's performance or words to elicit the audience's attention and enthusiasm.

ottaa yleisönsä

to interact with attendees at social event


snap someone's head off

snap someone's head off (third-person singular simple present snaps someone's head off, present participle snapping someone's head off, simple past and past participle snapped someone's head off)

snaps someone's head off (present singular third-person)
snapping someone's head off (participle present)
snapped someone's head off (participle past)
snapped someone's head off (past)

"Pa's awfully cranky," Mrs. Cox said resignedly. "He's always been that way! You cook him corn beef hash—that's the night he wanted pork chops; never give someone corn beef hash when he wants pork chops sometimes he'll snap your head off if you speak."

1915, Kathleen Norris, chapter 5, in The Story of Julia Page:

He won't have a pleasant morning, I can tell you! I shall snap his head off every time he speaks to me.

1918, Kate Douglas Wiggin, chapter 8, in The Story Of Waitstill Baxter:

(idiomatic) To suddenly and sharply rebuke or insult a person, especially in response to a harmless remark.


work the crowd

work the crowd (third-person singular simple present works the crowd, present participle working the crowd, simple past and past participle worked the crowd)

works the crowd (present singular third-person)
working the crowd (participle present)
worked the crowd (participle past)
worked the crowd (past)

(idiomatic) To work the room, or to do the equivalent with an outdoor audience.


blow someone's mind

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

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

I'll pick up your hand and slowly blow your little mind / Cause I made my mind up you're going to be mine

1966, Donovan (lyrics and music), “Sunshine Superman”:

Still I keep loving you / More and more each time / Girl, what am I gonna do / Because you blow my mind

1974, Barry White (lyrics and music), “Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe”:

Powers are for the weak. I have no powers. I mean, unless you count the power to blow minds with my weapons-grade philosophical insights.

2007, Xavier: Renegade Angel, season 1, episode 1, spoken by Xavier (Vernon Chatman):

We brought him out of retirement. He is awesome. He's a slow-talking Texan, and he will blow people's minds.

2020 December 2, Andy Byford talks to Paul Clifton, “I enjoy really big challenges...”, in Rail, page 53:

(idiomatic) To astonish someone; to flabbergast someone.


write one's own ticket

write one's own ticket (third-person singular simple present writes one's own ticket, present participle writing one's own ticket, simple past wrote one's own ticket, past participle written one's own ticket)

writes one's own ticket (present singular third-person)
writing one's own ticket (participle present)
wrote one's own ticket (past)
written one's own ticket (participle past)

Mr. DeChadenedes said that any one wishing to back the Republican candidate could write his own ticket and name his own price.

1925 November 3, “Offers of 15 to 1 on Walker Go Begging”, in New York Times, page 2:

Parker figured that in the interim, the record companies would sell out their stock of Elvis' recordings, and that the King could write his own ticket when he returned, in both the recording and the film industries. Parker was right.

2002 August 12, Lee Siegel, “Long Live the King”, in Time:

(idiomatic) To be empowered to choose whichever job, financial arrangement, or course of action one desires.


circle the wagons

circle the wagons (third-person singular simple present circles the wagons, present participle circling the wagons, simple past and past participle circled the wagons)

circles the wagons (present singular third-person)
circling the wagons (participle present)
circled the wagons (participle past)
circled the wagons (past)

From the practice of drawing the wagons of a wagon-train into a circle to protect against attack, and also to keep cattle and other livestock within.

To draw a wagon train into a circle to allow the wagons to provide cover when under attack.


watch one's step

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

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

We congratulate our correspondents on some very cogent reasoning, and shall have to watch our step even more carefully in future!

1944 May and June, “In the Critics' Den”, in Railway Magazine, page 132:


hear the grass grow

hear the grass grow (third-person singular simple present hears the grass grow, present participle hearing the grass grow, simple past and past participle heard the grass grow)

hears the grass grow (present singular third-person)
hearing the grass grow (participle present)
heard the grass grow (participle past)
heard the grass grow (past)

1855, Thomas Bulfinch, Bulfinch's Mythology: The Age of Fable, ch. 31 "Northern Mythology",
Heimdall is the watchman of the gods. . . . So acute is his ear that no sound escapes him, for he can even hear the grass grow and the wool on a sheep's back.

(idiomatic) To have an extremely sensitive sense of hearing.

A suburban arena that was so sepulchral you could hear the grass grow.

2005 August 28, Tony Francis, “St Neots dreams dashed along the road to Cup final”, in telegraph.co.uk, retrieved 2008-08-01:

(idiomatic) To hear very well due to being in an exceptionally quiet environment.

He was quick to appreciate Blankenhorn's engaging personality and intelligent use of his skills. Chief among these was a remarkable ability to keep track of developments—to ‘hear the grass grow’.

1995, Hans-Peter Schwarz, Konrad Adenauer: a German politician and statesman, Berghahn Books, →ISBN, page 397:

(idiomatic) To be very aware or discerning; to pay attention to every small detail.


twist in the wind

twist in the wind (third-person singular simple present twists in the wind, present participle twisting in the wind, simple past and past participle twisted in the wind)

twists in the wind (present singular third-person)
twisting in the wind (participle present)
twisted in the wind (participle past)
twisted in the wind (past)

An allusion to being hanged by the neck and then left for dead in a suspended state.

McGuinty just says, "Don't worry, the investigation will be over soon enough, we'll do something in due course," and people are expected to twist in the wind in the meantime.

2008 August 21, Josh Wingrove, “Toronto facing $2-million cleanup bill”, in Globe and Mail, Canada:

(idiomatic) To wait for an uncomfortably long period of time.


ridden hard and put away wet

From the inadvisable practice of riding a horse, and then stabling it while it is still coated in sweat, rather than brushing and grooming it properly afterwards.

However, much more is needed, much more. Farmers throughout the Nation feel that they have been "ridden hard and put away wet."

1978, Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, United States Congress, Amend Credit Provisions for Farm and Rural Development Programs, page 62:

The Oriskany had been ridden hard and put away wet at the end of the Vietnam War, without an overhaul or proper preservation.

1988, John F. Lehman, Command of the Seas: A Personal Story, page 174:

Alexandra collapsed onto the leather couch in the library, feeling as if she were a horse who had just been ridden hard and put away wet.

1995, Linda Howard et al., Everlasting Love, page 293:

(idiomatic) Mistreated; not properly cared for.

That's what my mama would call rode hard and hung up wet.

(colloquial, potentially offensive, chiefly applied to women) Presumed to have had a significant number of lovers and showing the signs of overuse.

potentially offensive; chiefly applied to women; potentially offensive; chiefly applied to women


be cruel to be kind

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

is cruel to be kind (present singular third-person)
being cruel to be kind (participle present)
was cruel to be kind (past)
been cruel to be kind (participle past)

From William Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 4: "I must be cruel, only to be kind: / Thus bad begins and worse remains behind."

I muſt be cruell only to be kinde, / This bad beginnes, and worſe remaines behind.

c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (Second Quarto), London: […] I[ames] R[oberts] for N[icholas] L[ing] […], published 1604, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv], signature [I4], verso:

It may perhaps be said of her, “She must be cruel to be kind.” In the discovery of anæsthesia and of various anæsthetics she may have inflicted some inconvenience, even actual pain, on a limited number of the inferior creation; but here is her return, even to inferior animals.

1884, James G. Wakley, editor, The Lancet, volume 127, page 72:

It is life, more life, and fitter life, that is her desire: the “murdering and being murdered,” the “blood and tears” are no part of her aim. But they are inevitable, though lamentable, if her aim is to be realized. She must be cruel to be kind.–a little cruel to be very kind.

1909, Caleb Saleeby, Parenthood and Race Culture: An Outline of Eugenics, page 44:

Many farm practices may seem to the outsider to be cruel, but you have to be cruel to be kind. Many times in farming practice we are cruel but we cannot avoid being cruel. In that cruelty there is a certain kindness, and that is what we are looking for all the time.

1960 Sep., Thomas Templeton Murray, “Animals Protection Bill”, in parliamentary debates (House of Representatives), volume 324, page 2193:

Altho' I'm against cruelty to Animal life I must admit that sometimes, you have got to be cruel to be kind. I mean many animals have to be killed and destroyed for human benefit.

To act cruelly in order to achieve a positive outcome in the future.


pack heat

pack heat (third-person singular simple present packs heat, present participle packing heat, simple past and past participle packed heat)

packs heat (present singular third-person)
packing heat (participle present)
packed heat (participle past)
packed heat (past)

If the current trend toward relaxation of concealed-weapons laws continues, soon the most important gun restrictions may involve destinations: the states will probably allow various venues—public gathering places, offices, stores—to ban firearms on the premises. The only problem will be how to know who is packing heat.

1995 March 27, David Van Biema, “Peekaboo: The New Detector”, in Time:

(idiomatic) To carry one or more handguns on one's person, especially in a concealed manner.


shake one's head

shake one's head (third-person singular simple present shakes one's head, present participle shaking one's head, simple past shook one's head, past participle shaken one's head)

shakes one's head (present singular third-person)
shaking one's head (participle present)
shook one's head (past)
shaken one's head (participle past)

"An Indian lost in the woods!" said the scout, shaking his head doubtingly.

1826, James Fenimore Cooper, chapter 4, in The Last of the Mohicans:

Mr. Brandon shook his head in despair at the unbusinesslike methods of his patron.

1918, Edgar Wallace, chapter 7, in The Man Who Knew:

The Irishman, outstanding in the 2-0 victory over Wolves last week, limped off soon afterwards shaking his head and exchanging words with a section of Villa fans.

2011 October 22, Sam Sheringham, “Aston Villa 1 - 2 West Brom”, in BBC Sport:

To move one's head from side to side, in a repeated swiveling motion from the neck, to indicate disagreement, negation, disbelief, disapproval or dismay.

هَزَّ رَأْسَهُ (hazza raʔsahu) (also means "to nod")


bind on pickup

(online gaming) Describing an item that becomes bound to the player that loots it. The player cannot transfer it to another player; they may only sell it to an in-game vendor or discard it, destroying the item. Used mainly on quest MacGuffins and rare drops. Compare to bind on equip.


bind on pickup

bind on pickup (third-person singular simple present binds on pickup, present participle binding on pickup, simple past and past participle bound on pickup)

binds on pickup (present singular third-person)
binding on pickup (participle present)
bound on pickup (participle past)
bound on pickup (past)

(online gaming, of a piece of equipment) To become permanently associated with a player character upon being picked up.


bind on equip

(online gaming) Describing a piece of equipment (armor, weapons, accessories) that becomes bound to a player character when equipped by them. The player may sell/trade/give it to another character so long as they have not used it. After use, the player may only sell it to an in-game vendor or discard it, destroying the item. Used mainly on quest rewards and moderate to rare drops. Compare to bind on pickup.


bind on equip

bind on equip (third-person singular simple present binds on equip, present participle binding on equip, simple past and past participle bound on equip)

binds on equip (present singular third-person)
binding on equip (participle present)
bound on equip (participle past)
bound on equip (past)

(online gaming, of a piece of equipment) To become permanently associated with a player character upon being equipped.


blow one's nose

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

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

To expel mucus or other matter from one's nasal passages, via one's nostril, by force of lung power.


break the buck

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

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

Break (as in break the bank) + the + buck (“dollar (colloquial)”).

In 1994, during the Orange County bankruptcy, a few funds were poised to break the buck, until their parent companies stepped in.

2000, Charles A. Jaffe, Chuck Jaffe’s Lifetime Guide to Mutual Funds: An Owner’s Manual, Perseus Books Group, →ISBN, page 110, →ISBN:

"We were likely going to see more funds halt redemptions" and break the buck. The insurance program is part of a wider rescue package […]

2008 September 19, “Money-Market Funds Get $50 Billion Backstop From US (Update1)”, in Bloomberg:

(US, idiomatic, finance, of a money-market fund) To fall below the value of one dollar per share.


go to the mattresses

go to the mattresses (third-person singular simple present goes to the mattresses, present participle going to the mattresses, simple past went to the mattresses, past participle gone to the mattresses)

goes to the mattresses (present singular third-person)
going to the mattresses (participle present)
went to the mattresses (past)
gone to the mattresses (participle past)

From Mario Puzo's gangster novel The Godfather (1969). Those involved in such a conflict might be expected to stay in hideouts where they would sleep on mattresses rather than in beds.

I want Sollozzo. If not, it's all-out war. We'll go to the mattresses.

1969, Mario Puzo, The Godfather, Putnam, page 132:

They will have to go to the mattresses; that is they will have to risk a long ugly strike.

1988 December 18, Glen Waggoner, “Sports: Collusion Is Over, but Excess Is Back”, in New York Times, retrieved 2008-09-21:

Now, when you're fighting Republicans . . . Democrats are all rallied around and ready to go ahead and go to the mattresses.

2008, "Transcript: CNN LARRY KING LIVE—Interview with Senator Hillary Clinton," CNN analyst Jamal Simmons speaking, 21 Apr.

(idiomatic) To go to war; to use ruthless tactics; to act without restraint.


thank one's lucky stars

thank one's lucky stars (third-person singular simple present thanks one's lucky stars, present participle thanking one's lucky stars, simple past and past participle thanked one's lucky stars)

thanks one's lucky stars (present singular third-person)
thanking one's lucky stars (participle present)
thanked one's lucky stars (participle past)
thanked one's lucky stars (past)

From the belief that it is the alignment of the stars which brings about good fortune.

He thanked his lucky stars he had brought the extra heavy duty conduits in that morning.

2016, A.K. Brown, Jumpstart (Champagne Universe Series: Book 1), page 31:

(idiomatic) To be grateful, feel oneself fortunate, consider oneself lucky (especially in avoiding some calamity).


cross the aisle

cross the aisle (third-person singular simple present crosses the aisle, present participle crossing the aisle, simple past and past participle crossed the aisle)

crosses the aisle (present singular third-person)
crossing the aisle (participle present)
crossed the aisle (participle past)
crossed the aisle (past)

It's voters who seem to want Republicans and Democrats in the next Congress to cross the aisle and try something different in Iraq.

2006 October 24, “Commentary: How this US election may help Iraq”, in Christian Science Monitor, retrieved 2008-09-27:

2008: Fareed Zakaria, The Post-American World, Chapter VI
The British prime minister doesn't need any support from the opposition party; he has a ruling majority by definition. The American system, by contrast, is one of shared power, overlapping functions, and checks and balances. Progress requires broad coalitions between the two parties and politicians who will cross the aisle.

(chiefly US, idiomatic, politics) To vote, unite, or otherwise co-operate with members of another political party in order to achieve governmental or political action.

bipartisanship

to vote, unite, or co-operate with members of another political party

Liberal members pounded their desks in delight as Social Crediter Horace (Bud) Olson (Medicine Hat) picked up his books and papers and crossed the aisle to take the last seat in the third row on the Government side. This symbolic gesture completed his defection.

1967 September 26, Geoffrey Stevens, “Kind thoughts, gentle words, then House reverts to form”, in Globe and Mail, Canada, page 1:

A Conservative member of Parliament crossed the aisle this weekend to join the resurgent Labor Party of Tony Blair.

1995 October 9, John Darnton, “Tories, With a Bagful of Woes, Are Hurt by a Defection”, in New York Times, retrieved 2008-09-27:

When asked by Duffy about rumours that he was being heavily courted by the Tories to cross the aisle and join them, Kilgour replied that they've opened "No doors."

2005 April 14, “Kilgour can't 'live with himself,' quits Grits”, in CTV.ca, retrieved 2009-04-01:

After Stronach's 2005 defection to Paul Martin's Liberals . . . . [a]t least one Tory MP openly called her a "whore" for crossing the aisle.

2007 April 16, David Olive, “Belinda accomplished much in relatively short time”, in Toronto Star, Canada, retrieved 2009-04-01:

(chiefly British and Canada, idiomatic, politics) Of a member of a parliament, to resign from one's political party and join another party, resulting in moving from one's currently assigned desk or seat in the legislative chamber to a new desk or seat physically located with the other members of one's new party.


do one's utmost

do one's utmost (third-person singular simple present does one's utmost, present participle doing one's utmost, simple past did one's utmost, past participle done one's utmost)

does one's utmost (present singular third-person)
doing one's utmost (participle present)
did one's utmost (past)
done one's utmost (participle past)

Please try to do your utmost to be there on Saturday. It's really important that you are there.

(idiomatic) To make the greatest possible effort.


cop a plea

cop a plea (third-person singular simple present cops a plea, present participle copping a plea, simple past and past participle copped a plea)

cops a plea (present singular third-person)
copping a plea (participle present)
copped a plea (participle past)
copped a plea (past)

But blow wise to this, buddy, blow wise to this: Never play cards with a man called Doc. Never eat at a place called Mom's. Never sleep with a woman whose troubles are worse than your own. Never let nobody talk you into shaking another man's jolt. And never you cop another man's plea. I've tried 'em all and I know. They don't work.

1958, Nelson Algren, A Walk on the Wild Side, page 312:

(slang, law) To plead guilty to a lesser criminal charge than one had been charged with.


put the pedal to the metal

put the pedal to the metal (third-person singular simple present puts the pedal to the metal, present participle putting the pedal to the metal, simple past and past participle put the pedal to the metal)

puts the pedal to the metal (present singular third-person)
putting the pedal to the metal (participle present)
put the pedal to the metal (participle past)
put the pedal to the metal (past)

First use appears c. 1976. Originated in car racing.

Coordinate term: give it the gun

I released the brakes, smashed the clutch and switched the transmission case into low gear, then put the pedal to the metal again throwing the car into what is known as a “moonshine spin”.

2013, Loyd E. Hill, Marvin R. Query, Reap the Wild Seeds, Xlibris Corporation, →ISBN, page 74:

(idiomatic) To press the gas pedal to the maximum extent.


trip the light fantastic toe

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

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

Com, and trip it as ye go / On the light fantaſtick toe,

a. 1645, John Milton, “L’Allegro”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC, page 31:

The venerable Sachems now returned to the ballroom, where they tripped the light fantastic toe until the hour far.

1856 January 9, “The Softs: Grand Demonstration at the Old Wigwam, Sentiments, Speeches and Dancing”, in New-York Daily Times, page 1:

trip the light fantastic
trip the light fantastic#English

Obsolete form of trip the light fantastic.


throw a fit

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

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

I'd love to stay later, but my mother will throw a fit if I'm not home by 10.

He will throw a fit if his car breaks down.

Something about the wrinkle in your forehead tells me there's a fit about to get thrown.

(idiomatic) To become angry, enraged, or upset; to act or react with an outburst, as by shouting, swearing, etc.


put hair on someone's chest

put hair on someone's chest (third-person singular simple present puts hair on someone's chest, present participle putting hair on someone's chest, simple past and past participle put hair on someone's chest)

puts hair on someone's chest (present singular third-person)
putting hair on someone's chest (participle present)
put hair on someone's chest (participle past)
put hair on someone's chest (past)

When Lonnie Bushey was 6 he started drinking with his father who told him it would put hair on his chest and make him a man.

1998 February 17, Tom Becker, “School Speaker Talks About Life as Addict”, in Los Angeles Times, retrieved 2010-10-10, page B2:

(idiomatic) To make a person (especially a male) stronger or more masculine or mature.


turn a hair

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

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

If in some hideous dissecting-room or fetid laboratory you found this man lying on a leaden table with red gutters scooped out in it, you would simply look upon him as an admirable subject. You would not turn a hair.

1891, Oscar Wilde, “chapter 12”, in The Picture of Dorian Gray, London, New York, N.Y., Melbourne, Vic.: Ward Lock & Co., →OCLC:

[…] those seasoned topers who drank their companions under the table without themselves turning a hair […]

1917, Henry Handel Richardson, Australia Felix, New York: W.W. Norton & Co., Part IV, Chapter 9, p. 435:

[…] they all went into a shop that Jennifer alone would never have dreamed of entering, and looked at watches; finally Jane bought a gold self-winding wrist-watch for her husband for ninety-two guineas, and never turned a hair.

1952, Neville Shute, The Far Country, London: Heinemann, Chapter:

(idiomatic, in the negative) To show fear, alarm or distress; to be affected (by an experience or situation).


make old bones

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

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

It is a nice fruity wine, but it doesn't make old bones.

(informal, chiefly in the negative) To last a long time; to last or store well.


make an offer

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

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

To bid or propose; to initiate a proposal.


throw off balance

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

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

(idiomatic) To unsettle, to catch by surprise.


balance the books

balance the books (third-person singular simple present balances the books, present participle balancing the books, simple past and past participle balanced the books)

balances the books (present singular third-person)
balancing the books (participle present)
balanced the books (participle past)
balanced the books (past)

I hardly think that cancelling Yorkshire's HS2 line counts as levelling up, but must admit that the South has its troubles too - particularly in London, where Transport for London is facing the prospect of cutting services to balance its books, as the pandemic continues to deter passengers and government appears unwilling to help.

2021 December 1, Philip Haigh, “TfL's deepening financial crisis puts Tube services at risk”, in RAIL, number 945, page 58:

(idiomatic, accounting) To add up all the debits and credits.


tip the scales

tip the scales (third-person singular simple present tips the scales, present participle tipping the scales, simple past and past participle tipped the scales)

tips the scales (present singular third-person)
tipping the scales (participle present)
tipped the scales (participle past)
tipped the scales (past)

"But an uprising in the central provinces would tip the scales for us!" exclaimed Conan.

1935-1936, Robert E. Howard, The Hour of the Dragon:

That lends further credence to the argument that continuing to use diesel in low and limited circumstances makes sense. Unless, of course, we use so little across the country that it becomes rare and expensive. That might tip the scales against it, but I can't see that happening any time soon.

2022 November 16, Philip Haigh, “German study puts hydrogen at the back of the queue”, in RAIL, number 970, page 51:

(idiomatic) To turn to one side of a balanced situation.

kääntää tilanne

to turn a balanced situation to one side


make a difference

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

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

I was hoping that, by volunteering at this refuge, I could make a difference, however small.

(idiomatic, intransitive) To carry out an action, the result of which is a significant change, or an altered circumstance.

做出一點改變 /做出一点改变

carry out an action the result of which is significant

I don't think it makes a difference whether you come tonight or not.

Increasingly, it does not make a difference—economically, at least—whether the husband or wife is the primary wage earner, or whether either or both of them work.

2013, Debora L. Spar, Wonder Women, page 114:

(idiomatic, intransitive) To be of importance; to matter.


look what the cat's dragged in

look what the cat's dragged in ! (canonical)

En-au-look what the cat's dragged in.ogg

From the habit of domestic cats of bringing home the remains of killed animals.

Still facing the mirror, he drawled, ‘Look what the cat's dragged in. Where have you been?’ Gabriel rubbed his chin.

2009, Monica Ali, In The Kitchen, Random House, →ISBN, page 526:

“Well, look what the cat drug in, Sam,” says a familiar voice, which comes, of course, from everywhere and nowhere.

2012, Cory Doctorow, Charles Stross, The Rapture of the Nerds, Tor Books, →ISBN, page 283:

‘Well, well, look what the cat's dragged in,’ Gracey said as he moved the thick stump of his neck from side to side and rubbed the back of it with the great towel of his hand. ‘Nice to see you grace us with your presence, Swift. […]’

2012, David Park, The Big Snow, A&C Black, →ISBN:

(idiomatic) Used as an ironic acknowledgement of someone's arrival, especially to imply that they are unwelcome or disagreeable in some way.


hang on every word

hang on every word (third-person singular simple present hangs on every word, present participle hanging on every word, simple past and past participle hung on every word)

hangs on every word (present singular third-person)
hanging on every word (participle present)
hung on every word (participle past)
hung on every word (past)

(idiomatic) To be completely attentive to what another person is saying.


throw one's hat in the ring

throw<,,threw,thrown> one's hat in the ring

throw one's hat in the ring (third-person singular simple present throws one's hat in the ring, present participle throwing one's hat in the ring, simple past threw one's hat in the ring, past participle thrown one's hat in the ring)

throws one's hat in the ring (present singular third-person)
throwing one's hat in the ring (participle present)
threw one's hat in the ring (past)
thrown one's hat in the ring (participle past)

From the former practice of throwing one's hat into the boxing ring in order to challenge a boxer.

At that time her chances had been excellent. But then two other people had thrown their hats in the ring, Joan Voller and Sidney Hamilton, and both of them were colleagues on State Executive.

2009, Patricia Shaw, Quadrant, November 2009, No. 461 (Volume LIII, Number 11), Quadrant Magazine Limited, page 107

(idiomatic) To announce one's candidacy in a contest.


be oneself

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

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

What's wrong? You're not yourself today.

At that moment it seemed to me that everything was possible for Monica and me; and going up to her I said, "I've never seen you like this!" With her eyes still closed she said, "I'm not myself today!" She began to laugh. Then I began to laugh, because of what we had both said, and because of her laughter and the sun and the sky and the lake.

2011 November 6, Steven Millhauser, “Miracle Polish”, in The New Yorker, New York, N.Y.: Condé Nast Publications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2023-06-02:

One bright June afternoon, he pulled us aside and told us he wasn't himself. He was doing what he loved most — playing basketball, swimming in the lake — but he couldn't enjoy anything.

2023 February 9, David Brooks, “How Do You Serve a Friend in Despair?”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2023-07-27:

I also think it is because I portray myself, I am more confident and outgoing - I am finally myself again.

2023 April 4, Ellen Coughlan, quoting Whitney Pepper, “I tipped the scales at 299Ibs and lost over half my body weight - but now I'm addicted to SHOPPING and spend over $1000 a month on clothes”, in Daily Mail, London: DMG Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2023-04-27:

(idiomatic) To be as one usually is, as opposed to being sick, depressed, etc.


take flight

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

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

Though the bird is still young, in a day or two it will spread its wing and take flight for the first time.

(idiomatic) To begin flying; to become airborne or aloft; to take off and fly


scratch that

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

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

See scratch (“cross out, strike through”).

I'll have eggs and sausage. No, scratch that. I'll have eggs and bacon.

(slang, idiomatic, usually used imperatively) To disregard, omit, or ignore the previous statement.


sell one's soul

sell one's soul (third-person singular simple present sells one's soul, present participle selling one's soul, simple past and past participle sold one's soul)

sells one's soul (present singular third-person)
selling one's soul (participle present)
sold one's soul (participle past)
sold one's soul (past)

From the medieval legend of Faust, who made a contract with the devil, exchanging his soul for worldly gains.

He murmured in her ear. “You are Marguerite, for you could fire a man's heart so that he would sell his soul to gain you.”

1877, Charles Reade, chapter 3, in A Woman-Hater:

So I resolved to acquire a dog, and bought one from a prospector, who was stony-broke and would have sold his soul for a drink.

1910, John Buchan, chapter 3, in Prester John, London, Edinburgh: Thomas Nelson and Sons, →OCLC:

After all, the South is where jazz and blues were invented. Where Robert Johnson supposedly sold his soul to the devil so he could play the licks that would become rock 'n' roll.

2005 June 29, Desa Philadelphia, “Crunk: Hip-Hop's Got a New Accent”, in Time, archived from the original on 2012-09-05:

“David used to say he would sell his soul to be famous,” she says. “But he was also otherworldly – and you couldn’t take your eyes off him.”

2024 April 2, Sarfraz Manzoor, quoting Suzi Ronson, “‘Bowie said he’d sell his soul to be famous’: Suzi Ronson on sex, ruthless ambition – and dyeing David’s hair red”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

(idiomatic) To abandon one's spiritual values or moral principles for wealth or other benefits.

myydä sielunsa

to abandon one's values or principles for other benefits

sell one's birthright for a mess of pottage


piss it down

piss it down (third-person singular simple present pisses it down, present participle pissing it down, simple past and past participle pissed it down)

pisses it down (present singular third-person)
pissing it down (participle present)
pissed it down (participle past)
pissed it down (past)

I'm not going to the shops now. It's pissing it down.

(slang, vulgar) To rain heavily; piss down.


have a look

have a look (third-person singular simple present has a look, present participle having a look, simple past and past participle had a look)

has a look (present singular third-person)
having a look (participle present)
had a look (participle past)
had a look (past)


go nuts

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

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

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

"Can we play in the garden?" "Sure, go nuts."

(informal, imperative) Go ahead; feel free.


get dressed

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

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

To dress; to put on clothes; to clothe oneself.


tickle pink

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

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

It tickles me pink that they chose me for the award.

(transitive, idiomatic) To thoroughly delight or amuse; to elate.


laugh one's head off

laugh one's head off (third-person singular simple present laughs one's head off, present participle laughing one's head off, simple past and past participle laughed one's head off)

laughs one's head off (present singular third-person)
laughing one's head off (participle present)
laughed one's head off (participle past)
laughed one's head off (past)

(idiomatic, informal) To laugh uproariously.

笑得要死 (xiào de yào sǐ, literally “die laughing”)

笑掉大牙 (xiào diào dà yá, literally “laugh til the front teeth fall out”)

大笑不止 (dà xiào bù zhǐ, literally “laugh endlessly”)

狂笑不已 (kuángxiào bùyǐ, literally “guffaw endlessly”)

majd megpukkad/megszakad nevettében / a nevetéstől


make a name for oneself

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

makes a name for oneself (present singular third-person)
making a name for oneself (participle present)
made a name for oneself (participle past)
made a name for oneself (past)

(idiomatic) to gain fame, to become well-known.


cop it

cop it (third-person singular simple present cops it, present participle copping it, simple past and past participle copped it)

cops it (present singular third-person)
copping it (participle present)
copped it (participle past)
copped it (past)

"Oh, you'll cop it," said the recruit. "The sergeant has been here twice looking for you."

1915, Lyman Abbott, Ernest Hamlin Abbott, Hamilton Wright Mabie, Francis Rufus Bellamy, The Outlook:

He shook his black, dishevelled hair ominously and said: "You'll cop it for this!"

1966, Maxim Gorky, Ronald Wilks, My Childhood:

I suppose he must have been all right, because you don't half cop it for killing a soldier.

1970, Alfred Edgar Coppard, Ninepenny Flute:

(British, slang) To get into trouble; to be punished.


break one's fast

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

breaks one's fast (present singular third-person)
breaking one's fast (participle present)
broke one's fast (past)
broken one's fast (participle past)

His servant placed before him a slice of toasted bread, with a glass of fair water, being the fare on which he usually broke his fast.

1816, Sir Walter Scott, chapter 15, in The Antiquary—Volume II:

Thinking that it might be Lord Carbury, and that, if so, he would probably not wait until half past nine to break his fast, she ran gaily off.

1905, George Bernard Shaw, chapter 3, in The Irrational Knot:

(dated) To eat breakfast; to eat the first meal of the day after a night of not eating or to conclude any period of fasting by consuming food.


bomb it

bomb it (third-person singular simple present bombs it, present participle bombing it, simple past and past participle bombed it)

bombs it (present singular third-person)
bombing it (participle present)
bombed it (participle past)
bombed it (past)

Near-synonym: hoon it (UK)

...slicing through the heavy traffic and then bombing it down Vermont...

I nodded at Shelley, took a breath and then started bombing it down the hill. The thing about these All Stars is they have no cushioning...

I sprinted across to the fire exit and bombed it down the stairs like a wet cat...

2005, Jenny Colgan, The Boy I Loved Before:

(slang) To travel very rapidly, especially in a vehicle.


drink the Kool-Aid

drink the Kool-Aid (third-person singular simple present drinks the Kool-Aid, present participle drinking the Kool-Aid, simple past drank the Kool-Aid, past participle drunk the Kool-Aid)

drinks the Kool-Aid (present singular third-person)
drinking the Kool-Aid (participle present)
drank the Kool-Aid (past)
drunk the Kool-Aid (participle past)

Referring to the Peoples Temple cult movement, whose members committed mass suicide in 1978 by drinking a powdered drink mix (popularly, but erroneously, believed to be Kool-Aid) laced with cyanide.

Outside the Convention Center, meanwhile, protesters on either side of police barricades waved signs, chanted, sang songs and heckled people walking inside to attend the fundraiser. Signs included "Limp Wrists Make Strong Fists," "I'd Rather Be Dead Than Born Again" and "Abort the Moral Majority." One of the more original chants was "Don't drink the Kool-Aid!"

1982 April 24, Claude Peck, “Demo Greets Falwell During Visit to Minneapolis”, in Gay Community News, page 3:

Netscape, while willing to drink the open source Kool Aid, realized there were other important issues in the commercial sector.

1999, Robert Young, Wendy Goldman Rohm, Under the Radar: How Red Hat Changed the Software Business:

[…] essentially three options to choose from when you're confronted with the liberal hooey. The options are: 1. You can drink the campus Kool Aid […]

2007, Doug Giles, A Time to Clash: Papers from a Provocative Pastor:

They "drink the Kool-Aid", as Lampley terms it, meaning that they buy into the Olympic experience.

2008, Andrew C Billings, Olympic Media: Inside the Biggest Show on Television:

"Then we better not drink the Kool-Aid. Have you been drinking the Kool-Aid, Robert?"

2008, James Howard Kunstler, World Made by Hand:

(chiefly US, colloquial, derogatory) To come under the influence of a leader, organization, or movement to the point of believing uncritically in an espoused idea or ideology.


yuck it up

yuck it up (third-person singular simple present yucks it up, present participle yucking it up, simple past and past participle yucked it up)

yucks it up (present singular third-person)
yucking it up (participle present)
yucked it up (participle past)
yucked it up (past)


bare one's teeth

bare one's teeth (third-person singular simple present bares one's teeth, present participle baring one's teeth, simple past and past participle bared one's teeth)

bares one's teeth (present singular third-person)
baring one's teeth (participle present)
bared one's teeth (participle past)
bared one's teeth (past)

(of an animal) To show its teeth as a sign of aggression.

(idiomatic, by extension) To show aggression.


pack fudge

pack fudge (third-person singular simple present packs fudge, present participle packing fudge, simple past and past participle packed fudge)

packs fudge (present singular third-person)
packing fudge (participle present)
packed fudge (participle past)
packed fudge (past)

Presumably from the notion that feces, or "fudge", is present in the distal end of the rectum during intercourse. Compare Danish bæskubberi.

Call me a faggot, call me a butt loving, fudge packing queer

1995, “I Wanna Be a Homosexual”, in Kill the Musicians (CD), performed by Screeching Weasel, Berkeley: Lookout Records, →OCLC:

She wasn't worried about being alone again; there'd always be some bum who would pack her fudge in exchange for a plate of food.

2007, Pedro Lemebel, My Tender Matador: A Novel, Grove/Atlantic, Inc., →ISBN:

(slang, vulgar, idiomatic) To perform anal sex.


go jump in the lake

When I asked for help cleaning the mess I made, the janitor told me to go jump in the lake, but he was only joking.

... to sell it to the Mond or the International Nickel Company, and if they didn't choose to take it from us, they would tell us to go jump in the lake.

1917, Ontario. Royal Nickel Commission, George Thomas Holloway, Report of the Royal Ontario Nickel Commission: with appendix, page 22:

We would tell the USSR to go jump in the lake. There would be no way we would tolerate that.

1985, Australia. Parliament. Senate, Parliamentary debates, Senate, weekly Hansard, Issue 10, page 193:

(idiomatic, derogatory, colloquial, often sarcastic) Used to tell someone to go away, or that their request will not be met.


break ranks

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

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

Coordinate term: keep rank

(military) To march or charge out of the designated order in a military unit.

(idiomatic) To publicly disagree with one's own group or organization.


turn the corner

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

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

POSITIVE signs are starting to emerge in China but economists warn it's too early to tell whether Australia's biggest trading partner is turning the corner.

2009 February 9, “Hope as China's appetite returns”, in Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia:

(idiomatic) To pass the most critical point of some process; to pass out of danger.


turn a trick

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

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

The girls explained to me that they got eighty cents a trick, one payment for each metal check—“turning a trick” was how they described one session with a john.

1946, Milton “Mezz” Mezzrow, Bernard Wolfe, “Not too Far Tangent”, in Really the Blues, New York, N.Y.: Random House, book 1 (1899–1923: A Nothin’ but a Child), page 23:

City prostitutes say laws governing the sex trade are putting them in danger every time they turn a trick.

2007 March 22, Ajay Bhardwaj, “Laws put us at risk: hookers”, in Edmonton Sun (Canada), retrieved 2009-02-18:

(chiefly US, idiomatic, of a prostitute) To perform a sexual service for a customer.


turn tricks

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

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

By 1996, she was a hooker sleeping in the streets or at ratty hotels in Santa Cruz and San Francisco, turning tricks to get her next bag of heroin.

2004 March 21, Kevin Fagan, “The Homeless: Desperate search for Bridget—sister, mother, addict”, in San Francisco Chronicle, archived from the original on 2004-09-14:

They were turning tricks, doing drugs, and generally little better off than they had been before, except that they were keeping more of their money. But they seemed lonely, too, without the company of their pimp and the rest of his string.

2006, Steve Niles, Jeff Mariotte, 30 Days of Night: Rumors of the Undead, page 307:

[…] two sisters we always see at the club have started turning tricks to pay for heroin.

2010, Jennifer Egan, “Ask Me if I Care”, in A Visit from the Goon Squad:

(slang, intransitive) To work as a prostitute, providing sexual services for money.


throw smoke

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

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

He has been throwing smoke all game.

(baseball, slang, intransitive) To consistently pitch fastballs that are difficult to hit.


add value

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

adds value (present singular third-person)
adding value (participle present)
added value (participle past)
added value (past)


wear the trousers

wear the trousers (third-person singular simple present wears the trousers, present participle wearing the trousers, simple past wore the trousers, past participle worn the trousers)

wears the trousers (present singular third-person)
wearing the trousers (participle present)
wore the trousers (past)
worn the trousers (participle past)

As long as I remember who's wearing the trousers / I hope he never lets me down again

1987, Martin L. Gore (lyrics and music), “Never Let Me Down Again”, in Music for the Masses, performed by Depeche Mode:

His mother wore the trousers, and father, a gentle man who worked in local government, was not ambitious enough for her.

1988, John Rowan, Windy Dryden, Innovative Therapy in Britain, page 246:

(British, idiomatic) (typically of a woman) To be the dominant partner in a relationship.


wear the pants

wear the pants (third-person singular simple present wears the pants, present participle wearing the pants, simple past wore the pants, past participle worn the pants)

wears the pants (present singular third-person)
wearing the pants (participle present)
wore the pants (past)
worn the pants (participle past)

wear the trousers
wear the trousers#English

(US) Alternative form of wear the trousers


bang one's head against a brick wall

bang one's head against a brick wall (third-person singular simple present bangs one's head against a brick wall, present participle banging one's head against a brick wall, simple past and past participle banged one's head against a brick wall)

bangs one's head against a brick wall (present singular third-person)
banging one's head against a brick wall (participle present)
banged one's head against a brick wall (participle past)
banged one's head against a brick wall (past)

en-au-beat one's head against a stone wall.ogg

(intransitive, idiomatic) To waste effort on a futile project.


do a slow burn

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

does a slow burn (present singular third-person)
doing a slow burn (participle present)
did a slow burn (past)
done a slow burn (participle past)

Booed for muffing an easy fly ball in a game with the Yankees, Outfielder Williams did a slow burn. By the time he made a game-saving catch, even the cheers sounded like jeers to Terrible-Tempered Ted.

“Not working ...” I said, growing testy. . . . I did a slow burn. I was way beyond my computer comfort level, and that was apparent to all.

2007 August 24, Roger Mummert, “At a Family Gathering, an Internet Cafe Breaks Out”, in New York Times, retrieved 2015-01-20:

(idiomatic) To experience a gradually increasing feeling of anger or frustration; to slowly burn.


trip balls

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

trips balls (present singular third-person)
tripping balls (participle present)
tripped balls (participle past)
tripped balls (past)

God never asked His Son
About the time He spent
In LA
Running with that hellish crowd
And tripping balls in San Francisco

1995, Chad Propst, “Wild Nights in Bethlehem,”, in Eddie D. Chuculate, editor, Home is in the Blood: new work from the Institute of American Indian Arts 1994-1995, Institute of American Indian Arts, →ISBN, page 102:

I felt as if I were tripping balls, but I hadn't taken anything.

2001, Sparrow L. Patterson, Synthetic Bi Products, Akashic Books, →ISBN, page 203:

During college, I had lived and studied at the Slade School in London for a year, and I became involved in the trance club scene—the Fridge, Escape from Samsara, Return to the Source—and what became apparent was that these thousand kids tripping balls on ecstasy just want to feel something.

2008, Sam Sheridan, A Fighter's Heart: One Man's Journey Through the World of Fighting, Grove Press, →ISBN, page 42:

(slang) To experience a severe drug-induced hallucinatory trip.


open the kimono

open the kimono (third-person singular simple present opens the kimono, present participle opening the kimono, simple past and past participle opened the kimono)

opens the kimono (present singular third-person)
opening the kimono (participle present)
opened the kimono (participle past)
opened the kimono (past)

Unknown. Possibly a calque of Japanese 胸襟を開く (literally “share one’s feelings”) or 裃を脱ぐ (literally “to be frank”).

clq

For the first 10 minutes, Lui refuses to "open the kimono" and reveal details about the company.

1999, Time, volume 154, numbers 10-17, page 72:

Before agreeing to “open the kimono” and show them everything, first ask exactly what they will want to see—all sales records, from all customers?

2014, Susie Wyshak, Good Food, Great Business:

(idiomatic, often business) To reveal confidential information, especially details of one's business operations.


blow up in one's face

en-verb

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

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

Whether the specific pecking order of the game I let them play today had anything to do with the fact that it blew up in my face after five minutes is a question that can be answered only in empirical terms.

1972, James Whittaker, Albert Trieschman, editors, Children Away from Home: A Sourcebook of Residential Treatment:

If I took the risk to speak with my friend and the whole thing blew up in my face, I'd probably feel ashamed and exposed whenever I thought about it for a very, very long time.

1999, Dena Rosenbloom, Mary Beth Williams, Barbara E. Watkins, Life after trauma: a workbook for healing:

So I wish you luck, but don't come crying to me when it blows up in your face.

2002, Joan Barfoot, Critical injuries, page 118:

(intransitive, idiomatic) To fail disastrously.

накры́ться ме́дным та́зом pf (nakrýtʹsja médnym tázom, literally “to be covered with a copper basin”)


stretch the truth

stretch the truth (third-person singular simple present stretches the truth, present participle stretching the truth, simple past and past participle stretched the truth)

stretches the truth (present singular third-person)
stretching the truth (participle present)
stretched the truth (participle past)
stretched the truth (past)

It would stretch the truth, but perhaps not tear it to tatters, to say that World War II was fought over oil.

1996 Fall, “From Sykes-Picot through Bandung to Oslo: Whither the Arab world?”, in Arab Studies Quarterly, volume 18, number 4, page 1:

You think they exaggerate sometimes? You think they embellish things, stretch the truth, play loose with the facts?

2003 November 9, Jim Armstrong, “NFL players skilled at other sports”, in Houston Chronicle, Sports, page 2:

"And you suspect them of stretching the truth? Or shrinking the truth?"

(idiomatic) To exaggerate, often to the point where the truth is obscured or lost.


bend the truth

bend the truth (third-person singular simple present bends the truth, present participle bending the truth, simple past and past participle bent the truth)

bends the truth (present singular third-person)
bending the truth (participle present)
bent the truth (participle past)
bent the truth (past)

In relating the story to Julie, he decided to bend the truth just enough to make her think he had really been in danger.

In his warped attempt to bend the truth completely out of shape, ....

1991 May 24, Larry Kahhan, “Gun-control groups shouldn't hail Brady Bill too early”, in Atlanta Journal Constitution, Letters to the Editor:

In a Feb. 5 column, Dottie Lamm seemed quite happy to bend the truth in all directions

1995 February 23, “Letters to the Post”, in Denver Post, Denver & the West, page B-06:

KGB had always been on the lookout for hard facts, but then reported those facts to people besotted with a dream, who then bent the truth in the service of that dream. When the truth had finally broken through, the dream had suddenly evaporated like a cloud of steam in a high wind, and reality had poured in like the flood following the breakup of an icebound river in springtime.

2001, Tom Clancy, The Bear and the Dragon:

(idiomatic) To change or leave out certain facts of a story or situation, generally in order to elicit a specific response in the audience.


grit one's teeth

grit one's teeth (third-person singular simple present grits one's teeth, present participle gritting one's teeth, simple past and past participle gritted one's teeth or (nonstandard) grit one's teeth)

grits one's teeth (present singular third-person)
gritting one's teeth (participle present)
gritted one's teeth (participle past)
gritted one's teeth (past)
grit one's teeth (nonstandard participle past)
grit one's teeth (nonstandard past)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-grit one's teeth.wav

There's a storm coming, so I grit my teeth and start rowing with all my might.

Japan's revolutionary New Tokaido Line, the 310-mile, 150 m.p.h. route between Tokyo and Osaka that is due to open for passenger traffic in October, has run into the same kind of budgetary trouble that held up our own LMR electrification, though the Japanese Government, unlike our own, has apparently gritted its teeth and allowed the project to go ahead to planned completion.

1964 July, “Tokaido line trouble”, in Modern Railways, page 52:

(idiomatic) To face up to a difficult or disagreeable situation and deal with it.

сашчамля́ць зу́бы

face up to a difficult or disagreeable situation, and deal with it


turn the air blue

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

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

... he then relieved his feelings by kicking the lot, collectively and separately, swearing continuously in a strain calculated to turn the air blue all around him.

1893, Isabella Castelar, The Spanish Treasure: A Story of Love and the Love of Gold, page 228:

(idiomatic) To speak a stream of bad language; to curse and swear.


tear up the pea patch

tear up the pea patch (third-person singular simple present tears up the pea patch, present participle tearing up the pea patch, simple past tore up the pea patch, past participle torn up the pea patch)

tears up the pea patch (present singular third-person)
tearing up the pea patch (participle present)
tore up the pea patch (past)
torn up the pea patch (participle past)

Television tore up the entire pea patch. Radio was so big, so dominant, so powerful in 1939 that television seemed mostly talk and conjecture.

1970, Red Barber, The broadcasters, page 52:

In the words of one who knows him well, "on a matter of principle, John McCone is quite capable of tearing up the pea patch."

1964, Stewart Alsop with Thomas Wardell Braden, Sub rosa: the OSS and American espionage, page 244:

(idiomatic) To put on a notable performance, especially in sports; to go on a rampage.


walk and chew gum at the same time

walk and chew gum at the same time (third-person singular simple present walks and chews gum at the same time, present participle walking and chewing gum at the same time, simple past and past participle walked and chewed gum at the same time)

walks and chews gum at the same time (present singular third-person)
walked and chewed gum at the same time (participle past)
walked and chewed gum at the same time (past)

En-au-walk and chew gum at the same time.ogg

(idiomatic, informal, chiefly in the negative) To do two normally trivial tasks at the same time; to exhibit basic competence or task-management skills.


blow one's cool

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

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


beat feet

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

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

A druggie would grab the pricey electronics and such, and beat feet.

2002, Nelson DeMille, Plum Island, page 12:


waste breath

waste breath (third-person singular simple present wastes breath, present participle wasting breath, simple past and past participle wasted breath)

wastes breath (present singular third-person)
wasting breath (participle present)
wasted breath (participle past)
wasted breath (past)

Middleton and Paul saw no use in wasting their breath in remonstrances against this proposal.

1827, James Fenimore Cooper, chapter 24, in The Prairie:

Why waste breath saying self-evident things?

1906, John Kendrick Bangs, chapter 1, in R. Holmes & Co.:

"Please don't waste your breath asking me ridiculous questions," he says.

2009 May 19, “Akshay jealous of Sanjay's tattoos?”, in Times of India, retrieved 2009-06-14:

(idiomatic) To speak in a manner which is needless or futile; in discussion or argument to make points which are not appreciated or heeded.


watch the world go by

watch the world go by (third-person singular simple present watches the world go by, present participle watching the world go by, simple past and past participle watched the world go by)

watches the world go by (present singular third-person)
watching the world go by (participle present)
watched the world go by (participle past)
watched the world go by (past)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-watch the world go by.wav

I think I'll just sit under this tree and watch the world go by.

Watching the world go by is so much fun that I have to tear myself away to catch my next service - LNER's 'Highland Chieftain' worked by a bi-mode Class 800 Azuma, [...].

2022 November 30, Paul Bigland, “Destination Oban: a Sunday in Scotland”, in RAIL, number 971, page 75:

(UK, idiomatic) To pause and remain still whilst doing nothing but surveying the environment around oneself.


hush one's mouth

hush one's mouth (third-person singular simple present hushes one's mouth, present participle hushing one's mouth, simple past and past participle hushed one's mouth)

hushes one's mouth (present singular third-person)
hushing one's mouth (participle present)
hushed one's mouth (participle past)
hushed one's mouth (past)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-hush one's mouth.wav

(African-American Vernacular) To be quiet.


sell someone a bill of goods

sell someone a bill of goods (third-person singular simple present sells someone a bill of goods, present participle selling someone a bill of goods, simple past and past participle sold someone a bill of goods)

sells someone a bill of goods (present singular third-person)
selling someone a bill of goods (participle present)
sold someone a bill of goods (participle past)
sold someone a bill of goods (past)

"He showed no knowledge of his subject," McCarran told newsmen. ". . . Someone must have sold him a bill of goods."

1953 June 16, “McCarran Raps Ike Speech at Dartmouth”, in Rome News-Tribune, US, retrieved 2009-06-21, page 3:

Bill O'Reilly, of the Fox News Channel, has called on the President to admit that the CIA sold him a bill of goods and to fire the agency's director.

2004 February 9, John Cassidy, “Blame Game: Intelligence Services and the Iraq War”, in New Yorker:

(idiomatic) To deceive or cheat someone.


sell past the close

sell past the close (third-person singular simple present sells past the close, present participle selling past the close, simple past and past participle sold past the close)

sells past the close (present singular third-person)
selling past the close (participle present)
sold past the close (participle past)
sold past the close (past)

To oversell by trying to further convince a customer of the benefits of making a purchase after the customer has already decided to make that purchase.


put one's affairs in order

put one's affairs in order (third-person singular simple present puts one's affairs in order, present participle putting one's affairs in order, simple past and past participle put one's affairs in order)

puts one's affairs in order (present singular third-person)
putting one's affairs in order (participle present)
put one's affairs in order (participle past)
put one's affairs in order (past)

What did the test say, Doc? —I think it's time for you to be putting your affairs in order.

The judge gave him ten days to put his affairs in order before beginning his sentence.

To prepare for the end of, or a radical change in, one's life.


get one's affairs in order

get<,,got,got􂀿UK􂁀:gotten􂀿US􂁀> one's affairs in order

get one's affairs in order (third-person singular simple present gets one's affairs in order, present participle getting one's affairs in order, simple past got one's affairs in order, past participle (UK) got one's affairs in order or (US) gotten one's affairs in order)

gets one's affairs in order (present singular third-person)
getting one's affairs in order (participle present)
got one's affairs in order (past)
got one's affairs in order (UK participle past)
gotten one's affairs in order (US participle past)

put one's affairs in order
put one's affairs in order#English

Alternative form of put one's affairs in order


wrap in the flag

wrap in the flag (third-person singular simple present wraps in the flag, present participle wrapping in the flag, simple past and past participle wrapped in the flag)

wraps in the flag (present singular third-person)
wrapping in the flag (participle present)
wrapped in the flag (participle past)
wrapped in the flag (past)

Both parties wrap themselves in the flag every election.

He manages to wrap every bit of pork for his district in the flag.

(transitive, US, idiomatic) To claim as deserving support for patriotic reasons.


fly the nest

fly the nest (third-person singular simple present flies the nest, present participle flying the nest, simple past flew the nest, past participle flown the nest)

flies the nest (present singular third-person)
flying the nest (participle present)
flew the nest (past)
flown the nest (participle past)

To leave one's parents or childhood guardians and begin an independent life as an adult.


get up someone's nose

get<,,got,got􂀿UK􂁀:gotten􂀿US􂁀> up someone's nose

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

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

get on someone's nerves
get on someone's nerves

(slang) To annoy someone; to get on someone's nerves.


cross one's heart

cross one's heart (third-person singular simple present crosses one's heart, present participle crossing one's heart, simple past and past participle crossed one's heart)

crosses one's heart (present singular third-person)
crossing one's heart (participle present)
crossed one's heart (participle past)
crossed one's heart (past)

From cross (“to make the sign of the cross”).

(intransitive) To attest to the truthfulness of the accompanying statement.

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see cross, one's, heart.


sell<,,sold> one's birthright for a mess of pottage

sell one's birthright for a mess of pottage (third-person singular simple present sells one's birthright for a mess of pottage, present participle selling one's birthright for a mess of pottage, simple past and past participle sold one's birthright for a mess of pottage)

In allusion to the Biblical character Esau, who sold his birthright for a meal of lentil stew (Genesis 25:29-34).

An elector, who by his vote should contribute to the establishment of a constitution having for its effect, instead of the greatest happiness of the greatest number, the greatest or supposed greatest happiness of the ruling few at the expense of the happiness of the many, would, supposing himself to become in consequence of the misrule, a sufferer to a greater amount than that of the benefit received by his vote, be an Esau selling his birthright for a mess of pottage.

a'''. 1832, Jeremy Bentham, Constitutional Code:

(idiomatic, dated) To make an unfavorable exchange, especially of something of great, but deferred value, for something of very low, but immediate value.

egy tál lencséért eladja elsőszülöttségét

a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush


tickle someone's fancy

tickle someone's fancy (third-person singular simple present tickles someone's fancy, present participle tickling someone's fancy, simple past and past participle tickled someone's fancy)

tickles someone's fancy (present singular third-person)
tickling someone's fancy (participle present)
tickled someone's fancy (participle past)
tickled someone's fancy (past)

But the notion of Ralph Nickleby having directed it to be done, tickled his fancy so much, that he could not refrain from cracking all his ten fingers in succession.

1839, Charles Dickens, chapter 11, in Nicholas Nickleby:

Mr. Adams, who loves a joke, and is not a lunatic, notwithstanding his opening words, tickled their fancy for an hour with quotations from Shakespeare and the editorial columns of The Brooklyn Eagle.

1895 October 1, “‘The People’ Name Judge Gaynor”, in New York Times, retrieved 2009-07-29, page 2:

There will not be any Nancy to tickle my fancy in a kitchen full of handerkerchiefs and beckoning, unmade beds.

1969, Dylan Thomas, Adventures in the Skin Trade, →ISBN, page 16:

If you’re looking for something that tickles your fancy, and now and then even stirs your soul, this just might hit the G-spot.

2005 April 9, Sam Marlowe, "Vagina Monologues" (theatre review), Times Online (UK) (retrieved 29 July 2009)

To amuse, entertain, or appeal to someone; to stimulate someone's imagination in a favorable manner.


carry a torch

carry a torch (third-person singular simple present carries a torch, present participle carrying a torch, simple past and past participle carried a torch)

carries a torch (present singular third-person)
carrying a torch (participle present)
carried a torch (participle past)
carried a torch (past)

From the metaphor of a burning flame, to keep a fire burning. The association of a torch with love may date to the Greek and Roman tradition of a
wedding torch, lit in the bride’s hearth on her wedding night, then used to light the hearth in her new home. Such a torch is associated with the Greek god of marriage Hymenaios.

Someday, I know that Jim will up and leave me / But even if he does you can believe me / I'll go on carryin' the torch for Jim / I'll go on lovin' my Jim

1941, “Jim”, Nelson Shawn (lyrics), James Caesar Petrillo and Edward Ross (music):

Brunhilde, a kind of earth-mother goddess, carries a torch for her lost love.

1955 June 6, “Books: Mixed Fiction (review of The Twelve Pictures by Edith Simon)”, in Time, archived from the original on 2013-03-15:

Lachey, for his part, seems to still carry a torch for his estranged wife.

2006 April 20, Jeannette Walls, “Are Simpson and Lachey still in love?”, in msnbc.com, archived from the original on 2006-04-23:

(idiomatic) To love or to be romantically infatuated with, especially when such feelings are not reciprocated.


bear witness

bear witness (third-person singular simple present bears witness, present participle bearing witness, simple past bore witness, past participle borne witness)

bears witness (present singular third-person)
bearing witness (participle present)
bore witness (past)
borne witness (participle past)

He hesitated to bear witness against them in court for fear of reprisals by the felons' accomplices

To deliver a testimony, especially as witness

The dubious state of the whole society bears witness of years of misrule

In stretches, this new Apes is an audacious, idiosyncratic piece of blockbuster filmmaking: a mix of Pixar, revenge Westerns, and Apocalypse Now, told almost entirely from the point-of-view of a posse of gun-toting, super-evolved apes as they roam the snowy Sierra Nevada foothills of the post-apocalyptic future, accompanied by a mute human girl, and bear witness to the strange cruelty of man.

2017 July 7, Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, “The ambitious War For The Planet Of The Apes ends up surrendering to formula”, in The Onion AV Club:

Nor, having married coach and bogie design successfully, does it follow that good riding will ensue, whatever the track carrying it—as the performance of B.R. standard coaches on flat-bottom, concrete-sleepered track bears witness.

1960 December, “Talking of Trains: The riding of B.R. coaches”, in Trains Illustrated, page 705:


wrap around one's little finger

wrap around one's little finger (third-person singular simple present wraps around one's little finger, present participle wrapping around one's little finger, simple past and past participle wrapped around one's little finger)

wraps around one's little finger (present singular third-person)
wrapping around one's little finger (participle present)
wrapped around one's little finger (participle past)
wrapped around one's little finger (past)

En-au-wrap around one's little finger.ogg

She has all of them wrapped around her little finger. They'd do anything for her.

(transitive, idiomatic) To successfully control or exert influence over, especially for a sustained period of time.


touch a nerve

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

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

An allusion to the sharp sensation felt when a dentist or surgeon physically disturbs an exposed nerve.

Louis B. Seltzer, editor of the Cleveland Press, . . . banged out an editorial that raised uncomfortable questions about the state of the U.S. at a moment of world responsibility. His piece touched a nerve: in the following week, 1,000 people had tried to reach him by phone or written him letters or stopped him on the street to talk about it.

1951 August 27, “National Affairs: Right & Wrong”, in Time:

The austerity of my tone seemed to touch a nerve and kindle the fire that always slept in this vermilion-headed menace to the common weal, for she frowned a displeased frown and told me for heaven's sake to stop goggling like a dead halibut.

1960, P. G. Wodehouse, chapter 4, in Jeeves in the Offing:

The president's supporters . . . are trying to exert greater control over universities, touching a nerve among an increasingly defiant student movement.

2007 November 8, Simon Romero, “Gunmen attack opponents of Chávez's bid to extend power”, in New York Times, retrieved 2009-08-30:

(idiomatic) To make a remark or perform a deed which produces a strong response, especially an emotional response such as anxiety or annoyance, because it calls to mind something which has been a source of concern or embarrassment.


touch a raw nerve

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

touches a raw nerve (present singular third-person)
touching a raw nerve (participle present)
touched a raw nerve (participle past)
touched a raw nerve (past)


know shit from Shinola

know shit from Shinola (third-person singular simple present knows shit from Shinola, present participle knowing shit from Shinola, simple past knew shit from Shinola, past participle known shit from Shinola)

knows shit from Shinola (present singular third-person)
knowing shit from Shinola (participle present)
knew shit from Shinola (past)
known shit from Shinola (participle past)

A colloquialism which dates back to the early 1940s in the United States, sometimes ended with "that's why your shoes don't shine". Shinola was a popular brand of shoe polish.

"He don't know shit from Shinola. (laughter) you know that? Always wondered how the Shinola people felt about that (laughter) Hi, I'm the new man from Shinola. (laughter) Hi, how are ya? Nice to see ya? (laughter) How are ya? (laughter)"

30 October 1973, George Carlin, "Filthy Words", WBAI Radio, quoted in FCC Reports, Second Series, Volume 56, October 31, 1975 to January 16, 1976, page 101

"I'd like to comment on your May editorial, "Who's In Charge Here?" You may be a fair journalist, but you don't know shit from Shinola when it comes to karate."

1974 August, S. George Pesare, “You Don't Know From Shoe Polish!”, in Black Belt Magazine, issue, pg. 10:

"Laura looked at him coolly, levelly. 'Frank,' she said softly, 'the information simply isn't there. Therefore the control can't be there either. So don't try to con me. You don't know shit from Shinola!'"

1995, Michael Ward, Why your corporate culture change isn't working-- and what to do about it, page 102:

"See what I mean Shiela? You've got the logical form, the semantics, and all that, but you don't know shit from Shinola, and with your stupid heuristic learner you can't learn it unless somebody with authority tells you."

1996, Kenneth M. Ford, Zenon W. Pylyshyn, The robot's dilemma revisited: the frame problem in artificial intelligence, page 28:

"Nowadays they've got all those captains and majors and lieutenants strutting around like it's May Day in Moscow, and they don't know shit from Shinola about how to run a ladies' jail."

2008, Wally Lamb, The Hour I First Believed, Ch.1, at p.27

(stative, US, vulgar, chiefly in the negative) To have the most basic level of intelligence or common sense.

know one's ass from a hole in the ground


rake over the coals

rake over the coals (third-person singular simple present rakes over the coals, present participle raking over the coals, simple past and past participle raked over the coals)

rakes over the coals (present singular third-person)
raking over the coals (participle present)
raked over the coals (participle past)
raked over the coals (past)

The earliest example given is from 1565: "S. Augustine, that knewe best how to fetche an heretike ouer the coles." (OED). From the practice of dragging or raking heretics over coals performed by the Catholic Church as a form of torture.

She raked him over the coals for lying to her.

(idiomatic) To call to task or to reprimand severely.


beat the meat

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

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

Then, he would sit on the toilet and with his soapy hand he would beat the meat ...

2014, Donald L. Kaufmann, Bramble, Infant Martian, Lulu Press, Inc, →ISBN:

“Hell, after a battle, all you could hear in the barracks were groans as males beat the meat.”

2014, Billi Jean, Midnight Star, Totally Entwined Group (USA+CAD), →ISBN:

... and Ronnie beat the meat, still horny from his unfinished encounter on the loading dock.

2010, Herb Schultz, RonnieandLennie, Major Terata Publications, →ISBN, page 211:

year unknown, Lisa Marie Rice, Midnight Run, Oliver-Heber books
Bud rarely had to beat the meat. There was always a willing woman somewhere within reach; all he had to do was look.

“Beat the meat, buddy,” he growled, “and remember what it was like to be inside that sweet pussy.”

2019, Jasmine Haynes, Jennifer Skully, Take Your Pleasure and Take Your Pick Duo, Redwood Valley Publishing LLC, →ISBN:

(euphemistic, slang) Alternative form of beat one's meat (“to masturbate”)


flog the log

flog the log (third-person singular simple present flogs the log, present participle flogging the log, simple past and past participle flogged the log)

flogs the log (present singular third-person)
flogging the log (participle present)
flogged the log (participle past)
flogged the log (past)

He was a normal horny boy who flogged the log with the best of them.

1991, James Whitehead, Joiner, →ISBN, page 64:

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


draw one's last breath

draw one's last breath (third-person singular simple present draws one's last breath, present participle drawing one's last breath, simple past drew one's last breath, past participle drawn one's last breath)

draws one's last breath (present singular third-person)
drawing one's last breath (participle present)
drew one's last breath (past)
drawn one's last breath (participle past)


be the case

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

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

(stative) To exist as an independent fact of (external) reality.


wear thin

wear thin (third-person singular simple present wears thin, present participle wearing thin, simple past wore thin, past participle worn thin)

wears thin (present singular third-person)
wearing thin (participle present)
wore thin (past)
worn thin (participle past)

Continuing his recent stern rhetoric, Swedish Finance Minister Anders Borg told reporters in Stockholm that many have worked hard to help Latvia deal with its severe economic recession but that patience is wearing thin.

2009 October 7, Joel Sherwood, “Pressure on Latvia Builds”, in The Wall Street Journal:

[T]he ‘fun’ factor may be in part attributable the novelty of the feedback mechanism, and the sense of fun might wear thin after longer exposure to the feedback method.

2017, Di Zou, James Lambert, “Feedback methods for student voice in the digital age”, in British Journal of Educational Technology, volume 48, number 5, page 1090:

(idiomatic) To lessen or weaken over time, as from overuse.

kulua

to lessen or weaken over time, as from overuse


bounce off the walls

bounce off the walls (third-person singular simple present bounces off the walls, present participle bouncing off the walls, simple past and past participle bounced off the walls)

bounces off the walls (present singular third-person)
bouncing off the walls (participle present)
bounced off the walls (participle past)
bounced off the walls (past)

Near-synonyms: bounce around, jump around, jump about

(idiomatic) To be overly active relative to the enclosed space in which one is.

Acme Inc was our best customer, but they're hopping mad now. They're bouncing off the walls over there.

These kids need to get outside for recess. They're bouncing off the walls in here.

(by extension, figuratively) To be brimful of agitation from excitement, indignation, or anxiety.


bring a knife to a gunfight

bring a knife to a gunfight (third-person singular simple present brings a knife to a gunfight, present participle bringing a knife to a gunfight, simple past and past participle brought a knife to a gunfight)

brings a knife to a gunfight (present singular third-person)
bringing a knife to a gunfight (participle present)
brought a knife to a gunfight (participle past)
brought a knife to a gunfight (past)

Isn't that just like a wop? Brings a knife to a gun fight.

That is why one should never bring a knife to a gunfight, a worm should not challenge Godzilla, and a chump should never box a boxer.

1994, Gus Lee, China Boy, →ISBN, page 310:

[W]e can shoot down missiles. . . . Our Kingfisher sonars can detect mines. . . . Our ships are hardened against chemical and biological weapons. But how do you stop a torpedo? . . . The best engineers in the business agree that nearly every class of torpedo currently being deployed has the capacity to sink one of our ships with a single shot. . . . [W]e are the poor bastards that brought a knife to a gunfight.

2006, Jeff Edwards, Torpedo, →ISBN, page xiii:

(idiomatic) To enter into a confrontation or other challenging situation without being adequately equipped or prepared.

拿着鸡蛋碰石头 (ná zhe jīdàn pèng shítou, literally “hit stones with eggs”)

про́тив ло́ма нет приёма (prótiv lóma net prijóma, literally “there is no wrestling technique blocking a crowbar”)


turn to custard

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

turns to custard (present singular third-person)
turning to custard (participle present)
turned to custard (participle past)
turned to custard (past)


make a break for it

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

makes a break for it (present singular third-person)
making a break for it (participle present)
made a break for it (participle past)
made a break for it (past)

"By Gar! it was as well that he made a break for it before the note reached us! I guess he won't show his face in this valley again."

1915, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, chapter 3, in The Valley of Fear:

To restrain runaways who are too fragile to survive on the outside, Administrator Edward Farmilant of Chicago's Somerset nursing home gave the front door guard pictures of 36 patients who might make a break for it.

2006 July 12, “Behavior: The New Runaways: Old Folks”, in Time:

(idiomatic) To attempt to escape; to flee; to run away.


wait for the ball to drop

wait for the ball to drop (third-person singular simple present waits for the ball to drop, present participle waiting for the ball to drop, simple past and past participle waited for the ball to drop)

waits for the ball to drop (present singular third-person)
waiting for the ball to drop (participle present)
waited for the ball to drop (participle past)
waited for the ball to drop (past)

An allusion to the Times Square Ball, and perhaps other time balls.

(idiomatic, rare) To wait in expectation of an occurrence.


behave oneself

behave oneself (third-person singular simple present behaves oneself, present participle behaving oneself, simple past and past participle behaved oneself)

behaves oneself (present singular third-person)
behaving oneself (participle present)
behaved oneself (participle past)
behaved oneself (past)

His mother threatened to spank him if he didn't behave himself.

"That's what happened to me the last time you fired a high snowball. Peaches. That's why I didn't want you to try another while I'm around. You wait until I'm off the campus if you've got to indulge in high jinks. Come on now, fellows, since Peaches has promised to behave himself, let the merry dance go on. Have you tried a shot, Joe? Or you, Sister," and Teeter looked at the newcomers.

1912, Stratemeyer Syndicate, chapter 1, in Baseball Joe on the School Nine:


bust a move

bust a move (third-person singular simple present busts a move, present participle busting a move, simple past and past participle busted a move or bust a move)

busts a move (present singular third-person)
busting a move (participle present)
busted a move (participle past)
busted a move (past)
bust a move (participle past)
bust a move (past)

Ellipsis of bust out a move (“break out a move”), in reference to unveiling or demonstrating a move from one's repertoire of dance moves.
The original usage of this phrase is "to dance." The term appeared in the 1986 song “Posse in Effect” by Beastie Boys, in which M.C.A. said “Pay attention, my intention is to bust a move.” It was then popularized in the 1989 single of the same name by rapper Young MC, who tells (in the song) of his several attempts to find (or seduce) a woman in various places and failing to be able to do so because he can't dance; he isn't able to "bust a move."

ellipsis

Damn, see that guy on the dance floor? He can bust a move!

(African-American Vernacular, idiomatic, transitive) To dance.

It's time to go. Let's bust a move.

What you looking at me like that for? C'mon man, bust a move if you're feeling froggy.

(African-American Vernacular, idiomatic, transitive) To initiate an action, such as a departure, attack, etc.


suck cock

en-verb

suck cock (third-person singular simple present sucks cock, present participle sucking cock, simple past and past participle sucked cock)

sucks cock (present singular third-person)
sucking cock (participle present)
sucked cock (participle past)
sucked cock (past)

(stative, slang, vulgar) To be of poor quality.


toss to the wind

toss to the wind (third-person singular simple present tosses to the wind, present participle tossing to the wind, simple past and past participle tossed to the wind)

tosses to the wind (present singular third-person)
tossing to the wind (participle present)
tossed to the wind (participle past)
tossed to the wind (past)

throw to the wind
throw to the wind#English


toss caution to the wind

toss caution to the wind (third-person singular simple present tosses caution to the wind, present participle tossing caution to the wind, simple past and past participle tossed caution to the wind)

tosses caution to the wind (present singular third-person)
tossing caution to the wind (participle present)
tossed caution to the wind (participle past)
tossed caution to the wind (past)

throw caution to the wind
throw caution to the wind#English

Alternative form of throw caution to the wind


use one's head

use one's head (third-person singular simple present uses one's head, present participle using one's head, simple past and past participle used one's head)

uses one's head (present singular third-person)
using one's head (participle present)
used one's head (participle past)
used one's head (past)

He never—so they agreed—uses his head. He never—I think I have their phrase correct—stops to think.

1918, Stephen Leacock, “Back from the Land”, in Frenzied Fiction:

When a girl falls in love, after first using her head to find a suitable mate to fall in love with, it is such a wonderful feeling.

1957 March 13, Joyce Jackson, “Guide to Dating”, in Toledo Blade, page 35:

Bound by that commitment, he used his head, channeling his rage into a determination to bring the killers to justice.

2007 January 23, Chris Thornton, “A Belfast Father's Vindication”, in Time:

(idiomatic) To think carefully, especially as an alternative to being guided by one's emotions.


use one's noggin

use one's noggin (third-person singular simple present uses one's noggin, present participle using one's noggin, simple past and past participle used one's noggin)

uses one's noggin (present singular third-person)
using one's noggin (participle present)
used one's noggin (participle past)
used one's noggin (past)

The investor is advised to use his noggin considerably when investigating different superannuation programs.

1984 August 8, “Money: Small Business”, in Sydney Morning Herald, Australia:

(idiomatic) To think, especially in a careful or clever manner.