play both sides against the middle

play both sides against the middle (third-person singular simple present plays both sides against the middle, present participle playing both sides against the middle, simple past and past participle played both sides against the middle)

plays both sides against the middle (present singular third-person)
playing both sides against the middle (participle present)
played both sides against the middle (participle past)
played both sides against the middle (past)

En-au-play both sides against the middle.ogg

Some of the lesser Democrats, especially in the remoter reaches of the Bible country, have the same yearning, but they are not as numerous as the Republicans, all of whom have been greatly embarrassed by Dr. Hoover's laborious efforts to play both sides against the middle.

1932, George Jean Nathan, Henry Louis Mencken, The American Mercury, page 383:

While the Kremlin stood by and tried to play both sides against the middle, the defeat of the Palestinians in Lebanon helped establish the political atmosphere that enabled Sadat to make his trip to Jerusalem.

1978, Intercontinental Press/Inprecor, volume 16, page 1127:

Patsy may have been playing both sides against the middle in an effort to get her career going and to get herself out from under Peer's pressuring and the sexual demands he placed on her.

1999, Margaret Jones, Patsy: the Life and Times of Patsy Cline, page 50:

Luciano went about playing both sides against the middle until the two families went at each other in the famously bloody Castellamarese War later in the decade...

2005, T. J. English, Paddy Whacked: the Untold Story of the Irish American Gangster, page 133:

(idiomatic) To manipulate opponents or competitors in a manner which benefits the manipulator.


take sick

en-verb

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

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

The father of a certain family took sick and died. The family believed some foul play had been exercised in his case, and when they came to burn the body, a small portion, perhaps the heart, did not consume as rapidly as the rest.

1871, Noah A. McDonald, “Chapter 3 Religion”, in Siam: Its Government, Manners, Customs, &c, Philadelphia: Alfred Martien, page 80:

(intransitive, dated) To become ill, to fall ill, to attract an illness.


rule the roost

rule the roost (third-person singular simple present rules the roost, present participle ruling the roost, simple past and past participle ruled the roost)

rules the roost (present singular third-person)
ruling the roost (participle present)
ruled the roost (participle past)
ruled the roost (past)

His was biding his time, and patiently looking forward to the days when he himself would sit authoritative at some board, and talk and direct, and rule the roost, while lesser stars sat round and obeyed.
Note: Some copies have "rule the roast" in this passage.

1857, Anthony Trollope, Barchester Towers, ch. 3

Felix (nothing if not modern) had succumbed already to the feeling that youth ruled the roost.

1915, John Galsworthy, chapter 16, in The Freelands:

At that moment in fashion, French couturiers ruled the roost.

2004 February 16, Kate Betts, “9 Rei Kawakubo”, in Time:

Finn Russell and Owen Farrell kicked two penalties apiece but it was the Scotland stand-off who ruled the roost - despite a ten-minute sin-binning for an attempted trip on England scrum-half Ben Youngs.

2021 February 6, Graham Bean, “Scotland beat England at Twickenham for the first time in 38 years”, in The Scotsman:

(idiomatic) To be the controlling member(s) of a family, organization, or other group.


wipe the floor with someone

wipe the floor with someone (third-person singular simple present wipes the floor with someone, present participle wiping the floor with someone, simple past and past participle wiped the floor with someone)

wipes the floor with someone (present singular third-person)
wiping the floor with someone (participle present)
wiped the floor with someone (participle past)
wiped the floor with someone (past)

The young newcomer is wiping the floor with the more experienced players.

A superb passer of the ball, we expected him to wipe the floor with the opposition.

1991, Rex Mossop, The Moose That Roared, Sydney: Ironbark Press, page 157:

(slang, idiomatic) To be well ahead of someone, or to win a competition by a considerable margin over someone.

murskata

to win a competition by a considerable margin over the other competitors

"Courage? Blast it all, lad, if I were twenty years younger I'd wipe the floor with you now."

1936, F.J. Thwaites, chapter I, in The Redemption, Sydney: H. John Edwards, page 6:

(slang, idiomatic) To comprehensively beat someone in a fight.


yield the ghost

yield the ghost (third-person singular simple present yields the ghost, present participle yielding the ghost, simple past and past participle yielded the ghost)

yields the ghost (present singular third-person)
yielding the ghost (participle present)
yielded the ghost (participle past)
yielded the ghost (past)

and often did I strive / To yield the ghost: but still the envious flood / Stopped in my soul, and would not let it forth

c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv], pages line36-38:


work someone's ass off

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

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

(This entry is a translation hub.) (idiomatic, vulgar, slang) To work, or cause to work, excessively or to the point of exhaustion; see work + someone's ass off.

馬車馬のように働く

ばしゃうまのようにはたらく

一生懸命に働く

いっしょうけんめいにはたらく

вьёбывать

also commonly distorted as: вья́бывать (vʹjábyvatʹ)


turn flukes

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

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

But come, it's getting dreadful late, you had better be turning flukes--it's a nice bed; Sal and me slept in that ere bed the night we were spliced.

1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “chapter 3”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC:


throw one's hat into the ring

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

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

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

throw one's hat in the ring
throw one's hat in the ring#English

Alternative form of throw one's hat in the ring


give someone his head

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

gives someone his head (present singular third-person)
giving someone his head (participle present)
gave someone his head (past)
given someone his head (participle past)

From horse racing: to allow a horse freedom of movement of its head. See Citations:give someone his head.

(idiomatic) To allow (someone) to act without constraint: to give (someone) free rein.


hand someone his head

hand someone his head (third-person singular simple present hands someone his head, present participle handing someone his head, simple past and past participle handed someone his head)

hands someone his head (present singular third-person)
handing someone his head (participle present)
handed someone his head (participle past)
handed someone his head (past)

Possibly an allusion to the story of Salome demanding the head of John the Baptist in a charger.

(idiomatic, by extension) To destroy; to defeat utterly.


make common cause

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

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

Possibly a calque of French faire cause commune, first attested in the same period (1787).

[…] in a great community, the reformer has the voice and approbation of a majority to encourage him. In a very narrow circle he will have no part of the society, in which he lives, to support him against the rest. They will all make common cause against him, and sooner or later overcome his resolution, or break his heart.

1786, Philip Francis, Speech in the House of Commons, on Tuesday the 7th of March, 1786, London: J. Debrett, page 35:

They preferred endeavouring to alter the feelings of mankind on the particular points on which they were themselves heretical, rather than make common cause in defence of freedom, with heretics generally.

1859, John Stuart Mill, On Liberty, London: John W. Parker & Son, Introductory, p. 18:

The factory girl, the shop girl, the college girl, the woman in the home, the woman active in public welfare, and the woman in society, as well as all the men in the nation, should make common cause of race improvement, and no far-reaching improvement is possible while young girls are allowed to exhaust their physical energy and jeopardize their moral integrity in occupations where the remuneration practically precludes a normal standard of life.

1910, Annie Marion MacLean, chapter 10, in Wage-Earning Women, New York: Macmillan, page 161:

We were both flawed, obvious victims of physical misfortune. You would think such people would make common cause, but it could just as often happen that they don’t. Each may be reminded by the other of something sooner forgotten.

2009, Alice Munro, “Face”, in Too Much Happiness, Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, page 145:

To cooperate, to enter into an alliance for a shared goal.


play both ends against the middle

play both ends against the middle (third-person singular simple present plays both ends against the middle, present participle playing both ends against the middle, simple past and past participle played both ends against the middle)

plays both ends against the middle (present singular third-person)
playing both ends against the middle (participle present)
played both ends against the middle (participle past)
played both ends against the middle (past)

play both sides against the middle#English

Alternative form of play both sides against the middle


bite the big one

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

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

Whatever air-conditioning system the car had once possessed had bitten the big one years ago; ...

1988, Barbara Hambly, The silicon mage, page 5:

(slang) To break down; to be impossible to repair or not worth repairing.


fall at the last hurdle

fall at the last hurdle (third-person singular simple present falls at the last hurdle, present participle falling at the last hurdle, simple past fell at the last hurdle, past participle fallen at the last hurdle)

falls at the last hurdle (present singular third-person)
falling at the last hurdle (participle present)
fell at the last hurdle (past)
fallen at the last hurdle (participle past)

/ˈfɔːl æt ðə ˌlɑːst ˈhɜːdl̩/

Probably from hurdling, a type of horse racing where horses jump over obstacles called hurdles. The term refers to a horse successfully clearing all but the last hurdle.

[W]hen she [Psyche] falls at her last hurdle, it is through her own act, motivated by the identical combination of curiositas and simplicitas that has been her undoing from the start.

[1990, E[dward] J[ohn] Kenney, “Introduction”, in Apuleius, edited by E. J. Kenney, Cupid & Psyche (Cambridge Greek and Latin Classics; Imperial Library), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, New York, N.Y.: Cambridge University Press, published 2001, →ISBN, page 14:

Now, at the point of action, it's easy to appear to fall at the last hurdle. In fact, you are unlikely to fail here. If it goes wrong now, it will [be] because you slipped at a previous waterjump and didn't notice the splash you made.

1995, Warren Redman, “A Structure for Listening”, in Achieving Personal Success: An Introduction to Inner Balancing, Calgary, Alta.: Merlin Star Press, →ISBN, page 62:

Mortal Kombat 2 is the sequel to Mortal Kombat. […] Sub Zero—the mysterious icy ninja, is one of the best fighters out of the brave warriors trying to save earth from the hands of Shao Khan. Falling himself also at the last hurdle of doing away with Tsung, wants to get his frosty hands on Khan now.

1997, Jack Sanger with with Jane Wilson, Bryn Davies, and Roger Whitaker, “Keeping IT in the Family: Computer Games and Families”, in Young Children, Videos and Computer Games: Issues for Teachers and Parents, London, Bristol, Pa.: The Falmer Press, Taylor & Francis, →ISBN, page 82:

[T]he resources of local land settlement commissions could be tied up for many months or years in a continuous process of devising and revising enclosure projects, only for the final project to fall at the last hurdle.

1999, Judith Pallot, “Everyday Forces of Resistance to the Stolypin Reform”, in Land Reform in Russia 1906–1917: Peasant Responses to Stolypin’s Project of Rural Transformation, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Clarendon Press, published 2001, →ISBN, page 176:

Armagh (and it is one of the most memorable chapters in the history of Gaelic football) were fated to fall at the last hurdle when they were beaten by Kerry in the All-Ireland decider.

2001, Brian Cosgrove, “Sport, Politics and the ‘Other Side’”, in The Yew Tree at the Head of the Strand, Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, →ISBN, pages 143–144:

I remembered my failed attempt at flying training, how I had fallen at the last hurdle.

2014, Justyn Rees Larcombe, “Fully Committed”, in Tails I Lose: The Compulsive Gambler who Lost His Shirt for Good, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Lion Books, Lion Hudson, →ISBN, part 2 (The Army), page 72:

Some units penetrated as far as the last street before the river, but once more poor intelligence, lack of coordination and limited firepower meant that Operation Iron Fist fell at the last hurdle.

2017, Hans van de Ven, “The Battle of Shanghai”, in China at War: Triumph and Tragedy in the Emergence of the New China, Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, published 2018, →ISBN, part II (Momentous Times), page 80:

(intransitive, idiomatic) To fail near the end of an activity, a project, etc.

功虧一簣 /功亏一篑

to fail near the end of an activity, etc.


fall at the final hurdle

fall at the final hurdle (third-person singular simple present falls at the final hurdle, present participle falling at the final hurdle, simple past fell at the final hurdle, past participle fallen at the final hurdle)

falls at the final hurdle (present singular third-person)
falling at the final hurdle (participle present)
fell at the final hurdle (past)
fallen at the final hurdle (participle past)

/ˈfɔːl æt ðə ˌfaɪnl̩ ˈhɜːdl̩/

On the other hand, Crossrail fell at its final hurdle, admitting just months before its planned December 2018 opening that it was nowhere near ready.

2020 January 2, Philip Haigh, “Ten Eventful Years and Plenty of Talking Points”, in Rail, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Bauer Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 54:

fall at the last hurdle
fall at the last hurdle#English


band together

band together (third-person singular simple present bands together, present participle banding together, simple past and past participle banded together)

bands together (present singular third-person)
banding together (participle present)
banded together (participle past)
banded together (past)

(idiomatic, intransitive) to unite, to come together


take a long walk on a short pier

take<,,took,taken> a long walk on a short pier

take a long walk on a short pier (third-person singular simple present takes a long walk on a short pier, present participle taking a long walk on a short pier, simple past took a long walk on a short pier, past participle taken a long walk on a short pier)

takes a long walk on a short pier (present singular third-person)
taking a long walk on a short pier (participle present)
took a long walk on a short pier (past)
taken a long walk on a short pier (participle past)

En-au-take a long walk on a short pier.ogg

Well, it was a busy day and I was really cut down to size — in fact, once I was told to take a long walk on a short pier.

1952, Hospitals: the journal of the American Hospital Association, volume 26, page 40:

She smiled, but she wasn't the same Tina who had told her banker dad to take a long walk on a short pier.

2001, Tad Crawford, The Money Mentor: A Tale of Finding Financial Freedom, page 183:

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


flip one's wig

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

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

(idiomatic, informal) To become very angry.


not bear thinking about

If the train had come just five seconds earlier... well, it just doesn't bear thinking about!

(UK) To be too frightening or upsetting to even contemplate.


pitch a fit

pitch a fit (third-person singular simple present pitches a fit, present participle pitching a fit, simple past and past participle pitched a fit)

pitches a fit (present singular third-person)
pitching a fit (participle present)
pitched a fit (participle past)
pitched a fit (past)

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

So if you go to CVS to cash in on the Venus Razor BOGO deal and you discover that other shoppers have beat you to it and the shelves are empty, instead of pitching a fit, you can kindly ask a cashier or store manager to give you a rain check.

2010, Kathy Spencer, Samantha Rose, How to Shop for Free, Da Capo Lifelong, →ISBN, page 52:

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


throw someone out of bed

throw someone out of bed (third-person singular simple present throws someone out of bed, present participle throwing someone out of bed, simple past threw someone out of bed, past participle thrown someone out of bed)

throws someone out of bed (present singular third-person)
throwing someone out of bed (participle present)
threw someone out of bed (past)
thrown someone out of bed (participle past)

Woof isn't queer, though he wouldn't throw Mick Jagger out of bed.

1981, Vito Russo, The celluloid closet: homosexuality in the movies, page 251:

She was the sort of woman middle-aged men said they wouldn't throw out of bed, but never expected to get into it.

1985, Max Davidson, Beef Wellington blue, page 3:

kick someone out of bed
kick someone out of bed#English


break the fourth wall

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

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

(idiomatic, fiction) To apparently communicate with reality directly, such as when characters of literature comment on the existence of a reader.

rompi la kvaran muron

direct communication with the viewer or reader


snatch victory from the jaws of defeat

snatch victory from the jaws of defeat (third-person singular simple present snatches victory from the jaws of defeat, present participle snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, simple past and past participle snatched victory from the jaws of defeat)

En-au-snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.ogg

The first recorded use of the phrase discovered to date is an article criticizing Representative James Seddon of Virginia for claiming that a regiment in the Mexican–American War had "snatched victory from the jaws of defeat."

2010, Liam Maloney, "Sligo snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat," Sligo Weekender (Sligo, Ireland). 16 February.

(idiomatic) To suddenly win a contest when it appears that loss is a foregone conclusion, to succeed in an endeavor through reversal of fortune, skill, effort, or good judgment.

de overwinning voor de poorten van de hel wegslepen


make a face

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

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

I looked at Tomkins to see whether, by chance, he had made a face at his lordship, ...

1849, “Mr. Jolly Green's Account Of The Great Paris Excursion”, in W. Harrison Ainsworth, editor, The New monthly magazine, volume 86, page 98:

I was at Park Safari Africa in Canada on the Canadian border. This was years ago outside of Plattsburgh, New York. And I had a new car at the time, and I was driving through, going through the monkey area. And they said 'beware of the monkeys.' So about ten of them circled my car. And this one special one, like he was the leader of the pack, jumped up on the hood and came right up to the windshield and looked in. So I was like making faces at him. [garbled] 'don't do that!' And believe it or not, he made like a face back. He jumped off the car. He took his fingernails and he peeled all the chrome on both sides of my car off. Picked it up, jumped on the hood, dropped it and left- looked at me and left.

2006 May 9, Penn Jillette, Michael Goudeau, quoting Pat, 34:52 from the start, in Penn Radio:

(colloquial) To make a facial expression, often for humor, as a taunt, or to indicate distaste.


crack a fat

crack a fat (third-person singular simple present cracks a fat, present participle cracking a fat, simple past and past participle cracked a fat)

cracks a fat (present singular third-person)
cracking a fat (participle present)
cracked a fat (participle past)
cracked a fat (past)

(idiomatic, vulgar, slang) To get an erection of the penis.


play well with others

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

plays well with others (present singular third-person)
playing well with others (participle present)
played well with others (participle past)
played well with others (past)

(idiomatic) To habitually demonstrate interpersonal skills by engaging agreeably in social or work activities.


ask the question

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

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

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: to ask a given question.


spill ink

spill ink (third-person singular simple present spills ink, present participle spilling ink, simple past and past participle spilled ink or spilt ink)

spills ink (present singular third-person)
spilling ink (participle present)
spilled ink (participle past)
spilled ink (past)
spilt ink (participle past)
spilt ink (past)

Of all the problems which lie on the borderline of philosophy and science, perhaps none has caused more spilled ink, more controversy, and more emotion than "the problem of the direction of time.

1974, J Earman, “An Attempt to Add a Little Direction to "The Problem of the Direction of Time"”, in Philosophy of Science:

While democratic forces remain active throughout the African continent, scholars continue to spill ink debating the promises and pitfalls of African democratic transitions.

1999, Bamidele A. Ojo, Contemporary African politics, page 1:

(idiomatic) To write, especially professionally.


pour one's heart out

pour one's heart out (third-person singular simple present pours one's heart out, present participle pouring one's heart out, simple past and past participle poured one's heart out)

pours one's heart out (present singular third-person)
pouring one's heart out (participle present)
poured one's heart out (participle past)
poured one's heart out (past)

He poured his heart out to them, so as he never could in any other company, where he hath generally passed for being moody, or supercilious and silent.

1852, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 29, in The History of Henry Esmond, Esq.:

[S]he would be all the better for pouring her heart out freely, and would be glad to do it, if she were sure of sympathy

1860, Nathaniel Hawthorne, chapter 7, in The Marble Faun:

And I just can't pour my heart out, to another living thing, I'm a whisper, I'm a shadow, but I'm standing up to sing.

The spirited lyrics, the dancing and the joy of watching these five handsome, clean-cut youngsters pouring their hearts out moved me then and moves me now.

2009 July 2, “Our Favorite Songs: General Colin Powell”, in Time:

(intransitive, idiomatic) To express one's innermost thoughts or feelings effusively.

vuodattaa sydäntään

to express one's innermost thoughts or feelings


crack a smile

crack a smile (third-person singular simple present cracks a smile, present participle cracking a smile, simple past and past participle cracked a smile)

cracks a smile (present singular third-person)
cracking a smile (participle present)
cracked a smile (participle past)
cracked a smile (past)

Life is a gamble, we scramble for money
I might crack a smile, but ain't a damn thing funny

1995, Mobb Deep featuring Nas and Raekwon (lyrics and music), “Eye for a Eye (Your Beef Is Mines)”, in The Infamous:

I, I tried / To be complacent for a while / It got hard to crack a smile

2020, Dana Foote (lyrics and music), “Wrath”, in Party Favors, performed by Sir Chloe:

(idiomatic) To smile, especially while attempting not to.


make like a tree and leave

make<,,made> like a tree and leave<,,left>

make like a tree and leave (third-person singular simple present makes like a tree and leaves, present participle making like a tree and leaving, simple past and past participle made like a tree and left)

makes like a tree and leaves (present singular third-person)
making like a tree and leaving (participle present)
made like a tree and left (participle past)
made like a tree and left (past)

A pun on leave (“depart”) and leaf (“produce leaves”).

See ya' later Pete, I'm making like a tree and leaving.

2011, P. E. Van Schaick, Greasy Village, Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 82:

After all the needed malware files have been installed and all the necessary changes to the system have been made to facilitate malware persistency, the malware installer makes like a tree and leaves. Since the job of the malware installer is done, there is no more need for it to linger in the system.

2013, C. C. Elisan, Malware, Rootkits & Botnets (Beginner's Guide), McGraw Hill, →ISBN, page 197:

In Cocklecu, gender roles are reversed, to Klim's disgust. (The queen keeps a seraglio of 300 handsome men, and Klim makes like a tree and leaves for fear of being added to them.)

2013 August 29, S. Moore, The Novel: An Alternative History, 1600-1800, Bloomsbury, →ISBN, page 168:


make like a banana and split

make<,,made> like a banana and split<,,split>

make like a banana and split (third-person singular simple present makes like a banana and splits, present participle making like a banana and splitting, simple past and past participle made like a banana and split)

makes like a banana and splits (present singular third-person)
making like a banana and splitting (participle present)
made like a banana and split (participle past)
made like a banana and split (past)

A pun on banana split and split (“to depart”).

“Don't go anywhere,” she said, like she was a mind reader and could tell that I was already thinking that the second she turned around, me and Charlie should make like a banana and split.

2010 April 6, Sandra Kring, How High the Moon, Random House Publishing Group, →ISBN, page 56:

if he's gone, maybe we should make like a banana and split. We could pack it all up and head out west somewhere.

2021 June 29, Jason Mott, Hell of a Book, Penguin, →ISBN, page 6:


hit the skids

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

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

After all, if these measures could've succeeded, they would've been implemented five years ago when the world economy hadn't yet hit the skids.

2010, Ganesh Rathnam, Mises Daily, “A Greek Tragedy in the Making”, in Mises Institute:

A metaverse backlash, already fully rooted, began to bloom. Microsoft’s military contract hit the skids, Disney laid off its entire metaverse team, and even Zuckerberg’s own employees seem not to have much time for the technology.

2023 June 6, Ian Bogost, “The Age of Goggles Has Arrived”, in The Atlantic:

(intransitive, originally US) To fail; to decline.


knit one's brows

knit one's brows (third-person singular simple present knits one's brows, present participle knitting one's brows, simple past and past participle knit one's brows or knitted one's brows)

knits one's brows (present singular third-person)
knitting one's brows (participle present)
knit one's brows (participle past)
knit one's brows (past)
knitted one's brows (participle past)
knitted one's brows (past)

(idiomatic) To scowl, indicating anger, worry, or puzzlement.

عَبَسَ

to scowl, indicating anger, worry, or puzzlement


work wonders

work wonders (third-person singular simple present works wonders, present participle working wonders, simple past and past participle worked wonders or (archaic) wrought wonders)

works wonders (present singular third-person)
working wonders (participle present)
worked wonders (participle past)
worked wonders (past)
wrought wonders (archaic participle past)
wrought wonders (archaic past)

(archaic, intransitive) To perform miracles or magic.


hear both sides

hear both sides (third-person singular simple present hears both sides, present participle hearing both sides, simple past and past participle heard both sides)

hears both sides (present singular third-person)
hearing both sides (participle present)
heard both sides (participle past)
heard both sides (past)

(law) To ensure that an accused person has the chance to seek to refute the accusations.

يسمع من الطرفين

hear both sides of the argument for fair judgement


look the part

look the part (third-person singular simple present looks the part, present participle looking the part, simple past and past participle looked the part)

looks the part (present singular third-person)
looking the part (participle present)
looked the part (participle past)
looked the part (past)

If you want to be a successful business person, you have to look the part.

We were going to cast him in our new movie but unfortunately he didn't look the part.

Turner looked assured, picking out his men at the lineouts, while Redpath was seeing plenty of the ball and also looked the part as the Scots probed for opening.

2021 February 6, Graham Bean, “Scotland beat England at Twickenham for the first time in 38 years”, in The Scotsman:

(idiomatic) To appear suitable for a particular kind of work, position or role.


here lies

Calque of Latin hīc jacet (whence also English hic jacet, a direct borrowing).

A phrase written on gravestones followed by the buried person's name.


button one's lip

button one's lip (third-person singular simple present buttons one's lip, present participle buttoning one's lip, simple past and past participle buttoned one's lip)

buttons one's lip (present singular third-person)
buttoning one's lip (participle present)
buttoned one's lip (participle past)
buttoned one's lip (past)

"Yes," put in Solomon. "I've been tipped off to this guy Mars, and you'd better tell him to button up his lip and not start anything."

1910, Jim Nasium, "The Baseball League on the Styx," The Sunday Press (Pittsburgh), 15 May, p. 2 (retrieved 19 July 2010)

"We advised John not to talk, to button his lip, but he talked anyway."

1971 October 13, Ted Blackman, “Green as team player too”, in Montreal Gazette, retrieved 2010-07-19, page 13:

Busch wisely buttoned his lip and didn't say anything else.

2010 June 1, Larry Woody, “Busch Better Heed Burton”, in FOXNews.com, retrieved 2010-07-19:

(idiomatic) To remain silent, especially in order to keep a secret or to avoid saying something inappropriate.


piss on someone's bonfire

piss on someone's bonfire (third-person singular simple present pisses on someone's bonfire, present participle pissing on someone's bonfire, simple past and past participle pissed on someone's bonfire)

pisses on someone's bonfire (present singular third-person)
pissing on someone's bonfire (participle present)
pissed on someone's bonfire (participle past)
pissed on someone's bonfire (past)

(slang, vulgar) To disappoint or discourage someone by ruining or criticizing their plans or aspirations.


take a grab

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

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

Even in his gallop he would occasionally take a grab at the point of Russell's foot ; and, had he caught it, would have torn the boot ruthlessly from his leg.

1883, Edward William L. Davies, A memoir of the rev. John Russell, and his out-of-door life, by the author of 'Dartmoor days',, page 194:

Ahead on the white road, plain in the moonlight, lay something black, so I swung down my arm in passing, and took a grab. "What d'ye make of this, eh, Pederson ?" / "A silk mask," says he."

1905, Roger S. Pocock, Curly: a tale of the Arizona desert, Little, Brown, and Company, page 110:

He had only to be startled into losing his balance, you might say, and he might take a grab at something, manage only a heavy fall, and go tumbling down, staircase and all.

2002, Michael Innes, The Ampersand Papers, House of Stratus, page 145:

He drew near enough to take a grab at her foot. The grip failed to hold.

2010, Michael Cogdill, She-Rain: A Story of Hope, Wordclay, page 104:

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see take, grab.

Solidly built, he was nevertheless extremely quick, could take a grab, and kicked beautifully with both feet.

2008, Full Points Footy's WA Football Companion,, page 122:

Footyheads supporting a variety of clubs actually breathed a sigh of relief knowing that the game didn’t have to stop for seven minutes seventeen seconds every time Matthew took a grab within kicking distance.

2008, H.G. Nelson, Sprays: a collection of verbal touch-ups, Pan Macmillan Australia, page 139:

Australian rules football
Australian rules football

(Australian rules football) to mark the football, especially overhead


pack a punch

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

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

Memphis Bill was known to pack a punch.

1930 June, Victor R. Daly, “Private Walker Goes Patrolling”, in The Crisis, volume 37, number 6, page 199:

If gorillas do fight, injuries can be very serious as these animals have long canine teeth and silverbacks pack a punch estimated at eight times stronger than a heavyweight boxer.

2009, Mary Fitzpatrick, Lonely Planet East Africa, Lonely Planet, page 77:

(informal) To be capable of throwing a strong punch.

They go in for statements, slogans, cartoons, pictures, and posters that "pack a punch."

1942, Robert Allen Griffin, School of the citizen soldier: adapted from the educational program of the Second Army, Lieutenant General Ben Lear, commanding, D. Appleton-Century Company, Incorporated, page 500:

Second, prepare the choices as one-liners. Each one should pack a punch and be so polished that it will jump off the screen into the minds of the audience and create a funny picture.

2003, Ronald A. Berk, Professors are from Mars, students are from Snickers: how to write and deliver humor in the classroom and in professional presentations, Stylus Publishing, LLC., page 30:

It was a poignant scene that packed quite a punch with both champions — and plenty of observers — in tears as Federer called it a career.

2023 May 18, Christopher Clarey, “Even as He’s Out, Rafael Nadal Will Always Be a Part of the French Open”, in The New York Times:

(informal) To be capable of having a swift and powerful effect.


shoot for the stars

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

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


bite one's lip

bite one's lip (third-person singular simple present bites one's lip, present participle biting one's lip, simple past bit one's lip, past participle bitten one's lip)

bites one's lip (present singular third-person)
biting one's lip (participle present)
bit one's lip (past)
bitten one's lip (participle past)

Buckingham bit his lip, for he saw the introduction of Lady Derby was likely to confuse and embroil every preparation which he had arranged for his defence; […]

1822, [Walter Scott], chapter XIII, in Peveril of the Peak. […], volume IV, Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, page 304:

He broke off and bit his lip, feeling that he had better subdue the rising anger in his voice.

1922, F[rancis] Scott Fitzgerald, “(please specify the page)”, in Tales of the Jazz Age, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC:

(idiomatic) To forcibly prevent oneself from speaking, especially in order to avoid saying something inappropriate or likely to cause a dispute.


tell it like it is

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

tells it like it is (present singular third-person)
telling it like it is (participle present)
told it like it is (participle past)
told it like it is (past)

(idiomatic) To speak frankly, to convey all and only the truth of a situation.


pull punches

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

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

Traditionally on Okinawa (if 'traditionally' is the right word to use), protectors had been worn during sparring practise because the trainees believed that, to be effective, one should not train to pull punches.

2017, Mark D Bishop, Zen Odyssey, An Okinawan Karate & Martial Arts Journey, Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 228:

(originally boxing) To avoid using a high level of force when punching.

olla lyömättä kovaa

to avoid using all one's strength when punching


pull one's punches

pull one's punches (third-person singular simple present pulls one's punches, present participle pulling one's punches, simple past and past participle pulled one's punches)

pulls one's punches (present singular third-person)
pulling one's punches (participle present)
pulled one's punches (participle past)
pulled one's punches (past)

Eleanor and I tolerated each other most of the time, but she never pulled her punches

2016, Liz Nugent, Lying In Wait, →ISBN, page 84:

(idiomatic) Alternative form of pull punches


fight the good fight

fight the good fight (third-person singular simple present fights the good fight, present participle fighting the good fight, simple past and past participle fought the good fight)

fights the good fight (present singular third-person)
fighting the good fight (participle present)
fought the good fight (participle past)
fought the good fight (past)

A translation of the Koine Greek phrase ἀγωνίζου τὸν καλὸν ἀγῶνα τῆς πίστεως (agōnízou tòn kalòn agôna tês písteōs, “fight the good fight of faith”) in 1 Timothy 6:12 that appeared first in the Tyndale Bible, then in the King James Version.

"My brethren," he said, "since God has not given our people victory in the combat, it must be because he requires of us, his spiritual soldiers, to fight the good fight of martyrdom, [...]"

1820 March, [Walter Scott], chapter XII, in The Monastery. A Romance. […], volume III, Edinburgh: […] Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and for Archibald Constable and Co., and John Ballantyne, […], →OCLC, pages 300–301:

[W]ho had imagined that her instruments of healing were a thermometer and a prayer-book; and who found herself fighting the good fight with a bandage machine?

1912, Mary Roberts Rinehart, “God's Fool”, in Love Stories:

Nothing said heretofore undervalues or denigrates the sacrifices and accomplishments of those who have been out of the closet and fought the good fight for gay rights (often alone and against incredible odds) for so long.

1983 December 17, William J. Hutchinson, “Whither Bl/GPA?”, in Gay Community News, volume 11, number 22, page 6:

Wouldn't it be nobler by far to fight the good fight with all the weapons available: a firm bass voice, a wagging finger, the Bible?

2001 June 10, Walter Kim, “What Do You Tell The Kids?”, in Time, retrieved 2014-07-16:

To battle or try to achieve something for a noble cause.


get on someone's last nerve

get<,,got,got􂀿UK􂁀:gotten􂀿US􂁀> on someone's last nerve

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

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

get on someone's nerves
get on someone's nerves#English

Alternative form of get on someone's nerves


raise eyebrows

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

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

How did we lose the future? Gelernter's answer may raise some eyebrows. He believes that the United States realized the fair's predictions of a technological and economic utopia—and the country subsequently imploded with its own success.

1995 May 21, Steven Levy, “The Unabomber and David Gelernter”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

Southgate's team selection raised eyebrows when he decided to leave the creative talents of Grealish and Phil Foden on the bench and showed huge faith in Arsenal teenager Bukayo Saka by starting him after his fine performance against the Czechs.

2021 June 29, Phil McNulty, “England 2-0 Germany”, in BBC Sport:

Microsoft, the software, gaming, and cloud-computing giant, secured a contract to sell “mixed reality” goggles to the U.S. Army that could be worth nearly $22 billion over a decade. All of this raised eyebrows at the time. But then computers started generating eyebrows that raised themselves.

2023 June 6, Ian Bogost, “The Age of Goggles Has Arrived”, in The Atlantic:

The fact that a Chinese state-owned company was awarded the contract to build the structure also raised eyebrows.

2022 July 27, Tamara Hardingham-Gill, “New Croatia bridge redraws map of Adriatic coast”, in CNN:

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see raise, eyebrows.


knit one's eyebrows

knit one's eyebrows (third-person singular simple present knits one's eyebrows, present participle knitting one's eyebrows, simple past and past participle knitted one's eyebrows or knit one's eyebrows)

knits one's eyebrows (present singular third-person)
knitting one's eyebrows (participle present)
knitted one's eyebrows (participle past)
knitted one's eyebrows (past)
knit one's eyebrows (participle past)
knit one's eyebrows (past)

knit one's brows
knit one's brows#English

(idiomatic) Alternative form of knit one's brows.


throw a tantrum

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

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

(idiomatic) To have a temper tantrum; to display a fit of childish anger.


kick the can down the road

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

kicks the can down the road (present singular third-person)
kicking the can down the road (participle present)
kicked the can down the road (participle past)
kicked the can down the road (past)

Attested as an activity of idle urban youths since the late 19th century. The modern sense of procrastinate dates from the 1980s.

Ronald Lehman, deputy assistant secretary of defense for strategic and theater nuclear bombs, said the United States was satisfied with its land-based deterrent for many years and "there was a tendency to kick the can down the road and not pay enough attention to its problems.

1983 April 5, “Will MX Succeed This Time?”, in Bennington Banner, Bennington, VT, page 8:

To continue haggling over points on which a consensus seems impossible, Lehman said, is to "just keep kicking the can down the road."

1983 April 10, Jeff Nesmith, Andrew Alexander, “Will End to MX Stalemate Provide Long-Term Solution?”, in The Post, volume l, number 15, West Palm Beach, FL, page A10:

[R]eaching an alliance-wide consensus on them will be difficult. […] The natural temptation is to cling to the status quo, tinker on the edges or kick the can down the road.

1997 December 13, F. Stephen Larrabee, Richard Sokolsky, “In a New World, NATO Must Retool Its Strategic Concept”, in The International Herald Tribune:

Fundamentalism is a product of decades of official complicity, cowardice and appeasement. Sooner or later, Mr Sharif will be forced to realise that. Until then, he is merely kicking the can down the road.

2013 September 27, “Pakistan: kicking the can down the road”, in The Guardian:

[…] one might easily despair and kick the can down the road by waiting for the next generation of computers and physical and chemical probes that can be employed for in situ measurements of chemical processes before starting to implement the research program described.

2014, Aaron R. Dinner, editor, Proceedings of the 240 Conference: Science's Great Challenges, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 132:

It could not have more obvious that ATC was urgently needed - yet all the new Labour Government did was make vague promises of reviews and 'consideration'. It kicked the can down the road, as did subsequent governments.

2019 December 18, Nigel Harris, “180 years of tragedy and progress”, in Rail, page 62:

“That was a big missed opportunity and I feel it’s unfair that we kicked the can down the road to the larger public,” said Dr. El Sahly, who voted “no” to the question about whether the safety data was adequate.

2023 May 18, Christina Jewett, “F.D.A. Panel Recommends R.S.V. Vaccine to Protect Young Infants”, in The New York Times:

(informal, idiomatic) To avoid or postpone a decision or action; to procrastinate.


make one's mark

make one's mark (third-person singular simple present makes one's mark, present participle making one's mark, simple past and past participle made one's mark)

makes one's mark (present singular third-person)
making one's mark (participle present)
made one's mark (participle past)
made one's mark (past)

Terry, almost inevitably, made his mark on the game when he headed Chelsea back in front seconds before the interval, sending a scrambled finish past Szczesny from Lampard's corner.

2011 October 29, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 3 - 5 Arsenal”, in BBC Sport:

(idiomatic) To make, or leave, a lasting impression, especially to achieve prominent success.


pay heed

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

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

You needn't pay heed to his antics.

Now an thou wouldst get possession of this queen and wed this jewel seld-seen and enjoy her beauty and loveliness and grace, do thou pay heed to my words and keep them in thy memory.

1885, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, “w:Hassan of Basra. [Night 789.]”, in A Plain and Literal Translation of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainments, now Entituled The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night […], Shammar edition, volume VIII, [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC, page 44:

(intransitive, idiomatic) To give attention; to heed.


pay the price

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

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

Yet United may have paid the price for overconfidence as they completely lost their concentration after 10 minutes to let Wolves back in.

2011 February 5, Chris Whyatt, “Wolverhampton 2 - 1 Man Utd”, in BBC:

Shadow Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said ahead of the vote: "Northern communities are, once again, paying the price for broken Tory promises on rail.

2021 December 29, “Labour demands NPR action after "rail betrayal"”, in RAIL, number 947, page 7:

"China will pay a price if it is seen as assisting Russia — either providing a direct assistance, particularly military assistance, or assisting Russia in evading sanctions," Chollet told VOA.

[2022 April 29, Nike Ching, “US: No Sign Russia-Ukraine Negotiations Will Bear Fruit”, in Voice of America, archived from the original on 2022-04-29, Ukraine:

To incur the negative consequences of one's decision.

ausbaden

to incur the negative consequences of one's decision


grasp the nettle

grasp the nettle (third-person singular simple present grasps the nettle, present participle grasping the nettle, simple past and past participle grasped the nettle)

grasps the nettle (present singular third-person)
grasping the nettle (participle present)
grasped the nettle (participle past)
grasped the nettle (past)

From the short-term skin irritation caused by the stinging nettle.

Hence it was that a few dozen policemen, resolutely grasping the nettle, had no difficulty in handling it.

1886 February 22, “London's Recent Rioting”, in New York Times, retrieved 2010-08-18, page 5:

President Truman, when at last he grasped the nettle and dismissed MacArthur, knew well enough the outcry that would follow.

1951 April 30, “From Today's Times”, in Ottawa Citizen, Canada, retrieved 2010-08-18, page 2:

That Tony Blair should wait until the dying days of his premiership before grasping the nettle of nuclear expansion has proved dangerously neglectful.

2007 May 24, “Brown's Britain: taking the nuclear option”, in telegraph.co.uk, retrieved 2010-08-18:

We must be bold. We must grasp the nettle and make the most of this opportunity.

2020 May 6, Stefanie Foster, “Comment: One chance for a new order”, in Rail, page 3:

(idiomatic) To act boldly, especially when there are short-term adverse consequences.


bite the biscuit

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

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

Weibe, who fought the effects of allergy medicine and a winless streak since the Hardee's Golf Classic (1986), had to bite the biscuit and settle for second place.

1999, Robert Hartman, Masters of the Millennium, →ISBN, page 5:

Sometimes owners need to bite the biscuit and call in professional help in order to solve a nasty canine behavioral problem.

2003, Steve Duno, Every Dog's Survival Guide to Living with a Neurotic Owner, →ISBN, page 225:

(idiomatic) To undertake an unpleasant task or to acknowledge an unfavorable situation or responsibility; bite the bullet.

face up to

undertake an unpleasant task or acknowledge an unfavorable situation


boil the ocean

boil the ocean (third-person singular simple present boils the ocean, present participle boiling the ocean, simple past and past participle boiled the ocean)

boils the ocean (present singular third-person)
boiling the ocean (participle present)
boiled the ocean (participle past)
boiled the ocean (past)

Whitman said she will not try to "boil the ocean" by taking on too much.

2010 March 9, “Whitman defines herself as the un-Schwarzenegger”, in ABC News:

(figuratively) To undertake an overwhelmingly difficult task or approach to a problem.


allow nature to take its course

allow nature to take its course (third-person singular simple present allows nature to take its course, present participle allowing nature to take its course, simple past and past participle allowed nature to take its course)

allows nature to take its course (present singular third-person)
allowing nature to take its course (participle present)
allowed nature to take its course (participle past)
allowed nature to take its course (past)

let nature take its course
let nature take its course#English

Alternative form of let nature take its course


allow nature to take her course

allow nature to take her course (third-person singular simple present allows nature to take her course, present participle allowing nature to take her course, simple past and past participle allowed nature to take her course)

allows nature to take her course (present singular third-person)
allowing nature to take her course (participle present)
allowed nature to take her course (participle past)
allowed nature to take her course (past)


cross one's arms

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

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

Crossing your arms during an argument will most likely be interpreted as a sign of anger or defensiveness.

(intransitive) To link one's arms together across one's chest.


give something a miss

give something a miss (third-person singular simple present gives something a miss, present participle giving something a miss, simple past gave something a miss, past participle given something a miss)

gives something a miss (present singular third-person)
giving something a miss (participle present)
gave something a miss (past)
given something a miss (participle past)

I decided to give the new book a miss.


give one's eye-teeth

give one's eye-teeth (third-person singular simple present gives one's eye-teeth, present participle giving one's eye-teeth, simple past gave one's eye-teeth, past participle given one's eye-teeth)

gives one's eye-teeth (present singular third-person)
giving one's eye-teeth (participle present)
gave one's eye-teeth (past)
given one's eye-teeth (participle past)

Your real sea-dog will give his eye-teeth for a glass of grog; it is a fact, that many a tooth has been drawn in exchange for rum.

1836, James B. Dow, The Way-Mark, Chapter VI, The end of the Drunkard, page 133

Sandy Flash burst into a roaring laugh. “Him! Ah-ha! you think we go snacks, eh? Do I look like a fool? Barton'd give his eye-teeth to put the halter round my neck with his own hands! No, no, young man; I have ways and ways o' learnin' things that you nor him'll never guess.”

1866, Bayard Taylor, The Story of Kennett, Chapter XXVI, The Last of Sandy Flash, page 311


phone in

phone in (third-person singular simple present phones in, present participle phoning in, simple past and past participle phoned in)

phones in (present singular third-person)
phoning in (participle present)
phoned in (participle past)
phoned in (past)

Please give us the courtesy of showing up instead of phoning in.

Please give us the courtesy of delivering it in person instead of phoning it in.

(transitive, intransitive) To deliver a message by telephone when etiquette demands the effort and respect conveyed by communication in person.

We've got Brian phoning in from Phoenix. Brian, you're on the air.

(intransitive) To make a telephone call to a broadcasting station, especially to participate in a program being aired.

phone it in

He thought he could phone in the scheduling process, but it takes sharp negotiations around here.

He thought he could phone it in. [pronoun antecedent: the scheduling process]

We're sick of Alice's attitude. She's been phoning it in ever since Bob left. [pronoun antecedent: notional: either "her job" or undefined]

But here was someone who could have been paid regally for just phoning it in for another year or two willing instead to throw that all away

1998 January 12, “It's All About Timing”, in TIME:

his new show with Julia Child -- "Julia and Jacques Cooking At Home" on WMPT Channel 22 -- is a clever marketing stroke, but at times both of these veteran teachers seem to be phoning it in.

2000 April 26, Candy Sagon, “All Talk, No Cooking”, in Washington Post:

And I think our campaign put a lot more on the line, frankly, to try to solve that problem than Senator Obama, who tried to phone it in.

2008 October 6, “Getting Offensive; How Will Voters Respond?”, in ABC GMA:

(transitive, intransitive, idiomatic, figurative) To fulfill a responsibility with a minimum effort rather than the appropriate level of effort.

tehdä vasemmalla kädellä (jotakin)

to fulfill a responsibility with a minimum effort

(transitive) To make an unseemly, timid performance; to be restrained and timid when bold action is called for.


make a clean breast

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

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

From the notion that secrets are figuratively hidden in the heart which is contained in the breast (“chest”), and that admitting them will cause the heart to become clean and pure.

He preſſed him earneſtly to make a clean breaſt, and tell him all he knew of [Colin Roy Campbell of] Glenure's murder. To which Breck [i.e., Alan Breck Stewart] anſwered with an oath, that he had never ſeen Glenure dead or alive.

1753 October, “Extracts from the Trial of James Stewart, […]”, in The Scots Magazine. […], volume XV, Edinburgh: Printed by W. Sands, A. Murray, and J. Cochran, →OCLC, page 508:

"Master," he said that day to me, "this must come to an end. I must make a clean breast of it. This Nemo is leaving land and going up to the north. But I declare to you that I have had enough of the South Pole, and I will not follow him to the North."

1873, Jules Verne, “The Gulf Stream”, in [anonymous], transl., Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Seas; […], James R. Osgood edition, Boston, Mass.: Geo[rge] M[urray] Smith & Co., →OCLC, part II, page 278:

'It is well, then, that we should be frank,' said the other. 'We both think more than we have said; let us make a clean breast. This masked figure that you saw, did you recognise it?'

1886 January 5, Robert Louis Stevenson, “The Last Night”, in Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC, page 78:

You know no doubt that most criminals at some time or other feel an irresistible need of confessing—of making a clean breast of it to somebody—to anybody.

1906 January–October, Joseph Conrad, chapter X, in The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale, London: Methuen & Co., […], published 1907, →OCLC; The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale (Collection of British Authors; 3995), copyright edition, Leipzig: Bernhard Tauchnitz, 1907, →OCLC, page 219:

I had lied to Paddock about him, and the whole thing looked desperately fishy. If I made a clean breast of it and told the police everything he had told me, they would simply laugh at me.

1915 August–September, John Buchan, “The Milkman Sets Out on His Travels”, in The Thirty-Nine Steps, Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, published October 1915, →OCLC, page 38:

Instead, imagine that a software project manager approaches you and makes a clean breast of his uncertainty about your proposed project: "Look, there are unknowns here, and we have catalogued the following eleven of them."

2003, Tom DeMarco, Timothy Lister, “The Case for Risk Management”, in Waltzing with Bears: Managing Risk on Software Projects, New York, N.Y.: Dorset House Publishing, published 2013, →ISBN, part I (Why), page 30:

(idiomatic) Often followed by of: to be honest about something; to confess.


split one's sides

split one's sides (third-person singular simple present splits one's sides, present participle splitting one's sides, simple past and past participle split one's sides)

splits one's sides (present singular third-person)
splitting one's sides (participle present)
split one's sides (participle past)
split one's sides (past)

Madcap Ciss with her golliwog curls. You had to laugh at her sometimes. For instance when she asked you would you have some more Chinese tea and jaspberry ram and when she drew the jugs too and the men's faces on her nails with red ink make you split your sides[…]

1922 February, James Joyce, “[Episode 13]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC:


bare one's breast

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

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

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-bare one's breast.wav

Near-synonym: wear one's heart on one's sleeve

[…] he bared his breast to whizzing javelins, to hissing arrows, to any and every weapon that promised death and forgetfulness, and rest.

I'm going to be angry with you. Pitch into old Frank Henchman—hit away, my young one.' And Frank put himself into an attitude as of one prepared to receive a pugilistic assault. He bared his breast, as it were, and showed his scars, and said, "Strike!"'

1854-55, William Makepeace Thackeray, The Newcomes, Chapter 59


head

don't try to teach grandma how to suck eggs

From a 1707 translation by John Stevens of comical works of Francisco de Quevedo (1580 – 1645).
"You would have me teach my Grandame to suck Eggs"

Don't presume to give advice to those who are more experienced.

Francisco de Quevedo
Teaching grandmother to suck eggs

on n’apprend pas à un vieux singe à faire la grimace

ce n’est pas à un vieux singe qu’on apprend à faire des grimaces

ne učí plávatʹ ščúku, ščúka znájet svojú naúku

не учи́ пла́вать щу́ку, щу́ка зна́ет свою́ нау́ку

na ionnsaich do sheanmhair lit' a dhèanamh


save someone's skin

en-verb

save someone's skin (third-person singular simple present saves someone's skin, present participle saving someone's skin, simple past and past participle saved someone's skin)

saves someone's skin (present singular third-person)
saving someone's skin (participle present)
saved someone's skin (participle past)
saved someone's skin (past)

(idiomatic, informal) To save someone's life.

Centre-back Branislav Ivanovic then took a wild slash at the ball but his captain John Terry saved Chelsea's skin by hacking the ball clear for a corner with Kevin Davies set to strike from just six yards out.

2010 December 29, Chris Whyatt, “Chelsea 1 - 0 Bolton”, in BBC:


catch the eye

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

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

Meantime, the train went on to Brighton without further incident. No small stir was caused by its arrival with No. 61 at its head, resplendent with "East London Line Special" head boards, which at once caught the eye of William Stroudley, who was observing the traffic working from his office window.

1951 May, J. Pelham Maitland, “A Memorable Run by a Brighton "Terrier"”, in Railway Magazine, page 347:

Lawrie Wilson caught the eye with a surging run, although his strike was blocked, while Bostwick's powerful low strike drew an excellent save from Krul.

2011 January 8, Paul Fletcher, “Stevenage 3 - 1 Newcastle”, in BBC:


lay it on thick

lay it on thick (third-person singular simple present lays it on thick, present participle laying it on thick, simple past and past participle laid it on thick)

lays it on thick (present singular third-person)
laying it on thick (participle present)
laid it on thick (participle past)
laid it on thick (past)

She really laid it on thick when her pet died.

[…] Everybody else was lookin' and listenin' to me and I laid it on thicker and heavier as I went.

(idiomatic) To exaggerate or overstate a feeling or emotion.

He knew he needed to lay it on thick in his job interview.

Her mother laid it on thick, telling her to call home more often.


beat a retreat

beat a retreat (third-person singular simple present beats a retreat, present participle beating a retreat, simple past beat a retreat, past participle beaten a retreat)

beats a retreat (present singular third-person)
beating a retreat (participle present)
beat a retreat (past)
beaten a retreat (participle past)

(informal) To leave hastily in the face of opposition.


get the lead out

get<,,got,got􂀿UK􂁀:gotten􂀿US􂁀> the lead out

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

gets the lead out (present singular third-person)
getting the lead out (participle present)
got the lead out (past)
got the lead out (UK participle past)
gotten the lead out (US participle past)

A shortened form of get the lead out of one's shoes (or one's pants). Here, lead refers to a very heavy metal, thus the expression means roughly to get rid of whatever is slowing one down and hurry up.

(idiomatic, dated) To go faster; to hurry up.


snap one's fingers

snap one's fingers (third-person singular simple present snaps one's fingers, present participle snapping one's fingers, simple past and past participle snapped one's fingers)

snaps one's fingers (present singular third-person)
snapping one's fingers (participle present)
snapped one's fingers (participle past)
snapped one's fingers (past)

To create a cracking or clicking sound with one’s fingers by building tension between the thumb and another finger (middle, index, or ring) and then moving that finger forcefully downward so it hits the thenar eminence of the same hand at a high speed.


steal the show

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

steals the show (present singular third-person)
stealing the show (participle present)
stole the show (past)
stolen the show (participle past)

And it was Lampard who stole the show with a vintage performance to silence some of his recent critics.

2011 October 2, Jonathan Jurejko, “Bolton 1 - 5 Chelsea”, in BBC Sport:

(idiomatic, intransitive, entertainment) To be the best performer during a performance.

teatr jednego aktora

used as a noun phrase that describes an actor


crack a book

crack a book (third-person singular simple present cracks a book, present participle cracking a book, simple past and past participle cracked a book)

cracks a book (present singular third-person)
cracking a book (participle present)
cracked a book (participle past)
cracked a book (past)

You had better crack the books if you want to have any chance of graduating this year.

Of course he didn't even know that the Partition happened in the 1940s, let alone any details of cross-border disputes since then. It's not like that guy ever cracks a book.

(informal) To open up one's books, especially in order to study.


épater la bourgeoisie

Borrowed from French épater (“amaze”) la (“the”) bourgeoisie (“middle class”).

épater le bourgeois
épater le bourgeois#English

(literary) Alternative form of épater le bourgeois


dance on someone's grave

dance on someone's grave (third-person singular simple present dances on someone's grave, present participle dancing on someone's grave, simple past and past participle danced on someone's grave)

dances on someone's grave (present singular third-person)
dancing on someone's grave (participle present)
danced on someone's grave (participle past)
danced on someone's grave (past)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-dance on someone's grave.wav

This is all aside from my personal disgust at the idea that we should spare any thought for those who would kill us. No one is suggesting dancing on their graves, but neither should we shed even a fraction of a tear for them.

2006 May 1, Lisa, “Spilling out drops of wine at the Seder”, in soc.culture.jewish.moderated (Usenet):

(idiomatic, informal, sometimes derogatory) To celebrate a person's death or downfall triumphantly.


break the news

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

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

I didn't know how to break the news to her that her best friend had been in a car accident.

To inform someone of something first, usually used when it will be difficult to tell the person. [with to]

tudtára ad

to inform someone of something first, usually used when it will be difficult to tell the person


get on someone's tits

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

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

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, vulgar, slang) To annoy or irritate.


kick one's heels

kick one's heels (third-person singular simple present kicks one's heels, present participle kicking one's heels, simple past and past participle kicked one's heels)

kicks one's heels (present singular third-person)
kicking one's heels (participle present)
kicked one's heels (participle past)
kicked one's heels (past)

The restless boy kicked his heels against the chair legs.

The dancer kicked her heels as high as her shoulders.

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see kick, heels.


step on someone's toes

step on someone's toes (third-person singular simple present steps on someone's toes, present participle stepping on someone's toes, simple past and past participle stepped on someone's toes)

steps on someone's toes (present singular third-person)
stepping on someone's toes (participle present)
stepped on someone's toes (participle past)
stepped on someone's toes (past)

I didn't think I'd be stepping on my sister's toes when I told my nephew to sit up straight at the dinner table.

(idiomatic) To cause someone offense, especially by trying to control something that is under their authority, or interfering in their private affairs.

astua jonkun varpaille

to cause someone offense, especially by trying to control something that is under their authority, or interfering in their private affairs


fly like a rock

fly like a rock (third-person singular simple present flies like a rock, present participle flying like a rock, simple past flew like a rock, past participle flown like a rock)

flies like a rock (present singular third-person)
flying like a rock (participle present)
flew like a rock (past)
flown like a rock (participle past)

If the wings aren't big enough, your paper airplane will fly like a rock.

When students have compared the wing areas and weights by squaring and cubing the linear ratios, they correctly predict the large one will fly "like a rock"...

1970, American Association of Physics Teachers, The Physics Teacher, volumes 8–9, page 541:

(simile, sometimes sarcastic) to travel through the air with little or no benefit from aerodynamic lift


hurt a fly

hurt a fly (third-person singular simple present hurts a fly, present participle hurting a fly, simple past and past participle hurt a fly)

hurts a fly (present singular third-person)
hurting a fly (participle present)
hurt a fly (participle past)
hurt a fly (past)

Talking of being eaten by dogs, there's a dachshund at Brinkley who when you first meet him will give you the impression that he plans to convert you into a light snack between his regular meals. Pay no attention. It's all eyewash. […] He wouldn't hurt a fly, but he has to put up a front because his name's Poppet. One can readily appreciate that when a dog hears himself addressed day in and day out as Poppet, he feels he must throw his weight about. His self-respect demands it.

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

(idiomatic, chiefly in the negative, chiefly with a conditional) To hurt or damage something even a little.


speak volumes

speak volumes (third-person singular simple present speaks volumes, present participle speaking volumes, simple past spoke volumes, past participle spoken volumes)

speaks volumes (present singular third-person)
speaking volumes (participle present)
spoke volumes (past)
spoken volumes (participle past)

I can speak volumes about this school.


throw a party

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

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

Let's throw a party this Friday.

We threw a big party for John's 8th birthday.

My roommates and I throw parties every weekend.

(informal) To organize and execute a party.


cash in one's chips

cash in one's chips (third-person singular simple present cashes in one's chips, present participle cashing in one's chips, simple past and past participle cashed in one's chips)

cashes in one's chips (present singular third-person)
cashing in one's chips (participle present)
cashed in one's chips (participle past)
cashed in one's chips (past)

"Looks like these grandees'll have to cash in their chips and quit, but it's a darned shame."

1913, B. M. Bower, chapter 13, in The Gringos:

Yesterday the polo-playing executive cashed in his chips at Harrah's to take a post with even higher stakes, agreeing to become president and chief executive of Resorts International Inc.

1988 October 25, Andrea Adelson, “Business People: Harrah's Officer Joins Resorts International”, in New York Times, retrieved 2011-06-14:

"I am not going to stand by and watch this company bleed to death. If we can't make money, I will cash in my chips."

2005 June 21, Thomas McCarroll, “Corporate Raider on the Ropes”, in Time:

(idiomatic) To discontinue an activity, accepting whatever gains or losses one has incurred; to give up.

A tough old hombre, unregenerate to the last, cashed in his chips in Oklahoma City the other day.

1950 January 10, H. L. MacPherson, “Another Outlaw Dies With Boots Off”, in Windsor Star, Canada, retrieved 2011-06-14:

So what are trained readers of spy novels supposed to believe when Michael cashes in his chips and two strangers arrive to remove his body from the premises?

1982 January 24, Evan Hunter, “Spies and Moles and Other Entertainers”, in New York Times, retrieved 2011-06-14:

Two years and one month ago I broke my neck in a car accident. I made it through but just barely. I came real close to cashing in my chips.

2007 Feb. 7, Cowboy Dan Lewis, "Two Birds, But No Stone," Julian News (California, USA), p. 6 (retrieved 14 June 2011)


name names

name names (third-person singular simple present names names, present participle naming names, simple past and past participle named names)

names names (present singular third-person)
naming names (participle present)
named names (participle past)
named names (past)

"Pr'ythee, peace, man," said Avenel; "what need of naming names, so we understand each other? [...]"

1820 March, [Walter Scott], chapter X, in The Monastery. A Romance. […], volume II, Edinburgh: […] Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and for Archibald Constable and Co., and John Ballantyne, […], →OCLC, page 307:

They named names—names which I shall not record here.

1918, Henry B[lake] Fuller, On the Stairs, Boston, Mass., New York, N.Y.: Hougton Mifflin Company; Cambridge, Mass.: The Riverside Press, →OCLC, part V, section III, page 164:

He named names; the whole gang was rounded up, and all were sentenced to two years in reform school.

1953 May 25, “West Germany: Panthers in the Streets”, in Time:

Sometimes it is not the journalist who is in peril but the subject of a story, and naming names can leave both the reporter and the reader uneasy.

2008 May 18, Clark Hoyt, “Journalism From the Bottom of the Boat”, in New York Times, retrieved 2011-06-16:

(idiomatic) To identify specific people, especially people involved in misdeeds or other secretive activity.


toss one's hat in the ring

toss one's hat in the ring (third-person singular simple present tosses one's hat in the ring, present participle tossing one's hat in the ring, simple past and past participle tossed one's hat in the ring)

tosses one's hat in the ring (present singular third-person)
tossing one's hat in the ring (participle present)
tossed one's hat in the ring (participle past)
tossed one's hat in the ring (past)

Alternative form of throw one's hat in the ring


toss one's hat into the ring

toss one's hat into the ring (third-person singular simple present tosses one's hat into the ring, present participle tossing one's hat into the ring, simple past and past participle tossed one's hat into the ring)

tosses one's hat into the ring (present singular third-person)
tossing one's hat into the ring (participle present)
tossed one's hat into the ring (participle past)
tossed one's hat into the ring (past)


give one's all

give one's all (third-person singular simple present gives one's all, present participle giving one's all, simple past gave one's all, past participle given one's all)

gives one's all (present singular third-person)
giving one's all (participle present)
gave one's all (past)
given one's all (participle past)

The Cemeterial Division . . . has taken up the huge task of establishing contact with the mothers or widows of the 30,000 American soldiers who gave their all and whose bodies rest in graves across the sea.

1929 April 10, “Plans for War Mothers Pilgrimage Started”, in Rochester Evening Journal and the Post Express, retrieved 2011-06-18, page 26:

Police officers expressed shock at the news of their fellow officer's death. "He gave his all; he literally gave his all," said Officer Edward Looney.

2005 August 4, Kareem Fahim, “Sniper Kills New York Police Officer in Iraq”, in New York Times, retrieved 2011-06-17:

(idiomatic, euphemistic) To lose one's life while making the utmost effort with full commitment.


empty the tank

empty the tank (third-person singular simple present empties the tank, present participle emptying the tank, simple past and past participle emptied the tank)

empties the tank (present singular third-person)
emptying the tank (participle present)
emptied the tank (participle past)
emptied the tank (past)

“It's important over the next five games to empty the tank and give all we've got.”

2006 July 5, Tom Withers, “Cleveland scores nine in fifth inning”, in USA Today, retrieved 2011-06-19:

“You’ve got to empty the tank,” he said. “You can see the finish line. You know what you have to do.”

2008 September 1, Joe LaPointe, “Martínez Shows Strength in Mets Win Over Marlins”, in New York Times, retrieved 2011-06-19:

Stewart referenced Springsteen's work ethic and heart: “He empties the tank, every time. He empties that tank for his family, he empties that tank for his art, he empties that tank for his audience and he empties that tank for his country.”

2009 December 30, “Bruce Springsteen Honored at Kennedy Center”, in Rolling Stone, retrieved 2011-06-19:

(idiomatic) To make the utmost effort; to contribute to the absolute limit of one's energy and abilities.


lose one's life

lose one's life (third-person singular simple present loses one's life, present participle losing one's life, simple past and past participle lost one's life)

loses one's life (present singular third-person)
losing one's life (participle present)
lost one's life (participle past)
lost one's life (past)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-lose one's life.wav

The people so highly resented this law, that our histories tell us, there have been six rebellions raised on that account; wherein one emperor lost his life.

1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part I (A Voyage to Lilliput):

I have no ambition to lose my life on the post-road between St. Petersburgh and Archangel.

1816 June – 1817 April/May (date written), [Mary Shelley], Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: […] [Macdonald and Son] for Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones, published 1 January 1818, →OCLC:

“[H]is own wife lost her life with an accident that come to a horse that hadn't room to turn right with a harrow between the bush and the wall.”

1893, William Butler Yeats, “The Friends of the People of Faery”, in The Celtic Twilight:

“Do you think, Sir, that you could possibly send me on some mission for the paper? . . . anything that had adventure and danger in it. . . .” “You seem very anxious to lose your life.”

1912, Arthur Conan Doyle, chapter 2, in The Lost World […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC:

[E]nemy fighters killed 2,320 of the troops who lost their lives in Iraq through December 2.

2006 December 30, Unmesh Kher, “By the Numbers: The U.S. Death Toll”, in Time:

(euphemistic) To die, especially to be killed during involvement in an activity or in some other undertaking.


leave nothing in the tank

leave nothing in the tank (third-person singular simple present leaves nothing in the tank, present participle leaving nothing in the tank, simple past and past participle left nothing in the tank)

leaves nothing in the tank (present singular third-person)
leaving nothing in the tank (participle present)
left nothing in the tank (participle past)
left nothing in the tank (past)

“Give it your all and leave nothing in the tank,” he said. “My dad told me this when he coached me.”

2011 May 27, Percy Hebert, “Gagnon drafted in WHL”, in Quesnel Cariboo Observer, Canada, retrieved 2011-06-21:


hit the fan

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

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

Uncertain. Possibly derived from an old joke:
A man in a crowded bar needed to defecate but couldn't find a bathroom, so he went upstairs and used a hole in the floor. Returning, he found everyone had gone except the bartender, who was cowering behind the bar. When the man asked what had happened, the bartender replied, 'Where were you when the shit hit the fan?' Other possible sources include American/Canadian military slang or agricultural manure spreaders.

They were just clowning around, when suddenly it all hit the fan.

Then the shit really hit the fan.

Let me ask you, Congressman, the case of a lot of these corporate scandals, I followed enough of them to know how -- how it works out. Once everything starts hitting the fan, the CEO, the chairman or maybe a large share of the board of directors simply leaves, resigns

2004 December 2, Neil Cavuto, “Interview With Jeff Flake”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name):

(idiomatic, intransitive) To have a dramatic, usually negative, effect.


make time

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

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

We can really make time if we take the freeway.

We made good time on the flight back because we had a tailwind.

(idiomatic, colloquial) To recover lost time, as by travelling faster than usual.


break one's fall

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

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

A pile of leaves broke my fall when I slipped off the roof of the shed.

To provide alleviation to prevent someone from slamming into the ground at full speed; to prevent someone from hitting the ground too hard at the end of a fall.


make someone's blood boil

make someone's blood boil (third-person singular simple present makes someone's blood boil, present participle making someone's blood boil, simple past and past participle made someone's blood boil)

makes someone's blood boil (present singular third-person)
making someone's blood boil (participle present)
made someone's blood boil (participle past)
made someone's blood boil (past)

Dove says it makes her blood boil to see the way the poor young gentleman is treated.

1880, Charlotte M. Yonge, chapter 21, in Love and Life:

The hypocritical smugness of the English makes my blood boil.

1915, Virginia Woolf, chapter 23, in The Voyage Out:

Most men gave him a wide berth, and for the sake of peace accepted sneers and insults that made the blood boil.

1922, William MacLeod Raine, chapter 4, in Man Size:

Yet, I also know how intimidating it is to have a tailgater behind; it makes my blood boil.

1989 June 25, Jacquie Herz, “Beware: Teen-Age Driver, Nervous Mother”, in New York Times, retrieved 2011-07-15:

A day earlier, he had said wage disparities between genders made his "blood boil".

2008 Aug. 21, Joe Klein, "Where's Obama's Passion?, Time

(idiomatic) To cause a person to feel angry or very annoyed, especially in situation in which one cannot fully display that feeling to others.


cool one's heels

cool one's heels (third-person singular simple present cools one's heels, present participle cooling one's heels, simple past and past participle cooled one's heels)

cools one's heels (present singular third-person)
cooling one's heels (participle present)
cooled one's heels (participle past)
cooled one's heels (past)

I cooled my heels in the cloisters till nine, then went in to the music-meeting.

1711, Jonathan Swift, The Journal to Stella (published 1766), ch. 4, letter 31

Remember I say it—he'll cool his heels in a prison, if he's no wiser than of late, before a twel'month.

1863, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, chapter 27, in The House by the Church Yard:

Indeed his annoyance had time to augment a good deal; for he was allowed to cool his heels a full half hour in the ante-room before those gentlemen emerged and he was ushered into the presence.

1873, Mark Twain, chapter 28, in The Gilded Age:

"Though Death has been cooling his heels at my door these three weeks, I have not had time to see him."

1881, Robert Louis Stevenson, “Aes Triplex”, in Essays of Robert Louis Stevenson:

There is the story of the famous Hollywood glamour photographer who cooled his heels around Washington for three months while waiting for one of our leading commanders, and then was granted exactly 15 minutes for the sitting.

1943 December 24, Herbert L. Bregstein, “The Armored Force and the Camera”, in Popular Photography, volume 13, number 6, page 77:

Once in the White House, Currie became an expert at making small talk with visiting dignitaries, members of Congress, Cabinet Secretaries and other Administration officials as they cooled their heels waiting for the ever tardy Clinton.

2001 June 24, Nancy Gibbs, “The Currie Riddle”, in Time:

(idiomatic) To wait, especially impatiently or restlessly.


make friends

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

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

From Middle English maken frendes, equivalent to make + friends.

He hasn't made friends easily at his new school.

(intransitive) To form friendships with others.


lose sleep

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

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

I won't be losing sleep over the national budget deficit.

What keeps you awake at night?
Worry about being self-employed. Nowadays, I don’t lose sleep over my divorce—I did for about a year.

2019 December 14, Rosanna Greenstreet, “Laurence Fox: ‘I don’t lose sleep over my divorce – I did for about a year’”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

I don’t lose sleep over it. My energy is with the players and the people here. I’m in here early in the morning until late at night, trying to find solutions and the best way forward.

2022 August 26, Ben Fisher, quoting Brendan Rodgers, “Brendan Rodgers not losing sleep over threat of sack despite Leicester woes”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:


make history

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

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

Neil Armstrong made history in 1969 when he was the first person to walk on the Moon.

(idiomatic) To do something that will be widely remembered for a long time.


bat an eye

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

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


sail close to the wind

sail close to the wind (third-person singular simple present sails close to the wind, present participle sailing close to the wind, simple past and past participle sailed close to the wind)

sails close to the wind (present singular third-person)
sailing close to the wind (participle present)
sailed close to the wind (participle past)
sailed close to the wind (past)

Sense 2 (“to behave in a manner on the verge of being dangerous, illegal, or improper”) derives from the fact that to sail an old-fashioned sailing ship close to the direction the wind was blowing from was risky because a small change in the wind direction could fill the sails and push them against the mast, potentially breaking it.

As the Syrene vvas ſeen to fall to leevvard in the afternoon, the ſignal vvas made to her to ſail as cloſe to the vvind as poſſible.

1781, [Mouffle d’Angerville], “Appendix. Secret Expedition, from 1758 to 1759.”, in J. O. Justamond, transl., The Private Life of Lewis XV. […], volume IV, London: […] Charles Dilly, […], →OCLC, page 304:

A vessel sails close to the wind, when her head is just so near the wind as to fill the sails without shaking them.

1846, Arthur Young, James Brisbane, “CLOSE”, in Nautical Dictionary: Containing Explanations of Terms and Phrases used in the Building and Outfit of Sailing Vessels and Steam-ships; in Seamanship, Navigation, and Nautical Astronomy; and in Naval Gunnery: […], Dundee: William Middleton; London: Charles Wilson (late J. W. Norie & Wilson); Hamilton Adams & Co., →OCLC, page 74:

American privateers were beautifully built, and modelled so as to facilitate escape rather than come into close quarters. […] Such a vessel could sail close to the wind or tack suddenly; one pivot gun of long range was carried amidships, and there were plenty of men on board.

1894, Julian Hawthorne, James Schouler, E[lisha] Benjamin Andrews, “Second Administration of James Madison”, in United States from the Discovery of the North American Continent up to the Present Time […] (World’s Best Histories), volume III, New York, N.Y.; London: The Co-operative Publication Society, →OCLC, section II (Period of Fourteenth Congress. March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817.), page 504:

We scudded blithely over the sea. It was the long-boat we had. She was well-built and sturdy and a good sailer; though sailing close to the wind, it was not strong enough to keel her over too far, besides, to stiffen her, we were all perched to windward.

1949, Fred W. Ellis, “Explorations and Departure”, in Round Cape Horn in Sail, South Croydon, Surrey: The Blue Book Company, →OCLC, page 206:

Because the Sirius had failed to tack, the wind had blown it backwards onto the reef: the result perhaps of an unexpected shift of the wind, a shoreward current, [Philip Gidley] King's failure to warn [John] Hunter about the current and a bold commander who sometimes sailed close to the wind.

2016, Graeme Henderson, “The Loss of HMS Sirius, Escort to the First Fleet, in 1790”, in Swallowed by the Sea: The Story of Australia’s Shipwrecks, Canberra, A.C.T.: NLA Publishing, →ISBN, page 56:

(nautical) To sail in a direction close to that from which the wind is blowing, while still making headway.

kryssiä

to sail in a direction close to that from which the wind is blowing

But he received only indifferent remuneration, in those days, and found himself to "sail close to the wind," to meet his current expenses.

1876, Geo[rge] P. Burnham, “How Reuben Downer Made and Saved It”, in A Hundred Thousand Dollars in Gold. How to Make It. […], Springfield, Mass.: W. J. Holland, →OCLC, page 198:

We have to bear in mind that the present Conventional Tariff sails close to wind as a protection for French industry, and that anything like a serious increase would amount to absolute prohibition.

1881 June, “The Present Aspect of Our Commercial Relations with France”, in The Nautical Magazine: A Journal of Papers on Subjects Connected with Maritime Affairs, volume L (New Series), number VI, London: Simpkin, Marshall & Co., […]; J. D. Potter, […]; Kent & Co., […], →OCLC, page 430:

[A]ll naturalists have sometimes to sail close to the wind to obtain specimens for their cabinets.

1906 February 15, Richard Hancock, “A Note on the Araneæ around Yarmouth”, in W[illiam] L[ucas] Distant, editor, The Zoologist: A Monthly Journal of Natural History, volume X (4th Series), number 110 (number 776 overall), London: West, Newman & Co. […]; Simpkin, Marshall & Co., →OCLC, page 60:

Louis-Philippe was a rare man. […] [A] savvy statesman, cold inside, ruled by the immediate interest, always sailing close to the wind, incapable of rancour or gratitude, pitilessly wearing out his superiority on mediocrities, skilled at proving wrong through parliamentary majorities, those mysterious unanimities that grumble quietly beneath thrones; […]

2008, Victor Hugo, “Louis-Philippe”, in Julie Rose, transl., Les Misérables, London: Vintage Books, →ISBN, part 4 (The Idyll of the Rue Plumet and the Epic of the Rue Saint-Denis), book 1 (A Few Pages of History), page 682:

Real have sailed close to the wind in the Champions League this season, most notably when they needed two goals to survive against Manchester City in the semi-final with 90 minutes gone.

2022 May 28, Phil McNulty, “Liverpool 0 – 1 Real Madrid: Champions League Defeat Caps Miserable End to Magnificent Season amid Paris Chaos”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 2023-05-26:

(figurative) To behave in a manner that is on the verge of being dangerous, illegal, or improper.