your mileage may vary

The United States Environmental Protection Agency requires all new vehicles to undergo a set of standard emissions tests which simulate city and highway driving. Part of the test measures estimated city and highway gas (petrol) mileage estimates. Since no test can exactly simulate all driving habits and conditions, the actual gas mileage of each vehicle will vary. As a result, when these estimated mileage claims from automobile manufacturers appear in advertisements, they are almost always accompanied with the standard disclaimer “your mileage may vary”.

The battery lasts a day in my phone, but your mileage may vary.

When that definition is executed, the metadata for the temporary table is put into your schema (most likely—your mileage may vary), but no space is allocated to hold data.

1993, Jim Melton, Alan R. Simon, “Basic Data Definition Language (DDL)”, in Understanding the New SQL: A Complete Guide, San Francisco, Calif.: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, →ISBN, section 4.3.4 (Temporary Tables), page 74:

In other words, your mileage may vary and my disk-size figures are just estimates provided for your convenience.

1994, Bob LeVitus, Macintosh System 7.5 for Dummies (For Dummies), San Mateo, Calif.: IDG Books, →ISBN, page 328:

We pause here to emphasize that with animals, there are no absolutes. […] We like to say that with any given wolf or dog, "your mileage may vary."

2012, Jessica Addams, Andrew Miller, “Modern Wolf Mythology: The Things that ‘Everyone Knows’”, in Between Dog and Wolf: Understanding the Connection and the Confusion, Wenatchee, Wash.: Dogwise Publishing, →ISBN:

Mallory Ortberg: […] The advice game is the ultimate your-mileage-may-vary exercise—do you have a feeling for when someone is looking for (or needs) a gentle smack to return them to their senses, a bit of empathy, a dose of humor? It’s a tricky balance, I think, between writing something entertaining for your many readers and trying to be genuinely helpful to the original writer.

2015 November 12, Daniel Mallory Ortberg, Emily Yoffe, “Dear Prudie, from Prudie: Emily Yoffe’s advice to her successor, Mallory Ortberg”, in Slate, archived from the original on 2018-02-07:

(Canada, US, idiomatic, often computing) It may work differently in your situation, or be different in your experience.

možná to máte jinak

it may work differently in your situation

ez mindenkinél másként/máshogy/máshogyan van/működik (persze)

э́то мо́жет срабо́тать у тебя́ по-друго́му

I think that red dress looks really good on you, but your mileage may vary, of course.

Your mileage may vary when it comes to the over-the-top carnage and in-your-face machismo, but it’s impressive just how bonkers Fate [The Fate of the Furious] is, like a litter of kittens hopped up on grade-A catnip.

2017 April 12, Brian Truitt, “Review: ‘Fate’ is furious enough to excite the faithful”, in USA Today, archived from the original on 2018-09-06:

The privatization of luxury space in planes, trains and automobiles have certainly enhanced our ability to keep to ourselves on the road (see the rise of personal pods at airports for a recent example of the lengths people will go to for solitude). And as those spaces get increasingly automated, human interaction is becoming increasingly limited (although your mileage may vary as to how much you really enjoy that interaction with customs or gate agents).

2018 August 31, Leslie Wu, “Mobile Hotel Rooms are the New Home away from Home”, in Forbes, archived from the original on 2018-09-01:

(Canada, US, idiomatic) Used to express a possible difference in taste: this is just my opinion, your opinion may be different.

és només la meva opinió

this is just my opinion — see also there's no accounting for taste

des goûts et des couleurs, on ne discute pas


I love you

"I love you, Mom," said Candace.

I love you, Lolly: I should have been saying it at the end of every one of those goddamn Sunday-evening calls. Should have been calling her. I love you: Why did that simple three-syllable sentence always get stuck in my throat?

2008, Wally Lamb, The Hour I First Believed, Ch.3, at p.73

An affirmation of affection or deep caring, especially to a family member.

አፈቅርሻለሁ

ʾäfäḳrəšalähu

አፈቅርሀለሁ

ʾäfäḳrəhälähu

我疼汝

goá thiàⁿ lí / góa thiàⁿ lír / góa thiàⁿ lú / óa thiàⁿ lí / óa thiàⁿ lír

دورت بگردم (doret begardam, literally “I'll circumambulate you”)

(pronoun for speaker) + thương + (pronoun for listener)


en-proverb

The circumstances of others seem more desirable than one's own but in reality often are not.

طبيخ الجارة نوارة، وطبيخ أهل الدار مرار

others' circumstances seem more desirable than one's own but in reality often are not.

l'herba sempre és més verda a l'altra banda

隔籬飯香 /隔篱饭香 (gaak³ lei⁴ faan⁶ hoeng¹, literally “next door's rice smells good”)

這山望著那山高 /这山望着那山高 (zhè shān wàng zhe nà shān gāo, literally “the next mountain looks taller”)

græsset er altid grønnere på den anden side af hækken

het gras is altijd groener aan de overkant

herbaro ĉiam aspektas pli verda trans barilo

ruoho on aina vihreämpää aidan toisella puolella

l’herbe est toujours plus verte ailleurs

l’herbe est toujours plus verte dans le pré du voisin

die Kirschen aus Nachbars Garten schmecken immer besser

die Kirschen aus Nachbars Garten schmecken immer noch am besten

ha-déshe shel ha-shakhén tamíd yarók yotér

הַדֶּשֶׁא שֶׁל הַשָּׁכֵן תָּמִיד יָרֹק יוֹתֵר

दूर के ढोल सुहावने लगते हैं (dūr ke ḍhol suhāvne lagte ha͠i, literally “from far away, the drums sound better”)

दूसरे की थाली में घी अधिक दिखाई देता है

dūsre kī thālī mẽ ghī adhik dikhāī detā hai

rumput tetangga selalu terlihat lebih hijau

隣の芝生は青く見える (となりのしばふはあおくみえる, tonari no shibafu wa aoku mieru, literally “the neighbor's lawn seems green”)

隣の芝生は青い (となりのしばふはあおい, tonari no shibafu wa aoi, literally “the neighbor's lawn is green”)

隣の花は赤い (となりのはなはあかい, tonari no hana wa akai, literally “the neighbor's flowers are red”)

남의 떡이 더 커 보인다 (namui tteogi deo keo boinda, literally “the other person's rice cake seems bigger”)

먼 무당이 용하다 (meon mudang'i yonghada, literally “the shaman from far away is more skilled”)

hujan emas di negeri orang, hujan batu di negeri sendiri, baik juga di negeri sendiri

അക്കരെ നിന്നാൽ ഇക്കരെ പച്ച (akkare ninnāl ikkare pacca, literally “if you stand on the other shore, this side is greener”)

gresset er alltid grønnere på den andre siden

graset er alltid grønare på den andre sida

сосе́дняя о́чередь всегда́ дви́жется быстре́е (sosédnjaja óčeredʹ vsegdá dvížetsja bystréje, literally “the other queue always moves faster”)

там хорошо́, где нас нет (tam xorošó, gde nas net, literally “it is good everywhere where we are not”)

's e miann na lacha an loch air nach bi i

tha iteagan bòidheach air na h-eòin a tha fad às

la hierba siempre es más verde del otro lado

el pasto siempre es más verde del otro lado

до́бре там, де нас нема́ (dóbre tam, de nas nemá, literally “it is better there, where we are not”)

the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence

the grass is always greener on the other side of the road


how are you

/hæɔ ˈaː jʉː/

/hæɔ ˈaː jə/

I'm very well, thank you. How are you? (formal)
I'm fine, thank you. /
Fine, thanks. (informal) /
Fine, and you? (informal)

(idiomatic) An informal greeting, not requiring a literal response. In form a question, and thus followed by a question mark. Typical responses include:

እንደምን አለህ

ʾəndämn ʾäläh

እንደምን አለሽ

ʾəndämn ʾäläš

你好冇

ngì-hó-mò / nì-hó-mò / ǹ-hó-mò / ǹg-hó-mò

汝好勢無？ /汝好势无？

lí hó-sè--bô? / lír hó-sè--bô? / lú hó-sè--bô?

汝較好無？ /汝较好无？

lí khà hó--bô? / lír khà hó--bô? / lú khà hó--bô?

汝食未？

lí chia̍h bē? / lír chia̍h bēr? / lí chia̍h bōe? / lú chia̍h bōe? / lír chia̍h běr?


I'm fine, thank you

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Sapaa-I'm fine, thank you.wav

The expected, polite response to how are you?

5@Sternum-FingerUp Contact

expected, polite response to How are you?

بِخَيْر الْحَمْدُ لِلّٰه (bi-ḵayr al-ḥamdu li-llāh, literally “good, praise God”)

kiitos, hyvää (in response to mitä kuuluu?)

お蔭様で、元気です

おかげさまで、げんきです, o-kage-sama de, genki desu

eu vou bem, obrigado (in response to como vai você?)


where is the toilet

(British, literal) Direct me to the restroom (US) or WC (British).

屎礐佇佗落？ /屎𬒈伫佗落？

sái-ha̍k tī tó-lo̍h? / sái-ha̍k tǐr tó-loh? / sái-ha̍k tǐ tó-loh? / sái-ha̍k tī tah-lo? / sái-ha̍k tī tá-lo?

便所佇佗位？

piān-só͘ tī tó-uī? / piān-só͘ tū tó-uī? / piān-só͘ tī toh-ūi? / piān-só͘ tū toh-ūi?

廁所佇佗落？ /厕所伫佗落？

chheh-só͘ tī tó-lo̍h? / chhè-só͘ tǐr tó-loh? / chhè-só͘ tǐ tó-loh? / chhek-só͘ tī tah-lo? / chhek-só͘ tī tá-lo?

礐廁佇佗落？ /𬒈厕伫佗落？

ha̍k-chhè tī tó-lo̍h? / ha̍k-chhè tǐ tó-loh?

染蠻佇佗落？ /染蛮伫佗落？

jiám-bân tī tá-lo̍h? / jiám-bân tī tó-lo̍h / liám-bân tī tó-lo̍h / liám-boân tī tó-lo̍h?


what time is it

What is the time of day? (used to request for the current hour and approximate number of minutes after the hour)


what is your name

What is your name? — My name is Mary. — A pretty name. — It is my mother's name. — Indeed!

1854, Gustave Chouquet, Easy Conversations in French, page 9:

ano tabi an pangaran mo ano an pangaran mo

汝叫啥物名？

Lí kiò siáⁿ-mi̍h miâ? / Lí kiò siáⁿ-mih miâ? / Lí kiò sáⁿ-mi̍h miâ?

恁名是啥物？

Lín miâ sī siáⁿ-mi̍h? / Lín miâ sǐ siáⁿ-mih? / Lín miâ sī sáⁿ-mi̍h?

恁叫做啥物？

Lín kiò-chòe siáⁿ-mih? / Lín kiò-chò sáⁿ-mi̍h?

恁號做啥物？ /恁号做啥物？

Lín hō-chòe siáⁿ-mih? / Lín hō-chò sáⁿ-mi̍h?

ཁྱེད་རང་གི་མཚན་ལ་ག་རེ་ཞུ་གི་ཡོད།

khyed rang gi mtshan la ga re zhu gi yod

ཁྱོད་ཀྱི་མིང་ལ་ག་རེ་ཟེར་གྱི་ཡོད།

non-honorific, used for children, animals, etc

tên bạn là gì?

but not casual; a general-purpose version; use with caution

tên anh là gì?

to a male who is the same age as the speaker

tên bà là gì?

formal; to a female who is older than the speaker

tên chị là gì?

informal; to a female who is the same age as or younger than the speaker

tên em là gì?

to a female who is the same age as the speaker, or to a person who is younger than the speaker (such as a child)

tên mày là gì?

even rude or insulting; to a person younger than the speaker, or to a person held in low esteem; use with caution

tên ông là gì?

formal; to a male who is older than the speaker

kí ni orúkọ rẹ? (casual, used with younger people only)


such is life

Of course I’m not happy about it, but such is life.

Used to express the acceptance of misfortune in one's life.

kështu e ka jeta

used to express the acceptance of misfortune


let's go

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-let's go.wav

You think you're so tough, huh? Let's go then!

(colloquial) Bring it on. (an incitement to fight)


I think so

I believe that is the case, but am not certain.


I don't think so

/aɪ dəʊnt θɪŋk səʊ/

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Persent101-I don't think so.wav

Go out with you? Huh, I don't think so, sweetheart!

(sarcastic) No, absolutely not (used to refuse or decline something proposed).


what's in it for me

(idiomatic) What are the advantages of (something) to me, personally?


forget it

en-verb

forget it (third-person singular simple present forgets it, present participle forgetting it, simple past forgot it, past participle forgotten it)

forgets it (present singular third-person)
forgetting it (participle present)
forgot it (past)
forgotten it (participle past)
in imperative

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

You think you're getting into university with these grades? Well, forget it!

You said we could go to the mall! —Forget it! Look at the state of this room! You're going to stay here and clean up before you go anywhere.

Absolutely not; I forbid it or it is impossible.

Near-synonyms: don't worry; who cares, I don't care

What were you saying? – Oh, it was nothing important, forget it.

Coordinate term: you're welcome

Near-synonym: don't worry

Thank you so much! How can I repay you for your kindness? – Forget it; it was nothing.

A conventional reply to an expression of gratitude.

Near-synonyms: (vulgar) fuck it, fuck this

It's raining. I said, "It's raining." Do you hear me? It's raining! Oh, forget it!

I don't want to continue with this conversation (usually used in frustration or anger).

هيچ

So, life is disappointing? Forget it. We have no problems here. In here, life is beautiful! The girls are beautiful! Even the orchestra is beautiful.

1966, “"Willkommen"”, in Fred Ebb (lyrics), John Kander (music), Cabaret:

Don't let it bother you; put it out of your mind.


that'll be the day

/ˌðætl̩ biː ðə ˈdeɪ/

/ˌðætl̩ bi ðə ˈdeɪ/

Originally referring to a significant day in the future regarded as worth waiting for.

I’m going to get into work on time today. — That’ll be the day!

(originally Australia, New Zealand, idiomatic, informal) Said in reply to something that one believes will never happen.

sen päivän kun näkisi

said in reply to something that one believes will never happen

ζήσε Μάη μου να φας τριφύλλι (zíse Mái mou na fas trifýlli, literally “(of a donkey in winter) live till May and eat clover”)

когда́ рак на горе свистнет (kogdá rak na gore svistnet, literally “when the crayfish will whistle on the mountaintop”)


speak of the devil

Ellipsis of speak of the devil and he shall appear, which can be traced back to “talk of the Devil, and he’s presently at your elbow”, attested in 1666. The idea behind this (namely, that mentioning a dangerous creature may cause it to appear) is found in many cultures around the world. Compare taboo avoidance (a related linguistic phenomenon).

ellipsis

A: You know who would appreciate this? Tom. B: Speak of the devil! Look who just walked in!

(idiomatic, humorous) An expression sometimes used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive on the scene.

expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive

اُذْكُرْ غَائِبًا تَرَهُ (uḏkur ḡāʔiban tarahu, literally “mention an absent person, and you shall see him”)

ابن الحلال عند ذكره ببان (ʔibn il-ḥalāl ʕind zikro bibān, literally “the decent man appears with the mention (of his name)”)

ذكرنا القط، أجا ينط (zakarna l-qoṭṭ, ʔaja ynoṭṭ, literally “we mentioned the cat and he came jumping”)

говорим за вълка, а той в кошарата (govorim za vǎlka, a toj v košarata, literally “speaking about the wolf , and he is in the sheep pen”)

parlant del rei de Roma, entra per la porta

no es pot dir mal que no aparegui el animal

曹操到 (shuō Cáo Cāo, Cáo Cāo dào, literally “speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives”)

als je het over de duivel hebt, dan zie je zijn staart

quand on parle du loup, on en voit la queue

tu fevelis dal diàul e vegnin fûr i cuars!

wenn man vom Teufel spricht, dann kommt er

wenn man vom Teufel spricht, dann ist er nicht weit

κατά φωνή κι ο γάιδαρος (katá foní ki o gáidaros, literally “by voice, here is the donkey”)

מדברים על החמור, והחמור בא (medabrím al ha xamór, ve ha xamór ba, literally “speak of the donkey and the donkey comes”)

ne fesd az ördögöt a falra, mert megjelenik

oft kemur góður þá getið er og illur þá um er rætt

tagann gach aon rud lena iomrá ach madadh rua agus marbhán

噂をすれば影がさす

うわさをすればかげがさす

про вовка промовка (pro vovka promovka, literally “speaking of the wolf”)

sonier am ddiawl, fe ymddengys y cythraul


one's days are numbered

If his performance does not improve very soon, his days at this company are numbered.

(idiomatic) Some period of time, such as a term of employment or a lifetime, is coming to an end.


how's tricks

He was smoking a cigar (a most unusual occurrence), and a smile of satisfaction lit up his serene countenance. "How's tricks, Harry my boy?" I asked of that gentleman.

(idiomatic, colloquial) Informal greeting roughly equivalent to How are you? or How's it going?


what's up

Made popular by the cartoon character Bugs Bunny as part of his catch phrase “What’s up Doc?”, as early as 1940. Originally a common greeting from Bugs Bunny creator Tex Avery's neighborhood in Taylor, Texas.

Hey, what's up? – Not much, just working.

(idiomatic, colloquial, chiefly US, with up in the sense of "happening") What's happening? What are you doing?


someone's goose is cooked

Unclear. Unconvincing claims have been made of the term's origin in Aesop's Fables (The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs) and in Swedish history.
Attested as cook someone's goose from 1845.

If he doesn't win the next round, then his goose is cooked.

On our wedding day, a friend said to me sadly:
'Poor old Bernard, now your goose is cooked. Women are like cats, they like walls...'

1969, Bernard Moitessier, “Cape Horn: The Logical Route”, in Inge Moore, transl., [1967, Cap Horn à la Voile], page 49:

"I think that she was so concerned that she was afraid to even mention it in her own journals," Jennifer told him. “In fact, she doesn't bring it up again until it's pretty clear that the South's goose is cooked.”

I thought that Texaco made a pretty good reply, but one of the federal lawyers gave me her take: “When you have to withdraw the evidence on which your expert based his opinion, your goose is cooked.”

2001, Kenneth S. Deffeyes, Hubbert's Peak: The Impending World Oil Shortage, page 48:

(idiomatic) All hope is gone; there is no possibility of success; the period of good fortune is over.

Aesop's Fables
The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs

попал, как кур во щи /caught like a rooster into shchi/


you're welcome

No, I didn’t cook, but you’re welcome to try out the new kitchen.

2016, Lynette Eason, Without Warning (Elite Guardians; 2), Revell, →ISBN:

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see you're, welcome.


what's the matter

(dated) What's happening? What's the news?


how much is it

how much does it cost
how much does it cost


she'll be apples

From rhyming slang - apples and spice = nice; compare she's apples.

“She′ll be right,” Bob exuded a confidence much out of touch with the reality of the situation, “She′ll be apples.”

1983, Neil Appleford, The Dish Licker, page 62:

The thought made him smile and he patted Cec on the shoulder.
‘She′ll be apples,’ he encouraged, and Cec took up his cup.

1989, Kerry Greenwood, “Cocaine Blues”, in Introducing the Honourable Phryne Fisher, Omnibus, page 31:

‘Will it hurt?’ Duke was a small republic of concern to Dot.
‘No way. Piece of cake. She′ll be apples.’

1997, David Ireland, The Chosen, page 318:

(Australia, New Zealand, colloquial) Everything will be all right.


she's apples

From rhyming slang - apples and spice = nice.

The other saw Mama-san; ‘She’s apples, Frank! We don't have to go any further. Here's Mama-sa’ waiting to turn it on for us! Konichiwa, Mama-san,’ he said enticingly.

1989, Bill Pearson, Six Stories, page 28:

I'm no good now, I'm burnt out. I was real good but only got one good and one bad one. My leg, look! That's it! But the other leg, she's apples. And that's how it is.

1997, Lee Chittick, Terry Fox, Travelling with Percy: A South Coast Journey, page 94:

2003, Colleen McCullough, The Touch, 2004, Large Print Press, page 541,
Sam checked what Theodora had assembled, nodded and unearthed a blowtorch from his tool bag. “Thanks, Miss Jay, she's apples,” he said, beginning to fill the blowtorch's reservoir with spirits.

(Australia, colloquial) Everything is all right, or in good working order.


what gives

First attested in 1940, in John O'Hara's novel Pal Joey. The term is considered by the American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms, Second Edition (2013) and several other references to be a calque of German “was gibt's?” and/or a Yiddish equivalent. Brian Joseph considers this unlikely, however, and speculates that despite its extremely late attestation, it and the German was gibt's may "allow[] for a reconstruction of a Proto-West-Germanic existential use of 'give', which survives marginally into present usage."

Not even thirty minutes after leaving the shower, my head starts itching. What gives?

(colloquial) What is wrong? Why is this happening?


have a nice day

祝你今天過得愉快 /祝你今天过得愉快 (zhù nǐ jīntiān guò de yúkuài) (no exact equivalent exists; literal translation provided)

Thank you. Have a nice day.

You can reach my parents at their places of business. Thank you for stopping by. I appreciate your concern for my well-being. Have a nice day!

1986, John Hughes, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, spoken by Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick):

(US, Canada, rather formal). A polite parting during daytime.


I'm afraid so

Do we really have to do every one by hand? Yes, I'm afraid so.

Unfortunately, yes; I regret that that is so.

pelkäänpä pahoin (often with "että"; "pelkäänpä pahoin, että ...")


I'm afraid not

Do you have any beer? No, I'm afraid not.

Unfortunately, no; I regret that that is not so.


'fraid not

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-'fraid not.wav


a little bird told me

The etymology is unknown; in English sources, references to birds passing along information to people date back to at least the 16th century (see the 1546 quotation), and in other languages even earlier. For example, Ecclesiastes 10:20 in the Bible, the original Hebrew version of which is dated to 450–180 B.C.E., states according to the King James Version (spelling modernized): “Curse not the king, no not in thy thought, and curse not the rich in thy bed-chamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.”

Let’s just say I know because a little bird told me.

[…] I did lately heere, / How fleck and his make use their secret haunting, / By one byrd, that in myne eare was late chaunting.

[1546, John Heywood, chapter V, in Julian Sharman, editor, The Proverbs of John Heywood. […], London: George Bell and Sons, […], published 1874, →OCLC, part II, page 121:

I vvil lay ods, that ere this yeere expire, / VVe beare our ciuil ſvvords and natiue fier, / As farre as France, I heard a bird ſo ſing,[…]

[c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Second Part of Henrie the Fourth, […], quarto edition, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley, published 1600, →OCLC, [Act V, scene v], signature L, recto:

VVell, vvell; I had a little bird told me all this—

1780, [Sophia] Lee, The Chapter of Accidents: A Comedy, […], London: […] T[homas] Cadell, […], →OCLC, Act III, scene [ii], page 45:

'Yes,' replies she, 'and what do you care about them?' / 'It's very much I care,' replied I, 'for a little bird has whispered a secret to me.'

[1833, [Frederick Marryat], chapter I, in Peter Simple. […], volume III, London: Saunders and Otley, […], published 1834, →OCLC, page 6:

‘Is Harry Fortescue in love with Florry Carlton?’ asked Lady Charity. ‘A little bird told me he was as good as engaged to her.’

1872 July, [George Webbe Dasent], “Three to One: Or Some Passages out of the Life of Amicia Lady Sweetapple. Chapter XLVIII. Lady Sweetapple Sees Lady Charity, and Hears Something of Edith Price.”, in M[ary] E[lizabeth] Braddon, editor, Belgravia: A London Magazine, volume VIII (Second Series; volume XVIII overall), London: Robson and Sons, […], →OCLC, page 104:

"Sorry to disturb you," said the Major, "but you're to be transferred to another prison—why, you aren't undressed!" / "No," said Manfred, lazily kicking off the cover, "but I thought the transfer would be earlier." / "How did you know?" / "About the transfer—oh, a little bird told me," said the prisoner, stretching himself.

1908, Edgar Wallace, “Chelmsford”, in The Four Just Men, Boston, Mass.: Small, Maynard & Company, published 1920, →OCLC, part II (The Council of Justice), page 287:

A little bird told me you were likely to be soon engaged—and to an earl's nephew […]

2012, Anna Elliott, “Saturday 21 May 1814”, in Georgiana Darcy’s Diary: Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice Continued, [U.S.A.]: Wilton Press, →ISBN, page 136:

(idiomatic, chiefly humorous) I received the information from a source which I am not prepared to disclose.

عُصْفُور صَغِير أَخْبَرَنِي

ჩიტმა ამბავი მომიტანა (čiṭma ambavi momiṭana, literally “a little bird brought me the story”)

слу́хом земля́ по́лнится (slúxom zemljá pólnitsja, literally “the rumour fills the earth”)

соро́ка на хвосте́ принесла́ (soróka na xvosté prineslá, literally “a magpie brought it on its tail”)


hold one's fire

Hold your fire and let me explain.

(colloquial, idiomatic) Wait, don't retaliate, calm down, be quiet.


it's all Greek to me

/ɪts ˌɔːl ˈɡɹiːk tə ˌmiː/

First quoted as “it was Greek to me” in Julius Caesar by Shakespeare, maybe translated from a Medieval Latin sentence.

I tried reading the instructions, but it’s all Greek to me.

But thoſe that vnderſtood him, ſmil'd at one another, and ſhooke their heads: but for mine owne part, it was Greeke to me.

1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], page 112, column 1:

During the processions they trilled and quavered most melodiously betwixt their teeth I do not know what antiphones, or chantings, by turns. For my part, ’twas all Hebrew-Greek to me, the devil a word I could pick out on’t;

[1653, Francis Rabelais [i.e., François Rabelais], translated by [Thomas Urquhart] and [Peter Anthony Motteux], The Works of Francis Rabelais, Doctor in Physick: Containing Five Books of the Lives, Heroick Deeds, and Sayings of Gargantua, and His Sonne Pantagruel. […], London: […] [Thomas Ratcliffe and Edward Mottershead] for Richard Baddeley, […], →OCLC; republished in volume II, London: […] Navarre Society […], [1948], →OCLC, book the fifth:

"Well," said Alfred, "it may be a letter, but I confess it is all Greek to me. I certainly do not see why you wish to keep it a secret. Tell me."

1844, [Frederick] Marryat, chapter XI, in The Settlers in Canada. […], volume II, London: Longman, Brown, Green, & Longmans, […], →OCLC, pages 181–182:

I ran after him, and received an order to go aloft and “slush down the main-top mast.” This was all Greek to me, and after receiving the order, I stood staring about me, wondering what it was that was to be done.

1849, Herman Melville, “He is Initiated in the Business of Cleaning Out the Pig-pen, and Slushing Down the Top-mast”, in Redburn: His First Voyage. […], 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC, page 45:

“Look here, Mr. Count,” he said; “I am only a rough Englishman, and a lot of what you have been saying about mission and that sort of thing is just so much Greek to me.”

1904, George M. Fenn, The Ocean Cat's Paw:

“It's more like some firm's paper. All this printed stuff at the top. Drachenflieger. Drachenballons. Ballonstoffe. Kugelballons. Greek to me.”

1907, H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells, The War in the Air: […], London: George Bell and Sons, published 1908, →OCLC:

A Parsi lawyer was examining a witness and asking him question regarding credit and debit entries in account books. It was all Greek to me.

1929, M[ohandas] K[aramchand] Gandhi, chapter VIII, in Mahadev Haribhai Desai and Pyarelal Nair, transl., The Story of My Experiments with Truth: Translated from the Original in Gujarati, volume II, Ahmedabad, Gujarat: Navajivan Press, →OCLC:

Cavanaugh explained the network-affiliate relationship, which of course was all Greek to me and remained so even after his explanation.

1965, Harry Ray Bannister, The Education of a Broadcaster, page 16:

[…]it was expected of me, or it was considered an honor, to lecture on seventeenth-century philosophy: Descartes (which was all Greek to me), Descartes to Spinoza.

2004, Jacob Taubes, The Political Theology of Paul, page 99:

(idiomatic) I don't understand any of it; it makes no sense.

Julius Caesar (play)
Shakespeare
it's all Greek to me

يَتَحَدَّثْ بِٱللُّغَة ٱلصِّينِيَّة (yataḥaddaṯ bi-l-luḡa(t) ṣ-ṣīniyya, literally “speaking in Chinese”)

դա ինձ համար չինարեն է (da inj hamar čʻinaren ē, literally “it's Chinese to me”)

դրանից բան չեմ հասկանում (dranicʻ ban čʻem haskanum, literally “I don't understand any of this”)

完全不懂 (wánquán bùdǒng, literally “not understand at all”)

火星文 (Huǒxīng wén, literally “Martian language”)

ჩინურია ჩემთვის (činuria čemtvis, literally “Chinese to me”)

είναι κινέζικα για μένα (eínai kinézika gia ména, literally “it's Chinese to me”)

δεν καταλαβαίνω γρι (den katalavaíno gri, literally “I don't even understand a bit”)

αυτά μου φαίνονται κινέζικα (aftá mou faínontai kinézika, literally “it seems Chinese to me”)

શું હું ફારસી બોલું છું (śũ hũ phārsī bolũ chũ, literally “am I speaking Persian?”)

זֶה סִינִית בִּשְׁבִילִי (ze sínit bishvilí, literally “it's Chinese to me”)

क्या मैं फ़ारसी बोल रहा हूँ (kyā ma͠i fārsī bol rahā hū̃, literally “am I speaking Persian?”)

陳奮翰だ (ちんぷんかんだ, chinpunkan da, literally “it's gibberish”)

珍紛漢紛だ (ちんぷんかんぷんだ, chinpunkanpun da, literally “it's gibberish”)

ខ្ញុំមិនយល់សោះ (khnhommĭnyôlsaŏh, literally “I don't understand”)

횡설수설이다 (hoengseolsuseorida, literally “it's gibberish”)

шпанско село (špansko selo, literally “Spanish village”)

ਕੀ ਮੈਂ ਫਾਰਸੀ ਬੋਲਦਾ ਪਿਆਂ (kī maĩ phārsī boldā piā̃, literally “am I speaking Persian?”)

китайская грамота (kitajskaja gramota, literally “Chinese writing”)

по-евре́йски (po-jevréjski, literally “in Jewish, in a Jewish way”)

เป็นสิ่งที่ฉันไม่เข้าใจ (bpen sìng têe chăn mâi kâo jai, literally “it's something I don't understand”)

ฉันไม่เข้าใจอะไรเลย (chǎn mâi kâo jai à rai ləəi, literally “I don't understand anything”)

Це для мене китайська грамота (Ce dlja mene kytajsʹka hramota, literally “That's Chinese writing to me”)


you don't say

They're going to have a baby? You don't say!

Hey, guess what? There's a country called Brazil! –You don't say.

A recent article about Barbie in the New Yorker quoted no less a figure than Gerwig’s own agent as saying: “Is it a great thing that our great creative actors and film-makers live in a world where you can only take giant swings around consumer content and mass-produced products? I don’t know. But it is the business.” You don’t say.

2023 July 19, Caspar Salmon, “Has Barbie killed the indie director? Why credible film-makers are selling out”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

Really?; no kidding!; is that so? (sometimes used sarcastically in response to the obvious)

難道... /难道...

followed by a clause, not used separately


let the cat out of the bag

en-verb

let the cat out of the bag (third-person singular simple present lets the cat out of the bag, present participle letting the cat out of the bag, simple past and past participle let the cat out of the bag)

lets the cat out of the bag (present singular third-person)
letting the cat out of the bag (participle present)
let the cat out of the bag (participle past)
let the cat out of the bag (past)

(Mid-1700s) The inverse of the idiom pig in a poke. If a dishonest merchant tries to sell a cat as a pig and the cat comes out or is taken out of the bag, the merchant's secret is disclosed.

It was going to be a surprise party until someone let the cat out of the bag.

[H]e proved himself as decent, decorous, and conscientious, as Peter was rampant, boisterous, and —— (this last epithet I choose to suppress, because it would let the cat out of the bag).

1849, Currer Bell [pseudonym; Charlotte Brontë], “The Winding-up”, in Shirley. A Tale. […], volume III, London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], →OCLC, page 300:

(idiomatic) To disclose a secret; to let a secret be known, often inadvertently.

die aap uit die mou laat

to disclose a secret, often inadvertently


the penny drops

The penny dropped as Fred realised he had been conned.

Suddenly various pennies began to drop; now I understood obscure remarks that had been made in my presence by the Ryans, or by the nuns at school, or by Old Brigid or Tommy's foster-mother.

1979, Dervla Murphy, Wheels Within Wheels, page 56:

AMY: In the time I've known you, when have you shown the slightest interest in a girl?
MELS: Penny in the air!
AMY: I've known you for, what, 10 years? I've seen you practically every day. Name one girl you've paid the slightest bit of attention to? (RORY is flustered, runs from the room.)
AMY: Oh my God! Rory! (AMY runs after RORY.)
MELS: And the penny drops!

2011 August 27 (broadcast date), Doctor Who, series 6, episode 8, Let's Kill Hitler

(UK, informal) Understanding is reached; one comprehends.

der faldt tiøren

understanding is reached, one comprehends

נפל לו האסימון (nafál lo ha'asimón, literally “the token has dropped for him”)

ירד לו האסימון (yarád lo ha'asimón, literally “the token has descended for him”)

دو هزازش جا افتاد meaning "his(/her) two thousand dropped"

дошло́ (došló, literally “[It] reached [him/her]”)


two can play that game

The tactics or strategies of an adversary can also be used against them.


drop dead

drop dead (third-person singular simple present drops dead, present participle dropping dead, simple past and past participle dropped dead)

drops dead (present singular third-person)
dropping dead (participle present)
dropped dead (participle past)
dropped dead (past)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-drop dead.wav

Compare Dutch doodvallen and the expletive "val dood!".

`My parents would drop dead if they knew,' she said.

1965, James Holledge, What Makes a Call Girl?, London: Horwitz Publications, page 90:

(intransitive, figuratively) To be appalled or mortified.


drop dead

“Whatta ya say, goils? I'll take the botha ya, only later, like, well, you know, like later onea ya can split and go home.”[…]“Drop dead,” Rachel said with a smile.

1967, Trudy Baker, Rachel Jones, Donald Bain (uncredited), Coffee, Tea, or Me?: The Uninhibited Memoirs of Two Airline Stewardesses, New York: Bantam Books, pages 7–8:

[to Kramer] Are you dense? I said I wanted you to drop dead. Now... drop dead! [slams the door in Kramer's face]

1997, Peter Mehlman, David Mandel, “The Betrayal”, in Seinfeld, season 9, episode 8, spoken by Franklin Delano Romanowski (Michael McShane):

(slang, derogatory, offensive) Used angrily to express disgust, contempt, derision, etc., toward another person.


drop dead

Let's suppose your personality was only a manifestation of the id and you saw a drop dead gorgeous man that really tripped your trigger. Spurred on by your id, you would run up to him and immediately engage him in a sexual encounter.

1992, Gigi Moers, How and Why Lovers Cheat: And What You Can Do about It, page 96:


one's back is up

From the way a cat, when angry, raises or arches its back.

My back is up, and I cannot hear the thought of wooing him any farther, nor would do it, though he were as pig a gentleman (look you) as Lucifer himself.

1835, William Hayley, The Life and Letters of William Cowper:

And I want you to be nice to Patty. For some reason her back is up.

2011, Jeannie Watt, The Baby Truce, →ISBN, page 84:

Now my back is up. “Yes, the witch,” I hiss.

2014, Kristin Butcher, Cabin Girl, →ISBN:


head

a nod's as good as a wink to a blind bat

– Idle: Is your wife a… a goer… eh? Know what I mean? Know what I mean? Nudge nudge. Nudge nudge. Know what I mean? Say no more. Know what I mean?
– Jones: I beg your pardon?
– Idle: Your wife… does she, er, does she ‘go’… eh? eh? eh? Know what I mean, know what I mean? Nudge nudge. Say no more.
– Jones: Well, she sometimes ‘goes’, yes.
– Idle: I bet she does. I bet she does. I bet she does. Know what I mean? Know what I mean? Nudge nudge.
– Jones: I’m sorry, I don’t quite follow you.
– Idle: Follow me. Follow me. And I like that. That’s good. A nod’s as good as a wink to a blind bat, eh?

1969, Monty Python's Flying Circus, "Nudge Nudge", a sketch from the third episode of the British comedy series, first broadcast on the BBC on 19th October 1969, featuring Eric Idle and Terry Jones as two strangers in a pub. Conversation

I shook my head. He couldn't see that, though. A wink is the same as a nod to a blind man.

1983, Raymond Carver, Cathedral (short story where a blind man visits a couple at their home)

(simile, colloquial) The idea/proposed action is inconsequential to the current situation.


where's the beef

From a catchphrase in a 1980s television commercial for the fast food chain Wendy's.

(US, idiomatic) Where is the content? So what?


belay my last

Ignore what I just said; My previous order or request is retracted.


woe is me

/ˌwəʊ ɪz ˈmiː/

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-woe is me.wav

The pronoun me expresses the dative, thus literally “woe is to me”, or in more idiomatic English “on me”. Compare the identical German weh ist mir and Yiddish וויי איז מיר (vey iz mir).

cog

וויי איז מיר

Blasted with extasie. Oh, woe is me,
T'haue seene what I haue seene: see what I see.

c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], page 266, column 1:

Woe is me, that I soiourne in Mesech: that I dwell in the tents of Kedar.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 120:5:

(sometimes humorous) Used to show that the speaker feels distress or misery.


I don't think

There are lots of good things to watch on the telly tonight - I don't think!

used after a statement to indicate an emphatic or ironic negative


X marks the spot

From a traditional crosslike mark to indicate buried treasure.

(idiomatic) One will find what one is looking for under an obvious sign for it.


mum's the word

From mum (“silence”). Recorded since 1704.

She doesn't know anything about it yet, so mum's the word, OK?

… and that mum is the word till I give you liberty to speak

1879, Anna Katharine Green, The Leavenworth Case: A Lawyer's Story, G. P. Putnam's Sons, page 256:

“Well, does she know how you feel?” “Honestly, Charmaine, I do not even know how I feel.” “Aw. Well, you should tell her.” “I should tell no one! Can you keep this secret, Charmaine?” “Mm-hmm.” “Good. Because if you don't, I'll kill you in your sleep.” “Okay, mum's the word.”

2024 November 18, Jeremy Levick & Rajat Suresh, “March Madness” (18:44 from the start), in What We Do in the Shadows, season 6, episode 7, spoken by Charmaine Rinaldi (Marissa Jaret Winokur):

(idiomatic) Indicates that something is a secret and not to be divulged.


all your base are belong to us

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-all your base are belong to us.wav

Mistranslation of Japanese 君達の基地は、全てCATSがいただいた (literally “we (CATS) have taken all of your bases”). This grammatically incorrect "Engrish" phrase originated in the English subtitles of the 1991 European Sega Mega Drive version of the 1989 Japanese arcade game Zero Wing and became a catchphrase and meme on the Internet in the early 2000s.

der

君達の基地は、全てCATSがいただいた

(Internet slang, humorous) Used to tout victory over an opponent, or simply as a humorous catchphrase.


IANAL

(Internet) Initialism of I am not a lawyer.


I tell a lie

I visited Canada in 1996—no, I tell a lie, in 1997.

(chiefly British, idiomatic) I am mistaken; I thought that what I said (or wrote) was true, but I have just realised that it is not.


I wish

- I don't know how I'm going to afford all these Christmas presents.
- Maybe you'll win the lottery and become a millionaire overnight.
- I wish!

(idiomatic, colloquial) Used to express the speaker's wish that the preceding statement were true

Had ik maar veel geld. – If only I had lots of money!

or use auxiliary hebben with inversion and maar

(conditional sentence + ii noni (nā)) -ばいいのになあ (-ba ii noni nā)


you wish

"When I grow up, I'm going to be a superhero!" / "Huh, you wish!"

"They can't bench me. I'm the best shooter on the team." / "You wish!"

(idiomatic, colloquial, somewhat derogatory) Used to express the speaker's skepticism about a preceding statement concerning some desired or assumed state of affairs.

你想呀！

(idiomatic, colloquial) used to express the speaker's skepticism about a preceding statement concerning some desired or assumed state of affairs


don't go there

'Surely, in hindsight, you realise she was an unsuitable wife for you,' he stated unequivocally.
'Don't go there, Dad,' Luc warned, hard ruthless steel in his own eyes. 'You've lost one son. You're very close to losing another.'

2009, Emma Darcy, Sara Craven, Diane Hamilton, The Italian's Love-Child (Mills & Boon By Request):

(idiomatic, informal) Do not broach that topic.


Rome wasn't built in a day

/ˈɹəʊm ˌwɒzənt ˈbɪlt‿ɪn‿ə ˈdeɪ/

/ˈɹoʊm ˌwʌzənt ˈbɪlt‿ɪn‿ə ˈdeɪ/

Probably a calque of Middle French Rome ne fut pas faite toute en un jour (literally “Rome was not made all in one day”); compare modern French Rome ne s’est pas faite en un jour.

cog

I know this project is a big undertaking, but you need to have patience and be hopeful. Remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day.

[O]ne daye or lytle tyme is not ynoughe for the acheuinge of a great matter. Which is al one with this in engliſhe: Rome was not buylt in one day.

1545 August 20 (Gregorian calendar), Erasmus, “Vna hirundo non facit ver [One swallow does not make it spring]”, in Richard Taverner, transl., Proverbes or Adagies Gathered out of the Chiliades of Erasmus […], new edition, London: Edwardus Whytchurche […]; to be sel […] by Wyllyam Telotson, →OCLC, folio xxv, verso:

Rome was not built in one day (quoth he), and yet stood / Till it was finisht, as some say, full fayre.

1546, John Heywood, chapter XI, in Julian Sharman, editor, The Proverbs of John Heywood. […], London: George Bell and Sons, […], published 1874, →OCLC, part I, pages 64–65:

The Reformation you haue made of the many and maine corruptions of the Romiſh Ch[urch] vve do ingenuouſly acknovvledge, and doe vvithall imbrace vvith you all the truths vvhich to our knovvledge you haue receiued in ſtead of them. But Rome vvas not built all in a day.

1610, Jos[eph] Hall, “Section XXV. What Separation England hath Made.”, in A Common Apologie of the Church of England: Against the Uniust Challenges of the Ouer-iust Sect, Commonly Called Brownists. […], London: […] [William Stansby] for Samuel Macham, […], →OCLC, marginal note, page 63:

[…] Rome''' vvas not built in a day, nor is a Reformation in the true Lavv-ſenſe effectable preſently; […]

1663, Edward Waterhous [i.e., Edward Waterhouse], chapter XXIX, in Fortescutus Illustratus; or A Commentary on that Nervous Treatise De Laudibus Legum Angliæ, Written by Sir John Fortescue Knight, […], London: […] Tho[mas] Roycroft for Thomas Dicas […], →OCLC, page 375:

[Y]ou muſt lay your account vvith mounting by gradual ſteps to the ſummit of your fortune.—Rome vvas not built in a day,— […]

1748, [Tobias Smollett], “I Cultivate an Acquaintance with Two Noblemen […]”, in The Adventures of Roderick Random. […], volume II, London: […] [William Strahan] for J[ohn] Osborn […], →OCLC, page 173:

But, "Rome wasent built in a day," nor will one thump of the pate make a soldier.

1804, W[illiam] Dunlap, “The Wife of Two Husbands. A Drama, […]”, in The English and American Stage, volume III, New York, N.Y.: […] D. Longworth, […], published 1807, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 4:

[T]hou must have patience. Rome was not built in a day—you cannot become used to your court-suit in a month's time, any more than when you changed your long coat for a doublet and hose; […]

1822 May 29, [Walter Scott], chapter X, in The Fortunes of Nigel. […], volume II, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, pages 237–238:

Rome wasn't built in a day, nor, for that matter, Templetown 'ither, though it may be said to be a quick-growing place.

1823, [James Fenimore Cooper], chapter I, in The Pioneers, or The Sources of the Susquehanna; […], volume II, New York, N.Y.: Charles Wiley; […], →OCLC, page 17:

"As Rome," it was suggested, "had not been built in a day,["] so neither had Mademoiselle Gérard Moore's education been completed in a week, or by merely wishing to be clever. It was effort that had accomplished that great work: […]

1849, Currer Bell [pseudonym; Charlotte Brontë], “Coriolanus”, in Shirley. A Tale. […], volume I, London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], →OCLC, page 123:

Rome wasn't built in a day and the path of black and white relationships in the South won't be solved overnight, either.

1960 March 7, George Todt, “George Todt’s opinion: Civil rights fate uncertain”, in Valley Times, home edition, volume 23, number 57, North Hollywood, Calif.: Robert N. Weed, →OCLC, page 14, column 6:

I feel like Rome wasn't built in a day, and I know that everybody is really impatient, but I know that with time things can be turned around.

2010 January 22, [unidentified questioner], “Remarks at a Town Hall Meeting and a Question-and-answer Session in Elyria, Ohio”, in Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Barack Obama: 2010 […], book I (January 1 to June 30, 2010), Washington, D.C.: Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration; United States Government Printing Office, published 2013, →OCLC, page 61, column 1:

I actually believe in some respects we may be in danger of working too quickly, simply to address that perception. As the ridiculously over-used cliché notes, Rome was not built in a day. What I do accept is that the 100-day project that saw the new city plan designed was done at breakneck speed. This was a phenomenally challenging time frame but absolutely crucial. For a community still suffering, still shocked, and literally still shaking, there clearly needed to be a plan put in place as quickly as possible.

2014 August, Roger Sutton, “A Blank Canvas for New Beginnings”, in Barnaby Bennett, James Dann, Emma Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, editors, Once in a Lifetime: City-building after Disaster in Christchurch, Christchurch: Freerange Press, →ISBN, page 54:

(idiomatic) It takes a long time to create something complicated or impressive.

ሮም፡በአንድ፡ቀን፡አልተገነባችም

it takes a long time to create something complicated or impressive

dilî tanáng butang sili nga mohaláng dayon

非一日之寒 (bīngdòng sān chǐ, fēi yīrì zhī hán, literally “three feet of ice is not the result of one cold day”)

Keulen en Aken zijn niet op één dag gebouwd

Rom ist nicht an einem Tag erbaut worden

ઉતાવળે આંબા ન પાકે (utāvaḷe ā̃bā na pāke, literally “mangos will not ripen with haste”)

i ndiaidh a chéile a thógtar na caisleáin

로마는 하루 아침에 이루어지지 않았다

Roma-neun haru achim-e irueo-jiji anatda

Москва́ не сра́зу стро́илась (Moskvá ne srázu stróilasʹ, literally “Moscow wasn’t built at once”)

chan ann leis a’ chiad bhuille a thuiteas a’ chraobh

Київ не відразу збудований (Kyjiv ne vidrazu zbudovanyj, literally “Kyiv was not built immediately”)

a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step


price is right

Usage began in the second half of the 1900s.

The price is right for this used car.

The Government has thrown a lifeline to Alstom's Derby Works, with an offer of an order for ten Class 345 nine-car electric multiple units (EMUs) for the Elizabeth line - but only if the 'price is right'.

2024 May 1, Mel Holley, “Network News: Elizabeth line '345s' offer a lifeline for Derby Works”, in RAIL, number 1008, page 8:

(idiomatic) The cost of a thing is reasonable and represents good value.


a friend in need is a friend indeed

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-a friend in need is a friend indeed.wav

The idea that false friends will abandon a person in times of adversity while true friends will reveal themselves and provide help is ancient: the Greek playwright Euripides (c. 480 – c. 406 BC) wrote in Hecuba (424 BC), ἐν τοῖς κακοῖς γὰρ ἁγαθοὶ σαφέστατοι φίλοι: τὰ χρηστὰ δ’ αὔθ’ ἕκαστ’ ἔχει φίλους (en toîs kakoîs gàr hagathoì saphéstatoi phíloi: tà khrēstà d’ aúth’ hékast’ ékhei phílous, “it is in trouble’s hour that the good most clearly show their friendship; though prosperity by itself in every case finds friends”), and the Roman poet Ennius (c. 239 – c. 169 BC) observed in his Tragedies that amicus certus in re incerta cernitur (“a sure friend is known in unsure times”).

A friend in need is a friend indeed, Een vrient in noot / is een vrient in der daet.

1658, The English Schole-master; or Certaine Rules and Helpes, whereby the Natives of the Netherlandes, may bee, in a Short Time, Taught to Read, Understand, and Speake the English Tongue. […], Amsterdam: […] Iohn Bouman, →OCLC, page 96:

Every one is a kinſman to him that is proſperous, but a friend in need is a friend indeed.

1661 May 3, John Bramhall, “Discourse III. A Sermon Preached at Dublin, upon the 23. of April, 1661 [Julian calendar], being the Day Appointed for His Majesties Coronation; […]”, in Jo[hn] Lymeric [pseudonym; John Vesey], editor, The Works of the Most Reverend Father in God, John Bramhall D.D. […], Dublin: […] His Majesties Printing-House, published 1676, →OCLC, tome IV, page 955:

It is a true ſaying, my Ingenio, that a Friend in need, is a Friend indeed, as I doubt not but you will be fully apprized, upon peruſal of what I here ſend you.

1756, “Sect. XVI.”, in The Fortune-teller; or, The Footman Ennobled. […], volume II, London: […] F. Noble […]; and J. Noble, […], →OCLC, page 235:

A friend in need is a friend indeed, ſay I;—but you can't judge of it.—No,—unleſs you had the rope about your neck, and were walking all alive to your grave.

1795, Frederick Schiller [i.e., Friedrich Schiller], translated by [Alexander Fraser Tytler, Lord Woodhouselee], The Robbers. A Tragedy. […], 2nd edition, London: […] G. G. and J. Robinson, […], →OCLC, act II, page 57:

The gentlemen on the other side of the House have been peculiarly called the friends of the people; remember a friend in need is a friend indeed. Is there, then, no some one who will step out from among them to save this tottering branch of our Government from falling!

1802 February 3, Aaron Ogden, “Judiciary System [Third Reading of the bill to repeal certain acts respecting the organization of the Courts of the United States, and for other purposes]”, in The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States; […] (United States Senate, 7th Congress), Washington, D.C.: […] Gales and Seaton, published 1851, →OCLC, column 178:

Friends should be ready to assist each other. Kind offices ought never to be omitted, but they are especially called for in seasons of affliction. "A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." "A friend in need is a friend indeed."

1875, J[ohn] Murdoch, “Companions and Neighbours”, in The Indian Student’s Manual. Hints on Studies, Moral Conduct, Religious Duties, and Success in Life, Madras, Tamil Nadu: The Christian Vernacular Education Society; […], →OCLC, page 172:

I had a flight plan to cancel so asked if there were a telephone near. Mr. Littrell said his neighbor across the way had one. He was happy to drive us there—about three miles across some fields that would shake your eye teeth out. […] They say “a friend in need is a friend indeed.” Mr. Littrell proved it. I am grateful.

1958 September, Marvin L. Middlebrooks, “[Letter to the magazine]”, in Flying, volume 63, number 3, Chicago, Ill.: Ziff-Davis Publishing Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 8:

But I sat there trying to pretend that everything was OK, that this wasn't happening, trying to think instead of all the good things that happened to me in my life, trying to think of some important person I knew who could help me, but I couldn't think of anyone. A friend in need is a friend, indeed, and I sure could have used one then.

1999, Thomas William, chapter 20, in The Alaskan Saga of Thomas Churchill O’Brien, Lincoln, Neb.: toExcel, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 87:

[…] I'm going to turn over the chair to my friend, colleague, and at this point someone—a friend in need is a friend indeed—Senator [Amy] Klobuchar.

2007 March 8, Charles E[llis] Schumer, “Opening Statement of Hon. Charles E. Schumer, Chairman, a U.S. Senator from New York”, in Addressing the Problem of African-American Male Unemployment: Hearing before the Joint Economic Committee, Congress of the United States, One Hundred Tenth Congress, First Session […] (S. Hrg. 110-107), Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, →ISBN, page 9:

There is a well-known proverb, "A friend in need is a friend indeed." Americans have always been our true friends. They stretched out warm helping hands to us when we were in direst need. The Fulbright Program, which was initiated in the throes of the Korean War, has been one such helping hand.

2010, Lee Myung-bak, “Foreword”, in Jai Ok Shim, James F. Larson, Frederick F. Carriere, Horace H. Underwood, Fulbright in Korea’s Future: A 60th Anniversary Commemorative History, Seoul, South Korea: Seoul Selection, →ISBN, page vii:

If a friend helps one when one is in need, that person is a true friend.

miku njihet në rrezik

if a friend helps you when you are in need, they are a true friend

vrienden in de nood, hondert in een lood

c’est dans le besoin que l’on reconnaît ses amis

Freunde in der Not gehen hundert auf ein Lot

gli amici si vedono nel momento del bisogno

まさかの時の友こそ真の友

masaka no toki no tomo koso shin no tomo

صحابت يڠ سبنر سديا منولوڠ صحابت دالم کسوسهن

sahabat yang sebenar sedia menolong sahabat dalam kesusahan

āvaśyattinu upakarikkunnavāṇŭ yathāṟttha suhr̥ttŭ

ആവശ്യത്തിനു ഉപകരിക്കുന്നവാണ് യഥാർത്ഥ സുഹൃത്ത്

tenxlüün javaxad temeegeer tusalsnaas tevdež javaxad tevneer tusalsan nʹ deer

тэнхлүүн явахад тэмээгээр тусалснаас тэвдэж явахад тэвнээр тусалсан нь дээр

prawdziwych przyjaciół poznaje się w biedzie

en la mucha necesidad, se conoce al amigo de verdad


fare thee well

/ˌfɛː(ɹ)ðiː ˈwɛl/

/ˌfɛə(ɹ)ðiː ˈwɛl/

[ˌfɛɚ ðiˑ ˈwɛl]

General American, Mary–marry–merry merger

[ˌfɛɹ ðiˑ ˈwɛl]

I muſt not heare thee, fare thee wel kind maide,[…].

c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i], page 236, column 1:


see ya

(colloquial) Alternative form of see you, see you soon, see you later or see you again soon.


Eddie would go

Named after Hawaiian waterman Eddie Aikau (1946–1978).

named-after

Just imagine what it must feel like to make it out of one of those Teahupoo tubes? ¶ *THAT'S* why we continue our quest and challenge. ¶ Eddie would go. ¶ (and we're right behind you Eddie)

2000 April 27, m@rk, “Re: Whats it worth?”, in alt.surfing (Usenet):

We'd bodysurf Pounders, north shore areas, Pupukea... I remember dolphins ( or would that be porpoises?) alongside us in most every wave, which would many times drop us onto the sand with a thud, knocking the wind outa us! Then, like the hardy keiki o ka aina buggahs we were, go right back in for more punishment! Eddie would go, and so, to an extent would us keiki!

2000 August 16, Alkahuna Kekaula Kamauoha, “Re: Screened Lanais/Porches?”, in soc.culture.hawaii (Usenet):

While they debated over the safety of the surfers, big-wave maverick Mark Foo looked out into the maelstrom of waves and whitewater and nonchalantly told one cameraman, “Eddie would go.” The saying stuck, and it eventually became popular in the Islands and in the international board-riding community.

[2002, Stuart Holmes Coleman, Eddie Would Go: The Story of Eddie Aikau, Hawaiian Hero and Pioneer of Big Wave Surfing, New York, NY: St. Martin's Press, →ISBN, page 255:

I guess we could've easily called it a day and left, but when you drive an hour to surf, you gotta go. Eddie would go, right? OK, maybe not in waist-high slop with fifty-degree air and water temps, but, I mean, like, if he were a NH surfer, he would go, wouldn't he?

2002 June 16, Atticus Fisher, “Surf Report: Finding Gems In Shit”, in alt.surfing (Usenet):

(Hawaii, surfing) Said of challenging surfing conditions, often as an encouragement.


see you later

Ellipsis of I will see you later or I hope to see you later.

(idiomatic) A phrase used at parting, and not necessarily implying that the person being addressed will be seen later by the speaker.


give me

en-verb

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

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

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see give, me.

Give me the good old times!

1873, Edward Lytton, (Please provide the book title or journal name):

Give me the pliant minde, whose gentle measure Complies and suits with all estates.

1633, George Herbert, Temple, Church, Content:

An expression of strong preference or approbation for a named thing.

... 을/를 주세요

-eul after a consonant, -reul after a vowel

Give me the president.

A request by a telephone user to be connected with a specified person, number, etc.

Drop and give me twenty!

(paired with a number) A command to do a given number of repetitions of an exercise (usually push-ups).


rumour has it

head

rumour has it (simple past rumour had it)

Rumour has it Joe is looking for a new job.

Rumour has it that a new luxury lounge car design is also under discussion at the moment.

1964 July, “XP64: New Standard Carriage Project”, in Modern Railways, page 2:

“Why bother with the daily grind when you can go to Mosul, get paid $400 a month, get a wife – and live an Islamic way,” went an exchange between two men overheard by a fellow passenger in a taxi. Rumour has it that a woman whose husband died fighting with Isis now receives a generous widow’s pension from jihadi coffers.

2014 November 27, Ian Black, “Courts kept busy as Jordan works to crush support for Isis”, in The Guardian:


rumor has it

(American spelling) Alternative spelling of rumour has it.


have the foggiest

en-verb

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

has the foggiest (present singular third-person)
having the foggiest (participle present)
had the foggiest (participle past)
had the foggiest (past)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-have the foggiest.wav

I'm sorry, I haven't the foggiest. You should ask someone else.

(informal, usually with a negative) To know, understand or have a clue.


I don't know

[ɑ̈ɪ̯ ɾoʊ̯(ʔ)(t̚)noʊ̯]

pronoun (depending on who is speaking with whom) + không biết (general form)

The audacity of that lad... I don't know.

(UK) Used to express exasperation or incredulity about a given situation or person.


one's lips are sealed

You're talking a lot / But you're not saying anything / When I have nothing to say / My lips are sealed

1977, Talking Heads (lyrics and music), “Psycho Killer”, in Talking Heads: 77:

(idiomatic) One will not tell anyone else; one is keeping a secret.


stick 'em up

A command stereotypically given by robbers, particularly when pointing a gun: Put your hands in the air! Surrender!


what's your phone number

Asks the interlocutor to give their phone number for subsequent communication.

電話番号は何ですか

でんわばんごうはなんですか

haaʼishaʼ nibéésh bee haneʼé bee shił hólneʼ?

ขอเบอร์หน่อย

kɔ̌ɔ bəə nɔ̀i


how old are you

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-how old are you.wav

Jack: (laughing at infantile humor)

Jill: How old are you?

(impolite) Used to question the mental age (maturity) of the interlocutor.

汝幾歲囉？ /汝几岁啰？

lí kúi hè--lo͘? / lí kúi hèr--lo͘? / lí kúi hòe--lo͘? / lí kúi hè--lo͘h? / lí kúi hèr--lo͘h? / lí kúi hòe--lo͘h?

bạn bao nhiêu tuổi? (replace bạn with an appropriate pronoun)


where are you from

In which country or region were you born or raised?

haʼshį́į́ nandá?

in which country or region were you born or raised


she'll be right

/ʃɪəl bi ɹʌɪt/

So there’s shuffling, like, and a bit o’ coughing and spitting, and someone else says: ‘She’ll be right, mate. She’s on her way if you’ll hang on a tick. You’re at the party.’

1988, Janette Turner Hospital, Charades, page 77:

“Nah, she’ll be right. You go.”
“You’ll have to start mixing with the others at some point, you know.”
“It’s not just that, I got homework to do. Gotta catch up.”

2001, Anthony Eaton, A New Kind of Dreaming, page 122:

In a whisper, I suggested to Ian that we reattach the winch cable to a tree in the clearing, but of course his reply was, “Naaahh, she’ll be right, mate.”

2010, Robin Easton, Naked in Eden: My Adventure and Awakening in the Australian Rainforest, page 77:

(idiomatic, Australia, New Zealand, colloquial) OK, no problem, everything will be all right.


blood is thicker than water

It seems as though you had come to be so very near to us; and blood is thicker than water, is it not? If cousins are not friends, who can be?

1865 May 15 – 1866 January 1, Anthony Trollope, “Mary Belton”, in The Belton Estate. […], volume III, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published December 1865 (indicated as 1866), →OCLC, page 201:

The old clans are scattered now, but blood is thicker than water still, and you're welcome to the fireside of your kinsman!

c. 1915, Lucy Fitch Perkins, chapter 5, in The Scotch Twins:

You know blood is thicker than water / But you just want everyone to get along

2019 March 6, “Binary Star”, in Benjamin and mpi (lyrics), SawanoHiroyuki[nZk] (music), R∃/MEMBER, performed by Uru, Sacra Music, →vgmdb:

(family, idiomatic) Family relations and loyalties are stronger than relationships with people who are not family members.

s'bëhet gjaku ujë

relationships are stronger within the family

is fearr beagán den ghaol ná mórán den charthanas

кровь — не води́ца (krovʹ — ne vodíca) (blood is not water)

кровь людска́я — не води́ца (krovʹ ljudskája — ne vodíca) (people's blood is not water)

's e a leanabh fhèin as luaithe a bhaisteas an sagart

thèid dùthchas an aghaidh nan creag

hereditary tendencies will go against the rocks


I don't understand

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-I don't understand.wav

Indicates that the speaker is not understanding the current subject or situation.

我𣍐曉聽 /我𫧃晓听

góa bōe-hiáu thiaⁿ / góa bǒe-hiáu thiaⁿ / góa bē-hiáu thiaⁿ


do you speak English

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-do you speak English.wav

Asks the interlocutor whether or not they are able to speak in the English language.

англыз бызшәа жәдыруама?

do you speak English? (English specifically)

sler angliysliylep kuučïndap turganar ba?

слер английслийлеп куучындап турганар ба?

bạn có nói được tiếng Anh không? (generic, replace bạn with other pronouns depending on the speakers' relationship, anh, chị, bà)

praat jy Afrikaans?

do you speak...? (fill with the name of the current foreign language)

你識唔識講廣東話？ /你识唔识讲广东话？

nei⁵ sik¹ m⁴ sik¹ gong² gwong² dung¹ waa⁶⁻²

parles-tu français ? parlez-vous français

biasa kayong magsalitang kapampangan na?


you shouldn't have

Abbreviated from full sentence with verb, such as "you shouldn't have gone through all that trouble" or "you shouldn't have spent so much money".

What a lovely vase! You shouldn't have!

(idiomatic) Used to express gratitude at unnecessary generosity, especially when receiving a gift.

你太客氣了 /你太客气了

used to express gratitude at unnecessary generosity


pleased to meet you

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Sapaa-pleased to meet you.wav

A polite formula used when being introduced to somebody.

ܬܦܵܩܬܵܐ ܦܨܝܼܚܬܵܐ

tpāqtā pṣīḥtā

真歡喜捌汝 /真欢喜捌汝

chin hoaⁿ-hí pat lí / chin hoaⁿ-hí pat lír / chin hoaⁿ-hí pat lú

お初にお目にかかります

おはつにおめにかかります

お初にお目に掛かります

おはつにおめにかかります

rất vui được gặp bạn (generic, replace bạn with an appropriate pronoun)


every cloud has a silver lining

Every cloud has a silver lining; but in the old-fashioned meeting-houses every cloud of hymnal melody generally had a nasal lining before the congregation […]

1881, National Academy of Code Administration (U.S.), Folio, page 417:

[…] that "a little reserve and thou'lt fail surely," will prove to be true in our experience. Every cloud has a silver lining and so has every sorrow, […]

But the most popular attitude toward what we may call "sad" plays is the peculiar one of believing that, since every cloud has a silver lining, […]

1918, George Jean Nathan, Performing Arts, page 222:

Patrick O'Brien: No hard feelings? I've been falsely accused, had the crap kicked out of me, now I have no job.
Gene Hunt: Look on the bright side. Still got your health. So, you know, every cloud.

2007 March 6, Julie Rutterford, Life on Mars, Season 2, Episode 3:

There is something good in any bad situation.

رُبَّ ضارّةٍ نافِعةٌ

in every bad situation there is an element of good

il n’y a de grand mal qu’un grand bien ne suive

fátt er svo með öllu illt að ekki boði nokkuð gott

ستياڤ کبوروقن يڠ برلاکو مستي اد هکمه اتاو کباءيقن د سباليقڽ

setiap keburukan yang berlaku mesti ada hikmah atau kebaikan di sebaliknya

aldri så galt at det ikke er godt for noe

nie ma tego złego, co by na dobre nie wyszło

el que no se consuela es porque no quiere

inget ont som inte har något gott med sig

the darkest hour is just before the dawn

it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good


you knows it

This phrase was popularised by The GLC from Newport, Wales, but has had currency in US Afro-American vernacular English and possibly elsewhere since no later than the 1960s.

What he did to her was wrong. —You knows it, sister!

Mose would ha rallied, ef eed a been in our ward — ha ! ha ! ha ! — you knows it, Mass Richard !

1861, Frederick Law Olmsted, The Cotton Kingdom: A Traveller's Observations on Cotton and Slavery, page 187:

Buster: (impressed) You'se a cool dude, Butch. / Butch: Hey, you knows it, baby.

1984, Brian Richard Mori, Dreams of Flight, page 20:

We welcome you, you knows it. Didn't even need to ask, but it fine all right you did.

2002, Lorian Hemingway, A World Turned Over: A Killer Tornado and the Lives It Changed Forever, page 112:

(idiomatic, dialect, slang) Indicates agreement, approval, encouragement.


I'll be a monkey's uncle

/ˈɑːl bi ə ˈmʌŋkiz ˌʌŋkəl/

Uncertain; the term monkey’s uncle appears in 19th-century works and may allude to early ideas about what is now called the theory of evolution. The term may then have gained more currency after the widely publicized 1925 Scopes Trial in Tennessee, United States, in which a high-school teacher was found guilty of having violated a law prohibiting the teaching of human evolution in a state-funded school.

Well I’ll be a monkey's uncle! I would never have thought that tourists would go into space!

"Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle!" Lem said. "I've heerd of rifles with transits on 'em, but I ain't ever seen one. Mind if I look at her?"

1943, Field and Stream, New York, N.Y.: Henry Holt and Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 34:

Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle, I actually solved that one.

1970 February, Tech Engineering News, Cambridge, Mass.: Board of Directors of Tech Engineering News, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 35, column 3:

[...] I made as if to step inside—wham, bang, I'll be a monkey's uncle if he didn't slam the door in my face! What was I supposed to do now? It wasn't exactly a cheerful situation.

1987, Sholem Aleichem [pseudonym; Solomon Naumovich Rabinovich], “[The Railway Stories] The Happiest Man in All Kodny”, in Hillel Halkin, transl., Tevye the Dairyman and The Railway Stories (Library of Yiddish Classics), New York, N.Y.: Schocken Books, →ISBN; republished New York, N.Y.: Schocken Books, [2008?], →ISBN, page 149:

But I know I am better than that. I completed two and a half years at the M.J.C., and I'll be a monkey's uncle if I did it all just to be neglected in some backwoods, drafty, lo-tech, no-glory, never-been-remembered-for-all-the-great-things-I-do, dead end court wizard position.

2002, Steve Morrill, Michael Saldivar, Dan LaReaux, Michael LaReaux, “The Three Authors’ Tale II”, in The Three Authors’ Tales, Lincoln, Neb.: Writers Club Press, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 40:

Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle if it isn't my old pal, Captain Pete. I haven't seen you in years. Good to see you!

2008, Carla Hester, chapter 7, in The Adventures of Penelope Plum (Penelope Plum Mysteries), [Bloomington, Ind.]: Xlibris, →ISBN, page 46:

"Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle. That's incredible and …" he was silent working it out, "and that means that I am actually the last of the McNaughtens and now live here in Weatherwood.["]

2014 October 20, Rosamond Carter, Weatherwood, Bloomington, Ind.: Balboa Press, Hay House, →ISBN, page 252:

(idiomatic) Often preceded by well: expressing complete surprise or disbelief.

Michael Quinion
Scopes Trial
The Observer


that's that

It is quite simple. You're grounded for a week and that's that!

They gave a little frightened cry and ran off as hard as they could. "So that's that," said I to myself, as I watched them scampering. I knew that I had better stay where I was.

1872, Samuel Butler, chapter 6, in Erewhon […] , London: Trübner & Co., →OCLC:

The jury is satisfied and the verdict is that you needn't fuss. So that's that, and let's talk about something else.

1908, F. Marion Crawford, chapter 17, in The Primadonna:

(idiomatic) There is nothing more to say or to do concerning the matter and is not up for discussion or debate.

и толкова

there is nothing more to say or to do concerning the matter


that's what's up

(slang) Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see that's, what's up.


I'd like to know

I'd like to know more about the graduate admissions process.

我欲知影

góa beh chai-iáⁿ / góa berh chai-iáⁿ / góa boeh chai-iáⁿ

我欲知

góa beh chai / góa berh chai / góa boeh chai


you bet

“Hey, thanks for all your hard work yesterday.” / “You bet!”

“Could you give me a hand?” / “You bet!”

“Course it's mighty hard to tell till we've put out a few traps,” said the former, “but it looks to me like we've struck it lucky.”
“You bet,” Dobbs agreed. “I don't believe this here valley ever was trapped. We ain't come across no sign of any old camp—not so much as a blazed tree[…]”

1922, A. M. Chisholm, A Thousand a Plate:

(idiomatic, informal) Certainly, you're welcome; a reply to thank you or to a request.


a fool and his money are soon parted

First appears c. 1587 in the publication Defense of the Government of the Church of England as If they pay a penie or two pence more for the reddinesse of them..let them looke to that, a foole and his money is soone parted. An earlier 1573 quote by Thomas Tusser reads "A foole and his money be soone at debate: which after with sorow repents him too late."

nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people

It is difficult or unlikely that careless and irresponsible individuals will maintain their hold on acquired wealth.

warĩire athĩnirie waigire

it is difficult or unlikely that foolish people maintain their hold on acquired wealth

one who had eaten bothered one who had stored


I'm in love with you

‘I’m in love with you, Michael,’ Camilla said longingly.

A declaration of passion or romantic feeling.

我真疼汝

góa chin thiàⁿ lí / góa chin thiàⁿ lír / góa chin thiàⁿ lú / óa chin thiàⁿ lú


easy does it

Easy does it on the salt. I'm trying to cut down.

Easy does it! That thing is heavy and fragile.

“Nothing is bugging me, and nobody gave me any big pitch.” “Maybe that's what's bugging you, nobody give you the pitch. Did I strike oil there, June?” “Easy does it there, Rich,” said Wigman. “Don't get personal.”

2013, John O'Hara, The New York Stories, Penguin, →ISBN:

(idiomatic) Relax; do something gently, lightly or carefully; slow down; calm down.

आहिस्ता आहिस्ता (āhistā āhistā, literally “slowly, slowly”)


you know

First attested as a filled pause in the early 18th century, as a euphemism in the mid-19th century.

A: I heard you want to... do something with me.
B: Do what?
A: You know... umm...
B: Sex?
A: Yeah.

(informal) Expression used to imply meaning, rather than say it, such as when a person is embarrassed.

But I guess that's life, you know?

I just wasn't into it, you know?

This was already a fresh departure for me. I was not used to get things that way, you know.

1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 198:

"I heard Winnie the Pooh was like garlic to a vampire to the Chinese commies," he said. "Popular arts and music, poetry, dancing and singing is a threat to those in power, and I'm really trying to bring back that rock-and-roll rebellious spirit into music, you know."

2024 January 29 [2024 January 26], Tim Lee, Ray Chung, quoting Brendan Kavanagh, “London YouTuber hid in van, received death threats after piano face-off”, in Luisetta Mudie, transl., Radio Free Asia, archived from the original on 2024-01-29:

rhetorical question
rhetorical question#English

(informal) Used as a rhetorical question to confirm agreement, knowing or understanding at the end of a statement.

you see

confirming attention, understanding, and/or agreement

You know, he's actually pretty nice.

Tali: You know, there's always a few who go on their Pilgrimages and never return. I always assumed something bad happened to them, but maybe they just wanted a different life.

2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Engineering, SSV Normandy:

2016, Voice of America, Learning English (public domain), archived from the original on 2017-09-25:

You know, Pete, I am new to D.C. The city is big. — Yeah. But you learn a little more every day.

(informal) Used to introduce information.

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see you, know.


one's bark is worse than one's bite

En-au-one's bark is worse than one's bite.ogg

(idiomatic) One acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless.

հաչան շունը չի կծում

one acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless

弱い犬ほどよく吠る

よわいいぬほどよくほえる

соба́ка, кото́рая ла́ет — не куса́ет (sobáka, kotóraja lájet — ne kusájet)


stap my vitals

Corruption of stop + my + vitals. Compare stap me.

You have married a woman beautiful in her person, charming in her airs, prudent in her conduct, constant in her inclinations, and of a nice morality - stap my vitals!

1845, William Hazlitt, Lectures on the English Comic Writers:

The true Preux des Dames, (regretfully) went out with the full periwig, stap my vitals!

1854, Tom Taylor, Charles Reade, Masks and Faces:

"Stap my vitals, Bill" (this was to Shakespeare), "there's a great wave coming and you're on the top of it".

"Stap my vitals, Tuppy, old corpse," I said, concerned, "you're looking pretty blue round the rims."

Stap my vitals Neal cried, and I knew he was quoting Otway.

(obsolete) An exclamation of surprise or anger, sometimes used as an oath.


I never did

185?, Charles Dickens, Little Dorrit
‘Why, good gracious, Amy, what ever brought you here?’
‘I wanted to see you, Fanny dear; and as I am going out all day to-morrow, and knew you might be engaged all day to-day, I thought—’
‘But the idea, Amy, of you coming behind! I never did!’

"Well, I never did!" she exclaimed in a scandalized whisper. "Trying to set fire to the 'ouse — oh, fie".

(idiomatic, dated) An exclamation of great surprise.


now you're cooking

Alice: "Why are you still using that old software? You should try out the new version."

Bob: "Hey, this is really nice; much better than that crusty stuff we were using before."

Alice: "Now you're cooking!"

(idiomatic) A phrase, often given in response, meaning that the subject has switched to a more suitable or more efficient approach.


head

en-au-a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.ogg

Calque of Latin plus valet in manibus avis unica quam dupla silvis (“a bird in the hands is worth more than two in the forest”), possibly deriving from sources as old as the ancient Middle East, with the 6th century BCE Proverbs of Ahiqar including "a sparrow in thy hand is better than a thousand sparrows flying".

bor

It is more sykyr a bryd in youre fyste
Than to have thre in the sky above

15th c., John Capgrave, Life of St Katherine, Bodleian MS Rawlinson poet. 118, Bk. II

May. No, but the Sides are going to be changed ; and Sir Harry is to be ſome very great Man ; and as ſoon as he is, I am to be made an Embaſſador of.
Mrs. May. Made an Aſs of! Will you never learn of me, that a Bird in the Hand is worth two in the Buſh ?

1737, Henry Fielding, Pasquin, Act II, Scene I, p. 27

[An] acquaintance ... proposed to pay a ... proportion of the cost of the cellar provided he should have as his own everything of value that might be found [excavating]. A bird in the hand, thought Bardolph, is worth two in the bush, so he ... accepted the proposal.

1864, William W. Story, “The Campagna”, in Roba Di Roma, volume II, page 8:

A sure thing is preferable to the mere chance at something more.

flaka të djeg, prushi të ngroh

small but certain advantage is preferable

ʕuṣfūrun fī l-yadi ʔafḍalu min ʕuṣfūrīna ʕalā š-šajarati

عُصْفُورٌ فِي ٱلْيَدِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ عُصْفُورِينَ عَلَى ٱلشَّجَرَةِ

pʻorjvac tʻanə anpʻorj macuni het čʻen pʻoxi

փորձված թանը անփորձ մածունի հետ չեն փոխի

ljepš vjerabjej u ruce, čym žóraŭ pad njebam

лепш верабей у руцэ, чым жораў пад небам

по́-добре́ врабче́ в ръка́та, отко́лкото за́ек в гора́та (pó-dobré vrabčé v rǎkáta, otkólkoto záek v goráta, literally “better a sparrow in the hand than a rabbit in the forest”)

一鳥在手勝於十鳥在林 /一鸟在手胜于十鸟在林

yī niǎo zài shǒu shèngyú shí niǎo zài lín

lepší vrabec v hrsti, nežli holub na střeše

en fugl i hånden er bedre end ti på taget

beter een vogel in de hand dan tien in de lucht

parempi pyy pivossa kuin kymmenen oksalla

un tiens vaut mieux que deux tu l’auras (a here-you-go is worth more than two you-can-have-it-laters)

a sparrow in hand is worth more than a flying crane

moineau à la main vaut mieux que grue qui vole

l'è miôr un ûf vuê che une gjaline doman

vale máis paxaro na man que cento voando

დღევანდელი კვერცხი ჯობია ხვალინდელ ქათამს (dɣevandeli ḳvercxi ǯobia xvalindel katams, literally “today's egg is better than tomorrow's children”)

besser ein Spatz in der Hand als eine Taube auf dem Dach

rather hold five in hand than wait for ten to come

kállio pénte kai sto chéri pará déka kai kartérei

κάλλιο πέντε και στο χέρι παρά δέκα και καρτέρει

טוב ציפור אחת ביד משתיים על העץ

tov tzippór aḥát bayád mishtáim 'al ha'étz

jobb ma egy veréb, mint holnap egy túzok

betri er einn fugl í hendi en tveir í skógi

is fearr breac sa láimh ná bradán sa linn

is fearr áirithe na srathrach ná iasacht na diallaite

meglio un uovo oggi che una gallina domani

ចាបមួយនៅដៃប្រសើរក្រៃ ជាងចាបដប់នៅលើឈើ

chaap muəy nɨv day prɑsaə kray, jieng chaap dɑp nɨv ləə cʰəə

손안에 있는 새가 숲속에 있는 두 마리보다 낫다.

sonane inneun saega supsoge inneun du mariboda natda.

labāk zīle, kas man ir rokā, nekā mednis, kas vēl sēd kokā

labāk zīle rokā, nekā mednis kokā

rather the titmouse that is in my hand than a wood grouse that is still sitting in the tree/ rather a titmouse in hand than a wood grouse in a tree

l'è mej un üsèll in man che cent che vola

Léiwer e Spatz an der Hand wei eng Dauf um Daach

poarno vrapče na raka otkolku gulab na granka

поарно врапче на рака отколку гулаб на гранка

podobro vrapče na raka otkolku gulab na granka

подобро врапче на рака отколку гулаб на гранка

هارڤکن ݢوروه د لاڠيت, اءير د تمڤاين دچورهکن

yang kejar tak dapat, yang dikendong berciciran

harapkan guruh di langit, air di tempayan dicurahkan

én fugl i hånden er bedre enn ti på taket

ein fugl i handa er betre enn ti på taket

lepszy wróbel w garści niż gołąb na dachu

lepszy wróbel w ręku niż cietrzew na sęku

mais vale um pássaro na mão do que dois voando

nu da vrabia din mână pe cioara de pe gard

do not promise a crane in the sky, rather give a titmouse into my hands

ne sulí žuravljá v nébe, daj sinícu v rúki

не сули́ журавля́ в не́бе, дай сини́цу в ру́ки

lučše sinica v rukax, čem žuravlʹ v nebe

лучше синица в руках, чем журавль в небе

's fhearr eun san làimh na deich air iteig

's fhearr iasg beag na bhith gun iasg idir

lepší vrabec v hrsti ako holub na streche

a bird in one hand is worth more than a hundred in flight

más vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando

bättre en fågel i handen än tio i skogen

bir eldeki kuş çalıdakinin iki misli değerdir

krašče synycja v žmeni, niž žuravelʹ v nebi

краще синиця в жмені, ніж журавель в небі

một con chim trong tay có giá trị hơn hai con trong bụi cây

våt mî èn oujhea el mwin ki deus sol håye

the grass is always greener on the other side


that's life

[T]hen he shrugged his shoulders and said, with admirable philosophy: "Well, that's life, ain't it, bud?"

1946, George Johnston, Skyscrapers in the Mist, page 87:


God works in mysterious ways

Possibly originating from a poem by William Cowper (who lived 1731–1800), whose first stanza reads: God moves in a mysterious way / His wonders to perform; / He plants His footsteps in the sea / And rides upon the storm.

Person A: It seems that I'm about to be fired from my job.

Person B: Well, God works in mysterious ways — maybe it'll be the kick you need to apply to university...

Commenting that a seemingly unfortunate or unfavourable situation or change may be beneficial later or in the long run.

les voies du Seigneur sont impénétrables

ईश्वर रहस्यमयी तरीकों से काम करता है

īśvar rahasyamyī tarīkõ se kām kartā hai

神は独特で奇妙なやり方をする

kami wa dokutoku de kimyō na yarikata o suru


I hate you

I hate you and I will not see you again!

Expression of hatred, or intense disdain or dislike directed at someone.

আমি তোকে ঘৃণা করি

very familiar or disparaging, singular object

আমি তোদের ঘৃণা করি

very familiar or disparaging, plural object


it's too late for sorry

The grieving mother who lost her daughter in an accident told the drunk driver "It's too late for sorry!" after he tried to apologize.

An expression of anger or disgust uttered toward someone who offers an apology after causing great harm.


the terrorists will have won

If you throttle the free press, the terrorists will have won.

1979, Edwin Nobles Lowe with Harry D. Shargel, Legal and other aspects of terrorism, page 222:

If governments overact and become oppressive, the terrorists will have won, for their theory is that repression will eventually lead to revolution.

1989, Susheela Bhan, Terrorism: an Annotated Bibliography, page 116:

If we have to wear sweaters and turn down our thermostat, the terrorists will have won.

2009, Andrea Cohen-Kiener, Claiming Earth As Common Ground: The Ecological Crisis Through the Lens of Faith, page 17:

(idiomatic) Phrase used to indicate that if a specified activity is not continued or carried out, those who seek to disrupt normal activities through terror will have succeeded, which is an unacceptable result.


time is of the essence

When transporting organs for transplant, time is of the essence.

You must realize that time is of the essence in regards to your money management and wealth creation.

2002, Ronald Hammond, Practical Money Management & Wealth Creation for Youth and Young Adults, page 53:

Patients lack the expertise to promptly obtain critically time-dependent referrals. When time is of the essence, the clinician and staff must assume direct responsibility to assure the stat referral to a microsurgeon is promptly accomplished.

2011, Kenneth M. Hargreaves, Steven R. Cohen, editors, Cohen's Pathways of the PULP, 10th edition, page 426:

Time is of the essence is the mantra in business transactions. Fulfilling the mantra of time is of the essence, depends on the capability of making realistic time estimates of what it takes to complete a series of tasks regardless of their complexity and making appropriate decisions.

2015, Gerard H. Gaynor, Decisions: An Engineering and Management Perspective, page 103:

Time was of the essence, U.S. and Ukrainian officials believed.

2022 September 13, Julian E. Barnes, Eric Schmitt, Helene Cooper, “The Critical Moment Behind Ukraine’s Rapid Advance”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

(set phrase) Time is an essential consideration (in regard to an action or response); haste is necessary.

Most construction phase agreements and some pre-construction agreements contain a time is of the essence provision. If time is of the essence, a delay caused by the fault of the construction manager would constitute a breach of contract and could result in the construction manager's being liable for damages incurred by the owner as a result of the delay. If there is no time is of the essence provision, reasonableness will be the guide when measuring the timelines of the services provided by the construction manager.

2007, Paul H. Martinez, Rashida Y. V. MacMurray, “Chapter 10: Construction Manager's Responsibilities: Pre-Design, Design and Pre-Construction Phase”, in Stephen A. Hess, Jerome V. Bales, P. Douglas Folk, L. Tyrone Holt, editors, Design Professional and Construction Manager Law, page 297:

In a variety of contracts, the courts have held that the requirement that time is of the essence should be applied to the respective obligations of both parties (examples are between (a) buyer and seller, (b) ship owner and charterer, (c) purchaser and vendor, and (d) contractor and owner). Time is normally of the essence where:[…].

2010, John Adriaanse, Construction Contract Law: The Essentials, 3rd edition, page 172:

If there is no express stipulation in the contract that time is of the essence, it can be made so by serving a notice fixing a specified time for completion.

2015, MacRoberts Solicitors, MacRoberts on Scottish Construction Contracts, 3rd edition, John Wiley & Sons, page 142:

(law, in a contract) Failure to complete the required performance by the date certain set forth will constitute an incurable breach.


be there or be square

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-be there or be square.wav

There's a huge party on Saturday night; be there or be square.

(humorous) Used to encourage someone to attend an event.


don't get someone started

"Do you know what the veterinary bill was?" / "Oh, don't get me started."

Don't get him started on conspiracy theories, or you'll never hear the end of it!

(idiomatic) Used to attempt to avoid or abbreviate a discussion that speaker or hearer may wish to avoid.


a bad workman always blames his tools

Upon failure, it is easier to blame the tools used rather than how they were employed.


it is what it is

that's life

This circumstance is simply a fact and must be accepted

Unfortunately the insurance doesn't cover that. Sorry, but it is what it is.

I shall not criticize the Treaty of Versailles. It is a fact. It is what it is.

1926 March 8, “La Semaine du Parlement”, in Time:

I would prefer to start further up than where I am, but it is what it is and we'll just go out there and get to work.

2005 November 20, Viv Bernstein, “Stewart Poised to Head Onto Road Less Traveled”, in New York Times, retrieved 2008-07-24:

Air Force One comin' in through the gate
Johnson sworn in at 2:38
Let me know when you decide to throw in the towel
It is what it is, and it's murder most foul

(idiomatic) That's life; expressing resignment to a situation or set of circumstances, usually without complaint

niin se vain on

phrase expressing resignment to a situation or set of circumstances


time flies when you're having fun

"Time flies when you're having fun!" said one of the skiers in our party. "Yeah, but time's more fun when you're flying," Jay one-upped.

1991, Ski, volume 56, number 3, page 102:

Time seems to pass more quickly when one is enjoying oneself.

il tempo vola quando ci si diverte

time seems to pass more quickly when enjoying oneself

신선놀음에 도낏자루 썩는 줄 모른다 (sinseonnoreum-e dokkitjaru sseongneun jul moreunda, literally “Caught up in the Daoist immortals' game [of Go], you forget that the handle of your hatchet is rotting”)


proverbs hunt in pairs

proverbs run in pairs
proverbs run in pairs#English

Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs


God knows

Don't touch that! God knows who else put their hands on that thing!

[…] Origen himself does not say this. His words are simply, "Who wrote it [i.e. penned it down], God knows, ἡ δὲ εἰς ἡμᾶς φθάσασα ἱστορία", but a report has come to us, that it was either Clement or Luke.

1837, Moses Stuart, A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews, 4th edition, page 73:

I paid the rent, washed your clothes / Cooked your food and only God knows / Only God knows why I stay with you / I guess I'm in love

1994, Daryl Simmons & Babyface (lyrics and music), “Willing to Forgive”, performed by Aretha Franklin:

So, you want my father to pay for this? – You saw him. He was fiddling with the engine. God knows what he did there.

1995, Tom Gammill and Max Pross, “The Gum”, in Seinfeld, season 7, episode 10 (television production):

It is only known to God; it is unknown to people.

اَللّٰهُ أَعْلَم

Only known to God; only known to the gods


see you later, alligator

From the song See You Later, Alligator (1955), chosen for the rhyme.

Didn't know you were sick, Whitey, thought you were like […] some of the other times. From the top stair, See you later, alligator.

1955, Judson Jerome, Nolan Miller, New Campus Writings:


God Save the Queen

(UK) A formal statement at the end of many proclamations issued by the UK's queen or in her name.


chance'd be a fine thing

An ellipsis of even having a chance [to do so / at that] would be a fine thing and similar ideas, in reference to something that is either completely impossible or currently forbidden by circumstances, higher authorities, etc., originally chiefly with regard to opportunities to have sex or get married.

Mrs Hawthon: Why didn't you get wed if you were so curious? There's plenty would have had you.
Fanny: Chance is a fine thing. Happen I wouldn't have had them!
Mrs Hawthorn: Happen you'll be sorry for it before long. There's not so many will have you now, if this gets about.

1912, Stanley Houghton, Hindle Wakes, act I, scene i:

Come on. You're management, Corrigan. Get it sorted.
Right. Chance would be a fine thing. [VO] That's a thing people say, isn't it...
Mark, can't you reset it?
Chance would be a fine thing, Lisa.
I know what you should do. Coffee run. Corrigan, 200 lattes.
Good, good one Jeff. Chance would be a fine thing, a fine thing indeed. [VO] Hmm. Saying that too often now.

2009 September 18, Jesse Armstrong & al., Peep Show, Season 6, Episode 1

Dr Clarkson: Sit down and put your feet up if you can.
Mrs Patmore: Oh, chance'd be a fine thing.

2012 September 23, Julian Fellowes, Downton Abbey, Season 3, Episode 2

Me winning the lotto? Chance'd be a fine thing.

(British, idiomatic) Synonym of no chance or fat chance with a somewhat more cheerful attitude.


the nose knows

(informal, idiomatic) Despite the addressee's belief that the speaker was unaware of something, the speaker, in fact, was already aware.


head

a chain is only as strong as its weakest link

First appeared in Thomas Reid’s Essays on the Intellectual Powers of Man, published in 1786. The full idiom a chain is no stronger than its weakest link was first printed in Cornhill Magazine in 1868.

An organization is only as strong or powerful as its weakest person; a group of associates is only as strong as its laziest member.

en kæde kun så stærk som det svageste led

de keten is zo sterk als haar zwakste schakel

ketju on vain niin vahva kuin sen heikoin lenkki

eine Kette ist nur so stark wie ihr schwächstes Glied

mia alysída eínai óso dynatí óso o pio adýnamós tis kríkos

μια αλυσίδα είναι όσο δυνατή όσο ο πιο αδύναμός της κρίκος

una catena è forte quanto il suo anello più debole

en kjede er aldri sterkere enn sitt svakeste ledd

ei kjede er aldri sterkare enn det svakaste ledd

uma corrente é tão forte quanto seu elo mais fraco

uma corrente é tão forte quanto o seu elo mais fraco

una cadena es tan fuerte como su eslabón más débil

en kedja är aldrig starkare än dess svagaste länk

a chain is as strong as its weakest link


Houston, we have a problem

A misquotation of the phrases “Houston, we’ve had a problem here” and “Houston, we’ve had a problem” said by the American astronauts Jim Lovell (born 1928) and Jack Swigert (1931–1982), who were crew members of the Apollo 13 moon flight, to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Mission Control Center in Houston, Texas, on April 13, 1970, after an oxygen tank triggered an explosion which led to the mission being aborted.
The phrase in the form “Houston, we have a problem” was popularized by the film Apollo 13 (1995). The American screenwriter William Broyles Jr. (born 1944) altered the original phrases as he felt that “[t]he past perfect tense wasn’t as dramatic”. However, the phrase has been used earlier, for example, as the title of a 1974 television movie about the Apollo 13 mission.

Houston, we have a problem. We're running out of oil! The petroleum that fuels our daily lives is getting harder to find.

2002, Dan Ramsey, Complete Idiot’s Guide to Solar Power for Your Home (Complete Idiot’s Guide), Indianapolis, Ind.: Alpha Books, →ISBN, page xvii:

(US, humorous) Used to report that a (major) problem has occurred.

Apollo 13
Jack Swigert
Jim Lovell
The Washington Post
William Broyles Jr.

Հյուսթոն, մենք խնդիր ունենքէ

used to report that a (major) problem has occurred


Bob's your uncle

Unknown. Several unsupported theories exist about its origin. A common explanation, involving Arthur Balfour gaining a promotion through the supposed intercession of his uncle, Prime Minister Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, is doubted because the expression did not appear in print until 1924.

Insert the plug, press the switch, and Bob's your uncle.

You want to go to the stadium? Go straight on until you reach the park, take the first left and Bob's your uncle!

And you're not going to give me that stuff about just shoving over the lever and bob's your uncle. You forget the times the fellow gets caught and has to be kicked off the edge of the trap hole.

1954, Brendan Behan, The Quare Fellow, act 3; republished in Cóilín Owens, Joan Newlon Radner, editors, Irish Drama, 1900–1980, 1990, page 591:

Click the Import Contacts button and—Bob's your uncle (that's "Tada!" for my readers)—you should see a confirmation that all went according to plan, and your contacts have been imported into your Gmail address book.

2007, Preston Gralla, Big Book of Windows Hacks, O'Reilly Media, page 314:

Simply type in a description of your item and Bob's your uncle: someone, somewhere in the eBay virtual universe will be selling something similar.

2008, Julian Knight, Wills, Probate, & Inheritance Tax For Dummies, UK, unnumbered page:

All you need to do is learn to make these little loops and Bob's your uncle, you're a real live knitter.

2011, Lauren O'Farrel, Stitch London: 20 Kooky Ways to Knit the City and More, page 112:

(UK, Commonwealth, Ireland, idiomatic) No problem, the solution is simple, there you have it, it's that easy, you have what you want, all will be well: indicates a desirable conclusion has been reached with ease.

Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury

[и] де́ло в шля́пе ([i] délo v šljápe, literally “[and] the business is in the hat”)


all hell breaks loose

all hell breaks loose (simple past all hell broke loose)

Came not all hell broke loose?

1667, John Milton, “(please specify the page number)”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

I think it's kind of fun because, had Hillary Clinton spoken at the Democratic Convention, all hell would have broken loose.

1992 August 19, “Beckel, Barnes and Rollins Discuss the Republican Convention”, in CBS Morning:

The U.S. commanders received the news in a moment of stunned silence. Then, all hell broke loose as, off in the distance, antiaircraft fire was spotted as the antisubmarine patrol aircraft made optimistic and recklessly-brave assaults; four aircraft in total, armed with depth charges, attacked over a dozen enemy fleet units.

2019 February 27, Drachinifel, 2:05 from the start, in The Battle of Samar - Odds? What are those?, archived from the original on 2022-11-03:

It was a shocking attack, and within hours all hell had broken loose.

2023 November 26, Rory Carroll, Lisa O'Carroll, “‘Remember who we are’: riots, race, and the end of the ‘Irish welcome’”, in The Observer, →ISSN:

(idiomatic) The situation becomes chaotic or characterized by conflict or rage.


I'll drink to that

I agree with that; I support that opinion.


April showers bring May flowers

The month of April, traditionally a rainy period, gives way to May, when flowers will bloom because of the water provided to them by the April rains.

marzo ventoso y abril lluvioso sacan a mayo florido y hermoso


a dumb priest never got a parish

(Ireland) Those who fail to speak up will fail to get what they desire.


anything goes

In olden days a glimpse of stocking
Was looked on as something shocking
But now, Heaven knows,
Anything goes.

My way, your way, anything goes tonight!

[…] fucking and sucking by providing an anything-goes atmosphere reminiscent of the wildest days of the baths.

2004, Charles Silverstein, Felice Picano, The Joy of Gay Sex: Fully Revised and Expanded Third Edition, page 228:

(idiomatic) There are no rules or restrictions.