Parkinson's law 20555

Parkinson's law
the idea that the work you have to do will increase to fill all of the time you have to do it in If you tell him you want the work done by tomorrow, he'll get it done this afternoon, if you tell him next Thursday, he'll spend a week on it. It's Parkinson's law.

set eyes on someone or something and lay eyes on someone or something 20554

set eyes on someone or something and lay eyes on someone or something
Fig. to see someone or something for the first time. I knew when I set eyes on that car that it was the car for me. Have you ever laid eyes on such a beautiful flower?

Call no man happy till he dies, and Count no man happy till he dies 20553

Call no man happy till he dies, and Count no man happy till he dies.
Prov. You cannot tell if a person's life has been happy on the whole until that person's life is over; no matter how happy someone is now, something bad may happen to destroy his or her happiness. Alan: You must be very happy with your new wife. Bill: Call no man happy till he dies. Jill: That movie star must be the happiest person in the world. He's rich, people love him, and he likes his work. Jane: Count no man happy till he dies

amiss [əˈmɪs]20552

amiss [əˈmɪs]
adv
1. in an incorrect, inappropriate, or defective manner
take (something) amiss to be annoyed or offended by (something

true-blue 20551

true-blue (American & Australian)
if someone is true-blue, they support something or someone completely Tom's true-blue - he won't let us down. They want control of the company to remain in true-blue American hands

watering hole 20550

watering hole
1. Lit. a place where there is water for animals (and people) to drink. The elephants came down to the watering hole and chased away the lions so they could drink in peace.
2. Fig. a bar or tavern. Fred is down at the local watering hole boozing it up.

pull in one's ears 20549

pull in one's ears
Fig. to stop listening in on someone or something. (The opposite of prick up one's ears.) Now, pull in your ears. This is none of your business. Pull in your ears and mind your own business

Faith will move mountains 2548

Faith will move mountains.

Prov. If you believe in what you are doing, you can overcome any obstacle. (Sometimes refers to faith in God.) Jane's faith in her cause could move mountains. You may feel disheartened sometimes, but remember that faith will move mountains

a wild card 20547

a wild card
1. someone or something that you do not know much about and whose behaviour in the future you cannot be certain of The real wild card is the undecided vote, which accounts for 18 to 25 percent of the electorate. The company is fast gaining a reputation as the wild card of Wall Street because of violent fluctuations in its profits.
2. if someone gets a wild card or is a wild card in a sports competition, they are allowed to enter the competition

Empirical arguments 20546

Empirical arguments
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Empirical arguments depend on empirical data in order to prove their conclusions. Empirical arguments against the existence of God usually highlight contradictions between the Bible (and other Christian doctrine) and scientific knowledge of the reality.

be slow off the mark 20545

be slow off the mark
to be slow to act or to react to an event or situation The federal government was criticized for being slow off the mark in helping towns hit by the recent hurricane

COMINT SECOND DIDNT MAKE HER FEEL ANY BETTER BECAUSE SHE ONLY WANTED TO WIN 20544

COMING SECOND WAS NO CONSOLATION BECAUSE WINNING WAS ALL THAT MATTERED TO HER

THE ORGANIZERS PLANNED EVERYTHING AS CARREFULLY AS THEY COULD POSSIBLY HAVE DONE20543

EVERYTHING WAS PLANNED WITH THE UTMOST CARE BY THE ORGANIZERS

INEFFICIENT TREATMEN OF CUSTOMERS CREATES A BAD IMPRESSION OF THE COMPANY 20542

TREATING CUSTOMERS WITH A LACK OF EFFICIENCY REFLECTS BADLY ON THE COMPANY

prompt (prmpt)20541

prompt (prmpt)
adj. prompt·er, prompt·est
1. Being on time; punctual.
2. Carried out or performed without delay: a prompt reply.

I ALWAYS ENJOY THIS FILM,NO MATTER HOW OFTEN I SEE IT 20540

however often i see it I never tire of this film

stroke of genius 20539

stroke of genius

an act of genius; a very clever and innovative idea or task. Your idea of painting the rock wall red was a stroke of genius

say it to my face 20538

say it to my face,dimelo a la cara

stop the music and stop the presses 20537

stop the music and stop the presses

Inf. Stop everything!; Hold it! (Presses refers to the printing presses used to print newspapers. This means that there is recent news of such magnitude that the presses must be stopped so a new edition can be printed immediately.) John (entering the room): Stop the music! There's a fire in the kitchen! Mary: Good grief! Let's get out of here! "Stop the presses!" shouted Jane. "I have an announcement."

Hyperbole 20536

Hyperbole is exaggeration or overstatement.
Opposite of Understatement

Example:
I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.
He's as big as a house.

empiricism 20535

empiricism
The view that all knowledge of the world derives solely from sensory experience, using observation and experimentation if needed; empiricism also holds that reason on its own can never provide knowledge of reality unless it also utilizes experience. See also British empiricism

sleep around the clock 20534

sleep around the clock

to sleep for a full twenty-four hours; to sleep for a very long time. I was so tired I could have slept around the clock. When I got home,I lay down and slept around the clock

iron out the kinks (mainly American)20533

iron out the kinks (mainly American)

to get rid of any problems that you are having with the way that you are doing something The team was still trying to iron out the kinks in their game in the last quarter

Never make a threat you cannot carry out 20532

Never make a threat you cannot carry out.

Prov. You should not threaten to do something you cannot do; otherwise, people will not believe you are serious when you threaten. Bill: If you don't stop being rude to me, I'll have you fired! Jane: You're not my boss. Never make a threat you cannot carry out

read the fine print 20531

read the fine print
to know all the information contained in a document read the small print This new law will disappoint a lot of voters once they have had a chance to read the fine print. You should always read the fine print before signing a contract.

slow and steady wins the race 20530

slow and steady wins the race

Prov. If you work slowly but constantly, you will succeed better than if you work fast for a short while and do not continue. (Associated with Aesop's fable of "The Tortoise and the Hare.") Joy only had a little bit of time to spend sewing every day, but she worked steadily and soon had finished a beautiful quilt. Slow and steady wins the race

fat is in the fire 20529

fat is in the fire

Prov. Matters have come to a crisis; trouble is about to start. Brother: Mom found out that we broke the clock. Sister: Uh-oh. The fat's in the fire now. The fat is in the fire at work; we're nowhere near finishing the project, but the deadline is in two days.

free lunch 20528

free lunch
Fig. something of value that is free. (Often negative. See also There's no such thing as a free lunch.) There's always somebody who'll do anything to get a free lunch.

Cross the stream where it is shallowest 20527

Cross the stream where it is shallowest.
Prov. To do things in the easiest possible way. Jill: How can I get Fred to give me permission to start this project? Jane: Cross the stream where it is shallowest. First ask Fred's boss for permission; I'm sure she'll give it to you. Then Fred will have to agree.

word (once) spoken is past recalling 20526

word (once) spoken is past recalling
Prov. Once you have said something, you cannot undo the result of having said it. Hilary apologized for having called Mark's suit cheap, but Mark was still offended. A word once spoken is past recalling.

Happiness is a positive cash flow 20525

Happiness is a positive cash flow.


And if you are an independent consultant, you know that happiness is a positive cash flow


A wise business owner once said, "Happiness is a positive cash flow

small potatoes 20524

small potatoes

something or someone insignificant; small fry. This contract is small potatoes, but it keeps us in business till we get into the real money. Small potatoes are better than no potatoes at all

turn turtle 20523

turn turtle
if a boat turns turtle, it turns upside down in the water We lost all our diving gear when the boat turned turtle just off the shore.

battle of the bulge 20522

battle of the bulge

the attempt to keep one's waistline slim. (Jocular. Alludes to a World War II battle.) She appears to have lost the battle of the bulge. I've been fighting the battle of the bulge ever since I turned 35.

miss (something) by a mile 20521

miss (something) by a mile

Fig. to fail to hit something by a great distance; to land wide of the mark. Ann shot the arrow and missed the target by a mile. "Good grief, you missed by a mile," shouted Sally

gulp for air 20520

gulp for air

Fig. to eagerly or desperately try to get air or a breath. Tom gulped for air after trying to hold his breath for three minutes. Mary came up out of the water, gulping for

in a class by itself 20519

in a class by itself
the best or only one of its kind The High Desert Museum was in a class by itself.
Usage notes: also used in the form in a class by yourself: Among jazz singers, she was in a class by herself.

slip through someone's fingers 20518

slip through someone's fingers
1. Lit. to slide through and out of one's grasp. The glass slipped through his fingers and crashed to the ground. The rope slipped through his fingers and followed the anchor to the bottom of the lake.
2. Fig. to escape from someone; to elude someone's capture or control. The prisoner slipped through the sheriff's fingers. Don't let Max slip through your fingers again this time!

pay somebody back in their own coin (British & Australian old-fashioned)20517

pay somebody back in their own coin (British & Australian old-fashioned)

to treat someone in the same bad way that they have treated you I decided to pay her back in her own coin and refuse to help her.

the boys in the back room and the backroom boys 20516

the boys in the back room and the backroom boys

Fig. any private group of men who make decisions, usually political decisions. (See also .) The boys in the back room picked the last presidential candidate. The backroom boys have decided too many things in the past. Their day is over

set off alarm bells also ring alarm bells 20515

set off alarm bells also ring alarm bells
to warn of trouble and the need for action The report about worldwide climate change should sound alarm bells in every community

think the sun rises and sets on someone 20514

think the sun rises and sets on someone

Fig. to think someone is the most important person in the world. Her daddy just thinks the sun rises and sets on her. She worships that boyfriend of hers. She thinks the sun rises and sets on him.

get your goat (British, American & Australian informal) also get on your goat (Australian informal)20513

get your goat (British, American & Australian informal) also get on your goat (Australian informal)

to annoy you It really gets my goat when people push past without saying 'Excuse me'. The kid never stops whingeing - he really gets on my goat

Play out of your skin 20512

Play out of your skin
If someone plays out of their skin, they give an outstanding performance

cleansed 20511

cleansed, cleans·ing, cleans·es.
To free from dirt, defilement, or guilt; purge or clean

stand·point (stndpoint)20510

stand·point (stndpoint)
n.
A position from which things are considered or judged; a point of view.

grinds my gears 20509

2. grinds my gears 66 up, 26 down
buy grinds my gears mugs, tshirts and magnetsSomething that makes you mad. Or really annoyed. Originated on Family Guy Untold Stories DVD. Peter Griffin gets a job at the News Channel
When girls give everyone play and they are called hoes and they get mad, that really grinds my gears!

No one has never mad a priest and a rabi joke in a while, that really grinds my gears-Peter Griffin

A Mexican stand-off 20508

Mexican stand-off (Mexican stand-offs plural )A Mexican stand-off is a situation in which neither of the people or groups in a conflict or dispute can win and neither wants to give in first.

bed·side manner 2507

bed·side manner
Top Home > Library > Health > Medical Dictionary(bĕd'sīd')
n.
The attitude and conduct of a physician in the presence of a patient

Cut to the chase 20506

Cut to the chase
Meaning

Get to the point - leaving out unnecessary preamble

turn the page 2505

turn the page

to stop thinking about or dealing with something When a patient dies, a doctor just has to turn the page and concentrate on the next patient

Kings have long arms. and Governments have long arms 2504

Kings have long arms. and Governments have long arms.

Prov. Those who are in power can always catch and punish people who have opposed them, no matter how far away those opponents may go. After his attempt to assassinate the king, the prince sailed to a distant country, although his wife warned him it would be to no avail. "Kings have long arms," she reminded him

throw your hat in the ring 2503

throw your hat in the ring
to announce that you intend to compete for something, esp. a political position At today's news conference, the congressman officially threw his hat in the ring and began his campaign for the Senate.

strong-arm tactics 2502

strong-arm tactics

force; the use of force. No more strong-arm tactics. You need to be more subtle. Strong-arm tactics are out. The boss says be gentle and don't hurt anybody

show one's hand 25001

show one's hand
Fig. to reveal one's intentions to someone. (From card games.) I don't know whether Jim is intending to marry Jane or not. He's not one to show his hand. If you want to get a raise, don't show the boss your hand too soon.

Moral Majority 2500

Moral Majority


Related Terms
• fundamentalism





Definition:
The "Moral Majority" was a development of Protestant fundamentalism in the United States during the 1980s. The term itself was invented either by Jerry Falwell or his powerful backers. Falwell was the pastor at the Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia. As a primary leader of the "Moral Majority," however, he rose to national prominence and worked to enact a variety of social and political reforms across the country.

The ideology of the Moral Majority represented a break from past fundamentalist activities. Previously, fundamentalists had criticized more liberal Christians who got invovled with politics and social actions. Now, however, fundamentalist became energized and passionate about using political elections and social work to change society.

Also Known As: none

happy event 20499

happy event
n
Informal the birth of a child

a bossy boots 20498

a bossy boots (British & Australian informal)
an impolite way of describing someone who always tells other people what to do Karen's such a bossy boots - ordering us around all the time

pass muster 20497

pass muster
Fig. to measure up to the required standards. I tried, but my efforts didn't pass muster. If you don't wear a jacket and tie, you won't pass muster at that fancy restaurant. They won't let you in.
See also: muster, pass
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.



to be of an acceptable standard for a particular purpose Well, how did I do in the test? Do I pass muster

'Jack the Lad 20496

'Jack the Lad'

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A confident and not very serious young man who behaves as he wants to without thinking about other people is a Jack the Lad

country mile 20495

country mile

Rur. a great distance. The batter knocked that ball a country mile. I had to walk a country mile to the next gas station.

a scaredy-cat 20494

a scaredy-cat (informal)
someone who is frightened when there is no reason to be
Usage notes: This phrase is used especially by children.
Go on you scaredy-cat, jump in.

Every little bit helps 20493

Every little bit helps.
Prov. Even the smallest amount is helpful. Tom: I can only give a dollar to your charity. Mary: That's OK. Every little bit helps. Jane gave me a pair of booties for my new baby. It's not much, but every little bit helps.

Desperate diseases must have desperate remedies 20492

Desperate diseases must have desperate remedies.
Prov. If you have a seemingly insurmountable problem, you must do things you ordinarily would not do in order to solve it. Fred: All my employees have been surly and morose for months. How can I improve their morale? Alan: Why not give everyone a raise? Fred: That's a pretty extreme suggestion. Alan: Yes, but desperate diseases must have desperate remedies

have someone's best interest(s) at heart 20491

have someone's best interest(s) at heart
to make decisions based on someone's best interests. I know she was only doing what would benefit her, but she said she had my best interests at heart.

have someone's best interest(s) at heart 20490

have someone's best interest(s) at heart
to make decisions based on someone's best interests. I know she was only doing what would benefit her, but she said she had my best interests at heart.

as crazy as a bedbug 20489

as crazy as a bedbug

- crazy

My neighbor is as crazy as a bedbug

Put that in your pipe and smoke it! 20488

Put that in your pipe and smoke it!

Fig. Inf. See how you like that!; It is final, and you have to live with it. Well, I'm not going to do what you want, so put that in your pipe and smoke it! I'm sick of you, and I'm leaving. Put that in your pipe and smoke it!

scream bloody murder and yell bloody murder 20487

scream bloody murder and yell bloody murder

Fig. to complain bitterly; to complain unduly. When we put him in an office without a window, he screamed bloody murder. There is something wrong next door. Everyone is yelling bloody murder.

Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die 20486

Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.

Prov. Enjoy yourself whenever you can, because you may die soon. ("Eat, drink, and be merry" by itself is simply a way of encouraging people to enjoy themselves.) Fred: No cake for me, thank you. I'm on a diet. Jane: But, Fred, this is a birthday party. Eat, drink, and be merry. Natasha encouraged all her guests to eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.

the bare bones 20485

the bare bones
the most basic parts of something, without any detail We believe we have the bare bones of an agreement. Reduced to its bare bones, the theory states that animals adapt to suit their surroundings.

'Born to the purple'20484

'Born to the purple'

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Someone who is born to the purple is born in a royal or aristocratic family. ("Born in the purple" is also used.)

brown-bagging (American informal)20483

brown-bagging (American informal)

taking your own food, usually in a brown paper bag, to eat in the middle of the day when you are not at home We've stopped brown-bagging - it's too cold now to eat in the park

a sacred cow 20482

a sacred cow
a belief or system that is treated with much respect and is not usually criticized The British legal system remains a sacred cow, despite increasing evidence that serious mistakes have been made

lower the boom 20481

lower the boom (American informal)
to suddenly stop someone doing something you do not approve of Dad lowered the boom. I have to stay in the next two weekends.

fit to be tied 20480

fit to be tied
angry and agitated. (As if needing to be restrained.) Joe was fit to be tied when his wife told him she was leaving. I was fit to be tied when Mary tried to be friendly, after three years of not speaking to me.

couldn't hit a bull in the ass with a bass fiddle 20479

couldn't hit a bull in the ass with a bass fiddle

Rur. unable to aim; very clumsy. (Jocular. Use with caution.) Tom: Is Jane a good shot? Charlie: She couldn't hit a bull in the ass with a bass fiddle.

draw someone's attention to someone or something 20478

draw someone's attention to someone or something
to attract someone to notice or focus on someone or something. Now, I would like to draw your attention to Fred, the gentleman we have all heard so much about. Could I draw your attention to the statue standing at the entrance?

pay lip service (to something)20477

pay lip service (to something)

Fig. to express loyalty, respect, or support for something insincerely. You don't really care about politics. You're just paying lip service to the candidate. Don't sit here and pay lip service. Get busy