American Idioms

block

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:00:15 +0300

[block]
See:
[CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK],
[KNOCK ONE'S BLOCK OFF],
[ON THE BLOCK].

Source: http://www.sky-net-eye.com/eng/dictionary/english/idioms/american

pigheaded

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:30:02 +0300

[pigheaded] {adj.}
Stubborn; unwilling to compromise.
/"Stop being so pigheaded!" she cried. "I, too, can be right sometimes!"/

Tags: {adj.}
Source: http://www.sky-net-eye.com/eng/dictionary/english/idioms/american

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pop the question

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:30:02 +0300

[pop the question] {v. phr.}, {slang} To ask someone to marry you.
/After the dance he popped the question./
/A man is often too bashful to pop the question./

Tags: {slang} {v. phr.}
Source: http://www.sky-net-eye.com/eng/dictionary/english/idioms/american

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one on the city

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:30:01 +0300

American Idioms

[one on the city] {n.}, {slang} A glass of water (which is provided free of charge, as a free gift from the city).
/What will you have? — Oh, just give me one on the city./

Tags: {n.} {slang}
Source: http://www.sky-net-eye.com/eng/dictionary/english/idioms/american

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take care

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:30:01 +0300

[take care] {v. phr.}
To be careful; use wisdom or caution.
/Take care that you don't spill that coffee!/
/We must take care to let nobody hear about this./

Tags: {v. phr.}
Source: http://www.sky-net-eye.com/eng/dictionary/english/idioms/american

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lip service

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:01:55 +0300

[lip service] {n.}
Support shown by words only and not by actions; a show of loyalty that is not proven in action. — Usually used with "pay".
/Bv holding elections, communism pays lip service to democracy, but it offers only one candidate per office./
/Some people pay lip service to education, but don't vote taxes for better schools./

Tags: {n.}
Source: http://www.sky-net-eye.com/eng/dictionary/english/idioms/american

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pay lip service to

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 12:59:00 +0300

[pay lip service to]
See: [LIP SERVICE].

Source: http://www.sky-net-eye.com/eng/dictionary/english/idioms/american

switch

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 12:58:07 +0300

American Idioms

[switch]
See: [ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH].

Source: http://www.sky-net-eye.com/eng/dictionary/english/idioms/american

cross one's heart

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 01:30:02 +0300

[cross one's heart] or [cross one's heart and hope to die] {v. phr.}, {informal}
To say that what you have said is surely true; promise seriously that it is true. — Often used by children in the longer form. Children often make a sign of a cross over the heart as they say it, for emphasis.
/"Cross my heart, I didn't hide your bicycle," Harry told Tom./
/"I didn't tell the teacher what you said. Cross my heart and hope to die," Mary said to Lucy./

Tags: children used by children {informal} {v. phr.}
Source: http://www.sky-net-eye.com/eng/dictionary/english/idioms/american

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no good

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 01:30:02 +0300

[no good] {adj. phr.}
Not satisfactory; not adequate; not approved.
/"That's no good," I told him when he began to cry./
/He was no good at arithmetic./
/He tried appealing to the man's pride, but it did no good./

Tags: {adj. phr.}
Source: http://www.sky-net-eye.com/eng/dictionary/english/idioms/american

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person

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 01:30:02 +0300

[person] See: IN PERSON.

Source: http://www.sky-net-eye.com/eng/dictionary/english/idioms/american

pull one's punches

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 01:30:02 +0300

American Idioms

[pull one's punches] {v. phr.}, {informal}
1. Not to hit as hard as you can.
/Jimmy pulled his punches and let Paul win the boxing match./
2. To hide unpleasant facts or make them seem good. — Usually used in the negative.
/The mayor spoke bluntly; he didn't pull any punches./
Contrast: STRAIGHT PROM THE SHOULDER.

Tags: {informal} {v. phr.}
Source: http://www.sky-net-eye.com/eng/dictionary/english/idioms/american

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crash the gate

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:05:35 +0300

[crash the gate] {v. phr.}, {slang}
To enter without a ticket or without paying; attend without an invitation or permission.
/Bob got into the circus without paying. He crashed the gate./
/Three boys tried to crash the gate at our party but we didn't let them in./

Tags: {slang} {v. phr.}
Source: http://www.sky-net-eye.com/eng/dictionary/english/idioms/american

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gate crasher

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:04:50 +0300

[gate crasher]
See: [CRASH THE GATE].

Source: http://www.sky-net-eye.com/eng/dictionary/english/idioms/american

in the clouds

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:02:01 +0300

[in the clouds] {adj. phr.}
Far from real life; in dreams; in fancy; in thought.
/When Alice agreed to marry Jim, Jim went home in the clouds./
- Often used with "head", "mind", "thoughts".
/Mary is looking out the window, not at the chalkboard; her head is in the clouds again./
/A good teacher should have his head in the clouds sometimes, but his feet always on the ground./
Contrast:
[COME BACK TO EARTH],
[FEET ON THE GROUND].

Tags: earth ground mind {adj. phr.}
Source: http://www.sky-net-eye.com/eng/dictionary/english/idioms/american

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gain ground

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:00:39 +0300

American Idioms

[gain ground] {v. phr.}
1. To go forward; move ahead.
/The soldiers fought hard and began to gain ground./
2. To become stronger; make progress; improve.
/The sick man gained ground after being near death./
/Under Lincoln, the Republican Party gained ground./
Contrast: [LOSE GROUND].

Tags: {v. phr.}
Source: http://www.sky-net-eye.com/eng/dictionary/english/idioms/american

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give ground

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:58:20 +0300

[give ground] {v. phr.}
To go backward under attack; move back; retreat.
/After fighting for a while the troops slowly began to give ground./
/Although they were outnumbered by the enemy, the men refused to give ground./
Compare:
[DRAW BACK],
[DROP BACK],
[LOSE GROUND].
Contrast:
[HOLD ONE'S GROUND],
[STAND OFF],
[STAND ONE'S GROUND],
[STAND PAT],
[STAVE OFF].

Tags: {v. phr.}
Source: http://www.sky-net-eye.com/eng/dictionary/english/idioms/american

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stand one's ground

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:53:45 +0300

[stand one's ground] also [hold one's ground] {v. phr.}
1. To stay and fight instead of running away.
/The enemy attacked in great numbers but our men stood their ground./
Compare: [GAIN GROUND].
Contrast: [GIVE GROUND], [LOSE GROUND].
2. To defend a belief or statement; refuse to weaken when opposed; insist you are right.
/John's friends said he was mistaken but he stood his ground./
Compare: [STICK TO ONE'S GUNS].

Tags: {v. phr.}
Source: http://www.sky-net-eye.com/eng/dictionary/english/idioms/american

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Ivy League