American Idioms

earth

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 01:30:02 +0400

[earth] See: COME BACK TO EARTH or COME DOWN TO EARTH, DOWN-TO-EARTH, IN THE WORLD or ON EARTH, MOVE HEAVEN AND EARTH.

Tags: earth world
Source: http://www.sky-net-eye.com/eng/english/idioms/american

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get mixed up

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 01:30:02 +0400

[get mixed up] See: MIXED UP.

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

piggy-back

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 01:30:02 +0400

[piggy-back] {adj.}
or {adv.}
Sitting or being carried on the shoulders.
/Little John loved to go for a piggy-back ride on his father's shoulders./
/When Mary sprained her ankle, John carried her piggy-back to the doctor./

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

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sprout wings

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 01:30:02 +0400

American Idioms

[sprout wings] {v. phr.}
1. To enter the stage after a period of development when wings appear (said of larvae that turn into butterflies).
/The dragonflies suddenly sprouted wings and are flying all about in the park./
2. To become good and virtuous (as if airborne).
/Joe has helped many colleagues in need; he seems to have sprouted wings./

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

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pile up

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 01:30:02 +0400

[pile up] {v. phr.}
1. To grow into a big heap.
/He didn't go into his office for three days and his work kept piling up./
2. To run aground.
/Boats often pile up on the rocks in the shallow water./
3. To crash.
/One car made a sudden stop and the two cars behind it piled up./

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

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hail-fellow-well-met (2)

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 01:30:01 +0400

[hail-fellow-well-met (2)] {n. phr.}
A good friend and companion; buddy; pal.
/John just moved to town but he and the boys in the neighborhood are already hail-fellows-well-met./

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

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washout

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 01:30:01 +0400

[washout] {n.}
A dismal failure.
/As far as investments were concerned, Dick and his precious advice turned out to he a total washout./

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

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hen party

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:14:27 +0400

American Idioms

[hen party] {n. phr.}, {informal}
A party to which only women or girls are invited.
/The sorority gave a hen party for its members./
Contrast: [STAG PARTY].
See: [GO STAG].

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

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stag party

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:13:13 +0400

[stag party]
See: [GO STAG].
Contrast: [HEN PARTY].

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

bread and butter(3)

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 01:30:01 +0400

[bread and butter(3)] {interj.}, {informal} Spoken to prevent bad luck that you think might result from some action.
/We'd say "Bread and butter!" when we had passed on opposite sides of a tree./

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

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rust away

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 01:30:01 +0400

[rust away] {v. phr.}
To disappear gradually through the process of rust or corrosion.
/If you refuse to paint those metal bars on the window, they will soon rust away./

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

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cancel out

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 01:30:02 +0400

American Idioms

[cancel out] {v.}
To destroy the effect of; balance or make useless.
/The boy got an "A" in history to cancel out the "C" he got in arithmetic./
/Our track team won the mile relay to cancel out the other team's advantage in winning the half-mile relay./
/Tom's hot temper cancels out his skill as a player./

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

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do credit

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 01:30:02 +0400

[do credit] or [do credit to] also ({informal}) [do proud] To add to or improve the reputation, good name, honor, or esteem of; show (you) deserve praise.
/Your neat appearance does you credit./
/Mary's painting would do credit to a real artist./

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

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pan

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 01:30:02 +0400

[pan]
See:
[FLASH IN THE PAN],
[OUT OF THE PRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE].

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

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spade

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 01:30:02 +0400

[spade] See: CALL A SPADE A SPADE.

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

run

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:48:35 +0400

American Idioms

[run]
See:
[BLOOD RUNS COLD],
[END RUN],
[CUT AND RUN],
[FIRST-RUN],
[HOME RUN],
[IN THE LONG RUN],
[IN THE RUNNING],
[ON THE RUN],
[OUT OF THE RUNNING],
[SECOND-RUN].

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

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call for

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 22:18:29 +0400

[call for] {v.}
1. To come or go to get (someone or something).
/John called for Mary to take her to the dance./
Syn.: [PICK UP].
2. To need; require.
/The cake recipe calls for two cups of flour./
/Success in school calls for much hard study./

Tags: call study success {v.}
Source: http://www.sky-net-eye.com/eng/english/idioms/american

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put to sea

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 01:30:02 +0400

[put to sea] {v. phr.}
To start a voyage.
/The captain said the ship would put to sea at six in the morning./
/In the days of sailing ships, putting to sea depended on the tides./

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

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run for it

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 01:30:02 +0400

[run for it] or [make a run for it] {v. phr.}
To dash for safety; make a speedy escape.
/The bridge the soldiers were on started to fall down and they had to run for it./
/The policeman shouted for the robber to stop, but the robber made a run for if./

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

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what for (1)

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 01:30:02 +0400

American Idioms

[what for] (1) {interrog.}
For what reason; why?
/I told Mary what I was going to town for./
/What are you running for?/ — Often used alone as a question.
/Billy's mother told him to wear his hat. "What for?" he asked./
Compare: [HOW COME].

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

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credibility gap

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 01:30:02 +0400

[credibility gap] {n.}, {hackneyed phrase}, {politics}
An apparent discrepancy between what the government says and what one can observe for oneself.
/There was a tremendous credibility gap in the USA during the Watergate years./

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

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horn

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 01:30:02 +0400

[horn] See: BLOW ONE'S OWN HORN or TOOT ONE'S OWN HORN, PULL IN ONE'S HORNS or DRAW IN ONE'S HORNS, TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS.

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

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let loose

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 01:30:02 +0400

[let loose] {v.}
1a. or [set loose] or [turn loose] To set free; loosen or give up your hold on.
/The farmer opened the gate and let the bull loose in the pasture./
/They turned the balloon loose to let it rise in the air./
1b. or [turn loose] To give freedom (to someone) to do something; to allow (someone) to do what he wants.
/Mother let Jim loose on the apple pie./
/The children were turned loose in the toy store to pick the toys they wanted./
1c. To stop holding something; loosen your hold.
/Jim caught Ruth's arm and would not let loose./
Compare: LET GO, LET OUT. 2a. {informal} To let or make (something) move fast or hard; release.
/The fielder let loose a long throw to home plate after catching the ball./
2b. {informal} To release something held.
/Those dark clouds are going to let loose any minute./
Syn.: CUT LOOSE, LET GO. 3. {informal} To speak or act freely; disregard ordinary limits.
/The teacher told Jim that some day she was going to let loose and tell him what she thought of him./
/Mother let loose on her shopping trip today and bought things for all of us./
Syn.: CUT LOOSE, LET GO.

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

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pass by

A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 01:30:02 +0400

American Idioms

[pass by] See: PASS OVER.

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

common touch