Spears R. Dictionary of American idioms (1991)(600dpi)(T)(479s).djvu: eKnigu

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Spears R. Dictionary of American idioms (1991)(600dpi)(T)(479s).djvu

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Date Jan 24, 2005

? Is this one all
it's cracked up to be? ? This restaurant
isn't what it's cracked up to be...
(Especially with from the or live on
the.) ? Who cares if she's from the other
side of the tracks? П / came from a poor
family—we lived on the other side of the
tracks...
pay someone a left-handed compli-
compliment to give someone a false compli-
compliment which is really an insult...
D Can I prevail upon you to
give me some help? ? Perhaps you could
prevail on my brother for a loan...
(Slang.) ? She was pulling
a fast one when she said she had a head-
headache and went home...
(Compare
to make an appearance.) ? / couldn't
stay for the whole party, so I just put in
an appearance and left...
(See
also put something through its
paces.) ? The boss really put me
through my paces today...
put one's hands on something and put
one's hand on something to locate
and acquire something...
(See also put someone or something
down.) ? He was so rude that I put him
down as someone to be avoided...
send in for something and write in for
something to request something by
mail, often in response to a radio or
television advertisement...
shove someone or something down
someone's throat* and ram someone
or something down someone's throat*
to force someone or something on some-
someone...
single someone or something out and
single out someone or something
to select or refer to a particular person
or thing...
D What difference
does it make? They're both the same—
six of one and half a dozen of the other...
slip of the tongue an error in speaking
where a word is pronounced incorrect-
incorrectly, or where something which the
speaker did not mean to say is said...
stoop to doing something and stoop to
something to degrade oneself or con-
condescend to doing something; to do some-
something which is beneath one...
such-and-such* someone or some-
something whose name has been forgotten
or should not be said...
take a gander at someone or some-
something* and take a gander* to exam-
examine someone or something; to take a
look at someone or something...
? The treasurer was
forced to take a stand against the board
because of its wasteful spending...
(Also used literally referring to
plants.) ? Things will begin to change
when my new policies take root...
(Com-
(Compare to take someone or something
wrong.) ? Would you take it amiss if
I told you I thought you look lovely? П
Why would anyone take such a nice com-
compliment amiss? ? / was afraid you'd
take it the wrong way...
(Infor-
(Informal.) ? You won 7 get anywhere around
here by throwing the mayor's name
around...
D How long
does it take to get used to this weather?
345
V
vanish into thin air to disappear with-
without leaving a trace...
What
difference does it make?
What gives?* and What goes?*
What is happening? (Slang.) ? What's
going on here? What gives? ? There's
a strange car in my driveway...
work one's way up to advance in one's
job or position, from the beginning level
to a higher level...
?
all talk and no action D go into action
? piece of the action ? swing into
action ? take action against someone
or something
ACTIVE
? on active duty
ADAM
? not know someone from Adam
ADD
? add fuel to the fire ? add insult to
injury ? add something up ? add up
to something
ADDITION
? in addition to someone or some-
something
ADDRESS
? address someone as something
364
PHRASE-FINDER INDEX
ADIEU
D bid adieu to someone or something
ADO
D much ado about nothing ? without
further ado
ADVANCE
D advanced in years ? in advance of
someone or something ? pay in
advance
ADVANTAGE
? get the advantage of someone ? have
the advantage of someone ? show
something to good advantage D take
advantage of someone or something ?
turn something to one's advantage
AFFAIRS
? pretty state of affairs ? settle some-
someone's affairs
AFOUL
? run afoul of someone or something
AFRAID
? afraid of one's own shadow
AFTER
? after a fashion ? after all is said and
done ? after all ? after hours ? after
the fact ? after the fashion of someone
or something ? chase after someone or
something ? chase around after some-
someone or something D day after day ?
get after someone ? go after someone
or something ? inquire after someone
? keep after someone ? look after
someone or something ? much sought
after D name someone after someone
else ? run after someone or something
? run around after someone or some-
something ? see after someone or some-
something ? stay after someone ? take after
someone ? take off after someone or
something ? take out after someone or
something ? throw good money after
bad D time after time
AGAIN
? able to breathe again ? at it again
D be oneself again ? Come again? D
do something over again ? every now
and again ? now and again ? off again,
on again ? Run that by again...