Oxford Dictionary of Idioms by Judith Siefring

The Oxford Dictionary of Idioms



Idioms

Edited by
Judith Siefring

OXPORD

UNIVERSITY PRESS

OXFORD

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Contents

Preface vii

Dictionary of Idioms 1
Index 323



Preface

The aim of the Oxford Dictionary ofIdioms is to provide clear definitions of
phrases and sayings for those who do not know what they mean, but also to
offer the curious reader interesting facts about the origins of phrases and
examples of their use. This second edition of the Oxford Dictionary ofIdioms is
based on the first edition, edited by Jennifer Speake. It maintains the first
edition's focus on contemporary and historical phrases, sayings, and
proverbs, and uses a combination of definition and (where required)
explanatory note and illustrative quotation to provide a rounded picture of
idiomatic usage. The coverage of the previous edition has been extended by
the inclusion of more than 350 new idioms, and a great many contemporary
illustrative quotations have also been added. These quotations have been
taken from a variety of sources: from novels to travel guides, broadsheet
newspapers to teenage magazines. They help to give the reader a better
understanding of how an idiom is used: a typical context, a certain tone, or a
particular resonance. The formation of new phrases and sayings is one of
the most colourful aspects of language development, and by adding idioms
such as chew the scenery, be in like Flynn, and give someone the hairy
eyeball, and quotations from the likes ofAnthony Bourdain, Arundhati Roy,
Melvin Burgess, and Tom Clancy, the new edition hopes to reflect this
colour.

A new index section at the end of the book groups together idioms which
share a common theme or subject, so giving readers a vivid snapshot of
those areas and aspects of life that have generated a particularly rich variety
offigurativeexpressions.

My thanks must go to Richard Jones for his work on sourcing quotations,
to Georgia Hole for proofreading, and above all to Sara Hawker for her help
and insight throughout the project.

JUDITH SIEFRING



Aa

A abdabs

A 1 excellent; first-rate. give someone the screaming abdabs induce
an attack of extreme anxiety or irritation in
i O The full form of this expression is >47 at someone.
! Lloyd's. In Lloyd's Register of Shipping, the
j phrase was used of ships in first-class j O Abdabs (or habdabs) is mid 20th-century !
I condition as to the hull (A) and stores (1). The ! slang whose origin is unknown. The word is
! US equivalent is A No. 7; both have been in j sometimes also used to mean an attack of
; figurative use since the mid 19th century. j delirium tremens.

from A to B from your starting point to your

destination; from one place to another. abet

1987 K. Rushforth Tree Planting & Managemenatid and abet: see AID.
The purpose of street tree planting

is to... make the roads and thoroughfares
pleasant in their own right, not just as places about

used to travel from A to B. know what you are about be aware of the

from A to Z over the entire range; in every implications of your actions or of a

particular. situation, and of how best to deal with

1998 Salmon, Trout & Sea-Trout In order to have them, informal

seen Scotland's gamefishingin its entirety, 1993 Ski Survey He ran a 3-star guest house

from A to Z, visiting 30 stretches ofriverand before this, so knows what he is about.
350 lochs a year, you would have to be

travelling for a hundred years.

above

aback above yourself conceited; arrogant.

take someone aback shock, surprise, or 1999 Frank McCourt 'Tis Many a man made his
disconcert someone. way in America by the sweat of his brow and
his strong back and it's a good thing to learn
! O The phrase is frequently used in the your station in life and not be getting above
i passive form (be taken aback): this was yourself.
; adopted in the mid 19th century from
i earlier (mid 18th-century) nautical not be above — be capable of stooping to an
i terminology, to describe the situation of a unworthy act.
i ship with its sails pressed back against the 1991 Maureen Duffy Illuminations The copyist
! mast by a headwind, preventing forward was not above turning author or forger and
| movement. several MSS from this period must be viewed
as highly suspect.

1991 Kathleen Jones Learning Not To Be First Abraham
They were taken aback by the shabbiness of

the hotel and lack of cleanliness in the city in Abraham's bosom in heaven, the place of

generally. rest for the souls of the blessed, dated

j O The phrase is taken from Luke 16:22: 'And !

ABC i it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was I

as easy (or simple) as ABC extremely easy or j carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom', j
straightforward.
j In the Bible, Abraham was the Hebrew

i patriarch from whom all Jews traced their

I O From the 15th to the 17th century, a I descent. j
I child's first spelling and reading book was
! commonly called an ABC, and this led to the j acceptable
j development of its metaphorical use, 'the
| basic elements or rudiments of something'. the acceptable face of the tolerable or
attractive manifestation or aspect of.

accident 2

1996 New York Review ofBooks He presents i O The a c e i s t n e highest playing card in its
himself as the acceptable face of I suit in many card games, so a cheating player j
gambling... the man who, almost single- I mightwellhideonetouseagainstan unwary ;
handedly, has turned a huckster's paradise j opponent. A North American variant is an ace \
into a gangster-free zone. I in the hole. The next two idioms are also
j based on this meaning of ace.
accident
hold all the aces have all the advantages.
an accident waiting to happen Q a play your ace use your best resource.
potentially disastrous situation, within an ace of very close to.
usually caused by negligent or faulty
procedures. © a person certain to cause i O Ace here has the figurative meaning of 'a j
trouble. j tiny amount' and is used with reference to
01997 Times Accidents are often said to be i thesinglespotontheplayingcard.Thephrase i
'waiting to happen'. It does not take much ; was first recorded in the early 18th century.
imagination to see that the chaotic start to the
Whitbread round-the-world race... could Achilles
easily have ended in tragedy.
an Achilles heel a person's only vulnerable
accidents will happen however careful you spot; a serious or fatal weakness.
try to be, it is inevitable that some
unfortunate or unforeseen events will j O In Greek mythology, the nymph Thetis
occur. j dipped her infant son Achilles in the water of j
i the River Styx to make him immortal, but the i
! O This phrase is a shortened form of the ! heel by which she held him was not touched j
i early 19th-century proverb'accidents will | by the water; he was ultimately killed in
i happen in the best regulated families'. j battle by an arrow wound in this one
i vulnerable spot.
a chapter of accidents: see CHAPTER.
1998 Times The inclination to outlaw that of
accord which it disapproves... is, if not the cloven
hoof beneath the hem of Tony Blair's
of your own accord voluntarily or without Government, certainly its Achilles heel.
outside intervention.

account acid

give a good (or bad) account of yourself the acid test a situation or event which
make a favourable (or unfavourable) finally proves whether something is good
impression through your performance or or bad, true or false, etc.
actions.
i O The original use of the phrase was to
settle {or square) accounts with someone I describe a method of testing for gold with
0 pay money owed to someone. Q have i nitric acid (gold being resistant to the effects j
revenge on someone. i of nitric acid).

accounting 1990 Which? These deals are designed to
encourage impulse buying, so the acid test is
there's no accounting for tastes it's whether you would have bought anyway.
impossible to explain why different people come the acid be unpleasant or offensive;
like different things, especially those speak in a caustic or sarcastic manner.
things which the speaker considers put the acid on someone try to extract a loan
unappealing, proverb or favour from someone. Australian & New

1 O Since the late 18th century, this has been j Zealand informal
| the usual English form of the Latin expression I
! de gustibus non est disputandum 'there is no ! acquaintance
| disputing about tastes'.
have a nodding acquaintance with
ace someone or something: see NODDING.

have an ace up your sleeve have an effective scrape acquaintance with: see SCRAPE.
resource or piece of information kept
hidden until it is necessary to use it; have a acre
secret advantage.
God's acre: see GOD.

3 admirable

across I O Originally, this was an order to naval
; personnel to go to their allocated positions
across the board applying to all. j ready to engage the enemy.

! O , n the USA, this expression refers to a man of action a man whose life is
j horse-racing bet in which equal amounts are j characterized by physical activity or deeds
i staked on the same horse to win, place, or rather than by words or intellectual
I show in a race. matters.

1999 Wall Street Journal The decline for the a piece of the action: see PIECE.
euro across the board was mainly attributed to where the action is where important or
the further erosion of global investors'
confidence toward the euro-zone economy. interesting things are happening, informal
1971 Gourmet You can dine outside,
be across something fully understand the weather permitting, or in the bar where
details or complexity of an issue or the action is.
situation. Australian

act actual

act your age behave in a manner appropriate your actual — the real, genuine, or
to your age and not to someone much important thing specified, informal
younger. 1968 Kenneth Williams Diary There's no doubt
about it, on a good day, I look quite lovely in
act the goat: see GOAT. your actual gamin fashion.

act of God an instance of uncontrollable Adam
natural forces in operation.

I O This phrase is often used in insurance not know someone from Adam not know or
j contracts to refer to incidents such as be completely unable to recognize the
j lightning strikes or floods. person in question, informal

a class act: see CLASS. the old Adam unregenerate human nature.

clean up your act: see CLEAN. ! O In Christian symbolism, the old Adam

do a disappearing act: see DISAPPEARING. ! represents fallen man as contrasted with the \
\ second Adam, Jesus Christ.
get your act together organize yourself in

the manner required in order to achieve 1993 Outdoor Canada It is the Old Adam in us.
something, informal We are descendants of a long line of dirt
farmers, sheepherders... and so forth.
2002 New York Times There are still many who

think all that the dirty, homeless man on the

corner talking to himself needs is just to get add
his act together.
add fuel to the fire: see FUEL.
a hard (or tough) act to follow an add insult to injury: see INSULT.
achievement or performance which sets

a standard difficult for others to measure adder
up to.
deaf as an adder: see DEAF.
1996 Independent Her determination and

championing of tourism will be a tough act to

follow. admirable

in on the act involved in a particular an admirable Crichton a person who
activity in order to gain profit or excels in all kinds of studies and
advantage, informal pursuits, or who is noted for supreme
competence.
1997 What Cellphone Conference calls are
becoming big business for the fixed-line

operators, and now there are signs that the | O This expression originally referred to

mobile networks are getting in on the act. j James Crichton of Clunie (1560-85?), a

read someone the riot act: see R E A D . j Scottish nobleman renowned for his
i intellectual and physical prowess. In J. M.

! Barrie's play The Admirable Crichton (1902), i
i the eponymous hero is a butler who takes
action j charge when his master's family is ship-
i wrecked on a desert island.
action stations an order or warning to
prepare for action.

adrift 4

adrift something because neither party will
compromise or be persuaded.
cast (or cut) someone adrift ©leave
someone in a boat or other craft which has agreement
nothing to secure or guide it. © abandon or
isolate someone. a gentleman's agreement: see GENTLEMAN.
01998 Oldie The various dissenting move-
ments ... should be cut adrift and left to their ahead
own devices.
ahead of the game ahead of your
advance competitors or peers in the same sphere
of activity.
any advance on —? any higher bid 1996 Daily Telegraph The smart money headed
than —? for Chinatown, where you can pick up all
those Eastern looks the designers are
j O This phrase is said by an auctioneer to promoting for next spring ahead of the
I elicit a higher bid, and so is used figuratively i game.
j as a query about general progress in a
I particular matter. ahead of your (or its) time innovative and
radical by the standards of the time.
advocate
streets ahead: see STREET.
play devil's advocate: see DEVIL.
aid
afraid
aid and abet help and encourage someone
afraid of your own shadow: see SHADOW. to do something wrong, especially to
commit a crime.

Africa j O Abet comes from an Old French term
j meaning 'to encourage a hound to bite'.
for Africa in abundance; in large numbers.

South African informal 1986 Frank Peretti This Present Darkness She

1980 C. Hope A Separate Development An entire strained to think of... any friend who would
museum of vintage stuff including... still aid and abet a fugitive from the law,
Bentleys for Africa. without questions.

after in aid of in support of; for the purpose of

be after doing something be on the point of raising money for. chiefly British

doing something or have just done it. Irish 1999 Teesdale Mercury A wine and savoury

1988 Roddy Doyle The Commitments I'm after evening in aid of cancer research will be

rememberin'. I forgot to bring mine back. It's held... on Friday.

under me bed. what's all this in aid of? what is the purpose

age of this? British informal

act your age: see ACT. air

the awkward age: see AWKWARD. airs and graces an affected manner of
behaving, designed to attract or impress.
come of age Q (of a person) reach adult British
status, ©(of a movement or activity)
become fully established. give yourself airs act pretentiously or
snobbishly.
feel your age: see FEEL. 1948 Christopher Bush The Case of the Second
a golden age: see GOLDEN. Chance It was said she gave herself airs, and it
under age: see UNDER. was also hinted that she was no better—as
they say—than she might be.
agenda
: O Air in the sense of 'an affected manner'
a hidden agenda: see HIDDEN. j has been current since the mid 17th century; j
I from the early 18th century the plural
agony i form has been more usual in this derogatory i
j sense.
pile on the agony: see PILE.

prolong the agony: see PROLONG. hot air: see HOT.

agree up in the air (of a plan or issue) still to be
settled; unresolved.
agree to differ cease to argue about

5 all

1995 Scientific American Prospects for federal 1990 Times Thatcherism may be dying on its
research and development are up in the air as feet in Britain, but it is alive and well in foreign
Republicans looking for budget cuts take parts.
control on Capitol Hill.

on (or off) the air being {or not being) all
broadcast on radio or television.
all and sundry everyone.
take the air go out of doors.
1991 Sunday Times In the manner of an Oscar-
walk on air feel elated. winner, she thanks all and sundry for their

1977 Bernard MacLaverty Secrets 'I'm sure help.

you're walking on air,' my mother said to Paul all comers anyone who chooses to take
at his wedding.
part in an activity, typically a

aisle competition.

have people rolling in the aisles ©make an 1992 AI Gore Earth in the Balance He has
traveled to conferences and symposia in every
audience laugh uncontrollably, ©be very
part of the world, argued his case, and
amusing, informal
patiently taken on all comers.

O1940 P. G. Wodehouse Quick Service I made all-in ©with everything included.
the speech of a lifetime. I had them tearing up ©exhausted. British informal
the seats and rolling in the aisles.
all my eye and Betty Martin: see EYE.

aitch all of as much as (often used ironically of an
amount considered very small by the
drop your aitches: see DROP. speaker or writer).

Aladdin 1995 Bill Bryson Notesfroma Small Island In
1992, a development company... tore down
an Aladdin's cave a place full of valuable five listed buildings, in a conservation area,
objects. was taken to court and fined all of £675.

an Aladdin's lamp a talisman that enables its be all one to make no difference to
owner to fulfil every desire. someone.

i O , n t r , e Arabian Nights tale of Aladdin, all out using all your strength or resources.
i the hero finds a magic lamp in a cave. He all over the place in a state of confusion or
i discoversthatrubbingitsummonsapowerful j

j genie who is able to carry out all his wishes. disorganization, informal

alarm ! O Other variants of this phrase include a//
! over the map and all over the lot which are
alarms and excursions confused activity and ! North American, and all over the shop which i
uproar, humorous j is mainly British.

! O Alarm was formerly spelled alarum, 1997 Spectator The government... proposed
I representing a pronunciation with a rolling equalising standards and making them
I of the 'r'; the phrase was originally a call comparable... there could be no clearer
j summoning soldiers to arms. The whole admission that standards are all over the
; phrase is used in stage directions in place.
j Shakespeare to indicate a battle scene.
all the rage: see RAGE.
alight
all round ©in all respects, ©for or by each
set the world alight: see SET.
person.
alive
all-singing, all-dancing with every possible
alive and kicking prevalent and very active. attribute; able to perform any necessary
informal function. British informal
1991 Mark Tully No Full Stops in India You
deliberately choose unknown actors, O This phrase is used particularly in the area
although India is a country where the star of computer technology, but it was originally
system is very much alive and kicking. used to describe show-business acts.
Ultimately, it may come from a series of 1929
alive and well still existing or active (often posters which advertised the addition of
used to deny rumours or beliefs that sound to motion pictures. The first
something has disappeared or declined). Hollywood musical, MGM's Broadway
Melody, was promoted with the slogan All
Talking All Singing All Dancing.

all-clear 6

1991 Computing Each of the major ! O Alpha and omega are respectively thefirst j
independents launched an all-singing i and last letters of the Greek alphabet,
all-dancing graphics-oriented version last i Christians use the phrase as a title for Jesus
year. j Christ, taking it from Revelation 1:8: 'I am
i Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the
all systems go: see SYSTEM. j ending, saith the Lord'.

be all that be very attractive or good. 0 1 9 9 4 BBC Holidays At Cambridge... you'll
US informal find the alpha and omega of American
2002 Guardian I can't believe how she throws academic life: historic Harvard and
herself at guys, she thinks she's all that. space-age MIT (Massachusetts Institute of
Technology).
not all there not in full possession of your

mental faculties, informal

be all things to all men: see THING. altar

— and all used to emphasize something sacrifice someone or something on the
additional that is being referred to. altar of make someone or something
suffer in the interests of someone or
informal something else.

1992 Kenichi Ohmae The Borderless World You 1994 Post (Denver) The cherished goal of a
can whip up nationalist passions and stage- color-blind society... has been sacrificed on
manage protectionist rallies, bonfires and all. the altar of political expediency.

be all go: see GO.

be all up with: see U P . altogether

for all — in spite of—. in the altogether without any clothes on;
naked, informal
1989 Independent For all their cruel, corrupt 1991 Today The mothers... have agreed to
and reckless vices, the Maharajahs were pose in the altogether.
worshipped as gods by tens of thousands of
their subjects.

all of a sudden: see SUDDEN. American

on all fours: see FOUR. as American as apple pie typically American
in character.
all-clear
1995 New York Times Magazine To reward
give (or get) the all-clear indicate {or get people for something beyond merit is
a sign) that a dangerous situation is now American as apple pie.
safe.
the American dream the ideal by which
i O In wartime a signal or siren is often equality of opportunity is available to any
j sounded to indicate that a bombing raid is American, allowing the highest aspirations
i over. and goals to be achieved.

alley amok

a blind alley: see BLIND. run amok behave uncontrollably and
disruptively.
up your alley: see up your street at STREET.
j O Amok, formerly also spelt amuck, comes j
ally I from the Malay word amuk, meaning 'in a i
j homicidal frenzy', in which sense it was first
pass in your ally: see P A S S . ! introduced into English in the early 16th
! century.
along
1990 New York Review of Books Hersh's article
along about round about a specified time or is sensationalism run amok. It does no credit
date. North American informal or dialect to him or to The New York Times Magazine.
1989 Motor Trend Along about this time, it
had started raining, so they red-flagged the analysis
race for a change to rain tires.
in the final analysis when everything
alpha has been considered (used to suggest
that the following statement expresses
alpha and omega Othe beginning and the the basic truth about a complex
end. ©the essence or most important situation).
features.

7 appeal

ancient ant

ancient as the hills: see HILL. have ants in your pants be fidgety or restless.
the ancient of Days a biblical title for God,
informal
taken from Daniel 7:9.
any
angel
not be having any of it be absolutely
the angel in the house a woman who is unwilling to cooperate, informal
completely devoted to her husband and
family. anyone

I O This was the title of a collection of poems ! anyone's game an evenly balanced contest.
be anyone's (of a person) be open to sexual
i on married love by Coventry Patmore
advances from anyone, informal
: (1823-96), and it is now mainly used
anything
j ironically. j
anything goes: see GOES.
on the side of the angels on the side ofwhat
is right. apart

j O In a speech in Oxford in November 1864 be poles apart: see POLE.
i the British statesman Benjamin Disraeli
i alluded to the controversy over the origins of ! come apart at the seams: see SEAM.
! humankind then raging in the wake of the
j publication of Charles Darwin's On the Origin i ape
j of Species (1859): 'Is man an ape or an angel? j
j Now I am on the side of the angels' (The Times \ go ape go wild; become violently excited.
\ 26 Nov. 1864).
informal

angry i O Originally mid 20th-century North
! American slang, this expression possibly
angry young man a young man who feels i refers to the 1933 movie King Kong, which
and expresses anger at the conventional | stars a giant ape-like monster.
values of the society around him.
apology
! O Originally, this term referred to a member
j of a group of socially conscious writers in an apology for a very poor example of.
! Britain in the 1950s, in particular the 1998 Imogen de la Bere The Last Deception of
I playwright John Osborne. The phrase, the Palliser Wentwood It's an apology for a bridge,
! title of a book (1951) by Leslie Paul, was used built of left-over stones.
j of Osborne in the publicity material for his
! play Look Back in Anger (1956), in which the with apologies to used before the name of
I characteristic views of the angry young an author or artist to indicate that
I men were articulated by the anti-hero something is a parody or adaptation of
j Jimmy Porter. their work.
2001 This Old House With apologies to Robert
answer Frost, boundary expert Walter Robillard says,
'Good fences on the proper line make good
the answer's a lemon: see LEMON. neighbours'.

a dusty answer: see DUSTY. appeal

ante appeal from Philip drunk to Philip sober ask

up (or raise) the ante increase what is at someone to reconsider, with the

stake or under discussion, especially in a suggestion that an earlier opinion or

conflict or dispute. decision represented only a passing

i O Ante comes from Latin, in which it means j mood.

i 'before'. As an English noun it was originally j j O This phrase comes from an anecdote told j
! (in the early 19th century) a term in poker and j j by the Roman historian and moralist Valerius j
i similar gambling games, meaning'a stake j Maximus concerning an unjust judgement
; put up by a player before drawing cards'. i given by King Philip of Macedon: the woman |

1998 New Scientist This report ups the ante on j condemned by Philip declared that she would i
the pace at which these cases need to be j appeal to him once again, but this time when !
identified and treated. j he was sober.

appearance 8

appeal to Caesar appeal to the highest apple pie
possible authority.
as American as apple pie: see AMERICAN.
! O The allusion is to the claim made by the
i apostle Paul to have his case heard in Rome, apropos
! which was his right as a Roman citizen: 'I
; appeal unto Caesar' (Acts 25:11). apropos of nothing having no relevance to
any previous discussion or situation.

appearance approval

keep up appearances maintain an seal (or stamp) of approval an indication or
impression of wealth or well-being. statement that something is accepted or
regarded favourably.
to (or by) all appearances as far as can be

seen. I O This expression stems from the practice of j

1991 Eric Lax Woody Allen To all appearances, | putting a stamp (or formerly a seal) on official j
I documents.
theirs was a unique case of sibling amity.

apple apron

apple of discord a subject of dissension. tied to someone's apron strings too much
under the influence and control of
I O This expression refers to the Greek myth j someone (especially used to suggest that
j in which a golden apple inscribed'for the a man is too much influenced by his
! fairest'was contended for by the goddesses mother).
j Hera, Athene, and Aphrodite.
area
the apple of your eye a person or thing of
whom you are extremely fond and proud. a grey area: see GREY.
a no-go area: see NO-GO.
i O | n Old English, the phrase referred to
j the pupil of the eye, considered to be a argue
I globular solid body; it came to be used as a
; symbol of something cherished and watched j argue the toss dispute a decision or choice
i over. already made, informal, chiefly British

apples and oranges (oftwo people or things) i O The toss in this phrase is the tossing of a
irreconcilably or fundamentally different. I coin to decide an issue in a simple and
j unambiguous way according to the side of
North American ; the coin visible when it lands.

a rotten (or bad) apple a bad person in a ark
group, typically one whose behaviour is
likely to have a corrupting influence on the out of the ark extremely old-fashioned.
rest, informal
j O The ark referred to is the biblical Noah's
she's apples used to indicate that everything j ark (Genesis 6-7), in which Noah
is in good order and there is nothing to j endeavoured to save his family and two of
worry about. Australian informal i every kind of animal from the Flood.

i O Apples and spice or apples and rice is
! Australian rhyming slang for nice.

apple cart arm

upset the apple cart wreck an advantageous a call to arms a call to make ready for
project or disturb the status quo. confrontation.

i O The use of a cart piled high with apples as i cost an arm and a leg be extremely
j a metaphor for a satisfactory but possibly expensive, informal
i precarious state of affairs is recorded in
! various expressions from the late 18th give an arm and a leg for pay a high price for.
i century onwards.
keep someone or something at arm's length
1996 Business Age The real test will be
instability in China... Another Tiananmen avoid intimacy or close contact with
Square could really upset the apple cart. someone or something.

the long arm of coincidence the far-reaching
power of coincidence.

9 as

the long (or strong) arm of the law the resources or strategies that can be drawn
police seen as a far-reaching or on or followed.
intimidating power. arrow of time (ortime's arrow) the direction
of travel from past to future in time
as long as your arm very long, informal considered as a physical dimension.
put the arm on attempt to force or coerce
a straight arrow an honest or genuine
someone to do something. North American
informal person. North American

up in arms about protesting angrily about a r s e vulgar slang
something.
1994 Asian Times A lack of checks and go arse over tit fall over in a sudden or
balances... or legal redress for workers have dramatic way.
trade unions up in arms.
kiss my arse: see KISS.
with open arms with great affection or
enthusiasm. kiss someone's arse: see KISS.

would give your right arm for be willing to lick someone's arse: see LICK.
pay a high price for; greatly desire to have
not know your arse from your elbow be
or do. informal totally ignorant or incompetent.

armchair a pain in the arse: see PAIN.

an armchair critic a person who knows art
about a subject only by reading or
hearing about it and criticizes without art for art's sake the idea that a work of art
active experience or first-hand has no purpose beyond itself.
knowledge.
I © This phrase is the slogan of artists who
I O The phrase armchair critic is first recorded ; j hold that the chief oronlyaimof aworkof art i
i in 1896, but the concept was around at least a i : is the self-expression of the individual artist
! decade earlier: in 1886 Joseph Chamberlain : who creates it.
i sneered at opponents as 'arm-chair
! politicians'. Another common variant is be art and part of be an accessory or
! armchair traveller, meaning 'someone who participant in; be deeply involved in.
j travels in their imagination only'.
! O Be art and part of was originally a Scottish I
armed
I legal expression: art referred to the bringing j
armed at all points prepared in every
particular. i about of an action and part to participation j

armed to the teeth Q carrying a lot of ! in it. j
weapons, ©heavily equipped.
have something down to a fine art: see F I N E
armpit
ART.
up to your armpits deeply involved in a
particular unpleasant situation or state of the art: see STATE.
enterprise, chiefly US
article
army
an article of faith afirmlyheld belief.
you and whose army? used to express
disbelief in someone's ability to carry out a I O Article is here used in the sense of 'a
threat, informal
I statement or item in a summary of religious
around
j belief. !
have been around have a lot of varied
experience of the world, especially a lot of 1994 Paul Ormerod The Death ofEconomics It is
sexual experience, informal an article of faith in orthodox economics that
free trade between nations is wholly desirable.
arrow
the finished article: see F I N I S H E D .
an arrow in the quiver one of a number of
the genuine article: see GENUINE.

as

as and when used to refer to an uncertain
future event.
1996 She The single most important strategy
you can adopt to boost your energy levels is to
learn to deal with an issue as and when it rears
its head.

ascendant 10

as if! used to express the speaker's belief that behave in a way that is likely to result in
something is very doubtful or unlikely.
informal difficulty for yourself, informal

as it were in a way (used to be less precise). for the asking used to indicate that someone
1991 Atlantic jazz audiences permit older can easily have something if they want it.
musicians to go on suiting up, as it were, until 1991 Mark Tully No Full Stops in India Second
they drop. helpings come automatically, and third
helpings are there for the asking.

ascendant asleep

in the ascendant rising in power or asleep at the wheel not attentive or alert;
influence. inactive, informal

i O This expression has been in figurative use I I © The image here is of falling asleep while j
j since the late 16th century. Literally, in | driving a car. A North American variant is
! technical astrological use, an ascendant is the j I asleep at the switch, which refers to the
! sign of the zodiac that is just rising above the j I points lever or switch on a railway.
: eastern horizon at a particular moment.
2003 Guardian Rowling has not been asleep at
ash the wheel in the three years since the last
Potter novel, and I am pleased to report that
dust and ashes: see DUST. she has not confused sheer length with
rake over the ashes: see RAKE. inspiration.
rise from the ashes: see RISE.
turn to ashes in your mouth become bitterly a S S North American vulgar slang

disappointing or worthless. bust your ass try very hard to do something.

! O This phrase alludes to the Dead Sea fruit, I chew someone's ass reprimand someone
! a legendary fruit which looked appetizing severely.
j but turned to smoke and ashes when
j someone tried to eat it. The fruit are cover your ass take steps to protect yourself.
! described in the Travels attributed to the
; 14th-century writer John de Mandeville. drag (or haul) ass hurry or move fast.

1995 Guardian Those who marvelled at the get your ass in gear hurry.
phenomenal climbing feats of Pedro Delgado
in the 1988 Tour found words such as 'heroic' kick (some) ass (or kick someone's ass): see
and 'Herculean' turn to ashes in their mouths
during the probenecid (a masking agent) KICK.
scandal.
kiss ass:see KISS.
ask
kiss someone's ass: see KISS.
ask for the moon: see MOON.
no skin off your ass: see S K I N .
ask me another! used to say emphatically
that you do not know the answer to a not give a rat's ass not care at all about
question, informal something.

ask no odds: see ODDS. a pain in the ass: see PAIN.

a big ask a difficult demand to fulfil. a piece of ass: see PIECE.
informal
put someone's ass in a sling get someone in
don't ask me! used to indicate that you do
not know the answer to a question and that trouble.
you are surprised or irritated to be
questioned, informal whip (or bust) someone's ass use physical
force to beat someone in a fight.
I ask you! an exclamation of shock or
disapproval intended to elicit agreement at
from your listener, informal
at it engaged in some activity, typically a
asking reprehensible one.
1993 G. F. Newman Law b Order Oh, don't take
be asking for trouble (or be asking for it) me for a complete idiot, Jack. I know you're at
it.

at that in addition; furthermore (used for
emphasis at the end of a statement).
1994 Sunday Times The sensitivity to social
change may play its part, but in reality
fashion is a business, and a hard-nosed one
at that.

11 aye

where it's at the most fashionable place, get away with you! used to express

possession, or activity, informal scepticism. Scottish

1990 Ellen Feldman LookingforLove New York is
far and away: see FAR.
where it's at, stylewise.

out and away: see OUT.

atmosphere
an atmosphere that you could cut with a awkward

knife a general feeling of great tension or the awkward age adolescence.

malevolence. the awkward squad a squad composed of

attendance recruits and soldiers who need further
training.
dance attendance on: see DANCE.
i O Shortly before his death Robert Burns is

auld I reported to have said, 'Don't let the awkward
! squad fire over me'. Nowadays, the expression
for auld lang syne for old times' sake. j is often used to refer to a group of people
! who are regarded as tiresome or difficult to
i © The phrase literally means'for old long i deal with.
; since', and is the title and refrain of a song by j

! Robert Burns (1788).

auspice axe

under the auspices of with the help, have an axe to grind have a private,
support, or protection of. sometimes malign, motive for doing or
being involved in something.
; O Auspice (since the late 18th century
! almost always used in the plural), comes from j O T n e expression originated in a story told !
! the Latin word auspicium, which means the j by Benjamin Franklin and was used first in the j
! act of divination carried out by an auspex in j USA, especially with reference to politics, but j
j ancient Rome. The auspex observed the flight j it is now in general use.
j of birds in order to foretell future events. If
| the omens were favourable he was seen as 1997 Times I am a non-smoker, and have no
! the protector of the particular enterprise personal axe to grind.
! foretold.
aye
authority
the ayes have it the affirmative votes are in
have something on good authority have the majority.
ascertained something from a reliable
source. j O /Aye is an archaic or dialect word meaning j
! 'yes', now used in standard speech only when j
away j voting. Compare with the noes have it
j (at NO).
away with something used as an exhortation
to overcome or be rid of something. 2000 Guardian The arguments will continue.
But we think the 'ayes' have it.

Bb

B date and who is no longer relevant or
plan B an alternative strategy. useful.

1999 8 Days And if that doesn't work, well, back o'Bourke the outback. Australian informal
there's always Plan B.
j O Bourke is the name of a town in north-
babe i west New South Wales.

babes in the wood inexperienced people in a the back of beyond a very remote or

situation calling for experience. inaccessible place.

i O The babes in the wood are characters 1998 Sanjida O'Connell Angel Bird This is
! in an old ballad The Children in the London, Niall, not some poky wee place in the
\ Wood, which dates from the 16th century, back of beyond.
j The two children are abandoned in the wood
back to the drawing board used to indicate

i by their wicked uncle who wishes to steal that an idea or scheme has been

j their inheritance. The children die of unsuccessful and a new one must be
i starvation and robins cover their bodies devised.
| with leaves; the uncle and his accomplice

i are subsequently brought to justice. ; O An architectural or engineering project is j

: at its earliest phase when it exists only as a

baby j plan on a drawing board.

be someone's baby (of a project) be 1991 Discover Even as Humphries fine-tunes
instigated and developed by one particular his system, however, he realizes that NASA
person; be someone's creation or special could send him back to the drawing
concern, informal board.

be left holding the baby: see HOLDING. back to square one back to the starting
point, with no progress made.
throw the baby out with the bathwater

discard something valuable along with j O Square one may be a reference to a board j
other things that are inessential or i game such as Snakes and Ladders, or may
undesirable. : come from the notional division of a football j
: pitch into eight numbered sections for the

! O This phrase is based on a German saying j purpose of early radio commentaries.

| recorded from the early 16th century but not ! back the wrong horse make a wrong or
j introduced into English until the mid 19th inappropriate choice.
! century, by Thomas Carlyle. He identified it as I

j German and gave it in the form, 'You must be on (or get off) someone's back nag (or
j empty out the bathing-tub, but not the baby i
j along with it.' stop nagging) someone, informal

1998 New Scientist It is easy to throw out the by the back door using indirect or dishonest
baby with the bathwater when it comes to
means to achieve an objective.

UFO books—there are some seriously bad get someone's back up make someone
titles out there. annoyed or angry.

back I O This phrase developed as an allusion to
i the way a cat arches its back when it is angry i
at the back of your mind not consciously ! or threatened.
or specifically thought of or remembered
but still part of your general awareness. get your own back: see GET.

back in the day in the past; some time know something like the back of your
ago.
hand be entirely familiar with something.

a back number Qan issue of a periodical not in my back yard: see NOT.
before the current one. © a person on your back in bed recovering from an
whose ideas or methods are out of
injury or illness.

13 balance

put your back Into approach a task with 0 1 9 9 7 Spectator Mr Montgomery was able to
sack Mr Hargreaves, who had evidently not
vigour. brought home the bacon.

see the back of be rid of an unwanted person bad

or thing. British informal bad blood: see BLOOD.

someone's back is turned someone's a bad quarter of an hour a short but very
attention is elsewhere. unpleasant period of time; an unnerving
1989 Orson Scott Card Prentice Alvin That experience.
prentice of yours look strong enough to dig it
hisself, if he doesn't lazy off and sleep when ! O A bad quarter of an hour is a translation !
your back is turned. ! of the French phrase un mauvais quart \
i d'heure, which has also been current in
take a back seat take or be given a less ! English since the mid 19th century.
important position or role. Compare with
in the driver's seat (at DRIVER). a bad workman blames his tools: see

with your back to {or up against) the wall in WORKMAN.
a desperate situation.
be bad news: see N E W S .
backbone
my bad used to acknowledge responsibility
put backbone into someone encourage for a mistake. North American informal
someone to behave resolutely.
turn up like a bad penny: see PENNY.
j O A s a metaphor for 'firmness of character', !
| backbone dates from the mid 19th century. bag

1998 Spectator There is a widespread belief bag and baggage with all your belongings.
that if only Mrs Thatcher had still been in No. a bag of bones an emaciated person or
10, she would have put backbone into Bush
and got rid of Saddam. animal. Compare with be skin and bone

back-seat (at S K I N ) .

a back-seat driver Q a passenger in a vehicle a bag {or bundle) of nerves a person who is
who constantly gives the driver unwanted
advice on how to drive. 0 someone who extremely t i m i d or tense, informal
lectures and criticizes the person actually
in control of something. a bag {or whole bag) of tricks a set of
ingenious plans, techniques, or resources.
backwards
informal
bend over backwards to do something
make every effort, especially to be fair or be left holding the bag: see be left holding
helpful, informal
the baby at HOLDING.
know something backwards be entirely
familiar with something. in the bag Q (of something desirable) as good
1991 William Trevor Reading Turgenev
People who lived in the town knew it back- as secured, © d r u n k . US informal
wards. pack your bag: see PACK.

bacon bait

save someone's bacon: see save someone's fish or cut bait: see F I S H .
rise to the bait: see RISE.
skin at SAVE.
baker
bring home the bacon Q supply material
provision or support, ©achieve success. a baker's dozen thirteen.

informal I O This expression arose from the former
j bakers' practice of adding an extra loaf to a
i O This phrase probably derives from the i dozen sold to a retailer, this representing the j
i much earlier save your bacon, recorded from i I latter's profit.
j the mid 17th century. In early use bacon also j
j referred to fresh pork, the meat most readily \ balance
; available to rural people.
turn the balance: see turn the scales at

SCALE.

weigh something in the balance carefully

bald 14

ponder or assess the merits and demerits of 1998 Romesh Gunesekera Sandglass It's big
something. business now, you know. You have to be on
the ball: go, go, go all the time.
! O The image is of a pair of old-fashioned play ball work willingly with others;
! scales with two pans in which the positive and j cooperate, informal
! negative aspects of something can be set
i against each other. The expanded phrase ! O The literal sense is of play ball is 'play a
i weighed in the balance and found wanting ! team ball game such as baseball or cricket'.
j meaning'having failed to meet the test of a j
! particular situation'is also found, and is an start the ball rolling set an activity in motion;
! allusion to the biblical book of Daniel, where j make a start.
i such a process formed part of the judgement j
! made on King Belshazzar. the whole ball of wax everything. North
American informal
bald
a whole new ball game a completely new set
as bald as a coot completely bald. of circumstances, informal

j O The coot {Fulica atra) has a broad white i O The phrase originated in North America, j
! shield extending up from the base of its bill, i where a ball game is a baseball match.
j The history of the word bald is somewhat
I obscure, but analogies with other northern 1989 Looks Making the film was a whole new
i European languages suggest a connection ball game... for Kylie.
| with the idea of 'having a white patch or
i streak'. ballistic

ball go ballistic fly into a rage, informal
1998 New Scientist The French nuclear
a ball and chain a severe hindrance. industry, local authorities around La Hague
and some government agencies went ballistic.
I O Originally, a ball and chain referred to a Viel wasfiercelycondemned for his findings.
j heavy metal ball attached by a chain to the
j leg of a prisoner or convict to prevent their balloon
j escape.
go down like a lead balloon: see LEAD.
the ball is in someone's court it is that when (or before) the balloon goes up when
particular person's turn to act next.
(or before) the action or trouble starts.
j O This expression is a metaphor from tennis i
j or a similar ball game where different players j informal
j use particular areas of a marked court.
! O The balloon alluded to is probably one
a ball of fire a person who is full of energy j released to mark the start of an event.
and enthusiasm.
1959 Punch The international rules of war are
j O In the early 19th century this phrase was j apt to be waived when the balloon goes up.
j also used to mean 'a glass of brandy'.
ballpark
behind the eight ball: see E I G H T .
in the ballpark in a particular area or range.
have a ball enjoy yourself greatly; have fun.
informal
informal
i O The phrase originated in the USA, where a j
have the ball at your feet have your best ! ballpark is a baseball ground.
opportunity of succeeding.
bamboo
have a lot on the ball have a lot of ability.
US the bamboo curtain an impenetrable
political, economic, and cultural barrier
keep the ball rolling maintain the between China and non-Communist
momentum of an activity. countries.

keep your eye on (or take your eye off) the j O Formed on the pattern of the iron curtain j
ball keep (or fail to keep) your attention j (see at IRON), this phrase dates back to the
focused on the matter in hand. j 1940s.

on the ball alert to new ideas, methods, and banana
trends, informal
banana republic a small tropical state,

15 bark

especially one in central America, get a bang out of derive excitement or
whose economy is regarded as wholly pleasure from. North American informal
dependent on its fruit-exporting trade. 1931 Damon Runyon Guys and Dolls He seems
derogatory to be getting a great bang out of the doings.
go bananas ©become extremely angry or
excited, ©go mad. informal go with a bang happen with obvious success.

0 1 9 9 2 Jim Lehrer A Bus ofMy Own I bank
predicted John Erlichman would probably
go bananas when he testified the next break the bank Q(in gambling) win more
day. money than is held by the bank. Q cost
more than you can afford, informal
second banana the second most
important person in an organization banner
or activity, informal, chiefly North American
under the banner of Q claiming to support a
top banana the most important person in an particular cause or set of ideas. © as part of
organization or activity, informal, chiefly North a particular group or organization.
American
baptism
I O The two expressions above originated in i
i US theatrical slang. The top banana was a baptism of fire a difficult introduction to a
j originally the comedian who topped the bill ! new job or activity.
I in a show, while the second banana was the j
i supporting comedian. j O A baptism of fire was originally a soldier's !
j initiation into battle.

banana skin 1998 Times Opposition spokesmen do not
normally face a baptism offire,but the Bank of
slip on a banana skin: see SLIP. England's unexpected decision... provided
the Shadow Chancellor with an opportunity to
band make an early mark.

when the band begins to play when matters bar
become serious.
bar none with no exceptions.

bandwagon 1866 M.E. Braddon Lady's Mile Your 'Aspasia' is
the greatest picture that ever was painted—
jump on the bandwagon join others in 'bar none'.
doing something or supporting a cause

that is fashionable or likely to be bare
successful.
the bare bones the basic facts about

j © Bandwagon was originally the US term something, without any detail.

I for a large wagon able to carry a band of bargepole
I musicians in a procession.

would not touch someone or something

bang with a bargepole used to express an
emphatic refusal to have anything to do
bang for your (or the) buck value for money; with someone or something, informal
performance for cost. US informal

1995 Desktop PublishingJournal These additions j O A bargepole is used to propel a barge and i

to RunShare... will surely give you the most I to fend off obstacles. The equivalent US

productive network, the most 'bang for your i expression substitutes a ten-foot pole.

buck'.

bang goes — used to express the sudden or bark
complete destruction of something,
especially a plan or ambition. bark at the moon: see MOON.
1895 George Bernard Shaw Letter Somebody
will give a surreptitious performance ofit: and bark up the wrong tree pursue a mistaken or
then bang goes my copyright. misguided line of thought or course of

action, informal

bang on exactly right. British informal j O The metaphor is of a dog that has
! mistaken the tree in which its quarry has
bang people's heads together reprimand j taken refuge and is barking at the foot of the j
people severely, especially in the attempt i wrong one.
to make them stop arguing.

barn 16

1969 Arnold Bennett Forty Years On For off base mistaken. North American informal
sovereign states to conclude agreements on 1947 Time Your Latin American
the basis of a mutual fondness for dogs seems department was off base in its comparison
to me to be barking up the wrong tree. of the Portillo Hotel in Chile with our
famous Sun Valley.
someone's bark is worse than their bite
touch base briefly make or renew contact
someone is not as ferocious as they appear with someone or something, informal
or sound. 1984 Armistead Maupin Babycakes In
search of a routine, he touched base with
! O A similar association between barking i his launderette, his post office, his nearest
I and biting occurs in the proverb a barking market.
\ dog never bites, which can be traced back
j through 13th-century French (chascuns j O Base in these three phrases refers to each i
i chiens qui abaie ne mort pas, dogs that bark j of the four points in the angles of the
i don't bite) to Latin (canem timidum j 'diamond' in baseball, which a player has to
i vehementius latrarequam mordere, a timid j reach in order to score a run.
| dog barks more furiously than it bites).

barn basic

round Robin Hood's barn: see R O B I N HOOD. back to basics abandoning complication
and sophistication to concentrate
barred on the most essential aspects of
something.
no holds barred: see HOLD.

barrel j O Back to basics is often used to suggest the i

a barrel of laughs a source of fun or I moral superiority of the plain and simple, as i
amusement, informal j in a speech made in 1993 by the British
1996 Mail on Sunday Seeing so many old people | Conservative leader John Major, who
gathered all in one place was hardly a barrel of ! spearheaded the government's campaign for j
laughs. i the regeneration of basic family and
i educational values in the 1990s.

get someone over a barrel get someone in a

helpless position; have someone at your bat
mercy, informal
blind as a bat: see BLIND.

i O This phrase perhaps refers to the have bats in the (or your) belfry be eccentric
! condition of a person who has been rescued i
i from drowning and is placed over a barrel to i or crazy, informal

i clear their lungs of water. j O This expression refers to the way in which I

scrape the barrel: see SCRAPE. j bats in an enclosed space fly about wildly if
with both barrels with unrestrained force or j they are disturbed.

emotion, informal c-1901 G. W. Peck Peck's Red-Headed Boy They all
thought a crazy man with bats in his belfry
I O The barrels in question are the two barrels j had got loose.

j of a firearm. like a bat out of hell very fast and wildly.

informal

barrelhead 1995 Patrick McCabe The Dead School Like a bat
out of hell that Joe Buck gets on out of the
on the barrelhead: see on the nail at NAIL. apartment and doesn't stop running till he

barricade reaches Times Square.

man (or go to) the barricades strongly not bat an eyelid (or eye) show no emotional
protest against a government or other or other reaction, informal

institution or its policy. ! O Satin this sense is perhaps a dialect and

base I USvariantoftheverbbatemeaning'loweror j
j let down'. The variant not blink an eye is also !

get to first base achieve the first step towards j found.

your objective, informal, chiefly North American 1997 James Ryan Dismantling Mr Doyle She
1962 P. G. Wodehouse Service with a Smile She did not bat an eyelid when Eve spelled out the
gives you the feeling that you'll never get to unorthodox details of the accommodation

first base with her. they required.

17 be

off your own bat at your own instigation; 1998 Oldie They endured the hard pounding of
spontaneously. British the Seventies, when Labour battened down
the hatches, and soldiered through the follies
| O The bat referred to in this phrase is a of the early Eighties.
; cricket bat.
battery
1995 Colin Bateman Cycle of Violence She
doesn't have me doing anything, Marty. It's recharge your batteries: see RECHARGE.
alloffmyownbat.
battle
right off the bat at the very beginning;
straight away. North American battle of the giants a contest between two
pre-eminent parties.

bated | O This expression may be a reference to the j
! battle between the giants and gods in Greek j
with bated breath in great suspense; very ; mythology.
anxiously or excitedly.
battle royal a fiercely contested fight or
i O Baited, which is sometimes seen, is dispute.
i a misspelling, since bated in this sense is 1997 Fred Chappell Farewell, I'm Bound to
i a shortened form of abated, the idea being Leave You The boys told no one about the
: that your breathing is lessened under the fight... it was a battle royal and went on
! influence of extreme suspense. from two o'clock in the afternoon until
sundown.
bath
battle stations used as a command or
an early bath the sending off of a sports signal to military personnel to take up
player during a game. British informal their positions in preparation for battle.
chiefly US
i © The allusion is to the bath or shower
| taken by players at the end of a match. half the battle an important step towards
achieving something.
take a bath suffer a heavy financial loss.
informal a losing battle: see LOSING.
1997 Bookseller When the yen drops in value,
as it is doingrightnow, we take a bath. There is a pitched battle: see PITCHED.
no way to change the prices fast enough.
a running battle: see RUNNING.
baton
bay
pass (or hand) on the baton hand over a
particular duty or responsibility. bay for blood demand punishment or
retribution.
i O In athletics, the baton is the short stick or i
! rod passed from one runner to the next in a i bring someone or something to bay trap or
I relay race. The related phrases pick up or take \ corner a person or animal being hunted or
\ up the baton mean 'accept a duty or chased.
j responsibility'. Compare with hand on the
I torch (at TORCH). | O This phrase was originally a medieval
j hunting term, referring to the position of the j
under the baton of (of an orchestra or choir) j quarry when it is cornered by the baying
conducted by. i hounds.Ananimalcorneredinthiswayissaid !
i to stand at bay.
! O The baton here is the rod used by the
; conductor. hold (or keep) someone or something at
bay prevent someone or something from
approaching or having an effect.

batten be

batten down the hatches prepare for a -to-be of the future.
difficulty or crisis.
1993 Mother 8 Baby Many mums-to-be
i O Batten down the hatches was originally j report that smallfrequentsnacks are
j a nautical term meaning 'make a ship's easier to keep down than three large meals
i hatches secure with gratings and tarpaulins' a day.
i in expectation of stormy weather.
be there for someone be available to support
or comfort someone who is experiencing
difficulties or adversities.

bead 18

the be-all and end-all a feature of an activity know how many beans make five be

or a way of life that is of greater importance intelligent; have your wits about you. British
than any other, informal informal

bead not have a bean be penniless, informal

draw (or get) a bead on take aim at with a j O Bean was an early 19th-century slang
gun. chiefly North American i term for a golden guinea or sovereign. In the i
i sense of 'a coin', it now survives only in this

1994 Ontario Out of Doors Few moose will pose j phrase.

majestically right at the water's edge while

you draw a bead on them. spill the beans: see SPILL.

beam bear

a beam in your eye a fault that is greater in bear the brunt of: see BRUNT.
yourself than in the person you are finding grin and bear it: see GRIN.
fault with. have your cross to bear: see CROSS.
like a bear with a sore head (of a person) very
! O This phrase comes from Matthew 7:3: !
i 'Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy irritable. British informal
i brother's eye, but considerest not the beam loaded for bear fully prepared for any
i that is in thy own eye?' For a mote in
i someone's eye, see MOTE. eventuality, typically a confrontation or
challenge. North American informal
broad in the beam: see BROAD.
off (or way off) beam on the wrong track; i O The image here may be of a hunting gun i
i loaded and ready to shoot a bear.
mistaken, informal
beard
! O Originally, this phrase referred to the
i radio beam or signal used to guide aircraft. beard the lion in his den (or lair) confront
or challenge someone on their own
1997 Anthony Barnett This Time I sample ground.
the press coverage to illustrate how large
sections of the Fourth Estate were way off ; O T h i s phrase developed partly from the
beam in their conviction that voters want ! idea of being daring enough to take a lion
the country steered back towards 'Great j by the beard and partly from the use of beard \
Englishness'. j as a verb to mean'face', i.e. to face a lion in
j his den.
on your beam ends near the end of your
resources; desperate. beat

i O The beam referred to here is one of beat a hasty retreat withdraw, typically
! the main horizontal transverse timbers in order to avoid something unpleasant.
i of a wooden ship; compare with broad in the j
! beam (at BROAD). The phrase originated as j O In former times, a drumbeat could be
: the nautical term on her beam ends, and was j j used to keep soldiers in step while they were j
! used of a ship that had heeled over on its side j I retreating.
j and was almost capsizing.
beat about the bush discuss a matter
bean without coming to the point; be ineffectual
and waste time.
full of beans lively; in high spirits, informal
! O This phrase is a metaphor which
i O This phrase was originally used by people j I originated in the shooting or netting of birds; j
! who work with horses, and referred to the j compare with beat the bushes below.
i good condition of a horse fed on beans.
1992 Barry Unsworth Sacred Hunger I don't
give someone beans scold or deal severely want to beat about the bush. Mr Adams is
with a person, informal threatening to leave us.
beat someone at their own game use
a hill (or row) of beans something of little someone's own methods to outdo them in
importance or value, informal their chosen activity.
1999 SL (Cape Town) I think that what your beat your breast: see BREAST.
friends and family think shouldn't amount to
a hill of beans.

19 bed

beat the bushes search thoroughly. North beautiful
American informal
the beautiful people Qfashionable,
! O This expression originates from the way in \ glamorous, and privileged people, ©(in
: which hunters walkthrough undergrowth the 1960s) hippies.
I wielding long sticks which are used to force 01995 Singapore: Rough Guide The coolest
I birdsoranimalsoutintotheopenwherethey j address in town, and a magnet for the
; can be shot or netted. beautiful people.

beat the clock perform a task quickly or the body beautiful an ideal of physical
within a fixed time limit. beauty.
1992 MotherJones About 75,000 women a year
beat the daylights out of: see DAYLIGHT. elect to have cosmetic surgery, spurred on by
beat the drum for: see DRUM. ubiquitous images of the body beautiful.

beat your (or the) meat (of a man) beaver
masturbate, vulgar slang
work like a beaver work steadily and
beat the pants off prove to be vastly superior industriously, informal
to. informal

1990 Paul Auster The Music of Chance 'Not badi, O The beaver is referred to here because

kid,' Nashe said. 'You beat the pants off me.' j of the industriousness with which it

beat a path to someone's door (of a large j constructs the dams necessary for its aquatic j
number of people) hasten to make contact j dwellings. The image is similarly conjured j
with someone regarded as interesting or j up by the phrase beaver away meaning
inspiring. j 'work hard'.

i © This phrase developed from the idea of a j beck
; large number of people trampling down
I vegetation to make a path: compare with off j at someone's beck and call always having to
; the beaten track (at BEATEN). be ready to obey someone's orders
immediately.
beat the system succeed in finding a means
ofgetting round rules, regulations, or other j O Beck in the sense of 'a significant gesture i
means of control. j of command' comes from the verb beck, a
j shortened form of beckon. It is now found
beat someone to it succeed in doing j mainly in this phrase.

something or getting somewhere before

someone else, to their annoyance. bed

if you can't beat them, join them if you are bed and breakfast O overnight
accommodation and breakfast next
unable to outdorivalsin some endeavour, morning as offered by hotels etc.
you might as well cooperate with them and © designatingfinancialtransactions in
gain whatever advantage possible by doing which shares are sold and then bought
so. humorous.

miss a beat: see MISS. back the next morning.

to beat the band in such a way as to surpass a bed of nails a problematic or uncomfort-

all competition. North American informal able situation.

1995 Patrick McCabe The Dead School He was j O A bed of nails was originally a board with !
i nails pointing out of it, lain on by Eastern
polishing away to beat the band.

beaten j fakirs and ascetics.

beaten (or pipped) at the post defeated at a bed of roses a situation or activity that is
the last moment. comfortable or easy.

i O The post alluded to here is the marker at i get out of bed on the wrong side be bad-
j the end of a race. tempered all day long.

in bed with ©having sexual intercourse

off the beaten track (or path) Qui or into with, ©in undesirably close association
an isolated place, ©unusual. with, informal

© 1992 lain Banks The Crow Road 'Your Uncle 02000 Snowboard UKJackson lies like an

Hamish... ' She looked troubled. 'He's a bit off oasis of culture and good coffee in a state that

the beaten track, that boy.' is otherwisefirmlyin bed with gun culture.

bedpost 20

you have made your bed and must lie in it beg

you must accept the consequences of your beg the question Q raise a point that has not
own actions. been dealt with; invite an obvious

bedpost question, ©assume the truth of an
argument or of a proposition to be proved,
between you and me and the bedpost (or without arguing it.
the gatepost or the wall) in strict

confidence, informal ! O The original meaning of the phrase beg

! O The bedpost, gatepost, or wall is seen as ! \ the question belongs to the field of logic and ;
I marking the boundary beyond which the ! is a translation of Latin petitio principii,
j confidence must not go. I literally meaning Maying claim to a principle', j
j i.e. assume the truth of something that

j ought to be proved first. For many

bedside ! traditionalists this remains the only correct
I meaning, but far commoner in English today ;
bedside manner a doctor's approach or
! is the first sense here, 'invite an obvious
attitude to a patient.
j question'.
1993 Bill Moyers Healing & the Mind Are you

just talking about the old-fashioned bedside

manner of a doctor who comes around and beggar
visits you when you need him?
beggar belief (or description) be too

bee extraordinary to be believed (or described).
beggar on horseback a formerly poor person
the bee's knees something or someone
outstandingly good, informal made arrogant or corrupt through
achieving wealth and luxury.

i O The bee's knees was first used to refer to ! ! O Compare with the mid 17th-century
! something small and insignificant, but it ! proverb set a beggar on horseback and he'll \
j quickly developed its current, completely | ride to the devil, meaning that a person not j
! opposite meaning. j used to power will use it unwisely.

have a bee in your bonnet have an obsessive beggars can't be choosers people with no
preoccupation with something, informal other options must be content with what is

j O This expression, along with have bees in offered, proverb

i the head or bees in the brain, was first used to j

j refer to someone who was regarded as crazy j begging
I or eccentric.
go begging Q(of an article) be available.

0 (of an opportunity) not be taken.

beeline beginner

make a beeline for go rapidly and directly

towards. beginner's luck good luck supposedly

; O The phrase refers to the straight line experienced by a beginner at a particular
j supposedly taken instinctively by a bee game or activity.

j returning to its hive. beginning

bnm1e9oieg9vlh7ientlBe.l.io.fkooherkehtshicemeulltsetttorhaAlesl.ingsdmnwacolhlpetianelskhoeafnhhdeiasmrdnaetdwheaat peoplethfdeaei1bvl9uee9rlgeo2ipnHomnf.iesNnnogotmrmoteofathntwhinShegcihcewchnadatnrhttzebhkeeocpoterfnvaIcectlneDudtso.oioernsno'trTake a

been Hero I heard about D-Day on the radio. The
announcer quoted Ohio governor John
been there, done that: see THERE. Bricker's now-famous line that this was 'the

beer beginning of the end of the forces of evil'.

beer and skittles amusement. British bejeSUS informal

j O This phrase comes from the proverb life beat the bejesus out of someone hit
! isn't all beer and skittles. The game of skittles i
j is used as a prime example of a form of light- j someone very hard or for a long time.
j hearted entertainment. scare the bejesus out of someone frighten

someone very much.

21 bend

2001 GQThis place is going to scare the belly
bejesus out of the fuddy-duddy Sloaney-Pony
set. go belly up go bankrupt, informal

| O Bejesus is an alteration of the exclamation ! j O The implied comparison is with a dead
j by Jesus! It is often found in its Anglo-Irish i fish or other animal floating upside down in !
I form bejasus or bejabers. j the water.

bell 1998 Times: Weekend The single currency
could well go belly-up within two or three
bell, book, and candle a formula for laying a years.
curse on someone.
bellyful
j O This expression alludes to the closing i
! words of the rite of excommunication, have a bellyful of become impatient after
j 'Do to the book, quench the candle, ring prolonged experience of someone or
! the bell', meaning that the service book something, informal
| is closed, the candle put out, and the
j passing bell rung, as a sign of spiritual below
j death.
below stairs in the basement of a house, in
bell the cat take the danger of a shared particular as the part occupied by servants.
enterprise upon yourself.
British dated
! © Bell the cat alludes to the fable in which
i mice or rats have the idea of hanging a bell belt
I aroundthecat'snecksoastohavewarningof !
! its approach, the only difficulty being to find I below the belt unfair or unfairly; not in
! oneof their number willing to undertake the j keeping with the rules.
| task.
i O ' n boxing a blow below the belt is a low, j
i and therefore unlawful, blow.

bells and whistles attractive additional belt and braces (of a policy or action)
features or trimmings, informal providing double security by using
two means to achieve the same end.
i © The bells and whistles originally referred i
: to were those found on old fairground British
j organs. Nowadays, the phrase is often used in !
! computing jargon to mean 'attractive but I O This meaning developed from the idea of i
j superfluous facilities'. ! a literal belt and braces holding up a pair of j
j loose-fitting trousers.

saved by the bell: see S A V E D . 2002 Digital Photography Made Easy Oddly, the
manual is also on CD, which seems a bit belt
as clear (or sound) as a bell perfectly clear {or and braces (though useful if you lose the
sound). original).
1993 Independent We spent a few thousand on
redecoration, but basically the place was tighten your belt cut your expenditure; live
sound as a bell. more frugally.

give someone a bell telephone someone. under your belt Q (of food or drink)
consumed. © safely or satisfactorily
British informal achieved, experienced, or acquired.

ring a bell revive a distant recollection; bend
sound familiar, informal
bend someone's ear talk to someone,
with bells on enthusiastically. North American especially with great eagerness or in order
informal to ask a favour, informal
1989 Mary Gordon The Other Side So,
everybody's waiting for you with bells on. bend your elbow drink alcohol. North

belle American
bend over backwards: see BACKWARDS.
belle of the ball the most admired and round the bend (or twist) crazy; mad. informal
successful woman on a particular occasion.
1998 Spectator She combines a fondness for
i O Thebe//eoftheba//wasoriginallythegirl i holidays in Switzerland with an amiable
j or woman regarded as the most beautiful husband... who saves herfromgoing
j and popular at a dance. completely round the bend.

bended 22

bended besetting

on bended knee kneeling, especially when besetting sin a fault to which a person or
pleading or showing great respect. institution is especially prone; a
characteristic weakness.
I O Bended was the original past participle of j
j bend, but in Middle English it was superseded i i O The verb beset literally means 'surround
j in general use by bent. It is now archaic and j with hostile intent', so the image is of a sin
j survives only in this phrase. ; besieging or pressing in upon a person.

benefit 1974 Donal Scannell Mother Knew Best Mother
said vanity was a besetting sin which Amy
give someone the benefit of — explain or resented, to say the least of it.
recount to someone at length (often used
ironically when someone pompously or beside
impertinently assumes that their
knowledge or experience is superior to beside yourself overcome with worry, grief,
that of the person to whom they are or anger; distraught.

talking). best
1999 Stage Our courses are delivered by 2

current TV personalities who will give you the best bib and tucker: see BIB.

benefit of their 6 years experience. the best thing since sliced bread: see BREAD.

the benefit of the doubt a concession that put your best foot forward: see FOOT.
someone or something must be regarded as with the best will in the world: see WILL.
correct or justified, if the contrary has not the best of both worlds: see WORLD.
been proved.
the best of British used to wish someone well

Benjamin in an enterprise, especially when you are
almost sure it will be unsuccessful, informal
a Benjamin's portion (or mess) the largest

share or portion. i O This phrase is an abbreviation of the best I

O In the Bible, Benjamin was the youngest j of British luck to you.

son of the Jewish patriarch Jacob. When give someone or something best admit the
Jacob's sons encountered their long-lost superiority of; give way to. British
brother Joseph in Egypt, where he had 1990 Birds Magazine Hefinallydecided to give
become a high official, they failed to us best and took himself off.
recognize him, but Joseph generously

entertained them: 'And he took and sent make the best of it Q derive what limited
messes [servings of food] unto them from advantage you can from something
before him: but Benjamin'smesswasfivetimes unsatisfactory or unwelcome, ©use
so much as any of their's' (Genesis 43:34). resources as well as possible.

bent ! O The first sense is often found in the form j
j make the best of a bad job, meaning 'do
bent out of shape angry or agitated. North | something as well as you can under difficult i
American informal : circumstances'.
1994 David Spencer Alien Nation 6: Passing

Fancy Max Corigliano was there... and bent your best bet the most favourable option
out of shape about having been made to wait
so long. available in particular circumstances.
six of the best a caning as a punishment,

berth traditionally with six strokes of the cane.

give someone or something a wide berth I O Six of the best was formerly a common !
! punishment in boys' schools, but it is
stay away from someone or something. ! now chiefly historical in its literal sense
i and tends to be used figuratively or
j O Berth is a nautical term which originally I humorously.
i referred to the distance that ships should
j keep away from each other or from the shore, j bet
i rocks, etc., in order to avoid a collision.
j Therefore, the literal meaning of the all bets are off the outcome of a particular
i expression is'steer a ship well clear of situation is unpredictable, informal
j something while passing it'.

23 bicky

don't bet on it used to express doubt about go one better O narrowly surpass a previous

an assertion or situation, informal effort or achievement. © narrowly outdo
another person.
you can bet your boots (or bottom dollar or
no better than y o u should (or o u g h t to) be
life) you may be absolutely certain, informal
bet the farm risk everything that you own on regarded as sexually promiscuous or of
doubtful moral character.
a bet, investment, or enterprise. North
i O This phrase dates back to the early 17th
American informal ! century. Used typically of a woman, it is now j
j rather dated.
a safe bet a certainty.
I O >A safe bet originally referred to a horse 1998 Spectator 'She's no better than she ought
j that was confidently expected to win a race. to be'. (British mothers of my generation...
often used that enigmatic phrase. They would
2002 Observer It is a safe bet that as the use it about female neighbours of whom they
Western world gets fatter, the people on its disapproved, or women in low-cut dresses on
television screens will continue to get thinner. television.)

better your better half your husband or wife.

against your better judgement: see humorous
JUDGEMENT.

the — the better used to emphasize the seen better days: see DAY.

importance or desirability of the quality or so much the better: see M U C H .

thing specified. betting
1986 Patrick Leigh Fermor Between the Woods &

the Water He had a passion for limericks, the the betting is that it is likely that, informal
racier the better.
between
better the devil you know it's wiser to deal
with an undesirable but familiar person or between the devil a n d the deep blue sea: see
situation than to risk a change that might DEVIL.

lead to a situation with worse difficulties or between a rock and a hard place: see R O C K .

a person whose faults you have yet to betwixt
discover.

! 0 This phrase is a shortened form of the betwixt and between neither one thing nor
i proverb better the devil you know than the the other, informal

| devil you don't know. i O Betwixt is now poetic or archaic and is

better late than never it's preferable for j seldom found outside this phrase.

something to happen or be done belatedly beyond

than not at all.

better safe than sorry it's wiser to be the back of beyond: see B A C K .
cautious and careful than to be hasty or
rash and so do something that you may it's beyond me it's too astonishing, puzzling,
etc. for me to understand or explain, informal

later regret. bib

i O Apparently the expression is quite recent j your best bib and tucker your best clothes.
j in this form (mid 20th century); better be sure \
\ than sorry is recorded from the mid 19th informal

; century. i O Bib and tucker originally referred to
i certain items of women's clothing. A bib
1998 New Scientist The meeting is to be ! is a garment worn over the upper front
commended for taking a 'better safe than : part of the body (e.g. the bib of an apron),
sorry' attitude, and drawing up a baseline list i and a tucker was a decorative piece of lace
of measures to be put in place when disease j formerly worn on a woman's bodice.
breaks out.

the better to — so as to — better. stick (or poke) your bib in interfere. Australian
& New Zealand informal
1986 Peter Mathiessen Men's lives Francis ran
both motors with their housings off, the better bicky
to tinker with them.

get the better of win an advantage over big bickies a large sum of money Australian
someone; defeat or outwit someone. informal

bide 24

j O Bickies is an abbreviation of biscuits. 1998 Sunday Telegraph The notion that
someone outside the so-called 'Big Four'—the
1981 Canberra Times Appearance money is ministerial group which meets before Cabinet
another claim which we think will —might be given such status is uplifting.

succeed.. .Just showing up is worth big big white chief: see CHIEF.
bickies.
give someone the big e reject someone,

bide typically in an insensitive or dismissive

bide your time wait quietly for a good way. British informal

opportunity. ! O The e in the phrase is from elbow: give

i O Bide in the sense of await is now only I someone the big elbow has the same
! found in this expression. It has been j meaning.

| superseded by abide in most of its other make it big become very successful or
i senses. famous, informal

1991 Gillian Slovo The Betrayal And so he bided talk big talk confidently or boastfully, informal
his time, waiting, plotting, planning, looking
think big be ambitious, informal
for the signs that would be good for him.

too big for your boots conceited, informal

big bike

Big brother: see BROTHER. get off your bike become annoyed. Australian &

the big C: see C. New Zealand informal

a big cheese an important and influential 1939 Xavier Herbert Capricornia 'I tell you I saw
person, informal no-one.' 'Don't get off your bike, son.—I know
you're tellin' lies.'
; O Other versions of this phrase substitute
i fish, gun, noise, shot, or wheel for cheese. on your bike! © g o away! © t a k e action! British
; These are mainly self-explanatory, with the informal

i exception of cheese itself, which is of j O Sense 2 became a catchphrase in 1980s
; doubtful origin but may be from Persian and | Britain, when it was used as an exhortation to j
j Urdu chTz meaning 'thing'. As a phrase, big | the unemployed to show initiative in their
; cheese seems to have originated in early ! attempt to find work. It was taken from a
! 20th-century US slang, as did big noise. Big j speech by the Conservative politician
| wheel in this metaphorical sense (as opposed | Norman Tebbit in which he said of his
i to the fairground ride known as a Ferris j unemployed father: 'He did not riot, he got
! wheel) and big shot are similarly US in origin | on his bike and looked for work.'
j (mid 20th century). Big fish may have

! connotations either of something it is

! desirable for you to catch or of the bill
j metaphorical expression a big fish in a small
j pond. bill and coo exchange caresses or affection-

ate words; behave or talk in a very loving

big deal Q an important or impressive event. or sentimental way. informal, dated

© used as an ironic exclamation to indicate i O The image is of two doves, a long-
that you do not think something is as ; established symbol of mutual love.
important or impressive as another person

has suggested, informal a clean bill of health a declaration or

the big five a name given by hunters to the confirmation that someone is healthy
five largest and most dangerous African or something is in good condition.

mammals: rhinoceros, elephant, buffalo, I O | n the mid 18th century, a bill of health
lion, and leopard. I was an official certificate given to the master i

the big lie a gross distortion or misrep- j of a ship on leaving port; if clean, it certified i

resentation of the facts, especially when j that there was no infection either in the port j
used as a propaganda device by a politician ! or on board the vessel.

or official body. fit (or fill) the bill be suitable for a particular
purpose.
the big smoke QLondon. British informal ©any
large town, chiefly Australian

the big Three, Four, etc. the dominant group i O fl/7/in this context is a printed list of items j
of three, four, etc. informal I on a theatrical programme or advertisement, j

25 bit

foot the bill be responsible for paying for finger up at someone as a sign of contempt
something. or anger. US informal

sell someone a bill of goods deceive or 1994 Washington Post Magazine We could
swindle someone, usually by persuading simultaneously honour America, break the
them to accept something untrue or law and flip the bird to all the do-gooders.
undesirable.
give someone (or get) the bird boo or jeer at
I © A bill of goods is a consignment of someone (orbe booed or jeered at). British
j merchandise. informal

1968 Globe & Mail (Toronto) There was no j O This phrase first appeared in early 19th-
production bonus... We were sold a bill of ! century theatrical slang as the big bird,
goods. I meaning'a goose'. This was because the
j hissing of geese could be compared to the
top (or head) the bill be the main performer i audience's hissing at an act or actor of which i
or act in a show, play, etc. ! it disapproved.

billy-o have a bird be very shocked or agitated. North
American informal
like billy-o very much, hard, or strongly. 1992 Globe & Mail (Toronto) The Washington
British informal press corps would have a bird if the president-
1995 John Banville Athena This skin tone is the to-be appointed his wife to a real job.
effect of cigarettes, I suspect, for she is a great
smoker... going at the fags like billy-o. kill two birds with one stone: see KILL.
a little bird told me used as a teasing way of
bird
saying that you do not intend to divulge
the bird has flown the person you are how you came to know something.
looking for has escaped or gone away.
strictly for the birds not worth
a bird in hand something that you have consideration; unimportant, informal
securely or are sure of.
! O This expression was originally US army
! O This phrase refers to the proverb a bird in \ ! slang. Itmaybeanallusiontotheway in which I
I hand is worth two in the bush, current in I birds eat the droppings of horses and cattle.
i English since the mid 15th century.
birthday
a bird of passage someone who is always
moving on. in your birthday suit naked, humorous

I O Literally, a bird of passage is a migrant biscuit
j bird.
have had the biscuit be no longer good for
a bird's-eye view a general view from above. anything; be done for. Canadian informal
the birds and the bees basic facts about sex 1994 Equinox I thought I'd had the biscuit.
I was more than 12 kilometres from camp,
and reproduction as told to a child, informal I didn't have a coat... and it was about
birds of a feather people with similar tastes, 40 below.

interests, etc. take the biscuit: see TAKE.

! O This phrase comes from the proverb birds I bit
i of a feather flock together, which has been
i current in this form since the late 16th a bit much somewhat excessive or
i century. Its origins may ultimately lie in the unreasonable.
j Apocrypha:'the birds will resort unto their
i like'(Ecclesiasticus 27:9). a bit of all right a pleasing person or thing,
especially a woman regarded sexually.
do bird serve a prison sentence. British British informal
informal
bit of fluff (or skirt or stuff) a woman
j O In this phrase b/rd comes from rhyming regarded in sexual terms. British informal
i slang birdlime 'time'. 1937 W. Somerset Maugham Theatre It was
strangely flattering for a woman to be treated
early bird: see EARLY. as a little bit of fluff that youjust tumbled on to
flip someone the bird stick your middle abed.

bit of rough: see ROUGH.

bite 26

bit on the side Q a person with whom you bite off more than you can chew take on a
are unfaithful to your partner. © a
relationship involving being unfaithful to commitment you cannot fulfil.
your partner. © money earned outside
your normal job. informal bite your tongue make a desperate effort to
avoid saying something.
bits and pieces (or bobs) an assortment of
small or unspecified items. put the bite on blackmail; extort money
from. North American & Australian informal
do your bit make a useful contribution to an 1955 Ray Lawler Summer of the Seventeenth Dol
effort or cause, informal Your money's runnin' out you know you can't
put the bite on me any more.
! O The exhortation to do your bit was much j
! used during World War 1, but the expression j take a bite out of reduce by a significant
j was current in the late 19th century. amount, informal

biter

get the bit between your teeth begin to the biter bit (or bitten) a person who has done
tackle a problem or task in a determined or harm has been harmed in a similar way.
independent way.
! O Biter was a late 17th-century term for a
: O The metal bit in a horse's mouth should lie i I fraudster or trickster. In this sense it now
j on the fleshy part of its gums; if a headstrong i I survives only in this phrase.
i horse grasps the bit between its teeth it can
i evade the control of the reins and its rider. 2000 Locus The most common plot device
in Lee's stories is the classic 'biter bitten'
to bits very much, informal resolution.

1998 Times A succession of elderly ladies bitten
explained how, as young women, they had
fancied him to bits. be bitten by the bug: see BUG.
I could have bitten my tongue off used
bite
to convey that you profoundly and
bite someone's head off respond curtly or immediately regret having said something.
angrily. once bitten, twice shy: see ONCE.

a bite at the cherry: see CHERRY. bitter

bite the big one die. North American informal a bitter pill: see PILL.

1996 Tom Clancy Executive Orders The Premierto the bitter end persevering to the end,
of Turkmenistan bit the big one, supposedly
whatever the outcome.
an automobile accident.

bite the bullet face up to doing something black

difficult or unpleasant; stoically avoid beat someone black and blue hit someone

showing fear or distress. so severely that they are covered in bruises.

! O This phrase dates from the days before be in someone's black books be in disfavour
j anaesthetics, when wounded soldiers were with someone.
| given a bullet or similar solid object to clench j
; between their teeth when undergoing ! O Although a black book was generally an j
! surgery. ! official book in which misdemeanours and j
i their perpetrators were noted down, this
1998 Joyce Holms Bad Vibes Once he ! phrase perhaps originated in the black-
accepted it as inevitable he usually bit the i bound book in which evidence of monastic
bullet and did what was required ofhim with a j scandals and abuses was recorded by Henry
good grace. ; VIH's commissioners in the 1530s, before the
I suppression of the monasteries.
bite the dust Qbe killed, ©fail, informal

bite the hand that feeds you deliberately beyond the black stump: see STUMP.
hurt or offend a benefactor; act
ungratefully. black box an automatic apparatus, the
1994 Warren Farrell The Myth ofMale Power internal operations of which are
When this is combined with the fact that mysterious to non-experts.
women watch more TV in every time slot,
shows can't afford to bite the hand that feeds i O Black does not refer to the colour of the
them. ! device but to the arcane nature of its
; functions. Originally Royal Air Force slang for ;

27 bleeds

i a navigational instrument in an aircraft, the ! O A stone at Blarney Castle near Cork in
I phrase is now used in aviation specifically to ! ! Ireland is said to give the gift of persuasive
i refer to the flight recorder. j speech to anyone who kisses it; from this
i comes the verb blarney, meaning 'talk in a
a black mark against someone something ; flattering way'.
that someone has done that is disliked or
disapproved of by other people. blast

i O T h e literal meaning of the phrase is a a blast from the past something powerfully
! black cross or spot marked against the name j nostalgic, especially an old pop song.
j of a person who has done something wrong, j informal
1997 Time Out N.Y. Tonight's act is a tribute to
the black sheep a person considered to have Curtis Mayfield, featuring three blasts from
brought discredit upon a family or other the past: The Impressions... The Stylistics and
group; a bad character. The Dramatics.

a black spot a place that is notorious for blaze
something, especially a high crime or
accident rate. blaze a trail be the first to do something
1992 Radio Times Jonathon Porritt meets the and so set an example for others to
'green warriors' who are spearheading follow.
campaigns to clean up some of the world's
worst pollution black spots. ; O Blaze in this sense comes ultimately from j
! an Old Norse noun meaning'a white mark on j
in the black not owing any money; solvent. | a horse's face'. In its literal sense, blazing a
in black and white Qin writing or in print, \ tra/7 refers to the practice of making white
i marks on trees by chipping off bits of their
and regarded as more reliable than by j bark, thereby indicating your route to those :
word of mouth, ©in terms of clearly i who are following you.
defined opposing principles or issues.
not as black as you are painted not as bad as like blazes very fast or forcefully, informal
you are said to be. informal
j O Blazes in this context refers to the flames i
i O The proverb the devil is not as black as he \ j of hell; go to blazes! is a dated equivalent of j
j is painted, first recorded in English in the mid j j go to hell!
j 16th century, was used as a warning not to
i base your fears of something on exaggerated j blazing
I reports.
with guns blazing: see GUN.
blank
bleed
a blank cheque unlimited scope, especially
to spend money. bleed someone dry (or white) drain
someone of all their money or resources.
i 0 A blank cheque is literally one in which
! the amount of money to be paid has not been ; | O Since the late 17th century bleeding has
! filled in by the payer. I been a metaphor for extorting money from
j someone. White refers to the physiological
draw a blank elicit no response; be i effect of losing blood.
unsuccessful.
1982 William Haggard The Mischief-Makers Her
j O Ab/an/cwas originally a lottery ticket that i husband had been a wealthy man, the lady's
| did not win a prize. solicitors sharp and ruthless, and her husband
had been bled white to get rid of her.
firing blanks (of a man) infertile, informal
bleeds
blanket
my heart bleeds for you I sympathize very
born on the wrong side of the blanket deeply with you.
illegitimate, dated
j O This image was used by Chaucer and I
a wet blanket: see WET. ! Shakespeare to express sincere anguish.
! Nowadays, the phrase most often indicates
blarney j the speaker's belief that the person referred
! to does not deserve the sympathy they are
have kissed the blarney stone be eloquent i seeking.
and persuasive.

bless 28

bless blind someone with science use special or
technical knowledge and vocabulary to
not have a penny to bless yourself with: see confuse someone.
PENNY.
go it blind act recklessly.

blessing rob s o m e o n e blind: see R O B .

a blessing in disguise an apparent turn a blind eye pretend not to notice.
misfortune that eventually has good
results. ; O This phrase is said to be a reference to
i Admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805), who
count your blessings: see C O U N T . i lifted a telescope to his blind eye at the
j Battle of Copenhagen (1801), thereby
a mixed blessing: see M I X E D . i ensuring that he failed to see his superior's
! signal to discontinue the action. A less usual j
blind i version, referring directly to this story, is turn \
; a Nelson eye.
a blind alley a course of action that does not
deliver any positive results. blinder
1997 New Scientist The next person looking
for the same information has to go through play a blinder: see PLAY.
the process all over again—even if 1000
people have already been up the same blind blinding
alleys.
effing and blinding: see E F F I N G .
as blind as a bat having very bad eyesight.

informal blink

; O This expression probably arose from the in the blink of an eye very quickly, informal
! bat's nocturnal habits and its disorientated 1995 Daily Mail It also has an unnerving way of
i flutterings if disturbed by day. The poor flipping overfromcomedy to tragedy, or from
i eyesight of bats (and less frequently, moles) tragedy to comedy, in the blink of an eye.
I has been proverbial since the late 16th
i century. on the blink (of a machine) not working
properly; out of order, informal

a blind bit of — the smallest bit of—; no — at block

all. informal

1995 Patrick McCabe The Dead School Not that it a chip off the old block: see C H I P .

made a blind bit of difference what they a new kid on the block a newcomer to a

thought, considering the way their lives were particular place or sphere of activity, informal

about to go.

a blind date a social meeting, usually with : © This phrase was originally American: the j
the object of starting a romance, between j block referred to is a block of buildings
two people who have not met each other j between streets.
before.
1998 Times Andrew Flintoff has displaced Ben
the blind leading the blind a situation in Hollioake as the new kid on the block.
which the ignorant or inexperienced are
instructed or guided by someone equally have been around the block a few times (of
ignorant or inexperienced. a person) have a lot of experience. North
American informal
! © This phrase alludes to the proverb when
! the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into on the block for sale at auction, chiefly North
! the ditch, quoting Matthew 15:14. American

a blind spot Q an area into which you cannot j O The block in this phrase was the platform j
see. © an aspect of something that i on which, in former times, a slave stood to be j
someone knows or cares little about. I auctioned.

put the blocks on prevent from proceeding.

! O These general senses appear to have I O A block of wood or other material placed i
i developed from a mid 19th-century j in front of a wheel prevents forward
i cricketing term for the spot of ground in j movement.
i front of a batsman where a ball pitched by
| the bowler leaves the batsman undecided put your head (or neck) on the block put
j whether to play forward to it or back.
your position or reputation at risk by

29 blot

proceeding with a particular course of j © A North American variant of this
action, informal ! expression is///re geft/ng bloodoutofaturnip. \

! O This phrase alludes to the block of wood j make your blood boil infuriate you.
i on which a condemned person was formerly j make your blood curdle fill you with
i beheaded.
horror.

blood make your blood run cold horrify you.

blood and guts violence and bloodshed, ! © The previous three phrases all come from j
| the medieval physiological scheme of the
especially in fiction, informal j four humours in the human body
; (melancholy, phlegm, blood, and choler). i
blood and iron military force rather than ! Under this scheme blood was the hot, moist
diplomacy. ! element, so the effect of horror or fear in
j making the blood run cold or curdling
j © Blood and iron is a translation of German j j (solidifying) it was to make it unable to fulfil j
! Blut und Eisen, a phrase particularly ! its proper function of supplying the body
j associated with a speech made by the j with vital heat or energy. The blood boiling
i German statesman Bismarck (1815-98) in the j ; was a supposedly dangerous overreaction to I
j Prussian House of Deputies in 1886. j strong emotion.

blood and thunder unrestrained and violent new (or young) blood new (or younger)
action or behaviour, especially in sport or members of a group, especially those
fiction, informal admitted as an invigorating force.

! O Blood and thunder is often used to someone's blood is up someone is in a
: describe sensational literature, and in the late j
; 19th century gave rise to penny bloods as a fighting mood.
| term for cheap sensational novels.
sweat blood: see SWEAT.

blood is thicker than water family loyalties taste blood achieve an early success that
stimulates further efforts.
are stronger than other relationships.
there is bad blood between — there is long-
blood on the carpet used to refer in an standing hostility between the parties
exaggerated way to a serious disagreement mentioned.
or its aftermath. 2001 Hugh Collins No Smoke There are
occasional square-gos sometimes, but there's
1984 Times The last thing I want now is blood

on the boardroom carpet. no bad blood between rival gangs.

blood, sweat, and tears extremely hard bloody
work; unstinting effort.

j O l n May 1940 Winston Churchill made a bloody (or bloodied) but unbowed proud of
! speech in the House of Commons in which he j what you have achieved despite having
! declared : 'I have nothing to offer but blood, ! suffered great difficulties or losses.

i toil, tears, and sweat.' bloom

blood will tell family characteristics cannot the bloom is off the rose something is no

be concealed, proverb longer new, fresh, or exciting. North American

first blood the first point or advantage blot
gained in a contest.
blot your copybook tarnish your good
i O First blood is literally 'the first shedding of I reputation. British
| blood', especially in a boxing match or
I formerly in duelling with swords. ; © A copybook was an exercise book with
i examples of handwriting for children to copy j
have blood on your hands be responsible for j as they practised their own writing.
the death of someone.
a blot on the escutcheon something that
in cold blood: see COLD. tarnishes your reputation.
in your blood ingrained in or fundamental to
j © An escutcheon was a family's heraldic
your character. j shield, and so also a record and symbol of its i
like getting blood out of a stone extremely j honour.

difficult and frustrating.

blouse 30

a blot on the landscape something ugly blow something sky-high destroy
that spoils the appearance of a place; something completely in an explosion.
an eyesore. informal
1962 Listener Charabancs and monstrous
hordes of hikers are blots upon the landscape. blow your top lose your temper.

blouse I O Two, chiefly North American, variants are \
i blow your lid and blow your stack.
big girl's blouse a weak, cowardly, or
oversensitive man. British informal blow up in your face (of an action, plan, or
situation) go drastically wrong with
blow damaging effects to yourself.

blow someone away ©kill, destroy, or blow the whistle on: see WHISTLE.
defeat someone, ©have a very strong blow with the wind act according to
effect on someone, informal
01998 Times It blows me away the way she prevailing circumstances rather than a
[a 13-year-old] is already moving through her consistent plan.
life. soften (or cushion) the blow make it easier
to cope with a difficult change or upsetting
blow away the cobwebs: see COBWEB. news.
which way the wind blows how a situation
blow your cool lose your composure; is likely to develop.
become angry or agitated, informal
blow-by-blow
blow the doors off be considerably better
or more successful than. North American a blow-by-blow account a detailed narrative
informal of events as they happened.

blow a fuse (or gasket) lose your temper. blown

informal be blown away be extremely impressed.
informal
i © The metaphor is of the failure of an
i electrical circuit or engine as a result of be blown off course have your plans
j overheating. disrupted by some circumstance.

blow the gaff: see G A F F . I O This phrase is a nautical metaphor:
i contrary winds turn a sailing ship away from j
blow great guns: see G U N . j its intended course.

blow hot and cold alternate inconsistently be blown out of the water (of a person, idea,
between two moods, attitudes, or courses or project) be shown to lack credibility or
of action; be sometimes enthusiastic, viability.
sometimes unenthusiastic about some- 1997 Daily Mail Thingsfinallyseem to be
thing. looking up for Kelly—which is more than can
be said for Biff, whose romantic plans are
i O This phrase refers to a fable involving a blown out of the water by Linda.
i traveller who was offered hospitality by a
i satyr and offended his host by blowing on his j blue
| cold fingers to warm them and on his hot
! soup to cool it. between the devil and the deep blue sea see

blow the lid off: see LID. DEVIL.
blow someone's mind affect someone very
a bolt from the blue: see BOLT.
strongly, informal
do something until you are blue in the face
j O Blow someone's mind was originally a persist in trying your hardest at an activity
I mid 20th-century expression for the effect of j but without success, informal
i hallucinatory drugs such as LSD.
once in a blue moon very rarely; practically
blow off steam: see STEAM. never, informal

blow your own horn: see HORN. i © The colour blue was an arbitrary choice in j
I this phrase. To say that the moon is blue is
blow your own trumpet: see TRUMPET. : recorded in the 16th century as a way of
I indicating that something could not be true, j
blow a raspberry: see RASPBERRY.

blow someone's socks off: see SOCK.

31 boat

out of the blue without warning; very j value was weaker than their heavy betting
unexpectedly, informal I suggested.

! O This phrase refers to a blue (i.e. clear) sky, j blush
i from which nothing unusual is expected.
spare (or save) someone's blushes refrain
scream blue murder: see MURDER. from causing someone embarrassment.
talk a blue streak speak continuously and at
board
great length. North American informal
above board honest; not secret.
i O A blue streak refers to something like a
j flash of lightning in its speed and vividness. j O Above board was originally a gambling
j term, indicating fair play by players who kept j
true blue genuine. i their hands above the board (i.e. the table).

j O The sense of someone being true blue across the board: see ACROSS.
j may derive from the idea of someone being go by the board (of something planned or
I genuinely aristocratic, or having'blue blood', j
j In recent times, the term true blue has previously upheld) be abandoned, rejected,
I become particularly associated with loyal or ignored.
i supporters of the British Conservative party. I

the wide (or wild) blue yonder the sky or j O In former times, go by the board was a
sea; the far or unknown distance. i nautical term meaning'fall overboard'and
j was used of a mast falling past the board (i.e. I
j O The phrase comes from 'Army Air Corps' j the side of the ship).
! (1939), a song by Robert Crawford:'Off we go j
j into the wild blue yonder, Climbing high into j on board as a member of a team or group.
i the sun'.
informal

i O On board literally means on or in a ship,

blue-eyed j aircraft, or other vehicle, or (of a jockey) j

a blue-eyed boy the favourite of someone in j riding a horse.
authority.
take something on board fully consider
j O The significance of blue eyes may be their j or assimilate a new idea or situation.
I association with the innocence and charm of j informal
j a very young child. The term is first recorded j
| in a novel by P. G. Wodehouse in 1924. tread (or walk) the boards appear on stage as
an actor, informal
1998 Spectator Of the three, the arrest of
Osborne, one of the blue-eyed boys of British boat
racing, was the most striking.
be in the same boat be in the same
blue-sky unfortunate or difficult circumstances as
others, informal
blue-sky research research that is not
directed towards any immediate or definite burn your boats: see BURN.
commercial goal.
1997 New Scientist Bell Labs and IBM are well off the boat recently arrived from a foreign
known for blue-sky research. They have country, and by implication naive or an
people who are paid just to sit around and outsider, informal, often offensive
think—not about products.
push the boat out be lavish in your spending
bluff or celebrations. British informal

call someone's bluff challenge someone to j O Pusn the boat out apparently originated j
carry out a stated intention, in the ! as mid 20th-century naval slang meaning'pay i
expectation of being able to expose it as a j for a round of drinks'.
false pretence.
rock the boat say or do something to disturb
j O In the game of poker (which was formerly j an existing situation and upset other
j also known by the name of bluff), calling people, informal
j someone's b/ufY meant making an opponent j 1999 Times The six candidates are so
i show their hand in order to reveal that its determined not to rock the boat that they are
in danger of saying nothing of interest.

bob 32

bob bold

bob and weave make rapid bodily as bold as brass confident to the point of

movements up and down and from side impudence.

to side. ! O Brass is used in this phrase as a
Bob's your uncle everything isfine;problem j metaphorical representation of a lack of
: shame, as it was in the old expression a brass \
solved. British informal

! O Bob isa familiar form of the name Robert. \ \ face, meaning 'an impudent person'.

I The origin of the phrase is often said to be in ! bolt
I the controversial appointment in 1887 of
! the young Arthur Balfour to the important a bolt from the blue a sudden and
| post of Chief Secretary for Ireland by his unexpected event or piece of news.
i uncle Lord Salisbury, whose first name was

i Robert. The problem with this explanation is i ! O The phrase refers to the unlikelihood of a j
; that the phrase is not recorded until the j thunderbolt coming out of a clear blue sky.
I 1930s.

1996 Colin Bateman Of WhoweeeSaswyeiettwieasMtoicgeeat.ndhayvoeurshpootwyeoru, rinfboromlatlhave done all that is in
Men I couldn't believe

Just walked into a shop, signed a piece of ! O lnthisidiom,thebo/treferredtoisathick, j
paper, and Bob's your uncle. j heavy arrow for a crossbow.

bodkin 1998 Spectator The Britpop boom has ended,
the Spice Girls have shot their bolt.
ride bodkin travel squeezed between two make a bolt for try to escape by moving
other people, dated suddenly towards something.

body i O A Do/t here is a sudden spring or start into j
j rapid motion, typically that made by a horse j
body and soul involving every aspect of a | breaking into an uncontrollable gallop.
person; completely.
bomb
keep body and soul together manage to
stay alive, especially in difficult go down a bomb be very well received. British
circumstances. informal

know where the bodies are buried have i O This phrase is especially used of
the security deriving from personal j entertainment and in this context is the
knowledge of an organization's ; opposite of go down like a lead balloon (see j
confidential affairs and secrets.
: LEAD).
informal
go like a bomb ©be very successful, ©(of a
over my dead body: see DEAD. vehicle or person) move very fast. British
informal
boil
Bondi
go off the boil pass the stage at which
interest, excitement, activity, etc. is at its give someone Bondi attack someone
greatest.
savagely. Australian informal
it all boils down to it amounts to or is in
essence. i O A bondi (also spelled boondie, bundi, or i
i bundy) is a heavy Aboriginal club.
i O Boiling down a liquid means reducing
i its volume and concentrating it by bone
i evaporation.
a bag of bones: see BAG.
1998 Times And why are deals getting more the bare bones: see BARE.
complex? Unsurprisingly it all boils down to a bone of contention a subject or issue over
profit.
make your blood boil: see BLOOD. which there is continuing disagreement.

boiling j O The idea is of a bone thrown into the
i midst of a number of dogs and causing a fight i
keep the pot boiling maintain the momen- j between them.
tum or interest value of something.

33 boot

a bone in your leg (or head) a (feigned) 1948 P. G. Wodehouse Uncle Dynamite She
reason for idleness, informal looks on you as a... poor, spineless sheep who
can't say boo to a goose.
close to (or near) the bone Q (of a remark)

penetrating and accurate to the point of booay
causing hurt or discomfort. Q (of a joke or
story) likely to cause offence because near up the booay completely wrong or astray.
the limit of decency.
Australian & New Zealand
cut (or pare) something to the bone
reduce something to the bare minimum. j O Literally, the booay are remote rural
j districts. The origin of the term is uncertain,
i though Puhoi, the name of a district in North j

have a bone to pick with someone have ! Auckland, New Zealand, has been suggested i
reason to disagree or be annoyed with i as the source.

someone, informal book

j O A bone to pick (or gnaw) has been a be in someone's black books: see BLACK.
I metaphor for a problem or difficulty to be bring someone to book bring someone to
I thought over since the mid 16th century.
justice; punish someone.
in your bones felt, understood, or believed by the book strictly according to the rules.
close the books make no further entries at
very deeply or instinctively.
the end of an accounting period; cease
make no bones about something have no trading.
hesitation in stating or dealing with a closed book: see CLOSED.
something, however unpleasant, cook the books: see COOK.
awkward, or distasteful it is.
in s o m e o n e ' s bad (or good) books i n
j © This expression, which dates back to the
i 16th century, may originally have referred to I
j eating a bowl of soup in which no bones

! were found and which was therefore easily disfavour (or favour) with someone.
j eaten. make (or open) a book take bets and pay out

not a — bone in your body not the slightest winnings on the outcome of a race or other
trace of the specified quality. contest or event.

1999 Scott Turow Personal Injuries I mean, I like on the books contained in a list of members,
employees, or clients.
Betty. Not a mean bone in her body.

point the bone at betray someone; cause read s o m e o n e like a book: see R E A D .

someone's downfall. Australian suit someone's book be convenient or

I O The phrase comes from an Australian acceptable to someone. British
! Aboriginal ritual, in which a bone is pointed i take a leaf out of someone's book: see
I at a victim so as to curse them and cause their \
LEAF.

I sickness or death. j throw the book at charge or punish

to the bone 0(of a wound) so deep as to someone as severely as possible or
expose the victim's bone, ©affecting a permitted, informal

person in a very penetrating way. boot

to your bones (or to the bone) in a very boots and all completely. Australian & New
fundamental way (used to emphasize that a Zealand informal
person possesses a specified quality as an 1947 D. M. Davin The Rest of Our Lives The
essential or innate aspect of their next thing he'll do is counter-attack, boots
personality). and all.
2003 Eve Gloria is known today to be a
conservative to her bones—a true monarchist. the boot is on the other foot the situation
has reversed.
work your fingers to the bone work very
hard. i O A North American variant is the shoe is on \

I the other foot.

boo die with y o u r boots o n : see D I E .

wouldn't say boo to a goose (of a person) get the boot be dismissed from your job or
very shy or reticent. position, informal

bootstrap 34

I O Get the boot comes from the idea of booty
! being literally kicked out, as does give
i someone the boot. A facetious expansion shake your booty dance energetically.
! of this idiom is get the Order of the Boot.
informal
hang up your boots: see H A N G .
borak
put the boot in treat someone brutally,
especially when they are vulnerable. British poke borak at make fiin of someone. Australian
informal & New Zealand, dated

; O The literal sense is 'kick someone hard I O Borak was used in 19th-century
: when they are already on the ground'. I Australian to mean 'nonsense or rubbish'. It
j was originally a pidgin term and was based
seven-league boots the ability to travel very i on an Aboriginal word meaning 'no, not'.
fast on foot.
1960 Eric North Nobody Stops Me I... sub-
; O This phrase comes from the fairy story of i scribed to his ravings about women, while
I Hop o'my Thumb, in which magic boots everybody else about the place poked borak
i enable the wearer to travel seven leagues at j at him.
j each stride.
born
to boot as well; in addition, informal
be born with a silver spoon in your mouth:
; O Boot here has nothing to do with see SILVER.

I footwear but comes from an Old English born and bred by birth and upbringing.
1991 Sharon Kay Penman The Reckoning I was
j word meaning 'good, profit, or advantage'. It j being tended by a most unlikely nurse, an Irish
sprite who spoke French as if she was Paris
! survives for the most part only in this phrase j born and bred.

I and in bootless meaning 'unavailing or ! born in the purple: see PURPLE.
not know you are born be unaware how
j profitless'.
easy your life is. informal
1998 New Scientist It's an ideal first-year
programming book, covering both Java and there's one (or a sucker) born every
programming concepts clearly, with humour minute there are many stupid or gullible
to boot. people about (used as a comment on a
particular situation in which someone
tough as old boots: see T O U G H . has been or is about to be deceived).
informal
you can bet your boots: see B E T .
to the manner born: see M A N N E R .
your heart sinks into your boots used to
express a feeling of sudden sadness or I wasn't born yesterday used to indicate
dismay. that you are not foolish or gullible.

! O This idiom has given rise to the adjective j borrow
! heartsink, used in the medical profession to j
! describe a patient who causes their medical borrow trouble take needless action that
i practitioner to experience such a feeling, may have bad effects. North American
j usually as a result of making frequent visits to
j the surgery to complain of persistent but borrowed
j unidentifiable ailments.
living on borrowed time continuing to
bootstrap survive against expectations (used with the
implication that this will not be for much
pull (or drag) yourself up by your own longer).
bootstraps improve your position by your
own efforts. borrowed plumes a pretentious display not
rightly your own.
I O A bootstrap is sometimes sewn into the
I back of boots to help with pulling them on. | O This phrase refers to the fable of the jay
! This idiom has given rise to the computing j which dressed itself in the peacock's feathers, i
! term bootstrapping, meaning the process of ;
j loading a program into a computer by means j boss
I of a few initial instructions which enable the
I introduction of the rest of the program from show someone who's boss make it clear
j aninputdevice.Wenowrefertotheprocessof i that it is yourself who is in charge.
i starting a computer as booting or booting up. i

35 box

both a dead cat bounce: see DEAD.

cut both ways: see CUT. on the bounce Oas something rebounds,
©in quick succession, informal
have it both ways benefit from two 0 2001 Greyhound Star He has now won twelve
incompatible ways of thinking or behaving. races on the bounce, including three big
1998 New Scientist It is only now dawning on competitions.
the legislators that they cannot have it both
ways—that cleanliness and ecological bound
friendliness are incompatible.
duty-bound: see DUTY.
bothered
honour-bound: see HONOUR.
hot and bothered in a state of anxiety or
physical discomfort, especially as a result bounden
of being pressured.
a bounden duty a responsibility regarded by
bottle yourself or others as obligatory.

have (or show) a lot of bottle have (or show) i O Bounden as the past participle of bind is i
boldness or initiative. British informal I now archaic in all contexts and is seldom
j found except in this phrase.

! O The mid 19th-century slang phrase no bow

\ bottle, meaning 'no good or useless', is the bow and scrape behave in an obsequious
way to someone in authority.
i probable origin of bottle's current sense of
bow down in the house of Rimmon pay lip
! 'courage or nerve'. Nowadays we also find service to a principle; sacrifice your
principles for the sake of conformity.
! the expressions lose your bottle meaning

; 'lose your nerve' and bottle out meaning 'fail j

i to do something as a result of losing your

i nerve'. I

hit (or be on) the bottle start to drink alcohol | O R/mmon was a god worshipped in ancient j
heavily, especially in an attempt to escape I Damascus; the source of this phrase is
from one's problems, informal j Naaman's request in 2 Kings 5:18,'when I
; bow down myself in the house of Rimmon,
bottom j the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing'.

be bumping along the bottom (of an have a second string to your bow: see STRING.
economy or industry) be at the lowest point
in its performance without improving or make your bow make your first formal
deteriorating further. appearance in a particular role.

bottom drawer: see DRAWER. take a bow Q(of an actor or entertainer)
the bottom falls (or drops) out of something acknowledge applause after a performance,
©used to tell someone that they should
something fails or collapses totally. feel themselves worthy of applause.
the bottom line: see LINE.
from the bottom of your heart: see HEART. a warning shot across the bows a statement
scrape the bottom of the barrel: see SCRAPE. or gesture intended to frighten someone
touch bottom: see TOUCH. into changing their course of action.
you can bet your bottom dollar: see you can
! O Literally, a shot fired in front of the bows j
bet your boots at BET. i of a ship is one which is not intended to hit it j
| but to make it stop or alter course.
bought
bowl
have bought it be killed, informal
a bowl of cherries: see CHERRY.
bounce
box
bounce an idea off someone share an
idea with another person in order black box: see BLACK.
to get feedback on it and refine it. informal
box clever act so as to outwit someone. British
bounce off the walls be full of nervous informal
excitement or agitation. North American 1950 Alexander Baron There's No Home If you
informal box clever and keep your mouth shut... you
ought to be able to count on a suspended
sentence.

box seat 36

be a box of birds be fine or happy. Australian & the brass ring success, especially as a reward
New Zealand for ambition or hard work. North American
informal
a box of tricks an ingenious gadget, informal

in the wrong box placed unsuitably or I © This phrase refers to the reward of a free j
! ride on a merry-go-round given to the person i
awkwardly; in difficulty or at a j who succeeds in hooking a brass ring
disadvantage. | suspended over the horses.

i O This phrase perhaps arose with reference j brass neck cheek or effrontery, informal
j to an apothecary's boxes, from which a
! mistaken choice might have provided poison i get down to brass tacks start to
i instead of medicine. consider the essential facts or practical
details; reach the real matter in hand.
out of the box unusually good. Australian & New informal
Zealand informal 1932 T. S. Eliot Sweeney Agonistes That's all th
facts when you come to brass tacks: Birth, and
out of your box intoxicated with alcohol or copulation, and death.
drugs. British informal

Pandora's box: see PANDORA. not a brass farthing no money or assets at all.

think outside the box have ideas that are informal
part brass rags with: see RAG.
original, creative, or innovative, informal

box seat brave

in the box seat in an advantageous position. brave new world a new and hopeful period
in history resulting from major changes in
Australian & New Zealand society.

boy I O This phrase comes ultimately from
j Shakespeare's The Tempest, but is more often j
boys in blue policemen; the police, informal I used with allusion to Aldous Huxley's ironical j
boys will be boys childish, irresponsible, j use of the phrase as the title of his 1932 novel j
j Brave New World.
or mischievous behaviour is typical of
boys or young men. proverb put a brave face on something: see FACE.

jobs for the boys: see JOB.

the old boy network: see NETWORK.

one of the boys accepted by a group of breach
men.
step into the breach take the place of
sort out the men from the boys: see MAN. someone who is suddenly unable to do a
job or task.
brain
! O I" military terms a breach is a gap in j
have something on the brain be obsessed | fortifications made by enemy guns or
with something, informal j explosives. In this context, to stand in
| the breach is to bear the brunt of an attack
pick someone's brains: see PICK. I when other defences or expedients have
rack your brains: see RACK. | failed.

brass bread

brass monkey used in various phrases to the best (or greatest) thing since sliced
refer to extremely cold weather. bread a notable new idea, person, or thing
(used to express real or ironic appreci-
j O Brass monkey comes from the mid 20th- ation), informal

! century vulgar slang expression'cold enough j

j to freeze the balls off a brass monkey', the

j origin of which has been debated. One j ! O This phrase alludes to the mid 20th-

j suggestion relates it to brass trays known as ! century advertising promotions for packed,

! monkeys on which cannon balls were once I pre-sliced loaves. !

I stowed aboard warships.

1994 Camping Magazine David will be doing hbisread and circuses material benefits and
entertainment employed by rulers or
best to show you how to keep warm under
political parties to keep the masses happy
canvas even if the temperature outside has

dipped to brass monkey level. and docile.

37 breath

! O Bread and circuses is a translation of the j break a butterfly on a wheel use
i Latin phrase partem et circenses, which
i appeared in Juvenal's Satires, and which unnecessary force in destroying something
i alludestothe Roman emperors'organization j fragile or insignificant.
! of grain handouts and gladiatorial games for i
; the populace. i O l n former times, breaking someone upon i

break bread with share a meal with j the wheel was a form of punishment or

someone, dated j torture which involved fastening criminals to j

cast your bread upon the waters do good I a wheel so that their bones would be broken j

without expecting gratitude or immediate j or dislocated. j
reward.
1998 Times But why break a butterfly upon a
| O This expression comes from Ecclesiastes wheel? What harm does the Liberal
| 11:1:'Cast thy bread upon the waters: for Democrat leader do? Unfortunately he may
i thou shalt find it after many days'. be about to do a great deal.

eat the bread of idleness eat food that you break a leg! good luck! theatrical slang
have not worked for. literary
break cover: see COVER.
i O This phrase appears in the description of i
j the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31:27: break the ice: see ICE.
i 'She... eateth not the bread of idleness'.
break the mould: see MOULD.
have your bread buttered on both sides be
break new (or fresh) ground do pioneering
in a state of easy prosperity.
know on which side your bread is buttered work.

know where your advantage lies. break rank: see RANK.
man cannot live by bread alone people have
break ship fail to rejoin your ship after
spiritual as well as physical needs.
absence on leave.
| O This phrase comes from Matthew 4:4
I (quoting Deuteronomy 8:3), where the give me a break! used to express
j passage continues 'but by every word that contemptuous disagreement or disbelief
i proceedeth out of the mouth of God'.
about something that has been said.
someone's bread and butter someone's
livelihood; routine work to provide an give someone a break stop putting
income. pressure on someone about something.
1998 Times It is not that the smaller deal has
disappeared—they remain the bread and informal
butter of this industry.
make a break for make a sudden dash
take the bread out of people's mouths in the direction of, usually in a bid to

deprive people of their livings, especially escape.
by competition or unfair working
practices. make a clean break remove yourself
completely and finally from a situation or
want your bread buttered on both sides
relationship.
want more than is practicable or than is
reasonable to expect, informal that's (or them's) the breaks that's the way
things turn out (used to express resigned
bread-and-butter acceptance of a situation). North American

a bread-and-butter letter a guest's written informal
thanks for hospitality.
breakfast
break
a dog's breakfast: see DOG.
break the back of Q accomplish the main or have someone for breakfast deal with or
hardest part of a task, ©overwhelm or
defeat. defeat someone with contemptuous ease.

break the bank: see BANK. informal

breast

beat your breast make a great show of

sorrow or regret.

make a clean breast of something: see CLEAN.

breath

a breath of fresh air O a small amount of or a
brief time in the fresh air. ©a refreshing
change, especially a new person on the
scene.

breathe 38

the breath of life a thing that someone needs bridge
or depends on.
burn your bridges: see burn your boats at

! O Breath of life is a biblical phrase: 'And the ! BURN.

! Lord God formed man of the dust of the cross that bridge when you come to it deal
! ground, and breathed into his nostrils the with a problem when and if it arises.
! breath of life' (Genesis 2:7). 1998 SpectatorAs to what would happen to the

don't hold your breath used to indicate that case for non-proliferation when the Cold War
something is very unlikely to happen. was won, the allies would cross that bridge
when they came to it, which seemed at the

save your breath not bother to say time well beyond any foreseeable future.

something because it is pointless. brief
take someone's breath away inspire

someone with awed respect or delight; hold no brief for not support or argue in

astonish someone. favour of.

1988 Janet Frame The Carpathians The speed of j O Thebr/efreferredtoisthesummaryofthe j
the process took everyone's breath away. facts and legal points in a case given to a
j

waste your breath talk or give advice j barrister to argue in court.

without effect.

breathe bright

breathe down someone's neck Q constantly bright and early very early in the morning.
check up on someone. © follow closely as bright as a button intelligently alert and
behind someone.
lively, informal

breathe your last die. ; O There is a play here on bright in its Old
I English sense of'shiny'(like a polished metal :
breed I button) and bright in its transferred sense of I
j 'quick-witted', found since the mid 18th
a breed apart a kind of person or thing that is ! century.

very different from the norm. the bright lights the glamour and excite-
a dying breed: see DYING. ment of a big city.

brick bright spark a clever person (often used
ironically to or of a person who has done
a brick short of a load (of a person) stupid. something you consider stupid). British
informal
informal
bright young thing a wealthy, pleasure-
! © This is one of a number of humorous loving, and fashionable young person.
! variations on the theme of someone not
! possessing their proper share of brains or I © The term was originally applied in the
! intelligence; compare, for example, with I 1920s to a member of a young fashionable
I a sandwich short of a picnic (at SANDWICH). j group of people noted for their exuberant
i and outrageous behaviour.
come down like a ton of bricks exert
crushing weight, force, or authority look on the bright side be optimistic or
against someone, informal cheerful in spite of difficulties.

come up against (or hit) a brick wall bright-eyed

encounter an insuperable problem or bright-eyed and bushy-tailed alert and
obstacle while trying to do something. lively; eager, informal
make bricks without straw try to accomplish
something without proper or adequate bring
material, equipment, or information.
bring h o m e the bacon: see B A C O N .
I O The allusion here is to Exodus 5:6-19
i where 'without straw' meant 'without bring the house down make an audience
j having straw provided', as the Israelites were ! respond with great enthusiasm, especially
i required to gather straw for themselves in as shown by their laughter or applause.
j order to make the bricks required by their
I Egyptian taskmasters. A misinterpretation bring something home to someone: see
! has led to the current sense. HOME.