Common American Phrases in Everyday Contexts (140 page)

Later
.
Go to I'll see you later.

Later, alligator
.
Go to See you later, alligator.

Later, bro
.
I will see you later, friend. (
Bro
= brother.)
A
NDY
: Bye, Don. D
ON
: Later, bro
.
Gotta go. Later, bro.

Leave it to me
.
I will attend to it by myself.; I will do it.
J
OHN
: This whole business needs to be straightened out. S
UE
: Leave it to me. I'll get it done
.
J
ANE
: Will you do this as soon as possible? M
ARY
: Leave it to me.

Leave me alone
!
Stop harassing me!; Don't bother me!
J
OHN
: You did it. You're the one who always does it. B
ILL
: Leave me alone! I never did it
.
F
RED
: Let's give Bill a dunk in the pool. B
ILL
: Leave me alone!

leave
someone
high and dry
to leave someone helpless.
All my workers quit and left me high and dry
.
All the children ran away and left Billy high and dry to take the blame for the broken window.

Leaving so soon?
Go to (Are you) leaving so soon?

Less is more
.
Less of something is more manageable or economical than more of it.; There are positives in not having too much or too many.
A: This new gadget is much smaller than the old one
,
but it's supposed to be stronger. B: I guess that less is more in this case.
Our working group is now smaller and more nimble—much more efficient. Less is more, definitely.

the
lesser (of the two)
the smaller one (of two); the one having the least amount.
The last two pieces of pie were not quite the same size, and I chose the lesser of the two
.
Faced with a basket containing too much and one with too little, Tom chose the lesser.

the
lesser of two evils
the less bad thing, of a pair of bad things.
I didn't like either politician, so I voted for the lesser of two evils
.
Given the options of going out with someone I don't like or staying home and watching a boring television program, I chose the lesser of the two evils and watched television.