Read Webster's New World American Idioms Handbook Online
Authors: Gail Brenner
Webster's New World American Idioms Handbook (42 page)
four-letter word
a vulgar or obscene word, often four letters long in American English. Also called a
bad
or
dirty word.
♦
Her speech is filled with
four-letter words;
it’s obnoxious!
♦
He taught his little brother to say all the worst
four-letter words.
on all fours
down on one’s hands and knees. Refers to having four limbs on the floor. Often put as
down on all fours.
♦
He likes to get down
on all fours
and play with his grandkids.
♦
We were down
on all fours
looking for his lost contact lens.
Five
The following slang expressions with the number five refer to a hand-slapping gesture used in greeting, congratulations, and celebration.
Five
makes reference to the five fingers of the hand.
give me five (gimme five)
high five
Give me five
(often pronounced
gimme five
) is a request to slap the hand of another person, and is usually accompanied by holding one’s hand out, palm up, to be slapped. When you
high-five
someone, you slap his or her raised palm (with your hand held high). Here are some examples of these two common expressions:
- Hey, we fixed the computer!
Gimme five,
buddy! - Janie, you got 100% on your spelling test?!
Gimme five! - It’s tradition to
high-five
all the members of the opposing team after a game.
Six
six of one, half a dozen of the other
means “It doesn’t matter, there is no difference between two choices.” Refers to the fact that six and a half dozen are the same quantity. ♦
Well, it’s really
six of one, half dozen of the other.
We can leave today and return on Saturday, or leave tomorrow and return on Sunday.
at sixes and sevens
chaotic, disorganized, confused ♦
Everything was
at sixes and sevens
on registration day. No one knew where to go or how to register.
♦
Our flight was so delayed that we were all
at sixes and sevens
trying to get connecting flights and find our luggage.
six feet under
dead and buried. Alludes to the traditional depth of a buried coffin. ♦
He won’t quit drinking until he’s
six feet under.
Eight and Nine
behind the eight ball
in a difficult, awkward, or unlucky situation; to be stuck or in trouble. Alludes to a difficult situation in the game of billiards. ♦
They’ve got me
behind the eight ball.
I don’t approve of the project, but if I don’t agree to do it, I may lose my job.
on cloud nine
happy, blissfully content ♦
When all their children and grandchildren came for the holidays, they were
on cloud nine. ♦
I’m
on cloud nine!
I’ve just been accepted to acting school.
dressed to the nines
dressed elegantly, dressed up for a special occasion ♦
Everyone at the opera is
dressed to the nines.
the whole nine yards
the whole, complete thing, everything that is relevant. May have once referred to the total yards of fabric needed to make a suit or complete set of sails. ♦
We gave her the biggest birthday party you could imagine: a huge cake, flowers, decorations, a hundred guests, music, speeches,
the whole nine yards. ♦
Before they hired him, they put him through
the whole nine yards
— physical exam, blood test, drug test, background check, and more.
Ten
ten to one
a very high probability that something will (or won’t) happen. The statement “Ten to one that I get a date with her” is similar to “I bet a get a date with her” or “I think I will get a date with her.” ♦
You’ve studied so hard for that class,
ten to one
you’ll get an A.
♦
Those kids are so spoiled.
Ten to one
they won’t even thank us for the gifts we sent.
top-ten
the ten best, most popular, most important things. Often used by radio stations to announce the ten most frequently requested songs. Also popularized by talk show host Dave Letterman with his humorous top ten lists. ♦
The computer company created a list of the
top-ten
reasons to buy a new computer.
♦
He’s one of the
top-ten
baseball players of all time.
♦
Coming up next, we count down the
top-ten
songs in the country.
Twenty
Everyone seems to have
twenty-twenty hindsight.
That means that we can often see clearly and perfectly (with 20/20 vision) what we should have done or said in the past (in hindsight or looking back). We may be muddled, confused, and unclear about our present condition, but
hindsight is always 20/20. 20/20
can also be written
twenty-twenty.
Here are some examples:
- I should have listened to my parents when I was younger, but
hindsight is always 20/20. - Don’t be so hard on yourself about it. We all have
twenty-twenty hindsight.
Forty and Fifty
forty winks
(n)
a short nap ♦
If I can get
forty winks,
I’ll feel refreshed.
fifty-fifty
(adv, adj)
shared evenly; equal. Also said as
go fifty-fifty on. 50-50
is an acceptable way to write this idiom. ♦
My housemate and I share the housework
fifty-fifty. ♦
We always go
fifty-fifty
on the household expenses.
♦
We agreed on a
50-50
split of the profits.
One Hundred, One Thousand, One Million
Expressions with one hundred, one thousand, and one million are always used as exaggerations and hyperbole.
One Hundred
one hundred and one reasons
a lot of reasons or excuses, either good or bad; also said
a hundred and one
♦
He’ll give you
one hundred and one reasons
why he can’t find a job, but the truth is, he’s just lazy.
♦
There are
a hundred and one reasons
why you should avoid getting into debt.
if I live to be a hundred
an expression used to indicate surprise or resignation, meaning “I’ll never do or understand something.” Often said without completing the idea. ♦
Why do kids have piercing all over their faces?
If I live to be a hundred,
I’ll never understand it.
♦
Richard: Did you see that person with the pink hair? Jim:
If I live to be a hundred. . . .
One Thousand
a thousand apologies
means “I’m very sorry.” Formal, or sometimes said sarcastically. ♦ A thousand apologies.
I didn’t mean to bump into you. Are you all right?
if I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times
an expression showing exasperation at having to repeatedly remind or advise someone of the obvious. Often said simply as
I’ve told you a thousand times.
♦ If I’ve told him once, I’ve told him a thousand times
not to leave his wet towels on the floor.
♦ I’ve told those kids a thousand times
to wipe their feet before coming in.
A Million
thanks a million
means “Thanks very much” ♦ Thanks a million
for all of your help.
look like a million dollars (
or
bucks)
to look fantastic, beautiful, sexy ♦
Wow! You
look like a million bucks!
a (
or
one) chance in a million
a very small chance or no chance at all that something will happen ♦
Getting a part in the movie was
a chance in a million,
and she got it!
♦
I know it’s
one chance in a million,
but it’s no chance at all if I don’t try.
never in a million years
means “absolutely never!” Sometimes said without finishing the sentence. ♦ Never in a million years
will I understand why anyone would want a tattoo.
Grammar Note:
Because this expression begins with the negative
never,
the subject and verb are reversed in the main clause of the sentence, as in the example.
[See
one in a million
earlier in this chapter under “One”; see also
feel like a million
in Chapter 4.]
First, Second, Third . . .
The ordinal numbers,
first, second,
and so on, are commonly used in idioms. Idioms with
first
and
second
are most frequently used.
First
The word
first
in idioms generally refers to either the beginning or the first one.
First Things First
These expressions refer to the first or initial thing:
at first
initially, before something changed. This expression is almost always followed or preceded by a clause beginning with
but, however, although,
and so on. ♦ At first
we thought he had the flu, but it was a more serious virus.
♦
I was really nervous around horses
at first,
but now I love them and I ride everyday.
first things first
a saying that means to take care of the important things first before doing other things; to do things in a logical sequence ♦
We’ll read a bedtime story, but
first things first.
Go brush your teeth.
♦
I want to get a car, but
first things first.
I need a driver’s license.
first come, first served
a saying that means whoever arrives first will get the first choice or service. Often said to mean “I advise you to come early.” ♦
There is no reserve seating for this event. So if you want a good seat, it’s
first come, first served.
Primarily, Most Important
These expressions are used to introduce the first or primary item of discussion. The idiom
first and foremost
means the primary and most important thing.
first off
♦ First off,
let me thank everyone for joining our forum tonight.
first of all
♦ First of all,
we’ll discuss your grades and then your attendance problem.
first and foremost
♦ First and foremost,
your job is to help customers.
[See
first base
in Chapter 8; see also
firsthand
in Chapter 13.]
Second
Idioms using
second
can be about good things . . . or not-so-good things.
When Second Is Very Good
second to none
the best, not second best; means “nothing is better” ♦
Her artistry is
second to none.
She’s the best choreographer of this era.
♦
We want our product to be
second to none.
second nature
a skill, behavior, or habit that seems innate because one has practiced for a long time or has a natural talent for it ♦
Snowboarding is
second nature
to Dana. She’s been doing it since she was four years old.
♦
Managing all the kids in the classroom is just
second nature
to an experienced teacher.
second wind
a second burst of energy or renewed ability to finish a task or effort; generally put as
get a second wind
♦
I was getting tired, but then I got a
second wind
and stayed up until midnight.
♦
The team was playing badly, but they got their
second wind
and scored a goal.
When Second Is Not Very Good
second rate
of poor quality, less than satisfactory ♦
I never do business with that
second-rate
operation.
♦
Don’t buy that brand. It’s really
second rate.
Note:
This idiom doesn’t mean the same thing as
second best,
which is often a compliment meaning literally the second in quality or skill, right after the first or best: “Out of a thousand competitors, he was
second best.
”
second-class citizen
a member of society who is treated as an inferior, and often denied full rights and privileges ♦
When I arrived in Utah with my Southern accent, I was treated like a
second-class citizen. ♦
Women in many parts of the world are fighting to change laws and social attitudes that treat them as
second-class citizens.
play second fiddle
to accept a less important or a subordinate role to someone. Alludes to the position of second violin in an orchestra. ♦
Being the eldest child in the family, Tom wasn’t used to
playing second fiddle
to anyone.
♦
It’s hard to
play second fiddle
to someone who is less competent than you are.
Second Thoughts
The following expressions are used when people change their decision about something or have a different idea after their initial idea:
have second thoughts
have doubts about a prior decision ♦
I’m
having second thoughts
about buying that used car.
♦
After her first year in college, she started
having second thoughts
about whether she belonged in school.
