[clam up] <v.>, <slang> To refuse to say anything more; stop talking. * /The suspect clammed up, and the police could get no more information out of him./

[class] See: HIGH-CLASS, SECOND CLASS.

[clay] See: FEET OF CLAY.

[clay pigeon] <n.>, <slang>, <informal> 1. A popular target at practice shooting made of clay and roughly resembling a pigeon; an easy target that doesn't move. * /All he can shoot is a clay pigeon./ 2. A person who, like a clay pigeon in target practice, is immobilized or is in a sensitive position and is therefore easily criticized or otherwise victimized. * /Poor Joe is a clay pigeon./ 3. A task easily accomplished like shooting an immobile clay pigeon. * /The math exam was a clay pigeon./

[clean] See: COME CLEAN, KEEP ONE'S NOSE CLEAN, MAKE A CLEAN BREAST OF, NEW BROOM SWEEPS CLEAN, TAKE TO ONE'S HEELS, also SHOW A CLEAN PAIR OF HEELS.

[clean bill of health] <n. phr.> 1. A certificate that a person or animal has no infectious disease. * /The government doctor gave Jones a clean bill of health when he entered the country./ 2. <informal> A report that a person is free of guilt or fault. * /The stranger was suspected in the bank robbery, but the police gave him a clean bill of health./

[clean break] <n. phr.> A complete separation. * /Tom made a clean break with his former girlfriends before marrying Pamela./

[cleaners] See: TO TAKE TO THE CLEANERS.

[clean hands] <n. phr.>, <slang> Freedom from guilt or dishonesty; innocence. * /John grew up in a bad neighborhood, but he grew up with clean hands./ * /There was much proof against Bill, but he swore he had clean hands./

[clean out] <v.> 1. <slang> To take everything from; empty; strip. * /George's friends cleaned him out when they were playing cards last night./ * /The sudden demand for paper plates soon cleaned out the stores./ 2. <informal> To get rid of; remove; dismiss. * /The new mayor promised to clean the crooks out of the city government./

[clean slate] <n. phr.> A record of nothing but good conduct, without any errors or bad deeds; past acts that are all good without any bad ones. * /Johnny was sent to the principal for whispering. He had a clean slate so the principal did not punish him./ * /Mary stayed after school for a week, and after that the teacher let her off with a clean slate./ Compare: TURN OVER A NEW LEAF.

[clean sweep] <n. phr.> A complete victory. * /Our candidate for the United States Senate made a clean sweep over his opponent./

[clean up] <v. phr.> 1. To wash and make oneself presentable. * /After quitting for the day in the garage, Tim decided to clean up and put on a clean shirt./ 2. To finish; terminate. * /The secretary promised her boss to clean up all the unfinished work before leaving on her Florida vacation./ 3. <informal> To make a large profit. * /The clever investors cleaned up on the stock market last week./

[clean-up] <n.> 1. An act of removing all the dirt from a given set of objects. * /What this filthy room needs is an honest clean-up./ 2. The elimination of pockets of resistance during warfare or a police raid. * /The FBI conducted a clean-up against the drug pushers in our district./

[clear] See: COAST IS CLEAR, IN THE CLEAR, OUT OF THE BLUE or OUT OF A CLEAR SKY or OUT OF A CLEAR BLUE SKY, SEE ONE'S WAY CLEAR, STEER CLEAR OF.

[clear-cut] <adj.> Definite; well defined. * /The president's new policy of aggressive action is a clear-cut departure from his old methods of unilateral appeasement./

[clear-eyed] <adj.> Understanding problems or events clearly; being able to tell very well the results of a way of acting. * /Tom is very clear-eyed. He knows he doesn't have much chance of winning the race, but he will try his best./ * /He is a clear-eyed and independent commentator on the news./

[clear one's name] <v. phr.> To prove someone is innocent of a crime or misdeed of which he has been accused. * /The falsely accused rapist has been trying in vain to clear his name./

[clear out] <v.> 1. To take everything out of; empty. * /When Bill was moved to another class he cleared out his desk./ 2. <informal> To leave suddenly; go away; depart. * /The cop told the boys to clear out./ * /Bob cleared out without paying his room rent./ * /Clear out of here! You're bothering me./ Compare: BEAT IT.

[clear the air] <v. phr.> To remove angry feelings, misunderstanding, or confusion. * /The President's statement that he would run for office again cleared the air of rumors and guessing./ * /When Bill was angry at Bob, Bob made a joke, and it cleared the air between them./

[clear the decks] <v. phr.> To put everything in readiness for a major activity; to eliminate unessentials. * /The governor urged the State Assembly to clear the decks of all but the most pressing issues to vote on./

[clear up] <v.> 1. To make plain or clear; explain; solve. * /The teacher cleared up the harder parts of the story./ * /Maybe we can clear up your problem./ 2. To become clear. * /The weather cleared up after the storm./ 3. To cure. * /The pills cleared up his stomach trouble./ 4. To put back into a normal, proper, or healthy state. * /The doctor can give you something to clear up your skin./ * /Susan cleared up the room./ 5. To become cured. * /This skin trouble will clear up in a day or two./

[clerk] See: ROOM CLERK or DESK CLERK.

[cliffdweller] <n.>, <slang>, <informal> A city person who lives on a very high floor in an apartment building. * /Joe and Nancy have become cliffdwellers - they moved up to the 30th floor./

[clifihanger] <n.>, <informal> A sports event or a movie in which the outcome is uncertain to the very end keeping the spectators in great suspense and excitement. * /Did you see "The Fugitive"? It's a regular cliffhanger./

[climb] See: SOCIAL CLIMBER.

[climb on the bandwagon] See: ON THE BANDWAGON.

[climb the wall] <v. phr.>, <slang>, <informal> 1. To react to a challenging situation with too great an emotional response, frustration, tension, and anxiety. * /By the time I got the letter that I was hired, I was ready to climb the wall./ 2. To be so disinterested or bored as to be most anxious to get away at any cost. * /If the chairman doesn't stop talking, I'll climb the wall./

[clinging vine] <n.> A very dependent woman; a woman who needs much love and encouragement from a man. * /Mary is a clinging vine; she cannot do anything without her husband./

[cling to one's mother's apron strings] See: TIED TO ONE'S MOTHER'S APRON STRINGS.

[clip joint] <n.>, <slang> A low-class night club or other business where people are cheated. * /The man got drunk and lost all his money in a clip joint./ * /The angry woman said the store was a clip joint./

[clip one's wings] <v. phr.> To limit or hold you back, bring you under control; prevent your success. * /When the new president tried to become dictator, the generals soon clipped his wings./ * /Jim was spending too much time on dates when he needed to study so his father stopped his allowance; that clipped his wings./

[cloak-and-dagger] <adj.> Of or about spies and secret agents. * /It was a cloak-and-dagger story about some spies who tried to steal atomic secrets./ * /The book was written by a retired colonel who used to take part in cloak-and-dagger plots./ (From the wearing of cloaks and daggers by people in old adventure stories.) Compare: BLOOD AND THUNDER.

[clock] See: AGAINST TIME or AGAINST THE CLOCK, AROUND THE CLOCK or THE CLOCK AROUND, PUT BACK THE CLOCK or TURN BACK THE CLOCK, GO LIKE CLOCKWORK or GO OFF LIKE CLOCKWORK, TURN THE CLOCK BACK.

[clock watcher] <n. phr.>, <informal> A worker who always quits at once when it is time; a man who is in a hurry to leave his job. * /When Ted got his first job, his father told him to work hard and not be a clock watcher./

[close at hand] <adj. phr.> Handy; close by; within one's range. * /My calendar isn't close at hand, so I can't tell you whether we can come next week or not./ * /I always keep my pencils and erasers close at hand when I work on a draft proposal./

[close call] or [shave] <n. phr.> A narrow escape. * /That sure was a close call when that truck came near us from the right!/ * /When Tim fell off his bicycle in front of a bus, it was a very close shave./

[closed book] <n.> A secret; something not known or understood. * /The man's early life is a closed book./ * /For Mary, science is a closed book./ * /The history of the town is a closed book./

[closed-door] <adj.> Away from the public; in private or in secret; limited to a few. * /The officers of the club held a closed-door meeting./ * /The committee decided on a closed-door rule for the investigation./ Compare: IN PRIVATE.

[close down] or [shut down] <v.> To stop all working, as in a factory; stop work entirely; also: to stop operations in. * /The factory closed down for Christmas./ * /The company shut down the condom plant for Easter./

[closed shop] <n. phr.> 1. A plant or factory that employs only union workers. * /Our firm has been fighting the closed shop policy for many years now./ 2. A profession or line of work dominated by followers of a certain mode of thinking and behaving that does not tolerate differing views or ideas. * /Certain groups of psychologists, historians, and linguists often behave with a closed-shop mentality./ Contrast: OPEN SHOP.

[close in] <v.> To come in nearer from all sides. * /We wanted the boat to reach shore before the fog closed in./ - Often used with "on". * /The troops were closing in on the enemy.

[close its doors] <v. phr.> 1. To keep someone or something from entering or joining; become closed. * /The club has closed its doors to new members./ 2. To fail as a business; go bankrupt. * /The fire was so damaging that the store had to close its doors./ * /Business was so poor that we had to close our doors after six months./ Compare: CLOSE THE DOOR. Contrast: OPEN ITS DOORS.

[close-knit] <adj.> Closely joined together by ties of love, friendship, or common interest; close. * /The Joneses are a close-knit family./ * /The three boys are always together. They form a very close-knit group./

[close one's eyes] or [shut one's eyes] <v. phr.> To refuse to see or think about. * /The park is beautiful if you shut your eyes to the litter./ * /The ice was very thin, but the boys shut their eyes to the danger and went skating./ Compare: OPEN ONE'S EYES.

[dose out] <v.> To sell the whole of; end (a business or a business operation) by selling all the goods; also, to sell your stock and stop doing business. * /The store closed out its stock of garden supplies./ * /Mr. Jones closed out his grocery./ * /Mr. Randall was losing money in his shoe store, so he decided to close out./

[close quarters] <n. phr.> Limited, cramped space. * /With seven boy scouts in a tent, they were living in very close quarters./

[close ranks] <v. phr.> 1. To come close together in a line especially for fighting. * /The soldiers closed ranks and kept the enemy away from the bridge./ 2. To stop quarreling and work together; unite and fight together. * /The Democrats and Republicans closed ranks to win the war./ * /The leader asked the people to close ranks and plan a new school./

[close shave] See: CLOSE CALL.

[closet] See: SKELETON IN THE CLOSET.

[close the books] <v. phr.> To stop taking orders; end a bookkeeping period. * /The tickets were all sold, so the manager said to close the books./ * /The department store closes its books on the 25th of each month./

[close the door] or [bar the door] or [shut the door] <v. phr.> To prevent any more action or talk about a subject. * /The President's veto closed the door to any new attempt to pass the bill./ * /Joan was much hurt by what Mary said, and she closed the door on Mary's attempt to apologize./ * /After John makes up his mind, he closes the door to any more arguments./ Contrast: OPEN THE DOOR.

[close to home] <adv. phr.> Too near to someone's personal feelings, wishes, or interests. * /When John made fun of Bob's way of walking, he struck close to home./ * /When the preacher spoke about prejudice, some people felt he had come too close to home./

[close-up] <n.> A photograph, motion picture, or video camera shot taken at very close range. * /Directors of movies frequently show close-ups of the main characters./

[close up shop] <v. phr.> 1. To shut a store at the end of a day's business, also, to end a business. * /The grocer closes up shop at 5 o'clock./ * /After 15 years in business at the same spot, the garage closed up shop./ 2. <informal> To stop some activity; finish what you are doing. * /After camping out for two weeks, the scouts took down their tents and closed up shop./ * /The committee finished its business and closed up shop./ Compare: CALL IT A DAY.

[clothes] See: BEST BIB AND TUCKER or SUNDAY-GO-TO-MEETING CLOTHES.

[clothing] See: WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING.

[cloud] See: EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING, IN THE CLOUDS, ON CLOUD NINE, UNDER A CLOUD.

[clover] See: FOUR-LEAF CLOVER, IN CLOVER or IN THE CLOVER.

[club] See: CHRISTMAS CLUB.

[cluck and grunt] <n.>, <slang>, <avoid it in restaurants> The familiar restaurant dish of ham and eggs; since ham is made of pork (and pigs grunt) and eggs come from hens (which cluck.) * /"I am sorry I can't fix you an elaborate meal, but I can give you a quick cluck and grunt."/

[clutch] See: RIDE THE BRAKE.

[coal] See: CARRY COALS TO NEWCASTLE, HAUL OVER THE COALS or RAKE OVER THE COALS, HEAP COALS OF FIRE ON ONE'S HEAD.

[coast is clear] No enemy or danger is in sight; there is no one to see you. * /When the teacher had disappeared around the corner, John said, "Come on, the coast is clear."/ * /The men knew when the night watchman would pass. When he had gone, and the coast was clear, they robbed the safe./ * /When Father stopped the car at the stop sign, Mother said, "The coast is clear on this side."/

[coat tail] See: ON ONE'S COAT TAILS.

[cock] See: GO OFF HALF-COCKED also GO OFF AT HALF COCK.

[cock-and-bull story] <n. phr.> An exaggerated or unbelievable story. * /"Stop feeding me such cock-and-bull stories," the detective said to the suspect./

[cockeyed] <adj.> Drunk; intoxicated. * /Frank has been drinking all day and, when we met, he was so cockeyed he forgot his own address./

[cocksure] <adj.> Overconfident; very sure. * /Paul was cocksure that it wasn 't going to snow, but it snowed so much that we had to dig our way out of the house./

[C.O.D.] <n. phr.> Abbreviation of "cash on delivery." * /If you want to receive a piece of merchandise by mail and pay when you receive it, you place a C.O.D. order./

[coffee break] <n.> A short recess or time out from work in which to rest and drink coffee. * /The girls in the office take a coffee break in the middle of the morning and the afternoon./

[coffee hour] <n.> A time for coffee or other refreshments after a meeting; a time to meet people and have refreshments. * /After the business meeting we had a coffee hour./ * /The Joneses had a coffee hour so their visitor could meet their neighbors./

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