[do the trick] <v. phr.>, <informal> To bring success in doing something; have a desired result. * /Jim was not passing in English, but he studied harder and that did the trick./ * /The car wheels slipped on the ice, so Tom put sand under them, which did the trick./ Compare: TURN THE TRICK.

[do things by halves] <v. phr.> To do things in a careless and incomplete way. * /When he reads a book he always does it by halves; he seldom finishes it./

[do time] or [doing time] See: DO A STRETCH.

[do to death] <v. phr.> To overdo; do something so often that it becomes extremely boring or tiresome. * /The typical car chase scene in motion pictures has been done to death./

[dot the i's and cross the t's] <v. phr.> To be careful, thorough, and pay close attention to detail. * /"The best way to get an A on the final exam," the teacher said, "is for every one to dot the i's and cross the t's."/ Compare: MIND ONE'S P'S AND Q'S.

[double back] <v.> 1. To turn back on one's way or course. * /The escaped prisoner doubled back on his tracks./ 2. To fold over; usually in the middle. * /The teacher told Johnny to double back the sheet of paper and tear it in half./

[double check] <n.> A careful second check to be sure that something is right; a careful look for errors. * /The policeman made a double check on the doors in the shopping area./

[double-check] <v.> 1. To do a double check on; look at again very carefully. * /When the last typing of his book was finished, the author double-checked it./ 2. To make a double check; look carefully at something. * /The proofreader double-checks against errors./

[double-cross] <v.> To promise one thing and deliver another; to deceive. * /The lawyer double-crossed the inventor by manufacturing the gadget instead of fulfilling his promise to arrange a patent for his client./ Compare: SELL DOWN THE RIVER, TWO-TIME.

[double date] <n.>, <informal> A date on which two couples go together. * /John and Nancy went with Mary and Bill on a double date./

[double-date] <v.>, <informal> To go on a double date; date with another couple. * /John and Nancy and Mary and Bill double-date./

[double duty] <n.> Two uses or jobs; two purposes or duties. * /Matthew does double duty. He's the janitor in the morning and gardener in the afternoon./ * /Our new washer does double duty; it washes the clothes and also dries them./

[double-header] <n.> Two games or contests played one right after the other, between the same two teams or two different pairs of teams. * /The Yankees and the Dodgers played a double-header Sunday afternoon./ * /We went to a basketball double-header at Madison Square Garden and saw Seton Hall play St. John's and N.Y.U. play Notre Dame./

[double nickel] <adv.>, <slang>, <citizen's band radio jargon> The nationally enforced speed limit on some highways - 55 MPH. * /We'd better go double nickel on this stretch, partner; there's a bear in the air./

[double-park] <v.> To park a car beside another car which is at the curb. * /Jimmy's father double-parked his car and the police gave him a ticket./ * /If you double-park, you block other cars from passing./

[double-talk] <n.> 1. Something said that is worded, either on purpose or by accident, so that it may be understood in two or more different ways. * /The politician avoided the question with double-talk./ 2. Something said that does not make sense; mixed up talk or writing; nonsense. * /The man's explanation of the new tax bill was just a lot of double-talk./

[double up] <v.> 1. To bend far over forward. * /Jim was hit by the baseball and doubled up with pain./ 2. To share a room, bed, or home with another. * /When relatives came for a visit, Ann had to double up with her sister./

[doubt] See: GIVE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT, NO DOUBT.

[do up] <v.> 1a. To clean and prepare for use or wear; launder. * /Ann asked her mother to do up her dress./ 1b. To put in order; straighten up; clean. * /At camp the girls have to do up their own cabins./ 2. To tie up or wrap. * /Joan asked the clerk to do up her purchases./ 3a. To set and fasten (hair) in place. * /Grace helped her sister to do up her hair./ Compare: PUT UP. 3b. <informal> To dress or clothe. * /Suzie was done up in her fine new skirt and blouse./

[do up brown] <v. phr.>, <slang> To do in a thorough or complete way. * /When Jim does a job, he does it up brown./

[do well by] <v. phr.> To benefit; help; treat exceptionally well. * /In his will Grandpa did well by all of his grandchildren and left each of them one million dollars./

[do with] <v.> 1. To find enough for one's needs; manage. - Usually follows "can". * /Some children can do with very little spending money./ Compare: GET ALONG, MAKE DO. 2. To make use of; find useful or helpful. - Follows "can" or "could". * /After a hard day's work, a man can do with a good, hot meal./ * /After cleaning out the basement, the boy could do with a bath./

[do without] or [go without] <v.> 1. To live or work without (something you want); manage without. * /Ann said that she likes candy, but can do without it./ * /We had to go without hot food because the stove was broken./ 2. To live or work without something you want; manage. * /If George cannot earn money for a bicycle, he will have to do without./ Compare: GET ALONG, GET BY.

[down and out] <adj. phr.> Without money; without a job or home; broke. * /Poor Sam lost his job after his wife had left him; he is really down and out./

[down-and-outer] <n. phr.> A person who has lost everything and is penniless. * /Joe goes from shelter to shelter asking for food and a place to sleep; he's become a regular down-and-outer./

[down-at-heel] or [down-at-the-heel] or [down-at-the-heels] <adj.> Poorly kept up or dressed shabby; not neat; sloppy. * /John is always down-at-the-heels, but his sister is always very neat./ * /Old houses sometimes look down-at-the-heel./

[down east] or [Down East] <n.> The northeast coastal part of the United States and part of Canada; especially: the coastal parts of Maine. * /Many people in Boston like to go down east for their summer vacation./ Compare: I WOULDN'T DO IT FOR A FARM DOWN EAST.

[down in the dumps] or [down in the mouth] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Sad or discouraged; gloomy; dejected. * /The boys were certainly down in the dumps when they heard that their team had lost./

[down on] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Having a grudge against; angry at. * /John is down on his teacher because she gave him a low grade./

[down one's alley] or [up one's alley] <adj. phr.>, <slang> Suited to your tastes and abilities; what you like or like to do. * /Baseball is right down Jim's alley./ Compare: CUP OF TEA.

[down one's neck] See: BREATHE DOWN ONE'S NECK.

[down one's nose] See: LOOK DOWN ONE'S NOSE.

[down one's throat] See: JUMP DOWN ONE'S THROAT, SHOVE DOWN ONE'S THROAT or RAM DOWN ONE'S THROAT.

[down on one's luck] <adj.>, <informal> Having bad luck; having much trouble; not successful in life. * /Harry asked me to lend him ten dollars, because he was down on his luck./ * /The teacher is easy on Jane because Jane has been down on her luck lately./ Compare: HARD ROW TO HOE, HARD SLEDDING, ON ONE'S UPPERS.

[down payment] <n.> A retainer paid to a prospective seller. * /How much of a down payment do you require for this new car?/

[down the drain] <adj.> or <adv. phr.>, <informal> Wasted; lost. * /It is money down the drain if you spend it all on candy./ * /Our plans to go swimming went down the drain when it rained./ Compare: GO BY THE BOARD.

[down the hatch!] <v. phr.>, <informal> Let us drink! * /When we celebrated Mom's birthday, we all raised our glasses and cried in unison, "Down the hatch!"/

[down the line] <adv. phr.>, <informal> 1. Down the road or street; straight ahead. * /The church is down the line a few blocks./ 2. All the way; completely; thoroughly. * /Bob always follows the teacher's directions right down the line./

[down-to-earth] <adj.> Showing good sense; practical. * /The committee's first plan for the party was too fancy, but the second was more down-to-earth./ * /Mr. Jenkins never seems to know what is happening around him, but his wife is friendly and down-to-earth./ Compare: COME BACK TO EARTH.

[down to the wire] <adj.>, <slang> 1. Running out of time, nearing a deadline. * /Bob is down to the wire on his project./ 2. Being financially almost broke, being very low on cash or other funds. * /We can't afford going to a restaurant tonight - we're really down to the wire!/

[down with a disease] <adj. phr.> Ill or sick. * /Aunt Liz is down with the flu this week; she has to stay in bed./

[dozen] See: BY THE DOZEN, DAILY DOZEN, DIME A DOZEN, SIX OF ONE AND HALF-A-DOZEN OF THE OTHER.

[drag in] <v.> To insist on bringing (another subject) into a discussion; begin talking about (something different.) * /No matter what we talk about, Jim drags in politics./ * /Whenever anyone mentions travel, Grace has to drag in the trip to Mexico she took ten years ago./

[drag on] or [drag out] <v.> 1. To pass very slowly. * /The cold winter months dragged on until we thought spring would never come./ 2. To prolong; make longer. * /The meeting would have been over quickly if the members had not dragged out the argument about dues./

[drag on the market] <n. phr.> An article for which the demand has fallen off thus causing an oversupply. * /Your type of word processor went out of style and is now a drag on the market./

[drag oneself up by one's boot straps] See: PULL ONESELF UP BY THE BOOT STRAPS.

[drag one's feet] or [drag one's heels] <v. phr.> To act slowly or reluctantly. * /The children wanted to watch television, and dragged their feet when their mother told them to go to bed./ * /The city employees said the mayor had promised to raise their pay, but was now dragging his feet./

[drag out] See: DRAG ON.

[drag race] <n.>, <slang> An automobile race in which the drivers try to cover a certain distance (usually one quarter mile) in the shortest possible time. * /Drag races are often held on airport landing strips./ * /Holding drag races is a good way to stop teenage hot rod racing on public highways./ Compare: DRAG STRIP.

[drag strip] <n.>, <slang> A place where drag races are held. * /Before the race Paul loaded his racer onto the trailer to take it out of town to the drag strip for the race./ Compare: DRAG RACE.

[drain] See: DOWN THE DRAIN.

[draw] See: BEAT TO THE PUNCH or BEAT TO THE DRAW.

[draw a bead on] <v. phr.> <informal> 1. To aim at; sight (with a gun). * /The deer bounded into the forest before the hunters could draw a bead on them./ * /John drew a bead on the elk, but didn't have the heart to pull the trigger./ 2. To take (something) as an aim or goal. * /"I'm drawing a bead on the Literary Society president's office," said Tom./ 3. To use as a target of attack; criticize. * /Whenever a politician makes a mistake, his opponents are ready to draw a bead on him./

[draw a blank] <v. phr.>, <informal> 1. To obtain nothing in return for an effort made or to get a negative result. * /I looked up all the Joneses in the telephone book but I drew a blank every time I asked for Archibald Jones./ 2. To fail to remember something. * /I am trying to think of the name but I keep drawing a blank./ 3. To be consistently unsuccessful at doing something. * /I keep trying to pass that math exam but each time I try it I draw a blank./

[draw a conclusion] <v. phr.> To make an inference. * /After he failed to keep an appointment with me for the third time, I drew the conclusion that he was an unreliable person./

[draw a line] or [draw the line] <v. phr.> 1. To think of as different. * /The law in this country draws a line between murder and manslaughter./ * /Can you draw the line between a lie and a fib?/ 2. To set a limit to what will be done; say something cannot be done. * /We would like to invite everybody to our party, but we have to draw a line somewhere./ - Often used with "at". * /Mrs. Jones draws the line at permitting the children to play in their father's den./ * /People fighting for their freedom often do not draw the line at murder./

[draw a long breath] or [take a long breath] <v. phr.> To breathe deeply when getting ready to speak or act. * /Father asked who broke the window. Jim drew a long breath and admitted that he had done it./ * /The salesman took a long breath and started his talk./

[draw a parallel] <v. phr.> To make a comparison. * /It is easy to draw a parallel between the characters of Saint Francis of Assisi and Great Saint Theresa of Aquila, but this doesn't mean that all saints are alike./

[draw and quarter] <v. phr.>, <literary> 1. To execute someone in the barbaric medieval fashion of having him torn into four pieces by four horses tearing his body in four different directions. * /The captured foreign marauders were drawn and quartered by the angry citizens of ancient Frankfurt./ 2. To punish someone very severely. * /"If you miss another homework assignment, John," the teacher said, "I'll have you drawn and quartered."/

[draw aside] <v. phr.> To separate; take to one side. * /He drew her aside and whispered into her ear, "Johanna, please marry me!"/

[draw back] <v.> To move back; back away; step backward; withdraw; move away from. * /When the man spotted the rattlesnake, he drew back and aimed his shotgun./ * /The children drew back from the dog when it barked at them./ * /When the pitcher drew back his arm to pitch the ball, Tom ran as fast as he could to steal second base./ * /Some juice from the grapefruit that Father was eating squirted in his eye and he drew back in surprise./ Compare: DROP BACK.

[drawback] <n.> Disadvantage; obstacle; hindrance. * /The biggest drawback of Bill's plan is the cost involved./

[draw blood] <v. phr.>, <informal> To make someone feel hurt or angry. * /If you want to draw blood, ask Jim about his last money-making scheme./ * /Her sarcastic comments drew blood./

[drawer] See: TOP-DRAWER.

[draw fire] <v. phr.> 1. To attract or provoke shooting; be a target. * /The general's white horse drew the enemy's fire./ 2. To bring criticism or argument; make people say bad things about you. * /Having the newest car in your group is sure to draw fire./

[drawing card] <n.> The most important figure in a multi-person event; the top entertainer during a show; the best professor or researcher at a university, etc. * /During the concert series Barbra Streisand was the biggest drawing card./ * /The biggest drawing card at many a university is the resident Nobel Laureate./

[draw in one's horns] See: PULL IN ONE'S HORNS.

[draw interest] <v. phr.> To earn interest on invested capital. * /My savings account draws 4.5% interest./

[draw lots] <v. phr.> To select at random from a series in order to determine precedents or apportionment. * /The refugees to be evacuated drew lots on who would get a place on the first airplane out of the besieged city./

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