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[absentia] See: IN ABSENTIA.
[Acapulco gold] <n., slang> Marijuana of an exceptionally high quality. * /Jack doesn't just smoke pot, he smokes Acapulco gold./
[accord] See: OF ONE'S OWN ACCORD or OF ONE'S OWN FREE WILL.
[according as] <conj.> 1. Depending on which; whichever. * /You may take an oral or written exam according as you prefer./ 1. Depending on whether; if. * /We will play golf or stay home according as the weather is good or bad./
[according to] <prep.> 1. So as to match or agree with; so as to be alike in. * /Many words are pronounced according to the spelling but some are not./ * /The boys were placed in three groups according to height./ 2. On the word or authority of. * /According to the Bible, Adam was the first man./
[according to one's own lights] <adv. phr.> In accordance with one's conscience or inclinations. * /Citizens should vote according to their own lights./
[account] See: CALL TO ACCOUNT, CHARGE ACCOUNT, LEAVE OUT OF ACCOUNT, ON ACCOUNT, ON ACCOUNT OF, ON ONE'S ACCOUNT, ON ONE'S OWN ACCOUNT, SAVINGS ACCOUNT, TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.
[ace] See: WITHIN AN ACE OF.
[ace in the hole] <n. phr.> 1. An ace given to a player face down so that other players in a card game cannot see it. * /When the cowboy bet all his money in the poker game he did not know that the gambler had an ace in the hole and would win it from him./ 2. <informal> Someone or something important that is kept as a surprise until the right time so as to bring victory or success. * /The football team has a new play that they are keeping as an ace in the hole for the big game./ * /The lawyer's ace in the hole was a secret witness who saw the accident./ Compare: CARD UP ONE'S SLEEVE.
[Achilles' heel] <n. phr.>, <literary> A physical or psychological weakness named after the Greek hero Achilles who was invulnerable except for a spot on his heel. * /John's Achilles' heel is his lack of talent with numbers and math./
[acid head] <n.>, <slang> A regular user of LSD on whom the hallucinogenic drug has left a visible effect. * /The reason John acts so funny is that he is a regular acid head./
[acid rock] <n.>, <slang> A characteristic kind of rock in which loudness and beat predominate over melody; especially such music as influenced by drug experiences. * /John is a regular acid rock freak./
[acorn] See: GREAT OAKS PROM LITTLE ACORNS GROW.
[acoustic perfume] <n.>, <slang> Sound for covering up unwanted noise, such as music over loudspeakers in a noisy construction area. * /Let's get out of here - this acoustic perfume is too much for my ears./
[acquire a taste for] <v. phr.> To become fond of something; get to like something. * /Jack acquired a taste for ripe cheeses when he went to France./
[across the board] <adv. phr.> 1. So that equal amounts of money are bet on the same horse to win a race, to place second, or third. * /I bet $6 on the white horse across the board./ - Often used with hyphens as an adjective. * /I made an across-the-board bet on the white horse./ 2. <informal> Including everyone or all, so that all are included. * /Thе President wanted taxes lowered across the board./ Often used with hyphens as an adjective. * /Thе workers at the store got an across-the-board pay raise./
[across the tracks] See: THE TRACKS.
[act] See: READ THE RIOT ACT.
[act high and mighty] <v. phr.> To wield power; act overbearingly; order others around; look down on others. * /Paul is an inexperienced teacher and he acts high and mighty with his students./
[actions speak louder than words] What you do shows your character better and is more important than what you say. - A proverb. * /John promised to help me, but he didn't. Actions speak louder than words./ * /Joe is very quiet, but actions speak louder than words. He is the best player on the team./
[act of faith] <n. phr.> An act or a deed that shows unquestioning belief in someone or something. * /It was a real act of faith on Mary's part to entrust her jewelry to her younger sister's care./
[act of God] <n.> An occurrence (usually some sort of catastrophe) for which the people affected are not responsible; said of earthquakes, floods, etc. * /Hurricane Andrew destroyed many houses in Florida, but some types of insurance did not compensate the victims, claiming that the hurricane was an act of God./ See: FICKLE FINGER OF FATE.
[act one's age] or [be one's age] <v. phr.> To do the things that people expect someone of your age to do, not act as if you were much younger than you are. * /Mr. O'Brien was playing tag with the children at the party. Then Mrs. O'Brien said, "Henry! Act your age!" and he stopped./
[actor] See: BAD ACTOR.
[act out] <v.> 1. To show an idea, story, or happening by your looks, talk, and movements. * /He tried to act out a story that he had read./ 2. To put into action. * /All his life he tried to act out his beliefs./
[act up] <v.>, <informal> 1. To behave badly; act rudely or impolitely. * /The dog acted up as the postman came to the door./ 2. To work or run poorly (as a after all machine); skip; miss. * /Thе car acted up because the spark plugs were dirty./
[add fuel to the flame] <v. phr.> To make a bad matter worse by adding to its cause; spread trouble, increase anger or other strong feelings by talk or action. * /By criticizing his son's girl, the father added fuel to the flame of his son's love./ * /Bob was angry with Ted and Ted added fuel to the flame by laughing at him./
[add insult to injury] <v. phr.> 1. To hurt someone's feelings after doing him harm. * /He added insult to injury when he called the man a rat after he had already beaten him up./ 2. To make bad trouble worse. * /We started on a picnic, and first it rained, then to add insult to injury, the car broke down./
[addition] See: IN ADDITION.
[address] See: PUBLIC-ADDRESS SYSTEM.
[add the finishing touches] <v. phr.> To complete; finish. * /Mary's first novel promised to be excellent; however, her editor suggested that she should add some finishing touches before accepting it./
[add up] <v.> 1. To come to the correct amount. * /The numbers wouldn't add up./ 2. <informal> To make sense; be understandable. * /His story didn't add up./
[add up to] <v.> 1. To make a total of; amount to. * /The bill added up to $12.95./ 2. <informal> To mean; result in. * /The rain, the mosquitoes, and the heat added up to a spoiled vacation./
[ad lib] <v. phr.> To improvise; interpolate during speech. * /When the actress forgot her lines during the second act, she had to ad lib in order to keep the show going./
[advance] See: IN ADVANCE or IN ADVANCE OF.
[advantage] See: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, TO ADVANTAGE.
[a few] <n.> or <adj.> A small number (of people or things); some. * /The dry weather killed most of Mother's flowers, but a few are left./ * /In the store, Mary saw many pretty rings and bracelets, and she wanted to buy a few of them./ * /After the party, we thought that no one would help clean up, but a few couples did./ * /Alice wanted to read a few pages more before she stopped./ - Usually "a few" is different in meaning from "few", which emphasizes the negative; "a few" means "some", but "few" means "not many". * /We thought no one would come to lunch, but a few came./ * /We thought many people would come to lunch, but few came./ But sometimes "a few" is used with "only", and then it is negative. * /We thought many people would come to lunch, but only a few came./ - Sometimes used like an adverb. * /Three students have no seats; we need a few more chairs./ * /If we can set up chairs faster than people come and sit in them, we will soon be a few ahead./ - Sometimes used with "very" for emphasis. * /Uncle Ralph gave away almost all of his sea shells, but he still had a very few left./ Compare: A LITTLE. Contrast: A LOT, QUITE A FEW.
[affair] See: LOVE AFFAIR.
[afoul of] <prep.> 1. In collision with. * /The boat ran afoul of a buoy./ 2. In or into trouble with. * /The thief ran afoul of the night watchman./ * /Speeders can expect to fall afoul of the law sometimes./
[afraid of one's shadow] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Scared of small or imaginary things; very easily frightened; jumpy; nervous. * /Mrs. Smith won't stay alone in her house at night; she is afraid of her own shadow./ * /Johnny cries whenever he must say hello to an adult; he is afraid of his own shadow./
[a friend in need is a friend indeed] A genuine friend on whom one can always depend. - A proverb; often shortened to "a friend in need..." * /When John's house burned down, his neighbor Jim helped him and his family with shelter, food and clothing. John said, "Jim, a friend in need is a friend indeed - this describes you."/
[after a fashion] <adv. phr.> Not very well or properly; poorly. * /He played tennis after a fashion./ * /The roof kept the rain out after a fashion./ Compare: IN A WAY.
[after all] <adv. phr.> 1. As a change in plans; anyway. - Used with emphasis on "after". * /Bob thought he couldn't go to the party because he had too much homework, but he went after all./ 2. For a good reason that you should remember. - Used with emphasis on "all". * /Why shouldn't Betsy eat the cake? After all, she baked it./
[after a while] <informal> or [in a while] <adv. phr.> Later, at some time in the future; after a time that is not short and not long. * /"Dad, will you help me make this model plane?" "After a while, Jimmy, when I finish reading the newspaper."/ * /The boys gathered some wood, and in a while, a hot fire was burning./ Syn.: BY AND BY. Contrast: RIGHT AWAY.
[after hours] <adv. or adj. phr.> Not during the regular, correct, or usual time; going on or open after the usual hours. * /The store was cleaned and swept out after hours./ * /The children had a secret after hours party when they were supposed to be in bed./
[after one's own heart] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Well liked because of agreeing with your own feelings, interests, and ideas; to your liking-agreeable. Used after "man" or some similar word. * /He likes baseball and good food; he is a man after my own heart./ * /Thanks for agreeing with me about the class party; you're a girl after my own heart./ Compare: SEE EYE TO EYE.
[after the dust clears] or [when the dust settles] <adv. phr.> When a troubling, confusing, or disastrous event is finally over. * /John invited Tim for dinner, but since Tim's father had just died, he replied, "Thanks. I'd like to come after the dust settles."/
[again] See: COME AGAIN, EVERY NOW AND THEN or EVERY NOW AND AGAIN, NOW AND THEN or NOW AND AGAIN, OFF AGAIN, ON AGAIN or ON AGAIN, OFF AGAIN, SOMETHING ELSE AGAIN, THEN AGAIN, TIME AND AGAIN, YOU SAID IT or YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN.
[against it] See: UP AGAINST IT.
[against the clock] See: AGAINST TIME.
[against the current] or [against the stream] See: SWIM AGAINST THE CURRENT.
[against the grain] <adv. phr.> 1. Across rather than with the direction of the fibers (as of wood or meat). * /He sandpapered the wood against the grain./ 2. So as to annoy or trouble, or to cause anger or dislike. - Usually follows "go". * /His coarse and rude ways went against the grain with me./ * /It went against the grain with him to have to listen to her gossip./ Compare: RUB THE WRONG WAY.
[against time] or [against the clock] <adv. phr.> 1. As a test of speed or time; in order to beat a speed record or time limit. * /John ran around the track against time, because there was no one else to race against./ 2. As fast as possible; so as to do or finish something before a certain time. * /It was a race against the clock whether the doctor would get to the accident soon enough to save the injured man./ 3. So as to cause delay by using up time. * /The outlaw talked against time with the sheriff, hoping that his gang would come and rescue him./
[age] See: ACT ONE'S AGE or BE ONE'S AGE, DOG'S AGE or COON'S AGE, LEGAL AGE or LAWFUL AGE, OF AGE, OVER AGE, UNDER AGE.
[agent] See: FREE AGENT.
[Agent Orange] <n.> A herbicide used as a defoliant during the Vietnam War, considered by some to cause birth defects and cancer, hence, by extension, an instance of "technological progress pollution". * /If things continue as they have, we'll all be eating some Agent Orange with our meals./
[ago] See: WHILE AGO.
[agree with] <v.> To have a good effect on, suit. * /The meat loaf did not agree with him./ * /The warm, sunny climate agreed with him, and he soon grew strong and healthy./
[ahead] See: DEAD AHEAD, GET AHEAD.
[ahead of] <prep.> 1. In a position of advantage or power over. * /He studies all the time, because he wants to stay ahead of his classmates./ 2. In front of; before. * /The troop leader walked a few feet ahead of the boys./ 3. Earlier than; previous to, before. * /Betty finished her test ahead of the others./
[ahead of the game] <adv. or adj. phr.>, <informal> 1. In a position of advantage; winning (as in a game or contest); ahead (as by making money or profit); making it easier to win or succeed. * /The time you spend studying when you are in school will put you ahead of the game in college./ * /After Tom sold his papers, he was $5 ahead of the game./ 2. Early; too soon; beforehand. * /When Ralph came to school an hour early, the janitor said, "You're ahead of the game."/ * /John studies his lessons only one day early; if he gets too far ahead of the game, he forgets what he read./
[ahead of time] <adv. phr.> Before the expected time; early. * /The bus came ahead of time, and Mary was not ready./ * /The new building was finished ahead of time./ Contrast: BEHIND TIME.
[a hell of] a [or one hell of a] <adj. or adv. phr.>, <informal> Extraordinary; very. * /He made a hell of a shot during the basketball game./ * /Max said seven months was a hell of a time to have to wait for a simple visa./ * /The fall Max took left one hell of a bruise on his knee./
[aim] See: TAKE AIM.
[air] See: BUILD CASTLES IN THE AIR, CLEAR THE AIR, GIVE ONESELF AIRS, GET THE AIR at GET THE BOUNCE(1), GIVE THE AIR at GIVE THE BOUNCE(1), IN THE AIR, INTO THIN AIR, LEAVE HANGING or LEAVE HANGING IN THE AIR, ON THE AIR, OUT OF THIN AIR, UP IN THE AIR, WALK ON AIR.
[airbus] n. A trade name, also used informally for a wide-bodied airplane used chiefly as a domestic passenger carrier. * /Airbuses don't fly overseas, but mainly from coast to coast./
[air one's dirty linen in public] or [wash one's dirty linen in public] <v. phr.> To talk about your private quarrels or disgraces where others can hear; make public something embarrassing that should be kept secret. * /Everyone in the school knew that the superintendent and the principal were angry with each other because they aired their dirty linen in public./ * /No one knew that the boys' mother was a drug addict, because the family did not wash its dirty linen in public./
[airquake] <n.> An explosive noise of undetermined origin usually heard in coastal communities and appearing to come from some higher point in elevation. * /What was that awful noise just now? - I guess it must have been an airquake./
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