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[at the seams] See: BURST AT THE SEAMS.
[at the table] or [at table] <adv. phr.> At a meal; at the dinner table. * /The telephone call came while they were all at table./
[at the tip of one's tongue] or [on the tip of one's tongue] <adv. phr.> <informal> 1. Almost spoken; at the point of being said. * /It was at the tip of my tongue to tell him, when the phone rang./ * /John had a rude answer on the tip of his tongue, but he remembered his manners just in time./ 2. Almost remembered; at the point where one can almost say it but cannot because it is forgotten. * /I have his name on the tip of my tongue./
[at the top of one's voice] or [at the top of one's lungs] <adv. phr.> As loud as you can; with the greatest possible sound; very loudly. * /He was singing at the top of his voice./ * /He shouted at the top of his lungs./
[at this rate] or [at that rate] <adv. phr.> At a speed like this or that; with progress like this or that. * /John's father said that if John kept going at that rate he would never finish cutting the grass./ * /So Johnny has a whole dollar! At this rate he'll be a millionaire./ * /"Three 100's in the last four tests! At this rate you'll soon be teaching the subject," Tom said to Mary./
[at times] <adv. phr.> Not often; not regularly; not every day; not every week; occasionally; sometimes. * /At times Tom's mother lets him hold the baby./ * /You can certainly be exasperating, at times!/ * /We have pie for dinner at times./ Syn.: FROM TIME TO TIME, NOW AND THEN, ONCE IN A WHILE.
[at will] <adv. phr.> As you like; as you please or choose freely. * /Little Bobby is allowed to wander at will in the neighborhood./ * /With an air conditioner you can enjoy comfortable temperatures at will./
[at wits end] See: AT ONE'S WIT'S END.
[at work] <adj, phr.> Busy at a job; doing work. * /The teacher was soon hard at work correcting that day's test./ * /Jim is at work on his car./
[at worst] or [at the worst] <adv. phr.> 1. Under the worst conditions; as the worst possibility. * /When Don was caught cheating in the examination he thought that at worst he would get a scolding./ Compare: AT MOST. Contrast AT BEST. 2. In the least favorable view, to say the worst about a thing. * /The treasurer had certainly not stolen any of the club's money; at worst, he had forgotten to write down some of the things he had spent money for./
[aught] See: FOR AUGHT at FOR ALL(2), FOR ALL ONE KNOWS.
[Aunt Tom] <n.>, <slang>, <originally from Black English> A successful professional or business woman who, due to her success in a masculine profession, doesn't care about the women's liberation movement or the passing of the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. * /Hermione is a regular Aunt Tom, she'll never vote for the ERA./
[avail] See: TO NO AVAIL or OF NO AVAIL.
[average] See: ON AN AVERAGE or ON THE AVERAGE, LAW OF AVERAGES.
[awe] See: STAND IN AWE OF.
[awkward age] <n.> Adolescence; awkwardness during adolescence. * /Sue used to be an "ugly duckling" when she was at the awkward age, but today she is a glamorous fashion model./
[AWOL] See: ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE.
[ax to grind] <n. phr.>, <informal> Something to gain for yourself: a selfish reason. * /In praising movies for classroom use he has an ax to grind; he sells motion picture equipment./ * /When Charles told the teacher he saw Arthur copying his homework from Jim, he had an ax to grind; Arthur would not let Charles copy from him./
B
[babe in the woods] <n. phr.> A person who is inexperienced or innocent in certain things. * /He is a good driver, but as a mechanic he is just a babe in the woods./ Compare: OVER ONE'S HEAD, BEYOND ONE'S DEPTH.
[baby] See: WAR BABY.
[baby boom] <n.> A sudden increase in the birth rate. * /The universities were filled to capacity due to the baby boom that followed World War II./
[baby grand] <n.> A small grand piano no longer than three feet, maximally four feet. * /This apartment can't take a regular grand piano, so we'll have to buy a baby grand./
[baby kisser] <n.>, <slang> A person campaigning for votes in his quest for elected political office; such persons often kiss little children in public. * /Nixon was a baby kisser when he ran for Vice President with Eisenhower./
[back] See: BACK OF or IN BACK OF, BEHIND ONE'S BACK, BRUSH BACK, COME BACK, CUT BACK, DOUBLE BACK, DRAW BACK, DROP BACK. EYES IN THE BACK OF ONE'S HEAD, FADE BACK, FALL BACK, FALL BACK ON, FLANKER BACK. FROM WAY BACK, GET BACK AT, GET ONE'S BACK UP, GIVE THE SHIRT OFF ONE'S BACK, GO BACK ON, HANG BACK, HARK BACK, HOLD BACK, LIKE WATER OFF A DUCK'S BACK, LOOK BACK, OFF ONE'S BACK, ON ONE'S BACK, PAT ON THE BACK, PIGGY-BACK, PIN ONE'S EARS BACK, PUT BACK THE CLOCK or TURN BACK THE CLOCK, PUT ONE'S BACK TO IT, SCRATCH ONE'S BACK, SET BACK, SET BACK ON ONE'S HEELS, SIT BACK, STAB IN THE BACK, TAKE A BACK SEAT, TAKE BACK, TALK BACK also ANSWER BACK, TURN ONE'S BACK ON, WEIGHT OF THE WORLD ON ONE'S SHOULDERS or WORLD ON ONE'S BACK, WHILE BACK.
[back and forth] <adv.> Backwards and forwards. * /The chair is rocking hack and forth./ * /The tiger is pacing hack and forth in his cage./ Compare: TO AND FRO.
[back away] <v.> To act to avoid or lessen one's involvement in something; draw or turn back; retreat. * The townspeople backed away from the building plan when they found out how much it would cost.
[back door] <n.>, <slang>, <citizen's band radio jargon> Rear of vehicle. * /I am watching your back door./
[back down] or [back off] <v.>, <informal> To give up a claim; not follow up a threat. * /Bill said he could beat Ted, but when Ted put up his fists Bill backed down./ * /Harry claimed Joe had taken his book, but backed down when the teacher talked with him./ Syn.: BEAT A RETREAT. Compare: BACK OUT, GIVE IN, GO BACK ON(1).
[back in circulation] <adv. phr.> 1. Socially active once again (said about people); back on the dating circuit after a divorce or a romantic breakup. * /Now that Sully is divorced from Jim she is hack in circulation./ 2. Once again available to the public (said about types of paper money, rare coins, or other commercially available goods). * /In the USA the two-dollar hill was back in circulation for a short time only in the 1950s and 1960s./
[back number] <n.> Something out of fashion, or out of date. * /Among today's young people a waltz like "The Blue Danube" is a hack number./
[backfire] <v.> To misfire; to have a reverse effect from what was intended. * /Mimi's gossip about the Head of the Department backfired wizen people began to mistrust her./
[backhanded compliment] <n. phr.> A remark that sounds like a compliment but is said sarcastically. * /"Not had for a girl" the coach said, offering a backhanded compliment./
[back of] or [in back of] <prep.> 1. In or at the rear of; to the back of; behind. * /The garage is hack of the house./ * /Our car was in hack of theirs at the traffic light./ 2. <informal> Being a cause or reason for; causing. * /Hard work was back of his success./ * /The principal tried to find out what was back of the trouble on the bus./ 3. <informal> In support or encouragement of; helping, clones will be elected because many powerful men are back of him. * /Get in back of your team by cheering them at the game./
[back out] <v. phr.> 1. To move backwards out of a place or enclosure. * /Bob slowly backed his car out of the garage./ 2. To withdraw from an activity one has promised to carry out. * /Jim tried to back out of the engagement with Jane, but she insisted that they get married./ Compare: BEG OFF, GO BACK ON.
[back seat] See: TAKE A BACK SEAT.
[backseat driver] <n.>, <informal> A bossy person in a car who always tells the driver what to do. * /The man who drove the car became angry with the back seat driver./
[back street] <n.> A street not near the main streets or from which it is hard to get to a main street. * /We got lost in the back streets going through the city and it took us a half hour to find our way again./ Compare: SIDE STREET.
[back talk] <n.> A sassy, impudent reply. * /Such back talk will get you nowhere, young man!/ See: TALK BACK.
[back the wrong horse] <v. phr.> To support a loser. * /In voting for George Bush, voters in 1992 were backing the wrong horse./
[back-to-back] <adv.> 1. Immediately following. * /The health clinic had back-to-back appointments for the new students during the first week of school./ 2. Very close to, as if touching. * /Sardines are always packed in the can back-to-back./ * /The bus was so full that people had to stand back-to-back./
[back to the salt mines] <informal> Back to the job; back to work; back to work that is as hard or as unpleasant as working in a salt mine would be. - An overworked phrase, used humorously. * /The lunch hour is over, boys. Back to the salt mines!/ * /"Vacation is over," said Billy. "Back to the salt mines."/
[back to the wall] or [back against the wall] <adv. phr.> In a trap, with no way to escape; in bad trouble. * /The soldiers had their backs to the wall./ * /He was in debt and could not get any help; his back was against the wall./ * /The team had their backs to the wall in the second half./ Compare: BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA, LAST DITCH, ON THE SPOT, UP AGAINST IT.
[back up] <v.> 1. To move backwards. * /The train was backing up./ 2. To help or be ready to help; stay behind to help; agree with and speak in support of. * /Jim has joined the Boy Scouts and his father is backing him up./ * /The principal backs up the faculty./ * /Jim told us what had happened and Bob backed him up./ Compare: BACK OF(3), STAND BY(4). 3. To move behind (another fielder) in order to catch the ball if he misses it. * /The shortstop backed up the second baseman on the throw./
[backward] See: BEND OVER BACKWARD or LEAN OVER BACKWARD; FALL OVER BACKWARDS or FALL OVER ONESELF.
[backward and forward] or [backwards and forwards] <adv. phr.> To the full extent; in all details; thoroughly; completely. * /He understood automobile engines backwards and forwards./ * /He knew basketball rules backwards and forwards./ * /I explained matters to him so that he understood backwards and forwards how it was./
[bacon] See: BRING HOME THE BACON.
[bad] See: GO FROM BAD TO WORSE, IN A BAD WAY, IN BAD, IN ONE'S BAD GRACES, LEAVE A BAD TASTE IN ONE'S MOUTH, NOT BAD or NOT SO BAD or NOT HALF BAD, ON ONE'S BAD SIDE, TOO BAD, WITH BAD GRACE.
[bad actor] <n.>, <informal> A person or animal that is always fighting, quarreling, or doing bad things. * /The boy was a bad actor and nobody liked him./
[bad blood] <n.>, <informal> Anger or misgivings due to bad relations in the past between individuals or groups. * /There's a lot of bad blood between Max and Jack; I bet they'll never talk to each other again./ Compare: BAD SHIT.
[bad egg] <n.>, <slang> A ne'er-do-well; good-for nothing; a habitual offender. * /The judge sent the bad egg to prison at last./ Contrast: GOOD EGG.
[bad mouth (someone)] <v.>, <slang> To say uncomplimentary or libelous things about someone; deliberately to damage another's reputation. * /It's not nice to had mouth people./
[bad news] <n.>, <slang> An event, thing, or person which is disagreeable or an unpleasant surprise. * /What's the new professor like? - He's all bad news to me./
[bad paper] <n.>, <slang> 1. A check for which there are no funds in the bank. 2. Counterfeit paper money. * /Why are you so mad? - I was paid with some bad paper./
[bad shit] <n.>, <vulgar>, <avoidable> An unpleasant event or situation, such as a long lasting and unsettled quarrel or recurring acts of vengeance preventing two people or two groups from reaching any kind of reconciliation. * /There is so much had shit between the two gangs that I bet there will he more killings this year./ Compare: BAD BLOOD.
[bad trip] <n.>, <slang>, <also used colloquially> A disturbing or frightening experience, such as terrifying hallucinations, while under the influence of drugs; hence, by colloquial extension any bad experience in general. * /Why's John's face so distorted? - He had a bad trip./ * /How was your math exam? - Don't mention it; it was a bad trip./
[bag] See: GRAB BAG, IN THE BAG, LEAVE HOLDING THE BAG, LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG.
[bag and baggage] <adv.>, <informal> With all your clothes and other personal belongings, especially movable possessions; completely. * /If they don't pay their hotel bill they will be put out bag and baggage./
[baggage] See: BAG AND BAGGAGE.
[bail] See: JUMP BAIL or SKIP BAIL.
[bail out(1)] <v.> 1. To secure release from prison until trial by leaving or promising money or property for a while. * /When college students got into trouble with the police, the college president would always bail them out./ 2. <informal> To free from trouble by giving or lending money. * /He started a small business, which prospered after his father had to bail him out a couple of times./
[bail out(2)] <v.> To jump from an airplane and drop with a parachute. * /When the second engine failed, the pilot told everyone to bail out./
[bail out(3)] <v.> To dip water from a filling or leaking boat; throw water out of a boat to prevent its sinking. * /Both men were kept busy bailing out the rowboat after it began to leak./
[bait] See: FISH OR CUT BAIT.
[bake] See: HALF-BAKED.
[baker's dozen] <n.>, <informal> Thirteen. * /"How many of the jelly doughnuts, Sir? " the salesclerk asked. "Oh, make it a baker's dozen."/
[balance] See: HANG IN THE BALANCE, OFF BALANCE.
[ball] See: BASE ON BALLS, CARRY THE BALL, FLY BALL, FOUL BALL, GET THE BALL ROLLING, SET THE BALL ROLLING, START THE BALL ROLLING, GOPHER BALL, GROUND BALL, HAVE A HALL, HAVE SOMETHING ON THE BALL, JUMP BALL, KEEP THE BALL. ROLLING, LONG BALL, ON THE BALL, PASSED BALL, PLAY BALL.
[ball game] <n.>, <slang>, also <informal> The entire matter at hand; the whole situation; the entire contest. * /You said we can get a second mortgage for the house?! Wow! That's a whole new ball game./
[ball of fire] <n.>, <informal> A person with great energy and ability; a person who can do something very well. * /He did poorly in school but as a salesman he is a ball of fire./ * /The new shortstop is a good fielder but certainly no ball of fire in batting./ Compare: HOT NUMBER, HOT ONE.
[balloon] See: TRIAL BALLOON, LEAD BALLOON.
[ballot stuffing] See: STUFF THE BALLOT BOX.
[ball up] <v.>, <slang> To make a mess of; confuse. * /Don't ball me up./ * /Hal balled up the business with his errors./ - Often used in the passive. * /He was so balled up that he did not know if he was coming or going./ Compare: MIXED UP.
[baloney] <n.>, <informal> Nonsense, unbelievable, trite, or trivial. * /John brags that he's won the $10 million lottery, and I think it's just a lot of baloney./ * /"Will you marry Joe?" mother asked. "Baloney," Susie answered with a disgusted look./ * /Do you still believe all that baloney about socialism excluding free enterprise? Look at China and Hungary./
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