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./

[banana oil]{n.}, {slang} Flattery that is an obvious exaggeration; statements that are obviously made with an ulterior motive. •/Cut out the banana oil; flattery will get you nowhere!/

[band] See: BEAT THE BAND.

[bandbox] See: LOOK AS IF ONE HAS COME OUT OF A BANDBOX.

[band together]{v. phr.} To join a group to exert united force. •/The inhabitants of the ecologically threatened area banded together to stop the company from building new smokestacks./

[bandwagon] See: JUMP ON THE BANDWAGON.

[bandy about]{v. phr.} To spread rumors or whisper secrets. •/The news of Jim and Mary’s divorce was bandied about until everyone at the office had heard it./

[bang up]{adj.}, {informal} Very successful; very good; splendid; excellent. •/The football coach has done a bang-up job this season./ •/John did a bang-up job painting the house./ Syn.: FIRST-CLASS.

[bank] See: PIGGY BANK.

[bank on]{v.}, {informal} To depend on; put one’s trust in; rely on. •/He knew he could bank on public indignation to change things, if he could once prove the dirty work./ •/The students were banking on the team to do its best in the championship game./ Syn.: COUNT ON.

[bar] See: BEHIND BARS, PARALLEL BARS.

[bargain] See: DRIVE A BARGAIN, IN THE BARGAIN or INTO THE BARGAIN.

[bargain for] or [bargain on] {v.} To be ready for; expect. •/When John started a fight with the smaller boy he got more than he bargained for./ •/The final cost of building the house was much more than they had bargained on./ Compare: COUNT ON.

[barge in]{v. phr.}, {informal} To appear uninvited at someone’s house or apartment, or to interrupt a conversation. •/I’m sorry for barging in like that, Sir, but my car died on me and there is no pay phone anywhere./ •/I’m sorry for barging in while you two are having a discussion, but could you please tell me where the nearest exit is?/

[bark up the wrong tree]{v. phr.}, {informal} To choose the wrong person to deal with or the wrong course of action; mistake an aim. •/If he thinks he can fool me, he is barking up the wrong tree./ •/He is barking up the wrong tree when he blames his troubles on bad luck./ •/The police were looking for a tall thin man, but were barking up the wrong tree; the thief was short and fat./

[bark worse than one’s bite]{informal} Sound or speech more frightening or worse than your actions. •/The small dog barks savagely, but his bark is worse than his bite./ •/The boss sometimes talks roughly to the men, but they know that his bark is worse than his bite./ •/She was always scolding her children, but they knew her bark was worse than her bite./

[barn] See: LOCK THE BARN DOOR AFTER THE HORSE IS STOLEN.

[barrel] See: OVER A BARREL also OVER THE BARREL, SCRAPE THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL.

[barrelhead] See: CASH ON THE BARREL-HEAD.

[bar the door] See: CLOSE THE DOOR.

[base] See: FIRST BASE, GET TO FIRST BASE or REACH FIRST BASE, LOAD THE BASES or FILL THE BASES, OFF BASE, SECOND BASE, STOLEN BASE, THIRD BASE.

[base on balls]{n.} First base given to a baseball batter who is pitched four balls outside of the strike zone. •/He was a good judge of pitchers and often received bases on balls./

[basket] See: PUT ALL ONE’S EGGS IN ONE BASKET.

[basket case]{n.}, {slang}, {also informal} 1. A person who has had both arms and both legs cut off as a result of war or other misfortune. 2. A helpless person who is unable to take care of himself, as if carted around in a basket by others. •/Stop drinking, or else you’ll wind up a basket case!/

[bat] See: AT BAT, GO TO BAT FOR, RIGHT AWAY or RIGHT OFF also RIGHT OFF THE BAT.

[bat an eye] or [bat an eyelash] {v. phr.}, {informal} To show surprise, fear, or interest; show your feelings. — Used in negative sentences. •/When I told him the price of the car he never batted an eye./ •/Bill told his story without batting an eyelash, although not a word of it was true./ Compare: STRAIGHT FACE.

[bath] See: SPONGE BATH, THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH.

[bats in one’s belfry] or [bats in the belfry] {n. phr.}, {slang} Wild ideas in his mind; disordered senses; great mental confusion. •/When he talked about going to the moon he was thought to have bats in his belfry./

[bat the breeze] See: SHOOT THE BREEZE.

[batting average]{n. phr.} Degree of accomplishment (originally used as a baseball term). •/Dr. Grace has a great batting average with her heart transplant operations./

[battle] See: HALF THE BATTLE.

[battle of nerves]{n. phr.} A contest of wills during which the parties do not fight physically but try to wear each other out. •/It has been a regular battle of nerves to get the new program accepted at the local state university./ See: WAR OF NERVES.

[bawl out]{v.}, {informal} To reprove in a loud or rough voice; rebuke sharply; scold. •/The teacher bawled us out for not handing in our homework./ Compare: HAUL OVER THE COALS, LIGHT INTO, TELL A THING OR TWO.

[bay] See: AT BAY, BRING TO BAY.

[be] See: LET BE, TO-BE.

[beach] See: NOT THE ONLY PEBBLE ON THE BEACH.

[beach bunny]{n.}, {slang} An attractive girl seen on beaches — mostly to show off her figure; one who doesn’t get into the water and swim. •/What kind of a girl is Susie? — She’s a beach bunny; she always comes to the Queen’s Surf on Waikiki but I’ve never seen her swim./

[bead] See: DRAW A BEAD ON.

[be a fly on the wall]{v. phr.} To eavesdrop on a secret conversation. •/How I wish I could be a fly on the wall to hear what my fiance’s parents are saying about me!/

[be a good hand at]{v. phr.} To be talented, gifted, or skilled in some activity. •/Florian is a good hand at both gardening and building./

[beam] See: OFF THE BEAM, ON THE BEAM.

[bean] See: FULL OF BEANS, SPILL THE BEANS, USE ONE’S HEAD or USE ONE’S BEAN.

[be an item]{v. phr.} To be a couple; belong to one another. •/No one is surprised to see them together anymore; if is generally recognized that they are an item./

[be a poor hand at]{v. phr.} To be inept, untalented, or clumsy in some activity. •/Archibald is a poor hand at tennis so no one wants to play with him./ Contrast: BE A GOOD HAND AT.

[be at pains]{v. phr.} To be extremely desirous to do something; to take the trouble to do something. •/The captain was at pains to see that everybody got safely into the lifeboats./

[bear] See: GRIN AND BEAR IT, LOADED FOR BEAR.

[bear a grudge]{v. phr.} To persist in bearing ill feeling toward someone after a quarrel or period of hostility. •/Come on, John, be a good sport and don’t bear a grudge because I beat you at golf./ Contrast: BURY THE HATCHET.

[bear a hand] See: LEND A HAND.

[beard] See: LAUNCH UP ONE’S SLEEVE or LAUGH IN ONE’S SLEEVE or LAUGH IN ONE’S BEARD.

[bear down]{v.} 1. To press or push harder; work hard at; give full strength and attention. •/She is bearing down in her studies to win a scholarship./ •/The baseball pitcher is bearing down./ •/The pitcher bore down on the star batter./ •/Teachers of the deaf bear down on English./ •/The sergeant bears down on lazy soldiers./ Contrast: LET UP(2b). 2. To move toward in an impressive or threatening way. — Often used with "on". •/While he was crossing the street a big truck bore down on him./ •/The little ship tried to escape when the big pirate ship bore down./ •/After the boys threw the snowballs they saw a large lady bearing down upon them from across the street./

[bear down on] or [upon] {v. phr.} To draw constantly nearer with great speed and force. •/The police cars were bearing down on the bank robbers' get-away car./

[bear fruit]{v. phr.} To yield results. •/We hope that the company’s new investment policy will bear fruit./

[bear in mind] See: IN MIND.

[bear in the air] or [bear in the sky] {n. phr.}, {slang}, {citizen’s band radio jargon} A police helicopter flying overhead watching for speeders. •/Slow down, good buddy, there’s a bear in the air./

[bear off the palm] See: CARRY OFF THE PALM.

[bear one’s cross] See: CARRY ONE’S CROSS.

[bear out]{v.} To show to be right; prove; support. •/Modern findings do not bear out the old belief that the earth is flat./ •/Seward’s faith in his purchase of Alaska was borne out, even though it was once called "Seward’s Folly."/

[bear trap]{n.}, {slang}, {citizen’s band radio jargon} A police radar unit designed to catch speeders. •/Watch the bear trap at exit 101./

[bear up]{v.} 1. To hold up; carry; support; encourage. •/The old bridge can hardly bear up its own weight any more./ •/He was borne up by love of country./ 2. To keep up one’s courage or strength; last. — Often used with "under". •/This boat will bear up under hurricane winds./ •/She bore up well at the funeral./ Syn.: STAND UP. Compare: CARRY ON.

[bear watching]{v. phr.} 1. To be worth watching or paying attention to; have a promising future. •/That young ball player will bear watching./ 2. To be dangerous or untrustworthy. •/Those tires look badly worn; they will bear watching./ Compare: KEEP AN EYE ON.

[bear with]{v.}, {formal} To have patience with; not get angry with. •/Your little sister is sick. Try to bear with her when she cries./ •/It is hard to bear with criticism./ Syn.: PUT UP WITH. Compare: CARRY ONE’S CROSS.

[beat] See: HEART SKIP A BEAT, OFF THE BEATEN TRACK.

[beat about the bush] or [beat around the bush] {v. phr.}, {slang} To talk about things without giving a clear answer; avoid the question or the point. •/He would not answer yes or no, but beat about the bush./ •/He beat about the bush for a half hour without coming to the point./ Compare: BESIDE THE POINT. Contrast: COME TO THE POINT.

[beat all] or [beat the Dutch] {v. phr.}, {informal} To be strange or surprising. •/John found a box full of money buried in his garage. Doesn’t that beat all!/ •/It beats the Dutch how Tom always makes a basket./

[beat all hollow] also [beat hollow] {v. phr.}, {slang} To do much better than; to beat very badly. •/We beat their team all hollow./ •/As a speaker, he beats us all hollow./

[beat a retreat]{v. phr.} 1. To give a signal, esp. by beating a drum, to go back. •/The Redcoats' drums were beating a retreat./ 2. To run away. •/They beat a retreat when they saw that they were too few./ •/The cat beat a hasty retreat when he saw the dog coming./ Compare: BACK DOWN, FALL BACK.

[beat around the bush] See: BEAT ABOUT THE BUSH.

[beat down]{v.} 1. To crush or break the spirit of; win over; conquer. •/All their defenses were beaten down by the tanks./ 2. {informal} a. To try to get reduced; force down by discussing. •/Can we beat down the price?/ b. To persuade or force (someone) to accept a lower price or easier payments. •/He tried to beat us down, so we did not sell the house./ 3. To shine brightly or hotly. •/At noon the sun beat down on our heads as we walked home./

[beaten path]{n. phr.} The usual route or way of operating that has been conventionally established, •/If we always follow the beaten path, we’ll never have the courage to try something new./

[beaten track]{n.} See: BEATEN PATH.

[beat hollow] See: BEAT ALL HOLLOW.

[beat into one’s head]{v. phr.}, {informal} To teach by telling again and again; repeat often; drill, also, to be cross and punish often. •/Tom is lazy and stubborn and his lessons have to be beaten into his head./ •/I cannot beat it into his head that he should take off his hat in the house./

[beat it]{v.}, {slang} To go away in a hurry; get out quickly. •/When he heard the crash he beat it as fast as he could./ — Often used as a command. •/The big boy said, "Beat it, kid. We don’t want you with us."/ Compare: CLEAR OUT(2), LIGHT OUT, HEAD FOR THE HILLS.

[beat one to it]{v. phr.} To arrive or get ahead of another person. •/I was about to call you, John, but you have beat me to it! Thanks for calling me./

[beat one’s brains out] or [beat one’s brains] {v. phr.}, {slang} To try very hard to understand or think out something difficult; tire yourself out by thinking. •/It was too hard for him and he beat his brains out trying to get the answer./ •/Some students are lazy, but others beat their brains and succeed./

[beat one’s gums]{v. phr.}, {slang} To engage in idle talk, or meaningless chatter; generally to talk too much. •/"Stop beating your gums, Jack," Joe cried. "I am falling asleep."/ Compare: CHEW THE FAT or CHEW THE RAG, SHOOT THE BREEZE or BAT THE BREEZE or FAN THE BREEZE or SHOOT THE BULL.

[beat one’s head against a wall]{v. phr.} To struggle uselessly against something that can’t be beaten or helped; not succeed after trying very hard. •/Trying to make him change his mind is just beating your head against a wall./

[beat the band]{adv. phr.}, {informal} At great speed; with much noise or commotion. — Used after "to". •/The fire engines were going down the road to beat the band./ •/The audience cheered and stamped and clapped to beat the band./

[beat the bushes] also [beat the brush] {v. phr.}, {informal} To try very hard to find or get something. •/The mayor was beating the bushes for funds to build the playground./ Contrast: BEAT ABOUT THE BUSH or BEAT AROUND THE BUSH.

[beat the drum]{v. phr.} To attract attention in order to advertise something or to promote someone, such as a political candidate. •/Mrs. Smith has been beating the drum in her town in order to get her husband elected mayor./

[beat the gun] See: JUMP THE GUN.

[beat the --- out of] or [lick the --- out of] or [whale the --- out of] {v. phr.}, {informal} To beat hard; give a bad beating to. — Used with several words after "the", as "daylights", "living daylights", "tar". •/The big kid told Charlie that he would beat the daylights out of him if Charlie came in his yard again./

[beat the meat]{v. phr.}, {vulgar}, {avoidable} To masturbate (said primarily of men). •/"So what did you do for sex in prison for seven years?" Joe asked. "Well, unless you want to become gay, you can beat the meat and that’s about it," Max answered./

[beat the pants off]{v. phr.} 1. To prevail over someone in a race or competition. •/Jim beat the pants off George in the swimming race./ 2. To give someone a severe physical beating. •/Jack beat the pants off the two young men who were trying to hold him up in Central Park./

[beat the rap]{v. phr.} To escape the legal penalty one ought to receive. •/In spite of the strong evidence against him, the prisoner beat the rap and went free./

[beat the shit out of]{v. phr.}, {vulgar}, {avoidable} See: KNOCK THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF.

[beat time]{v. phr.} To follow the rhythm of a piece of music by moving one’s fingers or feet. •/Jack was beating time with his foot during the concert, which annoyed his neighbor./

[beat to]{v.}, {informal} To do something before someone else does it. •/I was waiting to buy a ticket but only one ticket was left, and another man beat me to it./ •/We were planning to send a rocket into space but the Russians beat us to it./ Compare: GET THE JUMP ON.

[beat to the punch] or [beat to the draw] {v. phr.}, {slang} To do something before another person has a chance to do it. •/John was going to apply for the job, but Ted beat him to the draw./ •/Lois bought the dress before Mary could beat her to the punch./

[beat up]{v.}, {informal} To give a hard beating to; hit hard and much; thrash; whip. •/When the new boy first came, he had to beat up several neighborhood bullies before they would leave him alone./ — Used with "on" in substandard speech. •/The tough boy said to Bill, "If you come around here again, I’ll beat up on you."/

[beauty sleep]{n.} A nap or rest taken to improve the appearance. •/She took her beauty sleep before the party./ •/Many famous beauties take a beauty sleep every day./

[beaver]{n.}, {slang}, {vulgar}, {avoidable}, {citizen’s band radio jargon} A female, especially one driving along the highway and operating a CB radio. •/I didn’t know there was a beaver aboard that eighteen wheeler./

[because of]{prep.} On account of; by reason of; as a result of. •/The train arrived late because of the snowstorm./

[beck] See: AT ONE’S BECK AND CALL.

[become of]{v. phr.} To happen to; befall. •/What will become of the children, now that both parents are in jail?/

[bed] See: GET UP ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE BED, GO TO BED WITH THE CHICKENS, MAKE ONE’S BED AND LIE IN IT, PUT TO BED.

[bed of nails]{n. phr.} A difficult or unhappy situation or set of circumstances. •/"There are days when my job is a regular bed of nails," Jim groaned./ Contrast: BED OF ROSES.

[bed of roses] or [bowl of cherries] {n. phr.} A pleasant easy place, job, or position; an easy life. •/A coal miner’s job is not a bed of roses./ •/After nine months of school, summer camp seemed a bowl of cherries./ Compare: IN CLOVER, LIFE OF RILEY.

[bed of thorns]{n. phr.} A thoroughly unhappy time or difficult situation. •/I’m sorry I changed jobs; my new one turned out to be a bed of thorns./ See: BED OF NAILS.

[bee] See: BIRDS AND THE BEES.

[beef about]{v. phr.} To complain about something. •/Stop beefing about your job, Jack. You could have done a lot worse!/

[beef up]{v.}, {informal} To make stronger by adding men or equipment; make more powerful; reinforce. •/The general beefed up his army with more big guns and tanks./ •/The university beefed up the football coaching staff by adding several good men./

[bee in one’s bonnet]{n. phr.}, {informal} A fixed idea that seems fanciful, odd, or crazy. •/Robert Fulton had a bee in his bonnet about a steamboat./ •/Grandmother has some bee in her bonnet about going to the dance./

[beeline] See: MAKE A BEELINE FOR.

[be even-Steven]{v. phr.} To be in a position of owing no favors or debt to someone. •/Yesterday you paid for my lunch, so today I paid for yours; now we’re even-Steven./

[before long]{adv. phr.} In a short time; without much delay; in a little while, soon. •/Class will be over before long./ •/We were tired of waiting and hoped the bus would come before long./

[before one can say Jack Robinson]{adv. clause}, {informal} Very quickly; suddenly. — An overused phrase. •/Before I could say Jack Robinson, the boy was gone./ Compare: IN A FLASH, RIGHT AWAY.

[before swine] See: CAST PEARLS BEFORE SWINE or CAST ONE’S PEARLS BEFORE SWINE.

[before you know it]{adv. phr.} Sooner than one would expect. •/Don’t despair; we’ll be finished with this work before you know it!/

[beg] See: BEGGING.

[be game]{v. phr.} To be cooperative, willing, sporting. •/When I asked Charlie to climb Mount McKinley with us, he said he was game if we were./

[beggars can’t be choosers] People who can not choose what they will have, must accept what they get; if you are not in control, you must take what you can gel. •/We wanted to leave on the train in the morning but it doesn’t go until afternoon, so we must go then. Beggars can’t he choosers./ •/Mary got a red dress from her sister, although she didn’t like red. She kept it because she said beggars should not be choosers./ Compare: LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH.

[begin with]{adv. phr.} As a preliminary statement; in the first place. •/To begin with, you are far too young to get married./

[beg off]{v.} To ask to be excused. •/Father told Tom to rake the yard, but Tom tried to beg off./ •/Mrs. Crane accepted an invitation to a luncheon, but a headache made her beg off./ Compare: BACK OUT.

[beg the question]{v. phr.}, {literary} To accept as true something that is still being argued about, before it is proved true; avoid or not answer a question or problem. •/The girls asked Miss Smith if they should wear formal dresses to the party; Miss Smith said they were begging the question because they didn’t know yet if they could get permission for a party./ •/Laura told Tom that he must believe her argument because she was right. Father laughed and told Laura she was begging the question./ Compare: TAKE FOR GRANTED.

[behalf] See: IN BEHALF OF or ON BEHALF OF, IN ONE’S BEHALF or ON ONE’S BEHALF.

[behavior] See: ON ONE’S GOOD BEHAVIOR.

[be hard on]{v. phr.} To be strict or critical with another; be severe. •/"Don’t be so hard on Jimmy," Tom said. "He is bound to rebel as he gets older."/

[behind] See: DRY BEHIND THE EARS, FALL BEHIND, GET BEHIND, HANG BACK or HANG BEHIND.

[behind bars]{adv. phr.} In jail; in prison. •/He was a pickpocket and had spent many years behind bars./ •/That boy is always in trouble and will end up behind bars./

[behind one’s back]{adv. phr.} When one is absent; without one’s knowledge or consent; in a dishonest way; secretly; sneakily. •/Say it to his face, not behind his back./ •/It is not right to criticize a person behind his back./ Contrast: TO ONE’S FACE.

[behind the eight-ball]{adj. phr.}, {slang} In a difficult position; in trouble. •/Mr. Thompson is an older man, and when he lost his job, he found he was behind the eight-ball./ •/Bill can’t dance and has no car, so he is behind the eight-ball with the girls./ Compare: HAVE TWO STRIKES AGAINST ONE(2), IN A HOLE.

[behind the scenes]{adv. phr.} Out of sight; unknown to most people; privately. •/Much of the banquet committee s work was done behind the scenes./ •/John was president of the club, but behind the scenes Lee told him what to do./

[behind the times]{adj. phr.} Using things not in style; still following old ways; old-fashioned. •/Johnson’s store is behind the times./ •/The science books of 30 years ago are behind the times now./ •/Mary thinks her parents are behind the times because they still do the foxtrot and don’t know any new dances./

[behind time]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1a. Behind the correct time; slow. •/That clock is behind time./ 1b. Behind schedule; late. •/The train is running behind time today./ 2. Not keeping up; not at the proper time; overdue. •/Your lessons are good, but why are you behind time?/ •/We are behind time in paying the rent./ Contrast: AHEAD OF TIME, IN TIME, ON TIME.

[be-in]{n.}, {slang}, {hippie culture} A gathering or social occasion with or without a discernible purpose, often held in a public place like a park or under a large circus tent. •/The youngsters really enjoyed the great springtime jazz be-in at the park./

[be in a stew]{v. phr.} To be worried, harassed, upset. •/Al has been in a stew ever since he got word that his sister was going to marry his worst enemy./

[being] See: FOR THE TIME BEING.

[be in labor]{v. phr.} To be in parturition; experience the contractions of childbirth. •/Vane had been in labor for eight hours before her twin daughters were finally born./

[be in someone else’s shoes]{v. phr.} To be in someone else’s situation. •/Fred has had so much trouble recently that we ought to be grateful we’re not in his shoes./

[be into something]{v. phr.}, {informal} To have taken something up partly as a nobby, partly as a serious interest of sorts (basically resulting from the new consciousness and self-realization movement that originated in the late Sixties). •/Roger’s wife is into women’s liberation and women’s consciousness./ •/Did you know that Syd is seriously into transcendental meditation?/ •/Jack found out that his teenage son is into pot smoking and gave him a serious scolding./

[be itching to]{v. phr.} To have a very strong desire to do something. •/Jack is itching to travel abroad./

[be it so] See: SO BE IT.

[belabor the point]{v. phr.} To overexplain something to the point of obviousness, resulting in ridicule. •/"Lest I belabor the point," the teacher said, "I must repeat the importance of teaching good grammar in class."/

[belfry] See: BATS IN ONE’S BELFRY or BATS IN THE BELFRY.

[believe] See: MAKE BELIEVE, SEEING IS BELIEVING.

[believe one’s ears]{v. phr.} 1. To believe what one hears; trust one’s hearing. — Used with a negative or limiter, or in an interrogative or conditional sentence. •/He thought he heard a horn blowing in the distance, but he could not believe his ears./ 2. To be made sure of (something). •/Is he really coming? I can hardly believe my ears./

[believe one’s eyes]{v. phr.} 1. To believe what one sees; trust one’s eyesight. — Used with a negative or limiter or in an interrogative or conditional sentence. •/Is that a plane? Can I believe my eyes?/ 2. To be made sure of seeing something. •/She saw him there but she could hardly believe her eyes./

[bell] See: RING A BELL, WITH BELLS ON.

[bellyache]{v.} To constantly complain. •/Jim is always bellyaching about the amount of work he is required to do./

[belly up]{adj.}, {informal} Dead, bankrupt, or financially ruined. •/Tom and Dick struggled on for months with their tiny computer shop, but last year they went belly up./

[belly up]{v.}, {informal} To go bankrupt, become afunctional; to die. •/Uncompetitive small businesses must eventually all belly up./

[below par]{adj.} or {adv.} Below standard. •/Bob was fired because his work has been below par for several months now./ Contrast: UP TO PAR or UP TO SNUFF.

[below the belt]{adv. phr.} 1. In the stomach; lower than is legal in boxing. •/He struck the other boy below the belt./ 2. {informal} In an unfair or cowardly way; against the rules of sportsmanship or justice; unsportingly; wrongly. •/It was hitting below the belt for Mr. Jones’s rival to tell people about a crime that Mr. Jones committed when he was a young boy./ •/Pete told the students to vote against Harry because Harry was in a wheelchair and couldn’t be a good class president, but the students thought Pete was hitting below the belt./

[belt] See: BELOW THE BELT, SEAT BELT, TIGHTEN ONE’S BELT, UNDER ONE’S BELT.

[belt out]{v.}, {slang} To sing with rough rhythm and strength; shout out. •/She belted out ballads and hillbilly songs one after another all evening./ •/Young people enjoy belting out songs./

[be my guest]{v. phr.} Feel free to use what I have; help yourself. •/When Suzie asked if she could borrow John’s bicycle, John said, "Be my guest."/

[beneath one]{adj. phr.} Below one’s ideals or dignity. •/Bob felt it would have been beneath him to work for such low wages./

[bench] See: ON THE BENCH, WARM THE BENCH.

[bench warmer] See: WARM THE BENCH.

[bend over backward] or [lean over backward] {v. phr.}, {informal} To try so hard to avoid a mistake that you make the opposite mistake instead; do the opposite of something that you know you should not do; do too much to avoid doing the wrong thing; also, make a great effort; try very hard. •/Instead of punishing the boys for breaking a new rule, the principal bent over backward to explain why the rule was important./ •/Mary was afraid the girls at her new school would be stuck up, but they leaned over backward to make her feel at home./ Compare: GO OUT OF ONE’S WAY.

[benefit] See: GIVE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT.

[bent on] or [bent upon] Very decided, determined, or set. •/The sailors were bent on having a good time./ •/The policeman saw some boys near the school after dark and thought they were bent on mischief./ •/The bus was late, and the driver was bent upon reaching the school on time./

[be nuts about]{v. phr.} To be enthusiastic or very keen about someone or something; be greatly infatuated with someone. •/Hermione is nuts about modern music./ •/"I am nuts about you, Helen," Jim said. "Please let’s get married!"/

[be off]{v. phr.} 1. {v.} To be in error; miscalculate. •/The estimator was off by at least 35% on the value of the house./ 2. {v.} To leave. •/Jack ate his supper in a hurry and was off without saying goodbye./ 3. {adj.} Cancelled; terminated. •/The weather was so bad that we were told that the trip was off./ 4. {adj.} Crazy. •/I’m sure Aunt Mathilda is a bit off; no one in her right mind would say such things./ 5. {adj.} Free from work; having vacation time. •/Although we were off for the rest of the day, we couldn’t go to the beach because it started to rain./

[be on]{v. phr.} 1. To be in operation; be in the process of being presented. •/The news is on now on Channel 2; it will be off in five minutes./ 2. To be in the process of happening; to take place. •/We cannot travel now to certain parts of Africa, as there is a civil war on there right now./

[be one’s age] See: ACT ONE’S AGE.

[be oneself]{v.} To act naturally; act normally without trying unduly to impress others. •/Just try being yourself; I promise people will like you more./

[be on the outs with]{v. phr.} To not be on speaking terms with someone; be in disagreement with someone. •/Jane and Tom have been on the outs with one another since Tom started to date another woman./

[be on the rocks] See: ON THE ROCKS, GO ON THE ROCKS.

[be on the verge of]{v. phr.} To be about to do something; be very close to. •/We were on the verge of going bankrupt when, unexpectedly, my wife won the lottery and our business was saved./

[be on the wagon] See: ON THE WAGON, FALL OFF THE WAGON.

[be on to]{v. phr.} To understand the motives of someone; not be deceived. •/Jack keeps telling us how wealthy his family is, but we are on to him./

[be over]{v. phr.} To be ended; be finished. •/The show was over by 11 P.M./ •/The war will soon be over./

[be out]{v. phr.} 1. To not be at home or at one’s place of work. •/I tried to call but they told me that Al was out./ 2. To be unacceptable; not be considered; impossible. •/I suggested that we hire more salespeople but the boss replied that such a move was positively out./ 3. To be poorer by; suffer a loss of. •/Unless more people came to the church picnic, we realized we would be out $500 at least./ 4. To be in circulation, in print, published. •/Jane said that her new novel won’t be out for at least another month./ 5. A baseball term indicating that a player has been declared either unfit to continue or punished by withdrawing him. •/The spectators thought that John was safe at third base, but the umpire said he was out./

[be out to]{v. phr.} To intend to do; to plan to commit. •/The police felt that the gang may be out to rob another store./

[berth] See: GIVE A WIDE BERTH.

[be set on] or [upon] {v. phr.} To be determined about something. •/Tow is set upon leaving his Chicago job for Tokyo, Japan, although he speaks only English./

[beside oneself]{adj. phr.} Very much excited; somewhat crazy. •/She was beside herself with fear./ •/He was beside himself, he was so angry./ •/When his wife heard of his death, she was beside herself./

[beside the point] or [beside the question] {adj.} or {adv. phr.} Off the subject; about something different. •/What you meant to do is beside the point; the fact is you didn’t do it./ •/The judge told the witness that his remarks were beside the point./ Compare: BEAT AROUND THE BUSH, NEITHER HERE NOR THERE.

[best] See: AS BEST ONE CAN, AT BEST, FOR THE BEST, GET THE BETTER OF or GET THE BEST OF, HAD BETTER or HAD BEST, HE LAUGHS BEST WHO LAUGHS LAST, MAKE THE BEST OF, PUT ONE’S BEST FOOT FORWARD, SECOND BEST, TO THE BEST OF ONE’S KNOWLEDGE, WITH THE BEST or WITH THE BEST OF THEM.

[best bib and tucker] or [Sunday best] or [Sunday go-to-meeting clothes] {n. phr.}, {informal} Best clothes or outfit of clothing. •/The cowboy got all dressed up in his best bib and tucker to go to the dance./ •/Mary went to the party in her Sunday best and made a hit with the boys./ Compare: GLAD RAGS.

[best man]{n.} The groom’s aid (usually his best friend or a relative) at a wedding. •/When Agnes and I got married, my brother Gordon was my best man./

[best seller]{n.} An item (primarily said of books) that outsells other items of a similar sort. •/Catherine Neville’s novel "The Eight" has been a national best seller for months./ •/Among imported European cars, the Volkswagen is a best seller./

[bet] See: YOU BET or YOU BET YOUR BOOTS or YOU BET YOUR LIFE.

[be the making of]{v. phr.} To account for the success of someone or something. •/The strict discipline that we had to undergo in graduate school was the making of many a successful professor./ •/The relatively low cost and high gas mileage are the making of Chevrolet’s Geo Metro cars./

[bet one’s boots] or [bet one’s bottom dollar] or [bet one’s shirt] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To bet all you have. •/This horse will win. I would bet my bottom dollar on it./ •/Jim said he would bet his boots that he would pass the examination./ 2. or [bet one’s life]. To feel very sure; have no doubt. •/Was I scared when I saw the bull running at me? You bet your life I was!/

[bet on the wrong horse]{v. phr.}, {informal} To base your plans on a wrong guess about the result of something; misread the future; misjudge a coming event. •/To count on the small family farm as an important thing in the American future now looks like betting on the wrong horse./ •/He expected Bush to be elected President in 1992 but as it happened, he bet on the wrong horse./

[better] See: ALL BETTER, DISCRETION IS THE BETTER PART OF VALOR, FOR BETTER OR WORSE, FOR THE BETTER, GET THE BETTER OF, GO --- ONE BETTER, HAD BETTER, HALF A LOAF IS BETTER THAN NONE or HALF A LOAF IS BETTER THAN NO BREAD, SEE BETTER DAYS, THINK BETTER OF.

[better half]{n.}, {informal} One’s marriage partner (mostly said by men about their wives.) •/"This is my better half, Mary," said Joe./

[better late than never] It is better to come or do something late than never. •/The firemen didn’t arrive at the house until it was half burned, but it was better late than never./ •/Grandfather is learning to drive a car. "Better late than never," he says./ Compare: HALF A LOAF IS BETTER THAN NONE.

[better than]{prep. phr.} More than; greater than; at a greater rate than. •/The car was doing better than eighty miles an hour./ •/It is better than three miles to the station./

[between] See: BETWIXT AND BETWEEN, COME BETWEEN, PEW AND FAR BETWEEN.

[between a rock and a hard place] See: BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA.

[between life and death]{adv. phr.} In danger of dying or being killed; with life or death possible. •/He held on to the mountainside between life and death while his friends went to get help./ •/The little sick girl lay all night between life and death until her fever was gone./

[between the devil and the deep blue sea] or {literary} [between two fires] or [between a rock and a hard place] {adv. phr.} Between two dangers or difficulties, not knowing what to do. •/The pirates had to fight and be killed or give up and be hanged; they were between the devil and the deep blue sea./ •/The boy was between a rock and a hard place; he had to go home and be whipped or stay in town all night and be picked up by the police./ •/When the man’s wife and her mother got together, he was between two fires./ Compare: COMING AND GOING(2), IN A BIND.

[between the eyes] See: HIT BETWEEN THE EYES.

[between the lines] See: READ BETWEEN THE LINES.

[between two fires] See: BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA.

[between two shakes of a lamb’s tail] See: BEFORE ONE CAN SAY JACK ROBINSON.

[be up to no good]{v. phr.}, {informal} To be plotting and conniving to commit some illegal act or crime. •/"Let’s hurry!" Susan said to her husband. "It’s dark here and those hoodlums obviously are up to no good."/

[be up to something]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To feel strong enough or knowledgeable enough to accomplish a certain task. •/Are you up to climbing all the way to the 37th floor?/ •/Are we up to meeting the delegation from Moscow and speaking Russian to them?/ 2. Tendency to do something mischievous. •/I’m afraid Jack is up to one of his old tricks again./

[beyond measure]{adj.} or {adv. phr.}, {formal} So much that it can not be measured or figured without any limits. •/With her parents reunited and present at her graduation, she had happiness beyond measure./ •/No one envied him for he was popular beyond measure./

[beyond one’s depth]{adj.} or {adv. phr.} 1. Over your head in water; in water too deep to touch bottom. •/Jack wasn’t a good swimmer and nearly drowned when he drifted out beyond his depth./ 2. In or into something too difficult for you; beyond your understanding or ability. •/Bill decided that his big brother’s geometry book was beyond his depth./ •/Sam’s father started to explain the atom bomb to Sam but he soon got beyond his depth./ •/When Bill played checkers against the city champion, Bill was beyond his depth./ Compare: OVER ONE’S HEAD(1).

[beyond one’s means]{adj. phr.} Too expensive, not affordable. •/Unfortunately, a new Mercedes Benz is beyond my means right now./

[beyond one’s nose] See: SEE BEYOND ONE’S NOSE.

[beyond question(1)]{adj. phr.} Not in doubt certain; sure. — Used in the predicate. •/People always believe anything that Mark says; his honesty is beyond question./ Contrast: IN QUESTION.

[beyond question(2)] or [without question] {adv. phr.} Without doubt or argument; surely; unquestionably. •/Beyond question, it was the coldest day of the winter./ •/John’s drawing is without question the best in the class./

[beyond reasonable doubt]{adv. phr.}, {formal and legal} Virtually certain; essentially convincing. •/The judge instructed the jurors to come up with a verdict of guilty only if they were convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that Algernon was the perpetrator./

[beyond the pale]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} In disgrace; with no chance of being accepted or respected by others; not approved by the members of a group. •/After the outlaw killed a man he was beyond the pale and not even his old friends would talk to him./ •/Tom’s swearing is beyond the pale; no one invites him to dinner any more./

[beyond the shadow of a doubt]{adv. phr.}, {formal and legal} Absolutely certain, totally convincing. •/Fred burglarized Mrs. Brown’s apartment, beyond the shadow of a doubt./

[bib] See: BEST BIB AND TUCKER.

[bide one’s time]{v. phr.} To await an opportunity; wait patiently until your chance comes. •/Refused work as an actor, Tom turned to other work and bided his time./ •/Jack was hurt deeply, and he bided his time for revenge./

[bid fair]{v.}, {literary} To seem likely; promise. •/He bids fair to be a popular author./ •/The day bids fair to be warm./

[big] See: IN A BIG WAY, LITTLE FROG IN A BIG POND, LITTLE PITCHERS HAVE BIG EARS, TALK BIG, TOO BIG FOR ONE’S BREECHES, WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA.

[big as life] or [large as life] {adj. phr.} 1. or [life-size] The same size as the living person or thing. •/The statue of Jefferson was big as life./ •/The characters on the screen were life-size./ 2. or [big as life and twice as natural] {informal} In person; real and living. •/I had not seen him for years, but there he was, big as life and twice as natural./

[big cheese] or [big gun] or [big shot] or [big wheel] or [big wig] {n.}, {slang} An important person; a leader; a high official; a person of high rank. •/Bill had been a big shot in high school./ •/John wanted to be the big cheese in his club./ Compare: WHOLE CHEESE.

[big daddy]{n.}, {slang}, {informal} The most important, largest thing, person or animal in a congregation of similar persons, animals, or objects. •/The whale is the big daddy of everything that swims in the ocean./ •/The H-bomb is the big daddy of all modern weapons./ •/Al Capone was the big daddy of organized crime in Chicago during Prohibition./

[big deal]{interj.}, {slang}, {informal} (loud stress on the word "deal") Trifles; an unimportant, unimpressive thing or matter. •/So you became college president — big deal!/

[big frog in a small pond]{n. phr.}, {informal} An important person in a small place or position; someone who is respected and honored in a small company, school, or city; a leader in a small group. •/As company president, he had been a big frog in a small pond, but he was not so important as a new congressman in Washington./ Contrast: LITTLE FROG IN A BIG POND.

[bigger than one’s stomach] See: EYES BIGGER THAN ONE’S STOMACH.

[big hand]{n.} Loud and enthusiastic applause. •/When Pavarotti finished singing the aria from Rigoletto, he got a very big hand./

[big head]{n.}, {informal} Too high an opinion of your own ability or importance; conceit. •/When Jack was elected captain of the team, it gave him a big head./ Compare: SWELLED HEAD.

[big house]{n.} A large jail or prison. •/The rapist will spend many years in the big house./

[big lie, the]{n.}, {informal} A major, deliberate misrepresentation of some important issue made on the assumption that a bold, gross lie is psychologically more believable than a timid, minor one. •/We all heard the big lie during the Watergate months./ •/The pretense of democracy by a totalitarian regime is part of the big lie about its government./

[big mouth] or [big-mouthed] See: LOUD MOUTH, LOUD-MOUTHED.

[big shot] or [big wig] {n.} An important or influential person. •/Elmer is a big shot in the State Assembly./

[big stink]{n.}, {slang} A major scandal; a big upheaval. •/I’ll raise a big stink if they fire me./

[big time]{n.}, {informal} 1. A very enjoyable time at a party or other pleasurable gathering. •/I certainly had a big time at the club last night./ 2. The top group; the leading class; the best or most important company. •/After his graduation from college, he soon made the big time in baseball./ •/Many young actors go to Hollywood, but few of them reach the big time./

[big-time]{adj.} Belonging to the top group; of the leading class; important. •/Jean won a talent contest in her home town, and only a year later she began dancing on big-time television./ •/Bob practices boxing in the gym every day; he wants to become a big time boxer./ — Often used in the phrase "big-time operator". •/Just because Bill has a new football uniform he thinks he is a big-time operator./ Compare: SHOW OFF. Contrast: SMALL-TIME.

[big top]{n.} The main tent under which a circus gives its show; the circus and circus life. •/Lillian Leitzel was one of the great stars of the big top./ •/The book tells of life under the big top./

[big wheel]{n.}, {informal} An influential or important person who has the power to do things and has connections in high places. •/Uncle Ferdinand is a big wheel in Washington; maybe he can help you with your problem./

[big yawn]{n.} A very boring person, story or event. •/I love my grandma very much, but the stories she tells sure are a yawn./

[bill] See: CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH, FILL THE BILL.

[bind] See: DUTY BOUND, IN A BIND, MUSCLE BOUND, ROOT-BOUND.

[bingo card]{n.}, {slang} A response card, bound into a periodical, containing numbers keyed to editorial or advertising matter, giving the reader the opportunity to send for further information by marking the numbers of the items he is interested in; such a card can be mailed free of charge. •/Jack thinks he is saving time by filling out bingo cards instead of writing a letter./

[bird] See: EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE WORM or EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM, EAT LIKE A BIRD, FINE FEATHERS DO NOT MAKE FINE BIRDS, FOR THE BIRDS, KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE.

[bird has flown]{slang} The prisoner has escaped; the captive has got away. •/When the sheriff returned to the jail, he discovered that the bird had flown./

[bird in the hand is worth two in the bush (a)] Something we have, or can easily get, is more valuable than something we want that we may not be able to get; we shouldn’t risk losing something sure by trying to get something that is not sure. — A proverb. •/Johnny has a job as a paperboy, but he wants a job in a gas station. His father says that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush./

[bird of a different feather]{n. phr.} A person who is free thinking and independent. •/Syd won’t go along with recent trends in grammar; he created his own. He is a bird of a different feather./

[birds of a feather flock together] People who are alike often become friends or are together; if you are often with certain people, you may be their friends or like them. — A proverb. •/Don’t be friends with bad boys. People think that birds of a feather flock together./

[birds and the bees (the)]{n. phr.}, {informal} The facts we should know about our birth. •/At various ages, in response to questions, a child can be told about the birds and the bees./

[bird watcher]{n.} A person whose hobby is to study birds close-up in their outdoor home. •/A bird watcher looks for the first robin to appear in the spring./

[birthday suit]{n.} The skin with no clothes on; complete nakedness. •/The little boys were swimming in their birthday suits./

[bit] See: A BIT, CHAMP AT THE BIT, FOUR BITS, QUITE A LITTLE or QUITE A BIT, SIX BITS, TAKE THE BIT IN ONE’S MOUTH, TWO BITS.

[bitch] See: SON OF A BITCH.

[bite] See: BARK WORSE THAN ONE’S BITE, PUT THE BITE ON, ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY at BURNT CHILD DREADS THE FIRE.

[bite off more than one can chew]{v. phr.}, {informal} To try to do more than you can; be too confident of your ability. •/He bit off more than he could chew when he agreed to edit the paper alone./ •/He started to repair his car himself, but realized that he had bitten off more than he could chew./

[bite one’s head off]{v. phr.} To answer someone in great anger; answer furiously. •/I’m sorry to tell you that I lost my job, but that’s no reason to bite my head off!/

[bite one’s lips]{v. phr.} To force oneself to remain silent and not to reveal one’s feelings. •/I had to bite my lips when I heard my boss give the wrong orders./

[bite the dust]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To be killed in battle. •/Captain Jones discharged his gun and another guerrilla bit the dust./ 2. To fall in defeat; go down before enemies; be overthrown; lose. •/Our team bit the dust today./

[bite the hand that feeds one]{v. phr.} To turn against or hurt a helper or supporter; repay kindness with wrong. •/He bit the hand that fed him when he complained against his employer./

[bitter] See: TO THE BITTER END.

[bitter pill]{n.} Something hard to accept; disappointment. •/Jack was not invited to the party and it was a bitter pill for him./

[black] See: BLACK AND WHITE, IN THE BLACK, LOOK BLACK, POT CALLS THE KETTLE BLACK.

[black and blue]{adj.} Badly bruised. •/Poor Jim was black and blue after he fell off the apple tree./

[black and white]{n. phr.} 1. Print or writing; words on paper, not spoken; exact written or printed form. •/He insisted on having the agreement down in black and white./ •/Mrs. Jones would not believe the news, so Mr. Jones showed her the article in the newspaper and said, "There it is in black and white."/ 2. The different shades of black and white of a simple picture, rather than other colors. •/He showed us snapshots in black and white./

[black-and-white]{adj.} Divided into only two sides that are either right or wrong or good or bad, with nothing in between; thinking or judging everything as either good or bad. •/Everything is black-and-white to Bill; if you’re not his friend, you are his enemy./ •/The old man’s religion shows his black-and-white thinking; everything is either completely good or completely bad./

[black day]{n.} A day of great unhappiness; a disaster. •/It was a black day when our business venture collapsed./

[black eye]{n.} 1. A dark area around one’s eye due to a hard blow during a fight, such as boxing. •/Mike Tyson sported a black eye after the big fight./ 2. Discredit. •/Bob’s illegal actions will give a black eye to the popular movement he started./

[blackout]{n.} 1. The darkening of a city curing an air raid by pulling down all curtains and putting out all street lights. •/The city of London went through numerous blackouts during World War II./ 2. A cessation of news by the mass media. •/There was a total news blackout about the kidnapping of the prime minister./

[black out]{v.} 1. To darken by putting out or dimming lights, •/In some plays the stage is blacked out for a short time and the actors speak in darkness./ •/In wartime, cities are blacked out to protect against bombing from planes./ 2. To prevent or silence information or communication; refuse to give out truthful news. •/In wartime, governments often black out all news or give out false news./ •/Dictators usually black out all criticism of the government./ •/Some big games are blacked out on television to people who live nearby./ 3. {informal} To lose consciousness; faint. •/It had been a hard and tiring day, and she suddenly blacked out./

[black sheep]{n.} A person in a family or a community considered unsatisfactory or disgraceful. •/My brother Ted is a high school dropout who joined a circus; he is the black sheep in our family./

[blame] See: TO BLAME.

[blank check]{n.} 1. A bank check written to a person who can then write in how much money he wants. •/John’s father sent him a blank check to pay his school bills./ 2. {informal} Permission to another person to do anything he decides to do. •/The teacher gave the pupils a blank check to plan the picnic./

[blanket] See: WET BLANKET.

[blast off]{v.} 1. To begin a rocket flight. •/The astronaut will blast off into orbit at six o’clock./ 2. Also [blast away] {informal} To scold or protest violently. •/The coach blasted off at the team for poor playing./

[blaze a trail]{v. phr.} 1. To cut marks in trees in order to guide other people along a path or trail, especially through a wilderness. •/Daniel Boone blazed a trail for other hunters to follow in Kentucky./ 2. To lead the way; make a discovery; start something new. •/Henry Ford blazed a trail in manufacturing automobiles./ •/The building of rockets blazed a trail to outer space./ See: TRAILBLAZER.

[bleep out] See: BLIP OUT.

[bless one’s heart]{v. phr.} To thank someone; consider one the cause of something good that has happened. •/Aunt Jane, bless her heart, left me half a million dollars!/

[blessing] See: MIXED BLESSING.

[blind] See: FLY BLIND.

[blind alley]{n.} 1. A narrow street that has only one entrance and no exit. •/The blind alley ended in a brick wall./ 2. A way of acting that leads to no good results. •/John did not take the job because it was a blind alley./ •/Tom thought of a way to do the algebra problem, but he found it was a blind alley./

[blind as a bat/beetle/mole/owl]{adj. phr.} Anyone who is blind or has difficulty in seeing; a person with very thick glasses. •/Without my glasses I am blind as a bat./

[blind date]{n.} An engagement or date arranged by friends for people who have not previously known one another. •/A blind date can be a huge success, or a big disappointment./

[blind leading the blind] One or more people who do not know or understand something trying to explain it to others who do not know or understand. •/Jimmy is trying to show Bill how to skate. The blind are leading the blind./

[blind spot]{n.} 1. A place on the road that a driver cannot see in the rearview mirror. •/I couldn’t see that truck behind me, Officer, because it was in my blind spot./ 2. A matter or topic a person refuses to discuss or accept. •/My uncle Ted has a real blind spot about religion./

[blink] See: ON THE BLINK.

[blip out] or [bleep out] {v. phr.}, {informal} To delete electronically a word on television or on radio either because it mentions the name of an established firm in a commercial or because it is a censored word not allowed for television audiences, resulting in a sound resembling the word "bleep." •/What was the old product they compared Spic-n-Span to? — I don’t know; they’ve bleeped it out./

[blitz] See: SAFETY BLITZ.

[block] See: CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK, KNOCK ONE’S BLOCK OFF, ON THE BLOCK.

[blockhead]{n.}, {informal} An unusually dense, or stupid person whose head is therefore exaggeratedly compared to a solid block of wood. •/Joe is such a blockhead that he flunked every course as a freshman./

[blood] See: DRAW BLOOD, FLESH AND BLOOD, IN COLD BLOOD, IN ONE’S BLOOD or INTO ONE’S BLOOD, MAKE ONE’S BLOOD BOIL or MAKE THE BLOOD BOIL, NEW BLOOD, OUT OF ONE’S BLOOD, RUN IN THE BLOOD or RUN IN THE FAMILY, SPORTING BLOOD, SWEAT BLOOD, WARM ONE’S BLOOD.

[blood and thunder]{n. phr.} The violence and bloodshed of stories that present fast action rather than understanding of character. •/Crime movies and westerns usually have lots of blood and thunder./ — Often used like an adjective. •/John likes to watch blood-and-thunder stories on television./

[blood freezes] See: BLOOD RUNS COLD.

[blood is thicker than water] Persons of the same family are closer to one another than to others; relatives are favored or chosen over outsiders. •/Mr. Jones hires his relatives to work in his store. Blood is thicker than water./

[blood runs cold] also [blood freezes] or [blood turns to ice] You are chilled or shivering from great fright or horror; you are terrified or horrified. — Usually used with a possessive. •/The horror movie made the children’s blood run cold./ •/Mary’s blood froze when she had to walk through the cemetery at night./ •/Oscar’s blood turned to ice when he saw the shadow pass by outside the window./ Compare: HAIR STAND ON END, THE CREEPS.

[blood turns to ice] See: BLOOD RUNS COLD.

[bloody] See: SCREAM BLOODY MURDER.

[blot out]{v. phr.} 1. To obstruct; cover; obscure. •/The high-rise building in front of our apartment house blots out the view of the ocean./ 2. To wipe out of one’s memory. •/Jane can’t remember the details when she was attacked in the streets; she blotted it out of her memory./

[blow] See: AT A BLOW, BODY BLOW, COME TO BLOWS, IT’S AN ILL WIND THAT BLOWS NOBODY GOOD, WAY THE WIND BLOWS or HOW THE WIND BLOWS.

[blow a fuse] or [blow a gasket] or [blow one’s top] or [blow one’s stack] {v. phr.}, {slang} To become extremely angry; express rage in hot words. •/When Mr. McCarthy’s son got married against his wishes, he blew a fuse./ •/When the umpire called Joe out at first, Joe blew his top and was sent to the showers./ Syn.: BLOW UP(1b), FLIP ONE’S LID, LOSE ONE’S TEMPER. Compare: BLOW OFF STEAM(2).

[blow great guns] See: GREAT GUNS.

[blow hot and cold]{v. phr.} To change your ways or likes often; be fickle or changeable. •/Tom blows hot and cold about coming out for the baseball team; he cannot decide./ •/Mary blew hot and cold about going to college; every day she changed her mind./ •/The boys will get tired of Ann’s blowing hot and cold./

[blow in]{v.}, {slang} To arrive unexpectedly or in a carefree way. •/The house was already full of guests when Bill blew in./ Compare SHOW UP(3).

[blow into]{v.}, {slang} To arrive at (a place) unexpectedly or in a carefree way. •/Bill blows into college at the last minute after every vacation./ •/Why Tom, when did you blow into town?/

[blow off steam] See: LET OFF STEAM.

[blow one’s brains out]{v. phr.} 1. To shoot yourself in the head. •/Mr. Jones lost all his wealth, so he blew his brains out./ 2. {slang} To work very hard; overwork yourself. •/The boys blew their brains out to get the stage ready for the play./ •/Mary is not one to blow her brains out./ Compare: BREAK ONE’S NECK.

[blow one’s cool]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} To lose your composure or self-control. •/Whatever you say to the judge in court, make sure that you don’t blow your cool./

[blow one’s lines] or [fluff one’s lines] {v. phr.}, {informal} To forget the words you are supposed to speak while acting in a play. •/The noise backstage scared Mary and she blew her lines./

[blow one’s mind]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal}; {originally from the drug culture} 1. To become wildly enthusiastic over something as if understanding it for the first time in an entirely new light. •/Read Lyall Watson’s book "Supernature", it will simply blow your mind!/ 2. To lose one’s ability to function, as if due to an overdose of drugs, •/Joe is entirely incoherent — he seems to have blown his mind./ Contrast: BLOW ONE’S COOL.

[blow one’s own horn] or [toot one’s own horn] {v. phr.}, {slang} To praise yourself; call attention to your own skill, intelligence, or successes; boast. •/People get tired of a man who is always blowing his own horn./ •/A person who does things well does not have to toot his own horn; his abilities will be noticed by others./

[blow one’s top]{v. phr.} To become very excited, angry, hysterical, or furious. •/"No need to blow your top, Al," his wife said, "just because you lost a few dollars."/

[blow out]{v. phr.} 1. To cease to function; fail; explode (said of tires and fuses). •/The accident occurred when Jim’s tire blew out on the highway./ •/The new dishwasher blew out the fuses in the whole house./ 2. To extinguish. •/Jane blew out her birthday cake candles before offering pieces to the guests./

[blowout]{n.} 1. An explosion of a tire or a fuse. •/Jim’s van veered sharply to the right after his car had a blowout./ 2. A big party. •/After graduation from college, my son and his friends staged a huge blowout./

[blow over]{v.} To come to an end; pass away with little or no bad effects. •/The sky was black, as if a bad storm were coming, but it blew over and the sun came out./ •/They were bitter enemies for a while, but the quarrel blew over./ •/He was much criticized for the divorce, but it all blew over after a few years./

[blow taps]{v. phr.} To sound the final bugle call of the evening in a camp or military base. •/After taps is blown the boy scouts go to their bunks to sleep./

[blow the gaff]{v. phr.} To open one’s mouth to reveal a secret. •/When Al cheated on his wife, his younger brother blew the gaff on him./

[blow the lid off]{v. phr.}, {informal} Suddenly to reveal the truth about a matter that has been kept as a secret either by private persons or by some governmental agency. •/The clever journalists blew the lid off the Watergate cover-up./

[blow the whistle on]{v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To inform against; betray. •/The police caught one of the bank robbers, and he blew the whistle on two more./ 2. To act against, stop, or tell people the secrets of (crime or lawlessness). •/The mayor blew the whistle on gambling./ •/The police blew the whistle on hot reading./

[blow up]{v.} 1a. To break or destroy or to be destroyed by explosion. •/He blew up the plane by means of a concealed bomb./ •/The fireworks factory blew up when something went wrong in an electric switch./ 1b. {informal} To explode with anger or strong feeling; lose control of yourself. •/When Father bent the nail for the third time, he blew up./ Compare: BLOW A FUSE. 1c. To stop playing well in a game or contest, usually because you are in danger of losing or are tired; {especially}: To lose skill or control in pitching baseball. •/The champion blew up and lost the tennis match./ •/Our team was behind but the pitcher on the other team blew up and we got the winning runs./ 2. {informal} To be ruined as if by explosion; be ended suddenly. •/The whole scheme for a big party suddenly blew up./ 3a. To pump full of air; inflate. •/He blew his tires up at a filling station./ 3b. To make (something) seem bigger or important. •/It was a small thing to happen but the newspapers had blown it up until it seemed important./ 4. To bring on bad weather; also, to come on as bad weather. •/The wind had blown up a storm./ •/A storm had blown up./ 5. To copy in bigger form; enlarge. •/He blew up the snapshot to a larger size./

[blow up in one’s face]{v. phr.}, {informal} To fail completely and with unexpected force. •/The thief’s plan to rob the bank blew up in his face when a policeman stopped him./

[blue] See: BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA, BOLT FROM THE BLUE, ONCE IN A BLUE MOON, OUT OF THE BLUE or OUT OF A CLEAR BLUE SKY.

[blue around the gills] See: GREEN AROUND THE GILLS.

[blue collar worker]{n. phr.} A manual laborer who is probably a labor union member. •/Because Jack’s father is a blue collar worker, Jack was so anxious to become an intellectual./ Contrast: WHITE COLLAR WORKER.

[blue in the face]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Very angry or upset; excited and very emotional. •/Tom argued with Bill until he was blue in the face./ •/Mary scolded Jane until she was blue in the face, but Jane kept on using Mary’s paints./

[blue Monday]{n.} A Monday when you have to work after a happy weekend. •/It was blue Monday and John nodded sleepily over his books./ •/Housewives sometimes wish they could sleep through blue Monday./

[blue-pencil]{v.} To edit. •/The editor blue-penciled John’s manuscript./

[bluff] See: CALL ONE’S BLUFF.

[blurt out]{v. phr.} To suddenly say something even if one was not planning to do so, or if it was not expected of them. •/"My brother Bob is in jail," Tony blurted out, before anybody could stop him./

[blush] See: AT FIRST BLUSH.

[board] See: ACROSS THE BOARD, COLLEGE BOARDS, GO BY THE BOARD or PASS BY THE BOARD, ON BOARD, SANDWICH BOARD.

[boat] See: BURN ONE’S BRIDGES also BURN ONE’S BOATS, IN THE SAME BOAT, MISS THE BOAT, ROCK THE BOAT.

[bobby-soxer]{n.} A teen-aged girl. (1940s idiom) •/My two daughters, age 13 and 14, are typical bobby-soxers./

[bob up] See: POP UP(1).

[body] See: KEEP BODY AND SOUL TOGETHER.

[body blow]{n.}, {informal} A great disappointment; a bitter failure. •/When he failed to get on the team it came as a body blow to him./

[body English]{n.}, {informal} The wishful attempt to make a ball move in the right direction after it has been hit or let go, by twisting the body in the desired direction. •/He tried to help the putt fall by using body English./

[bog down]{v. phr.} To be immobilized in mud, snow, etc.; slow down. •/Our research got bogged down for a lack of appropriate funding./ •/Don’t get bogged down in too much detail when you write an action story./

[bog down, to get bogged down]{v. phr.}, {mostly intransitive or passive} 1. To stop progressing; to slow to a halt. •/Work on the new building bogged down, because the contractor didn’t deliver the needed concrete blocks./ 2. To become entangled with a variety of obstacles making your efforts unproductive or unsatisfying. •/The novelist wrote tittle last summer because she got bogged down in housework./

[boggle the mind]{v. phr.}, {informal} To stop the rational thinking process by virtue of being too fantastic or incredible. •/It boggles the mind that John should have been inside a flying saucer!/

[boil] See: MAKE ONE’S BLOOD BOIL or MAKE THE BLOOD BOIL.

[boil down]{v.} 1. To boil away some of the water from; make less by boiling. •/She boiled down the maple sap to a thick syrup./ •/The fruit juice boiled down until it was almost not good for jelly./ 2. To reduce the length of; cut down; shorten. •/The reporter boiled the story down to half the original length./ 3. To reduce itself to; come down to; be briefly or basically. •/The whole discussion boils down to the question of whether the government should fix prices./

[boil over]{v. phr.} 1. To rise due to boiling and overflow down the sides of a pan or a pot. •/"Watch out!" Jane cried. "The milk is boiling over on the stove!"/ 2. To become enraged to the point of being unable to contain oneself. •/John took a lot of abuse from his boss, but after 25 minutes he suddenly boiled over and told him what he thought of him./

[boiling point]{n.} 1. The temperature at which a liquid boils. •/The boiling point of water is 272° Fahrenheit./ 2. The time when you become very angry. •/He has a low boiling point./ •/After being teased for a long time, John reached the boiling point./ •/When John made the same mistake for the fourth time, his teacher reached the boiling point.__/ Compare: BLOW UP(1b), MAKE ONE’S BLOOD BOIL.

[bolt from the blue]{n. phr.} Something sudden and unexpected; an event that you did not see coming; a great and usually unpleasant surprise; shock. •/We had been sure she was in Chicago, so her sudden appearance was a bolt from the blue./ •/His decision to resign was a bolt from the blue./ Compare: OUT OF THE BLUE.

[bombshell] See: EXPLODE A BOMBSHELL.

[bond] See: SAVINGS BOND.

[bone] See: BRED IN THE BONE, FEEL IN ONE’S BONES or KNOW IN ONE’S BONES, FUNNY BONE, MAKE NO BONES, SKIN AND BONES, T-BONE STEAK, WORK ONE’S FINGERS TO THE BONE.

[bonehead]{n.}, {slang} An unusually dense or stupid person. •/John is such a bonehead — small wonder he flunks all of his courses./

[bone of contention]{n. phr.} Something to fight over; a reason for quarrels; the subject of a fight. •/The boundary line between the farms was a bone of contention between the two farmers./ •/The use of the car was a bone of contention between Joe and his wife./

[bone to pick] or [crow to pick] {n. phr.}, {informal} A reason for dispute; something to complain of or argue about. — Often used jokingly. •/"I have a bone to pick with you," he said./ •/There was always a crow to pick about which one would shave first in the morning./ Compare: BONE OF CONTENTION.

[bone up]{v.}, {informal} To fill with information; try to learn a lot about something in a short time; study quickly. •/Carl was boning up for an examination./ •/Jim had to make a class report the next day on juvenile delinquency, and he was in the library boning up on how the courts handle it./

[bonnet] See: BEE IN ONE’S BONNET.

[book] See: CLOSED BOOK, CLOSE THE BOOKS, HIT THE BOOKS, KEEP BOOKS, NOSE IN A BOOK, ONE FOR THE BOOKS, READ ONE LIKE A BOOK, TALKING BOOK, THROW THE BOOK AT.

[boom] See: LOWER THE BOOM.

[boot] See: DIE IN ONE’S BOOTS, IN ONE’S SHOES also IN ONE’S BOOTS, LICK ONE’S BOOTS, SHAKE IN ONE’S SHOES or SHAKE IN ONE’S BOOTS, TO BOOT, TOO BIG FOR ONE’S BREECHES or TOO BIG FOR ONE’S BOOTS, YOU BET or YOU BET YOUR BOOTS.

[boot hill]{n.} A cemetery in the old Wild West where cowboys and cops and robbers used to be buried with their boots on. Hence, jokingly, any cemetery. •/Good old Joe, the cowboy, is resting comfortably in the nearby boot hill./

[boot out] See: KICK OUT.

[boot strap] See: PULL ONESELF UP BY THE BOOTSTRAPS.

[border on]{v. phr.} To be adjacent to; come close to; adjoin. •/Our village borders on the Mississippi River./ •/John’s actions border on irresponsibility./

[bore to death] See: TO DEATH.

[bore to tears]{v. phr.} To fill with tired dislike; tire by dullness or the same old thing bore. •/The party was dull and Roger showed plainly that he was bored to tears./ •/Mary loved cooking, but sewing bores her to tears./

[born] See: NATURAL-BORN, TO THE MANNER BORN.

[born out of wedlock]{adj. phr.} Born to parents who are not married to each other; without legal parents. •/Sometimes when a married couple can’t have children, they adopt a child who was born out of wedlock./ •/Today we no longer make fun of children born out of wedlock./

[born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth]{adj. phr.} Born to wealth and comfort; provided from birth with everything wanted; born rich. •/The stranger’s conduct was that of a man who had been born with a silver spoon in his mouth./ Compare: WELL-HEELED.

[born yesterday]{adj. phr.} Inexperienced and easily fooled; not alert to trickery; easily deceived or cheated. — Usually used in negative sentences. •/When Bill started the new job, the other workers teased him a little, but he soon proved to everyone that he wasn’t born yesterday./ •/I won’t give you the money till I see the bicycle you want to sell me. Do you think I was born yesterday?/ Compare: NOBODY’S FOOL.

[borrow] See: LIVE ON BORROWED TIME.

[borrow trouble]{v. phr.} To worry for nothing about trouble that may not come; make trouble for yourself needlessly. •/Don’t borrow trouble by worrying about next year. It’s too far away./ •/You are borrowing trouble if you try to tell John what to do./ Compare: ASK FOR, CROSS ONE’S BRIDGES BEFORE ONE COMES TO THEM, CRY BEFORE ONE IS HURT.

[bosom friend]{n. phr.} A very close friend; an old buddy with whom one has a confidential relationship. •/Sue and Jane have been bosom friends since their college days./

[boss] See: STRAW BOSS.

[boss one around]{v. phr.} To keep giving someone orders; to act overbearingly toward someone. •/"If you keep bossing me around, darling," Tom said to Jane, "the days of our relationship are surely numbered."/

[botch up]{v. phr.} To ruin, spoil, or mess something up. •/"I botched up my chemistry exam," Tim said, with a resigned sigh./

[both] See: CUT BOTH WAYS, PLAGUE ON BOTH YOUR HOUSES.

[both --- and]{coord. conj.} Used to emphasize that two or more things are talked about. •/Both Frank and Mary were at the party./ •/Millie is both a good swimmer and a good cook./ •/In the program tonight Mary will both sing and dance./ •/The frog can move quickly both on land and in the water./ Compare: AS WELL AS. Contrast EITHER OR.

[bothered] See: HOT AND BOTHERED.

[bottle blond]{n.}, {slang} A person who is obviously not a natural blond but whose hair is artificially colored. •/I doubt that Leonora’s hair color is natural; she strikes me as a bottle blond./

[bottleneck]{n.} A heavy traffic congestion. •/In Chicago the worst bottleneck is found where the Kennedy and the Eden’s expressways separate on the way to the airport./

[bottle up]{v.} 1. To hide or hold back; control. •/There was no understanding person to talk to, so Fred bottled up his unhappy feeling./ 2. To hold in a place from which there is no escape; trap. •/Our warships bottled up the enemy fleet in the harbor./

[bottom] See: BET ONE’S BOOTS or BET ONE’S BOTTOM DOLLAR, FROM THE BOTTOM OF ONE’S HEART, FROM --- TO ---, GET TO THE BOTTOM OF, HIT BOTTOM or TOUCH BOTTOM, ROCK BOTTOM, SCRAPE THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL.

[bottom dollar]{n.}, {v. phr.}, {informal} One’s last penny, one’s last dollar. •/He was down to his bottom dollar when he suddenly got the job offer./

[bottom drop out] or [bottom fall out] {v. phr.} {informal} 1. To fall below an earlier lowest price. •/The bottom dropped out of the price of peaches./ 2. To lose all cheerful qualities; become very unhappy, cheerless, or unpleasant. •/The bottom dropped out of the day for John when he saw his report card./ •/The bottom fell out for us when the same ended with our team on the two yard line and six points behind./

[bottom line]{n.}, {informal} (stress on "line") 1. The last word on a controversial issue; a final decision. •/"Give me the bottom line on the proposed merger," said John./ 2. The naked truth without embellishments. •/Look, the bottom line is that poor Max is an alcoholic./ 3. The final dollar amount; for example, the lowest price two parties reach in bargaining about a sale. •/"Five-hundred, " said the used car dealer, "is the bottom line. Take it or leave it."/

[bottom line]{v.}, {informal} (stress on "bottom") To finish; to bring to a conclusion. •/Okay, you guys, let’s bottom line this project and break for coffee./

[bottom out]{v. phr.} To reach the lowest point (said chiefly of economic cycles). •/According to the leading economic indicators the recession will bottom out within the next two months./

[bounce] See: GET THE BOUNCE, GIVE THE BOUNCE.

[bound] See: BIND, BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS, OUT OF BOUNDS, WITHIN BOUNDS.

[bound for]{adj. phr.} On the way to; going to. •/I am bound for the country club./ •/The ship is bound for Liverpool./

[bound up with]{v. phr.} To be connected; be involved with. •/Tuition at our university is bound up with the state budget./

[bow] See: TAKE A BOW.

[bow and scrape]{v.} To be too polite or obedient from fear or hope of gain; act like a slave. •/The old servant bowed and scraped before them, too obedient and eager to please./

[bowl of cherries] See: BED OF ROSES.

[bowl over]{v.}, {informal} 1. To knock down as if with a bowled ball. •/The taxi hit him a glancing blow and bowled him over./ 2. To astonish with success or shock with misfortune; upset; stun. •/He was bowled over by his wife’s sudden death./ •/The young actress bowled over everybody in her first movie./

[bow out]{v.}, {informal} 1. To give up taking part; excuse yourself from doing any more; quit. •/Mr. Black often quarreled with his partners, so finally he bowed out of the company./ •/While the movie was being filmed, the star got sick and had to bow out./ 2. To stop working after a long service; retire. •/He bowed out as train engineer after forty years of railroading./

[box] See: IN A BIND or IN A BOX, PENALTY BOX, PRESS BOX, STUFF THE BALLOT BOX, VOICE BOX.

[box office]{n.}, {informal} 1. The place at movies and theaters where tickets may be purchased just before the performance instead of having ordered them through the telephone or having bought them at a ticket agency. •/No need to reserve the seats; we can pick them up at the box office./ 2. A best selling movie, musical, or drama (where the tickets are all always sold out and people line up in front of the box office). •/John Wayne’s last movie was a regular box office./ 3. Anything successful or well liked. •/Betsie is no longer box office with me./

[boy] See: ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK A DULL BOY, FAIR-HAIRED BOY, MAMA’S BOY, OLD BOY, SEPARATE THE MEN FROM THE BOYS.

[boyfriend]{n.}, {informal} 1. A male friend or companion. •/"John and his boyfriends have gone to the ball game," said his mother./ 2. A girl’s steady date, a woman’s favorite man friend; a male lover or sweetheart. •/Jane’s new boyfriend is a senior in high school./ Contrast: GIRL FRIEND.

[boys will be boys] Boys are only children and must sometimes get into mischief or trouble or behave too roughly. •/Boys will be boys and make a lot of noise, so John’s mother told him and his friends to play in the park instead of the back yard./

[brain] See: BEAT ONE’S BRAINS OUT, BLOW ONE’S BRAINS OUT, ON THE BRAIN, RACK ONE’S BRAIN, GET ONE’S BRAINS FRIED.

[brain bucket]{n.}, {slang} A motorcycle helmet. •/If you want to share a ride with me, you’ve got to wear a brain bucket./

[brain drain]{n.}, {informal} 1. The loss of the leading intellectuals and researchers of a country due to excessive emigration to other countries where conditions are better. •/Britain suffered a considerable brain drain to the United States after World War II./ 2. An activity requiring great mental concentration resulting in fatigue and exhaustion •/That math exam I took was a regular brain drain./

[brain-storm]{v.} To have a discussion among fellow researchers or co-workers on a project in order to find the best solution to a given problem. •/Dr. Watson and his research assistants are brain-storming in the conference room./

[brainstorm]{n.} A sudden insight; a stroke of comprehension. •/Listen to me, I’ve just had a major brainstorm, and I think I found the solution to our problem./

[brain trust]{n.} A group of specially trained, highly intelligent experts in a given field. •/Albert Einstein gathered a brain trust around himself at the Princeton Institute of Advanced Studies./

[brake] See: RIDE THE BRAKE.

[branch off]{v.} To go from something big or important to something smaller or less important; turn aside. •/At the bridge a little road branches off from the highway and follows the river./ •/Martin was trying to study his lesson, but his mind kept branching off onto what girl he should ask to go with him to the dance./

[branch out]{v.} To add new interests or activities; begin doing other things also. •/First Jane collected stamps; then she branched out and collected coins, too./ •/John started a television repair shop; when he did well, he branched out and began selling television sets too./

[brand-new] also [bran-new] {adj.} As new or fresh as when just made and sold by the manufacturer; showing no use or wear. •/He had taken a brand-new car from the dealer’s floor and wrecked it./ •/In Uncle Tom’s trunk, we found a wedding ring, still in its little satin-lined box, still brand-new./

[brass] See: DOUBLE IN BRASS, GET DOWN TO BRASS TACKS.

[brass hat]{n.}, {slang} 1. A high officer in the army, navy, or air force. •/The brass hats In Washington often discuss important secrets./ 2. Any person who has a high position in business, politics, or other work. •/Mr. Woods, the rich oil man, is a political brass hat./

[brass tacks] See: GET DOWN TO BRASS TACKS.

[brave it out]{v. phr.} To endure something difficult or dangerous through to the end; keep on through trouble or danger. •/It was a dangerous ocean crossing in wartime, but captain and crew braved it out./

[brazen it out]{v. phr.} To pretend you did nothing wrong; be suspected, accused, or scolded without admitting you did wrong; act as if not guilty. •/The teacher found a stolen pen that the girl had in her desk, but the girl brazened it out; she said someone else must have put it there./

[bread] See: HALF A LOAF is BETTER THAN NONE, KNOW WHICH SIDE ONE’S BREAD IS BUTTERED ON, TAKE THE BREAD OUT OF ONE’S MOUTH.

[bread and butter(1)]{n. phr.} The usual needs of life; food, shelter, and clothing. •/Ed earned his bread and butter as a bookkeeper, but added a little jam by working with a dance band on weekends./

[bread and butter(2)]{adj.} Thanking someone for entertainment or a nice visit; thank-you. •/After spending the weekend as a guest in the Jones' home, Alice wrote the Joneses the usual bread-and-butter letter./ See: BREAD AND BUTTER LETTER.

[bread and butter(3)]{interj.}, {informal} Spoken to prevent bad luck that you think might result from some action. •/We’d say "Bread and butter!" when we had passed on opposite sides of a tree./

[bread-and-butter letter]{n.} A written acknowledgment of hospitality received. •/Jane wrote the Browns a bread-and-butter letter when she returned home from her visit to them./

[breadbasket]{n.}, {slang} The stomach. •/John is stuffing his breadbasket again./

[break] See: COFFEE BREAK.

[break away] or [break loose] {v. phr.} To liberate oneself from someone or something. •/Jane tried to break loose from her attacker, but he was too strong./

[break camp]{v. phr.} To take down and pack tents and camping things; take your things from a camping place. •/The scouts broke camp at dawn./

[break down]{v.} (stress on "down") 1. To smash or hit (something) so that it falls; cause to fall by force. •/The firemen broke down the door./ 2. To reduce or destroy the strength or effect of; weaken; win over. •/By helpful kindness the teacher broke down the new boy’s shyness./ •/Advertising breaks down a lot of stubbornness against change./ 3. To separate into elements or parts; decay. •/Water is readily broken down into hydrogen and oxygen./ •/After many years, rocks break down into dirt./ 4. To become unusable because of breakage or other failure; lose power to work or go. •/The car broke down after half an hour’s driving./ •/His health broke down./ •/When the coach was sick in bed, the training rules of the team broke down./ Compare: GO BACK ON(2).

[breakdown] See: NERVOUS BREAKDOWN.

[breaker] See: JAW-BREAKER.

[break even]{v. phr.}, {informal} (stress on "even") To end a series of gains and losses having the same amount you started with; have expenses equal to profits; have equal gain and loss. •/The storekeeper made many sales, but his expenses were so high that he just broke even./ •/If you gamble you are lucky when you break even./

[break-even]{n.} The point of equilibrium in a business venture when one has made as much money as one had invested, but not more — that would be "profit." •/"We’ve reached the break-even point at long last!" — Max exclaimed with joy./

[break ground]{v. phr.} To begin a construction project by digging for the foundation; especially, to turn the formal first spadeful of dirt. •/City officials and industrial leaders were there as the company broke ground for its new building./ See: BREAK NEW GROUND.

[break in]{v.} (stress on "in") 1a. To break from outside. •/The firemen broke in the door of the burning house./ 1b. To enter by force or unlawfully. •/Thieves broke in while the family was away./ 2. To enter suddenly or interrupt. •/A stranger broke in on the meeting without knocking./ •/The secretary broke in to say that a telegram had arrived./ Compare: CUT IN(2). 3. To make a start in a line of work or with a company or association; begin a new job. •/He broke in as a baseball player with a minor league./ 4. To teach the skills of a new job or activity to. •/An assistant foreman broke in the new man as a machine operator./ 5. To lessen the stiffness or newness of by use. •/He broke in a new pair of shoes./ •/Breaking in a new car requires careful driving at moderate speeds./

[break-in]{n.} (stress on "break") A robbery; a burglary. •/We lost our jewelry during a break-in./

[break into]{v.} 1. To force an entrance into; make a rough or unlawful entrance into. •/Thieves broke into the store at night./ 2. {informal} To succeed in beginning (a career, business, or a social life) •/He broke into television as an actor./ 3. To interrupt. •/He broke into the discussion with a shout of warning./ 4. To begin suddenly. •/He broke into a sweat./ •/She broke into tears./ •/The dog heard his master’s whistle and broke into a run./

[break new ground]{v. phr.} 1. To start a new activity previously neglected by others; do pioneering work. •/Albert Einstein broke new ground with his theory of relativity./ 2. To begin something never done before. •/The school broke new ground with reading lessons that taught students to guess the meaning of new words./

[break off]{v.} 1. To stop suddenly. •/The speaker was interrupted so often that he broke off and sat down./ •/When Bob came in, Jean broke off her talk with Linda and talked to Bob./ 2. {informal} To end a friendship or love. •/I hear that Tom and Alice have broken off./ •/She broke off with her best friend./

[break one’s balls]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {vulgar}, {avoidable} To do something with maximum effort; to do something very difficult or taxing •/I’ve been breaking my balls to buy you this new color TV set and you aren’t the least bit appreciative!/ Compare: BREAK ONE’S NECK.

[break one’s heart]{v. phr.} To discourage greatly; make very sad or hopeless. •/His son’s disgrace broke his heart./ •/When Mr. White lost everything he had worked so hard for, it broke his heart./

[break one’s neck]{v. phr.}, {slang} To do all you possibly can; try your hardest. — Usually used with a limiting adverb or negative. •/John nearly broke his neck trying not to be late to school./ •/Mother asked Mary to go to the store when she was free, but not to break her neck over it./

[break one’s word]{v. phr.} To renege on a promise. •/When Jake broke his word that he would marry Sarah, she became very depressed./

[break out]{v.} 1. To begin showing a rash or other skin disorder. — Often used with "with". •/He broke out with scarlet fever./ 2. To speak or act suddenly and violently. •/He broke out laughing./ •/She broke out, "That is not so!"/ 3. To begin and become noticeable. •/Fire broke out after the earthquake./ •/War broke out in 1812./ Compare: FLARE UP. 4. {informal} To bring out; open and show. •/When word of the victory came, people began breaking out their flags./ •/When Mr. Carson’s first son was born, he broke out the cigars he had been saving./

[break the ice]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To conquer the first difficulties in starting a conversation, getting a party going, or making an acquaintance. •/To break the ice Ted spoke of his interest in mountain climbing, and they soon had a conversation going./ •/Some people use an unusual thing, such as an unusual piece of jewelry, to break the ice./ 2. To be the first person or team to score in a game. •/The Wolves broke the ice with a touchdown./

[break the record]{v. phr.} To set or to establish a new mark or record. •/Algernon broke the record in both the pentathlon and the decathlon and took home two gold medals from the Olympics./

[break through]{v.} To be successful after overcoming a difficulty or bar to success. •/Dr. Salk failed many times but he finally broke through to find a successful polio vaccine./ •/Jim studied very hard this semester in college, and he finally broke through onto the Dean’s List for the first time./

[breakthrough]{n.} A point of sudden success after a long process of experimentation, trial and error. •/The U.S. Space Program experienced a major breakthrough when Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the moon in June of 1969./

[break up]{v. phr.} To end a romantic relationship, a marriage, or a business partnership. •/Tom and Jane broke up because Tom played so much golf that he had no time for her./

[break up]{v.} 1. To break into pieces. •/The workmen broke up the pavement to dig up the pipes under it./ •/River ice breaks up in the spring./ 2. {informal} To lose or destroy spirit or self-control. — Usually used in the passive. •/Mrs. Lawrence was all broken up after her daughter’s death, and did not go out of the house for two months./ Compare: CRACK UP, GO TO PIECES. 3. To come or to put to an end, especially by separation; separate. •/Some men kept interrupting the speakers, and finally broke up the meeting./ •/The party broke up at midnight./ — Often used in the informal phrase "break it up". •/The boys were fighting, and a passing policeman ordered them to break it up./ Compare: CUT OUT(1). 4. {informal} To stop being friends. •/Mary and June were good friends and did everything together, but then they had a quarrel and broke up/ Compare: BREAK OFF.

[break-up]{n.} The end of a relationship, personal or commercial. •/The break-up finally occurred when Smith and Brown decided to sue each other for embezzlement./

[break with]{v.} To separate yourself from; end membership in; stop friendly association with. •/He broke with the Democratic party on the question of civil rights./ •/He had broken with some friends who had changed in their ideas./

[breast] See: MAKE A CLEAN BREAST OF.

[breath] See: CATCH ONE’S BREATH, DRAW A LONG BREATH or TAKE A LONG BREATH, HOLD ONE’S BREATH, IN THE SAME BREATH, OUT OF BREATH, SAVE ONE’S BREATH, SECOND WIND also SECOND BREATH, TAKE ONE’S BREATH AWAY, UNDER ONE’S BREATH, WASTE ONE’S BREATH.

[breathe down one’s neck]{v. phr.}, {informal} To follow closely; threaten from behind; watch every action. •/Too many creditors were breathing down his neck./ •/The carpenter didn’t like to work for Mr. Jones, who was always breathing down his neck./

[breathe easily] or [breathe freely] {v.} To have relief from difficulty or worry; relax; feel that trouble is gone; stop worrying. •/Now that the big bills were paid, he breathed more easily./ •/His mother didn’t breathe easily until he got home that night./

[breathe one’s last]{v. phr.} To die. •/The wounded soldier fell back on the ground and breathed his last./

[bred in the bone]{adj. phr.} Belonging to your nature or character, especially from early teaching or long habit; natural from belief or habit; believing deeply. •/The Willett children’s cleanness is bred in the none./ Often used, with hyphens before the noun. •/Joe is a bred-in-the-bone horseman; he has been riding since he was six./ Contrast: SKIN-DEEP.

[breeches] See: TOO BIG FOR ONE’S BREECHES.

[breeze] See: SHOOT THE BREEZE or BAT THE BREEZE or FAN THE BREEZE, WIN IN A WALK or WIN IN A BREEZE.

[breeze in]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} To walk into a place casually (like a soft blowing wind). •/Betsie breezed in and sat down at the bar./

[brew] See: HOME BREW.

[brick] See: MAKE BRICKS WITHOUT STRAW.

[brick wall] See: STONE WALL.

[bridge] See: BURN ONE’S BRIDGES, CROSS A BRIDGE BEFORE ONE COMES TO IT, WATER OVER THE DAM or WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE.

[brief] See: HOLD A BRIEF FOR, IN BRIEF or IN SHORT or IN A WORD.

[bright and early]{adj. phr.} Prompt and alert; on time and ready; cheerful and on time or before time. •/He came down bright and early to breakfast./ •/She arrived bright and early for the appointment./

[bring about]{v.} To cause; produce; lead to. •/The war had brought about great changes in living./ •/Drink brought about his downfall./

[bring around] or [bring round] {v.} 1. {informal} To restore to health or consciousness cure. •/He was quite ill, but good nursing brought him around./ Compare: BRING TO(1). 2. To cause a change in thinking; persuade; convince; make willing. •/After a good deal of discussion he brought her round to his way of thinking./

[bringdown]{n.}, {slang}, {informal} 1. (from "bring down", past "brought down"). A critical or cutting remark said sarcastically in order to deflate a braggard’s ego. •/John always utters the right bringdown when he encounters a braggard./ 2. A person who depresses and saddens others by being a chronic complainer. •/John is a regular bringdown./

[bring down]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} 1. To deflate (someone’s ego). •/John brought Ted down very cleverly with his remarks./ 2. To depress (someone). •/The funeral brought me down completely./

[bring down about one’s ears] or [bring down around one’s ears] See: ABOUT ONE’S EARS.

[bring down the house]{v. phr.}, {informal} To start an audience laughing or clapping enthusiastically. •/The principal’s story was funny in itself and also touched their loyalties, so it brought down the house./ •/The President made a fine speech which brought down the house./

[bring home]{v.} To show clearly; emphasize; make (someone) realize; demonstrate. •/The accident caused a death in his family, and it brought home to him the evil of drinking while driving./ •/A parent or teacher should bring home to children the value and pleasure of reading./

[bring home the bacon]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To support your family; earn the family living. •/He was a steady fellow, who always brought home the bacon./ 2. To win a game or prize. •/The football team brought home the bacon./

[bring in]{v.} In baseball: To enable men on base to score, score. •/Dick’s hit brought in both base runners./ •/A walk and a triple brought in a run in the third inning./

[bring into line]{v. phr.} To make someone conform to the accepted standard. •/Sam had to be brought into line when he refused to take his muddy shoes off the cocktail table./

[bring off]{v.} To do (something difficult); perform successfully (an act of skill); accomplish (something requiring unusual ability). •/By skillful discussion, Mr. White had brought off an agreement that had seemed impossible to get./ •/He tried several times to break the high jump record, and finally he brought it off./ Compare: PUT OVER(2).

[bring on]{v.} To result in; cause; produce. •/The murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in the summer of 1914 brought on the First World War./ •/Spinal meningitis brought on John’s deafness when he was six years old./ •/Reading in a poor light may bring on a headache./

[bring out]{v.} 1. To cause to appear; make clear. •/His report brought out the foolishness of the plan./ •/Brushing will bring out the beauty of your hair./ 2. To help (an ability or skill) grow or develop. •/The teacher’s coaching brought out a wonderful singing voice of great power and warmth./ 3. To offer to the public by producing, publishing, or selling. •/He brought out a new play./ •/The company brought out a line of light personal airplanes./

[bring round] See: BRING AROUND.

[bring suit against]{v. phr.} To sue someone in a court of law. •/Fred brought suit against Tom for fraud and embezzlement./

[bring to]{v.} (stress on "to") 1. To restore to consciousness; wake from sleep, anesthesia, hypnosis, or fainting. •/Smelling salts will often bring a fainting person to./ Compare: BRING AROUND(1). 2. To bring a ship or boat to a stop. •/Reaching the pier, he brought the boat smartly to./

[bring to a close]{v. phr.} To terminate; cause to end. •/The meeting was brought to an abrupt close when the speaker collapsed with a heart attack./

[bring to a head]{v. phr.} To cause some activity to reach the point of culmination. •/Time is running out, gentlemen, so let us bring this discussion to a head./

[bring to bay]{v. phr.} To chase or force into a place where escape is impossible without a fight; trap; corner. •/The police brought the robber to bay on the roof and he gave up./ •/The fox was brought to bay in a hollow tree and the dogs stood around it barking./ Compare: AT BAY.

[bring to heel] See: TO HEEL.

[bring to light]{v. phr.} To discover (something hidden); find out about; expose. •/Many things left by the ancient Egyptians in tombs have been brought to light by scientists and explorers./ •/His enemies brought to light some foolish things he had done while young, but he was elected anyway because people trusted him./ Compare: COME TO LIGHT.

[bring to one’s knees]{v. phr.} To seriously weaken the power or impair the function of. •/The fuel shortage brought the automobile industry to its knees./

[bring to pass]{v. phr.}, {informal} To make (something) happen; succeed in causing. •/By much planning, the mother brought the marriage to pass./ •/The change in the law was slow in coming, and it took a disaster to bring it to pass./ Compare: BRING ABOUT, COME TO PASS.

[bring to terms]{v. phr.} To make (someone) agree or do; make surrender. •/The two brothers were brought to terms by their father for riding the bicycle./ •/The war won’t end until we bring the enemy to terms./ Contrast: COME TO TERMS.

[bring up]{v.} 1. To take care of (a child); raise, train, educate. •/He gave much attention and thought to bringing up his children./ •/Joe was born in Texas but brought up in Oklahoma./ 2. {informal} To stop; halt. — Usually used with "short". •/He brought the car up short when the light changed to red./ •/Bill started to complain, I brought him up short./ 3. To begin a discussion of; speak of; mention. •/At the class meeting Bob brought up the idea of a picnic./

[bring up the rear]{v. phr.} 1. To come last in a march, parade, or procession; end a line. •/The fire truck with Santa on it brought up the rear of the Christmas parade./ •/The governor and his staff brought up the rear of the parade./ 2. {informal} To do least well; do the most poorly of a group; be last. •/In the race, John brought up the rear./ •/In the basketball tournament, our team brought up the rear./

[bring] or [wheel in] or [out] or [up the big guns] {v. phr.} To make use of a concealed plan in order to defeat an opponent in an argument or in a game, debate, or competition. •/The new computer software company decided to bring out the big guns to get ahead of the competition./

[broke] See: GO BROKE, GO FOR BROKE, STONE-BROKE OT DEAD BROKE or FLAT BROKE, STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMEL’S BACK.

[Bronx cheer]{n. phr.}, {slang} A loud sound made with tongue and lips to show opposition or scorn. •/When he began to show anti-union feelings, he was greeted with Bronx cheers all around./

[broom] See: NEW BROOM SWEEPS CLEAN.

[broth] See: SCOTCH BROTH.

[brow] See: BY THE SWEAT OF ONE’S BROW.

[brown] See: DO UP BROWN.

[brown-bagger]{n.}, {slang}, {informal} A person who does not go to the cafeteria or to a restaurant for lunch at work, but who brings his homemade lunch to work in order to save money. •/John became a brown-bagger not because he can’t afford the restaurant, but because he is too busy to go there./

[brown-nose]{v.}, {slang}, {avoidable}, {though gaining in acceptance} To curry favor in a subservient way, as by obviously exaggerated flattery. •/Max brown-noses his teachers, that’s why he gets all A’s in his courses./ Compare: POLISH THE APPLE.

[brown paper bag]{n.}, {slang}, {citizen’s band radio jargon} An unmarked police car. •/The beaver got a Christmas card because she didn’t notice the brown paper bag at her back door./ See: PLAIN WHITE WRAPPER.

[brown study]{n. phr.} A time of deep thought about something; a deep thoughtful mood. •/When his wife found him, he had pushed away his books and was in a brown study./

[brush] See: BEAT THE BUSHES or BEAT THE BRUSH.

[brush aside]{v. phr.} To ignore; give no reply. •/Brushing aside the editor’s comments, the young novelist proceeded with his story, which was subsequently rejected by the publisher./

[brush back]{v.} To throw a baseball pitch close to. •/The pitcher threw a high inside pitch to brush the batter back./ Syn.: DUST OFF.

[brushoff] See: GET THE BRUSHOFF, BRUSH OFF or GIVE THE BRUSHOFF.

[brush off] or [give the brush off] {v. phr.} 1. To refuse to hear or believe; quickly and impatiently; not take seriously or think important. •/John brushed off Bill’s warning that he might fall from the tree./ •/I said that it might rain and to take the bus, but Joe gave my idea the brushoff./ •/Father cut his finger but he brushed it off as not important and kept working./ 2. {informal} To be unfriendly to; not talk or pay attention to (someone); get rid of. •/Mary brushed off Bill at the dance./ •/I said hello to Mr. Smith, but he gave me the brushoff./ Compare: COLD SHOULDER, HIGH-HAT. Contrast: GET THE BRUSH OFF.

[brush up] or [brush up on] {v.} To refresh one’s memory of or skill at by practice or review; improve; make perfect. •/She spent the summer brushing up on her American History as she was to teach that in the fall./ •/He brushed up his target shooting./

[bubble gum music]{n.}, {slang} The kind of rock’n'roll that appeals to young teenagers. •/When will you learn to appreciate Mozart instead of that bubble gum music?/

[bubble trouble]{n.}, {slang}, {citizen’s band radio jargon} Tire trouble, flat tire. •/The eighteen wheeler ahead of me seems to have bubble trouble./

[buck] See: FAST BUCK or QUICK BUCK, PASS THE BUCK.

[bucket] See: KICK THE BUCKET, RAIN CATS AND DOGS or RAIN BUCKETS.

[bucket of bolts]{n.}, {slang} A very old and shaky car that barely goes. •/When are you going to get rid of that old bucket of bolts?/

[buckle] See: BUCKLE DOWN or KNUCKLE DOWN.

[buckle down] or [knuckle down] {v.} To give complete attention (to an effort or job); attend. •/They chatted idly for a few moments then each buckled down to work./ •/Jim was fooling instead of studying; so his father told him to buckle down./

[buck passer], [buck-passing] See: PASS THE BUCK.

[buck up]{v. phr.}, {informal} To make or become more cheerful; make or become free from discouragement; become more hopeful. •/After the heavy rain, the scoutmaster bucked up the boys by leading them in a song./ •/Tom was disappointed that he didn’t make the team; but he soon bucked up./

[bud] See: NIP IN THE BUD.

[bug-eyed]{adj.}, {slang} Wide-eyed with surprise. •/He stood there bug-eyed when told that he had won the award./

[buggy-whip]{n.}, {slang} An unusually long, thin radio antenna on a car that bends back like a whip when the car moves fast. •/He’s very impressed with himself ever since he got a buggy whip./

[bughouse(1)]{n.}, {slang} An insane asylum. •/They took Joe to the bughouse./

[bughouse(2)]{adj.}, {slang} Crazy, insane. •/Joe’s gone bughouse./

[bug in one’s ear]{n. phr.}, {informal} A hint; secret information given to someone to make him act; idea. •/I saw Mary at the jeweler’s admiring the diamond pin; I’ll put a bug in Henry’s ear./

[build] See: JERRY-BUILT.

[build a fire under]{v. phr.} To urge or force (a slow or unwilling person) to action; get (someone) moving; arouse. •/The health department built a fire under the restaurant owner and got him to clean the place up by threatening to cancel his license./

[build castles in the air] or [build castles in Spain] {v. phr.} To make impossible or imaginary plans, dream about future successes that are unlikely. •/He liked to build castles in the air, but never succeeded in anything./ •/To build castles in Spain is natural for young people and they may work hard enough to get part of their wishes./

[build on sand]{v. phr.} To lay a weak or insufficient foundation for a building, a business, or a relationship. •/"I don’t want to build my business on sand," John said, "so please. Dad, give me that loan I requested."/

[build up]{v.} 1. To make out of separate pieces or layers; construct from parts. •/Johnny built up a fort out of large balls of snow./ •/Lois built up a cake of three layers./ 2. To cover over or fill up with buildings. •/The fields where Tom’s father played as a boy are all built up now./ •/A driver should slow down when he comes to an area that is built up./ 3a. To increase slowly or by small amounts; grow. •/John built up a bank account by saving regularly./ •/The noise built up until Mary couldn’t stand it any longer./ 3b. To make stronger or better or more effective. •/Fred exercised to build up his muscles./ •/Joanne was studying to build up her algebra./ 3c. {informal} To advertise quickly and publicize so as to make famous. •/The press agent built up the young actress./ •/The movie company spent much money building up its new picture./

[build up to]{v. phr.} To be in the process of reaching a culmination point. •/The clouds were building up to a violent storm./ •/Their heated words were building up to a premature divorce./

[bull] See: HIT THE BULLS-EYE, SHOOT THE BREEZE or SHOOT THE BULL, TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS.

[bullet lane]{n.}, {slang}, {citizen’s band radio jargon} The passing lane. •/Move over into the bullet lane, this eighteen wheeler is moving too slow./

[bull in a china shop]{n. phr.} A rough or clumsy person who says or does something to anger others or upset plans; a tactless person. •/We were talking politely and carefully with the teacher about a class party, but John came in like a bull in a china shop and his rough talk made the teacher say no./

[bull session]{n.}, {slang} A long informal talk about something by a group of persons. •/After the game the boys in the dormitory had a bull session until the lights went out./

[bullshit]{n.}, {vulgar, but gaining in acceptance by some} Exaggerated or insincere talk meant to impress others. •/"Joe, this is a lot of bullshit!"/

[bullshit]{v.}, {vulgar to informal}, {gaining in social acceptance by some} To exaggerate or talk insincerely in an effort to make yourself seem impressive. •/"Stop bullshitting me, Joe, I can’t believe a word of what you’re saying."/

[bullshit artist]{n.}, {slang}, {vulgar, but gaining in social acceptance} A person who habitually makes exaggerated or insincerely flattering speeches designed to impress others. •/Joe is a regular bullshit artist, small wonder he keeps gettine promoted ahead of everyone else./

[bum around]{v. phr.}, {slang} To aimlessly wander in no definite direction, like a vagabond. •/Jim had been bumming around in the desert for three days and nights before he was able to remember how he got there in the first place./

[bump] See: GOOSE BUMPS.

[bump into]{v.}, {informal} To meet without expecting to; happen to meet; come upon by accident. •/Mary was walking down the street, when she suddenly bumped into Joan./ •/Ed was surprised to bump into John at the football game./ Syn.: RUN INTO.

[bump off]{v.}, {slang} To kill in a violent way; murder in gangster fashion. •/Hoodlums in a speeding car bumped him off with Tommy guns./

[bum’s rush]{n. phr.}, {slang} Throwing or pushing someone out from where he is not wanted. •/When John tried to go to the party where he was not invited, Bill and Fred gave him the bum’s rush./ •/Tom became too noisy, and he got the bum’s rush./ 2. To hurry or rush (someone). •/The salesman tried to give me the bum’s rush./

[bum steer]{n.} Wrong or misleading directions given naively or on purpose. •/Man, you sure gave me a bum steer when you told me to go north on the highway; you should have sent me south!/

[bundle of laughs]{n. phr.} A very amusing person, thing, or event. •/Uncle Lester tells so many jokes that he is a bundle of laughs./

[bundle up] See: WRAP UP(1).

[burn] See: EARS BURN, KEEP THE HOME FIRES BURNING, MONEY TO BURN.

[burn a hole in one’s pocket]{v. phr.} To make you want to buy something; be likely to be quickly spent. •/Money burns a hole in Linda’s pocket./ •/The silver dollar that Don got for his birthday was burning a hole in his pocket, and Don hurried to a dime store./

[burn down]{v. phr.} To burn to the ground; be totally gutted by fire. •/The old frame house burned down before the firefighters could get to it./

[burn in effigy] See: HANG IN EFFIGY.

[burn one’s bridges] also [burn one’s boats] {v. phr.} To make a decision that you cannot change; remove or destroy all the ways you can get back out of a place you have got into on purpose; leave yourself no way to escape a position. •/Bob was a good wrestler but a poor boxer. He burned his boats by letting Mickey choose how they would fight./ •/When Dorothy became a nun, she burned her bridges behind her./

[burn one’s fingers]{v. phr.}, {informal} To get in trouble doing something and fear to do it again; learn caution through an unpleasant experience. •/He had burned his fingers in the stock market once, and didn’t want to try again./ •/Some people can’t be told; they have to burn their fingers to learn./

[burn out]{v. phr.} 1. To destroy by fire or by overheating. •/Mr. Jones burned out the clutch on his car./ 2. To destroy someone’s house or business by fire so that they have to move out. •/Three racists burned out the Black family’s home./ 3a. To go out of order; cease to function because of long use or overheating. •/The light bulb in the bathroom burned out, and Father put in a new one./ •/The electric motor was too powerful, and it burned out a fuse./ 3b. To break, tire, or wear out by using up all the power, energy, or strength of. •/Bill burned himself out in the first part of the race and could not finish./ •/The farmer burned out his field by planting the same crop every year for many years./

[burn-out]{n.} A point of physical or emotional exhaustion. •/There are so many refugees all over the world that charitable organizations as well as individuals are suffering from donor burn-out./

[burn rubber]{v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To start up a car or a motorcycle from dead stop so fast that the tires leave a mark on the road. •/The neighborhood drag racers burned a lot of rubber — look at the marks on the road!/ 2. To leave in a hurry. •/I guess I am going to have to burn rubber./

[burnt child dreads the fire] or [once bitten, twice shy] A person who has suffered from doing something has learned to avoid doing it again. — A proverb. •/Once Mary had got lost when her mother took her downtown. But a burnt child dreads the fire, so now Mary stays close to her mother when they are downtown./

[burn the candle at both ends]{v. phr.} To work or play too hard without enough rest; get too tired. •/He worked hard every day as a lawyer and went to parties and dances every night; he was burning the candle at both ends./

[burn the midnight oil]{v. phr.} To study late at night. •/Exam time was near, and more and more pupils were burning the midnight oil./

[bum to a crisp]{v. phr.} To burn black; burn past saving or using especially as food. •/While getting breakfast, Mother was called to the telephone, and when she got back, the bacon had been burned to a crisp./

[burn up]{v.} 1. To burn completely; destroy or be destroyed by fire. •/Mr. Scott was burning up old letters./ •/The house burned up before the firemen got there./ 2. {informal} To irritate, anger, annoy. •/The boy’s laziness and rudeness burned up his teacher./ •/The breakdown of his new car burned Mr. Jones up./

[burn up the road]{v. phr.}, {informal} To drive a car very fast. •/In his eagerness to see his girl again, he burned up the road on his way to see her./ •/Speed demons burning up the road often cause accidents./

[burst at the seams]{v. phr.}, {informal} To be too full or too crowded. •/John ate so much he was bursting at the seams./ •/Mary’s album was so full of pictures it was bursting at the seams./

[burst into]{v. phr.} 1. To enter suddenly. •/Stuart burst into the room, screaming angrily./ 2. To break out. •/The crowd burst out cheering when the astronauts paraded along Fifth Avenue./

[burst into flames]{v. phr.} To begin to burn suddenly. •/The children threw away some burning matches and the barn burst into flames./

[burst into tears]{v. phr.} To suddenly start crying. •/Mary burst into tears when she heard that her brother was killed in a car accident./

[burst with joy] or [pride] {v. phr.} To be so full of the feeling of joy or pride that one cannot refrain from showing one’s exuberant feelings. •/Armstrong and Aldrin burst with pride when they stepped out on the moon in July, 1969./

[bury one’s head in the sand] See: HIDE ONE’S HEAD IN THE SAND.

[bury the hatchet]{v. phr.}, {informal} To settle a quarrel or end a war; make peace. •/The two men had been enemies a long time, but after the flood they buried the hatchet./ Compare: MAKE UP(5).

[bus] See: MISS THE BOAT or MISS THE BUS.

[bush] See: BEAT ABOUT THE BUSH, BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH.

[bushel] See: HIDE ONE’S LIGHT UNDER A BUSHEL.

[bushes] See: BEAT THE BUSHES.

[business] See: DO THE BUSINESS, HAVE NO BUSINESS, LAND-OFFICE BUSINESS, MEAN BUSINESS, MONKEY BUSINESS, THE BUSINESS.

[bust up]{v. phr.}, {slang} To terminate a partnership, a relationship, a friendship, or a marriage. •/If Jack keeps drinking the way he does, it will bust up his marriage to Sue./

[busy work]{n.} Work that is done not to do or finish anything important, but just to keep busy. •/When the teacher finished all she had to say it was still a half hour before school was over. So she gave the class a test for busy work./

[but for] See: EXCEPT FOR.

[but good]{adv. phr.}, {informal} Very much so; thoroughly completely; forcefully. — Used for emphasis. •/Jack called Charles a bad name, and Charles hit him, but good./ •/Tom fell and broke his leg. That taught him but good not to fool around in high trees./ Compare: AND HOW.

[but not least] See: LAST BUT NOT LEAST.

[butter] See: BREAD AND BUTTER.

[butterflies in one’s stomach]{n. phr.} A queer feeling in the stomach caused by nervous fear or uncertainty; a feeling of fear or anxiety in the stomach. •/When Bob walked into the factory office to ask for a job, he had butterflies in his stomach./

[butter up]{v.}, {informal} To try to get the favor or friendship of (a person) by flattery or pleasantness. •/He began to butter up the boss in hope of being given a better job./ Compare: POLISH THE APPLE.

[butter wouldn’t melt in one’s mouth]{informal} You act very polite and friendly but do not really care, you are very nice to people but are not sincere. •/The new secretary was rude to the other workers, but when she talked to the boss, butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth./

[butt in]{v.}, {slang} To join in with what other people are doing without asking or being asked; interfere in other people’s business; meddle. •/Mary was explaining to Jane how to knit a sweater when Barbara butted in./ Often used with "on". •/John butted in on Bill and Tom’s fight, and got hurt./ Compare: HORN IN.

[button] See: HAVE ALL ONE’S BUTTONS, ON THE BUTTON, PUSH THE PANIC BUTTON.

[button down]{v.}, {slang} (stress on "down") To state precisely, to ascertain, to pin down, to peg down. •/First let’s get the facts buttoned down, then we can plan ahead./

[button-down]{attrib. adj.}, {slang} (stress on "button") Well-groomed, conservatively dressed. •/Joe is a regular button-down type./

[buttonhole]{v.} To approach a person in order to speak with him or her in private. •/After waiting for several hours, Sam managed to buttonhole his boss just as she was about to leave the building./

[button one’s lip] also [zip one’s lip] {v. phr.}, {slang} To stop talking; keep a secret; shut your mouth; be quiet. •/The man was getting loud and insulting and the cop told him to button his lip./ •/John wanted to talk, but Dan told him to keep his lip buttoned./ Syn.: KEEP ONE’S MOUTH SHUT, SHUT UP.

[buy for a song]{v. phr.} To buy something very cheaply. •/Since the building on the corner was old and neglected, I was able to buy it for a song./

[buy off]{v.} To turn from duty or purpose by a gift. •/When the police threatened to stop the gambling business, the owner bought them off./ •/The Indians were going to burn the cabins, but the men bought them off with gifts./ Compare: PAY OFF.

[buy out]{v.} 1. To buy the ownership or a share of; purchase the stock of. •/He bought out several small stockholders. 2. To buy all the goods of; purchase the merchandise of./ •/Mr. Harper bought out a nearby hardware store./ Contrast: SELL OUT.

[buy up]{v. phr.} To purchase the entire stock of something. •/The company is trying to buy up all the available shares./

[buzz] See: GIVE A RING also GIVE A BUZZ.

[buzz word]{n.} A word that sounds big and important in a sentence but, on closer inspection, means little except the speaker’s indication to belong to a certain group. •/The politician’s speech was nothing but a lot of misleading statements and phony promises hidden in a bunch of buzz words./

[by] See: TOO --- BY HALF.

[by a hair] See: HANG BY A THREAD or HANG BY A HAIR

[by] or [in my book] {adv. phr.} In my opinion; as far as I am concerned; in my judgment. •/By my book, Mr. Murgatroyd is not a very good department head./

[by all means] also [by all manner of means] {adv. phr.} Certainly, without fail. •/He felt that he should by all means warn Jones./ Contrast: BY NO MEANS.

[by all odds]{adv. phr.} Without question; certainly. •/He was by all odds the strongest candidate./ •/By all odds we should win the game, because the other team is so weak./ Compare: FAR AND AWAY.

[by a long shot]{adv. phr.}, {informal} By a big difference; by far. — Used to add emphasis. •/Bert was the best swimmer in the race, by a long shot./ Often used with a negative. •/Tom isn’t the kind who would be fresh to a teacher, by a long shot./ •/Our team didn’t win — not by a long shot./ Compare: MISS BY A MILE.

[by a mile] See: MISS BY A MILE.

[by and by]{adv.} After a while; at some time in the future; later. •/Roger said he would do his homework by and by./ •/The mother knew her baby would be a man by and by and do a man’s work./ Syn.: AFTER A WHILE.

[by and large]{adv. phr.} As it most often happens; more often than not; usually; mostly. •/There were bad days, but it was a pleasant summer, by and large./ •/By and large, women can bear pain better than men./ Syn.: FOR THE MOST PART, ON THE WHOLE(2).

[by any means] See: BY NO MEANS.

[by a thread] See: HANG BY A THREAD.

[by chance]{adv. phr.} Without any cause or reason; by accident; accidentally. •/Tom met Bill by chance./ •/The apple fell by chance on Bobby’s head./

[by choice]{adv. phr.} As a result of choosing because of wanting to; freely. •/John helped his father by choice./ •/Mary ate a plum, but not by choice. Her mother told her she must eat it./

[by dint of]{prep.} By the exertion of; by the use of; through. •/By dint of sheer toughness and real courage, he lived through the jungle difficulties and dangers./ •/His success in college was largely by dint of hard study./

[bye] See: BY THE WAY also BY THE BYE.

[by ear]{adv. phr.} 1. By sound, without ever reading the printed music of the piece being played. •/The church choir sang the hymns by ear./ 2. Waiting to see what will happen. •/I don’t want to plan now; let’s just play it by ear./

[by far]{adv. phr.} By a large difference; much. •/His work was better by far than that of any other printer in the city./ •/The old road is prettier, but it is by far the longer way./ Compare: FAR AND AWAY.

[by fits and starts] or [jerks] {adv. phr.} With many stops and starts, a little now and a little more later; not all the time; irregularly. •/He had worked on the invention by fits and starts for several years./ •/You will never get anywhere if you study just by fits and starts./ Compare: FROM TIME TO TIME, OFF AND ON.

[bygone] See: LET BYGONES BE BYGONES.

[by heart]{adv. phr.} By exact memorizing; so well that you remember it; by memory. •/The pupils learned many poems by heart./ •/He knew the records of the major league teams by heart./

[by hook or by crook]{adv. phr.} By honest ways or dishonest in any way necessary. •/The wolf tried to get the little pigs by hook or by crook./ •/The team was determined to win that last game by hook or by crook, and three players were put out of the game for fouling./

[by inches]{adv. phr.} By small or slow degrees; little by little; gradually. •/The river was rising by inches./ •/They got a heavy wooden beam under the barn for a lever, and managed to move it by inches./ •/He was dying by inches./

[by leaps and bounds]{adv. phr.} With long steps; very rapidly. •/Production in the factory was increasing by leaps and bounds./ •/The school enrollment was going up by leaps and bounds./

[by means of]{prep.} By the use of; with the help of. •/The fisherman saved himself by means of a floating log./ •/By means of monthly payments, people can buy more than in the past./

[by mistake]{adv. phr.} As the result of a mistake; through error. •/He picked up the wrong hat by mistake./

[by no means] or [not by any means] also [by no manner of means] or [not by any manner of means] {adv. phr.} Not even a little; certainly not. •/He is by no means bright./ •/"May I stay home from school?" "By no means."/ •/Dick worked on his project Saturday, but he is not finished yet, by any means./ Contrast: BY ALL MEANS.

[B.Y.O.] (Abbreviation) {informal} Bring Your Own. Said of a kind of party where the host or hostess does not provide the drinks or food but people ring their own.

[B.Y.O.B.] (Abbreviation) {informal} Bring Your Own Bottle. Frequently written on invitations for the kind of party where people bring their own liquor.

[by oneself]{adv. phr.} 1. Without any others around; separate from others; alone. •/The house stood by itself on a hill./ •/Tom liked to go walking by himself./ •/Betty felt very sad and lonely by herself./ 2. Without the help of anyone else; by your own work only. •/John built a flying model airplane by himself./ •/Lois cleaned the house all by herself./

[by one’s own bootstraps] See: PULL ONE SELF UP BY THE BOOTSTRAPS.

[by storm] See: TAKE BY STORM.

[by surprise] See: TAKE BY SURPRISE.

[by the board] See: GO BY THE BOARD also PASS BY THE BOARD.

[by the bootstraps] See: PULL ONESELF UP BY THE BOOTSTRAPS.

[by the bye] See: BY THE WAY.

[by the dozen] or [by the hundred] or [by the thousand] {adv. phr.} Very many at one time; in great numbers. •/Tommy ate cookies by the down./ Often used in the plural, meaning even larger numbers. •/The ants arrived at the picnic by the hundreds./ •/The enemy attacked the fort by the thousands./

[by the horns] See: TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS.

[by the hundred] See: BY THE DOZEN.

[by the nose] See: LEAD BY THE NOSE.

[by the piece]{adv. phr.} Counted one piece at a time, separately for each single piece. •/John bought boxes full of bags of potato chips and sold them by the piece./ •/Mary made potholders and got paid by the piece./

[by the seat of one’s pants] See: FLY BY THE SEAT OF ONE’S PANTS.

[by the skin of one’s teeth]{adv. phr.} By a narrow margin; with no room to spare; barely. •/The drowning man struggled, and I got him to land by the skin of my teeth./ •/She passed English by the skin of her teeth./ Compare: SQUEAK THROUGH, WITHIN AN ACE OF or WITHIN AN INCH OF.

[by the sweat of one’s brow]{adv. phr.} By hard work; by tiring effort; laboriously. •/Even with modern labor-saving machinery, the farmer makes his living by the sweat of his brow./

[by the thousand] See: BY THE DOZEN.

[by the way] also [by the bye] {adv. phr.} Just as some added fact or news; as something else that I think of. — Used to introduce something related to the general subject, or brought to mind by it. •/We shall expect you; by the way, dinner will be at eight./ •/I was reading when the earthquake occurred, and, by the way, it was The Last Days of Pompeii that I was reading./

[by the wayside] See: FALL BY THE WAYSIDE.

[by turns]{adv. phr.} First one and then another in a regular way; one substituting for or following another according to a repeated plan. •/On the drive to Chicago, the three men took the wheel by turns./ •/The teachers were on duty by turns./ •/When John had a fever, he felt cold and hot by turns./ Syn.: IN TURN. Compare: TAKE TURNS.

[by virtue of] also [in virtue of] {prep.} On the strength of; because of; by reason of. •/By virtue of his high rank and position, the President takes social leadership over almost everyone else./ •/Plastic bags are useful for holding many kinds of food, by virtue of their clearness, toughness, and low cost./ Compare: BY DINT OF.

[by way of]{prep.} 1. For the sake or purpose of; as. •/By way of example, he described his own experience./ 2. Through; by a route including; via. •/He went from New York to San Francisco by way of Chicago./

[by word of mouth]{adv. phr.} From person to person by the spoken word; orally. •/The news got around by word of mouth./ •/The message reached him quietly by word of mouth./