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strong feeling. * /Dear me! My purse is lost, what shall I do now?/
[death] See: AT DEATH'S DOOR, BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH, CATCH ONE'S
DEATH OF or TAKE ONE'S DEATH OF, SIGN ONE'S OWN DEATH WARRANT, TO
DEATH.
[death knell] {n.}, {formal} 1. The ringing of a bell at a death or
funeral. * /The people mourned at the death knell of their friend./ 2.
{literary} Something which shows a future failure. * /Bill's poor
grade on his final examination sounded the death knell of his hope to
be a doctor./ * /His sudden deafness was the death knell of his hope
to become President./
[death on] {adj. phr.}, {informal} 1. Very successful in meeting or
dealing with. * /Joe is death on fast balls. He usually knocks them
out of the park./ 2. Disliking or strongly against; very strict about.
* /The new teacher is death on students who come late to class./ *
/The twins' grandmother is death on smoking./
[deck] See: HIT THE DECK, ON DECK.
[decked out] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Dressed in fancy clothes;
specially decorated for some festive occasion. * /The school band was
decked out in bright red uniforms with brass buttons./ * /Main Street
was decked with flags for the Fourth of July./
[declare] See: I DECLARE.
[deep] See: BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA, GO OFF THE
DEEP END, IN DEEP, KNEE-DEEP.
[deep-six] {v.}, {slang} To throw away; dispose of. * /As the
police boat came near, the drug smugglers deep-sixed their cargo./ (An
expression originally used by sailors, suggesting throwing something
into water six fathoms deep.)
[deep water] {n.} Serious trouble or difficulty. * /When Dad tried
to take Mom's place for a day, he found himself in deep water./
[defense] See: ZONE DEFENSE.
[defiance] See: IN DEFIANCE OF.
[degree] See: TO A DEGREE, TO THE NTH DEGREE.
[deliver the goods] {v. phr.} 1. To carry things and give them to
the person who wants them. * /Lee delivered the goods to the right
house./ 2. {slang} To succeed in doing well what is expected. * /The
new pitcher delivered the goods by striking out 20 men in his first
game./ * /This personal computer surely delivers the goods./ Compare:
BRING HOME THE BACON.
[delta wave] {n.}, {informal}, {semi-technical} A brain wave 1-3
cycles per second, associated with very deep sleep. * /Good night,
honey, I'm off to produce some delta waves./ Compare: CATCH SOME Z'S,
HIT THE HAY or HIT THE SACK.
[demand] See: IN DEMAND.
[Dennis the Menace] {n. phr.} After the notorious television
character played by a young boy who always creates trouble for the
grownups. Any hyperactive little boy who needs calming down. * /"Your
son, Joey, is becoming a regular 'Dennis the Menace'," Jane said to
Elvira./
[dent] See: MAKE A DENT IN.
[deposit] See: ON DEPOSIT.
[depth] See: BEYOND ONE'S DEPTH.
[desk clerk] See: ROOM CLERK.
[detective] See: HOUSE DETECTIVE.
[devil] See: BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA, FULL OF THE
OLD NICK or FULL OF THE DEVIL, GIVE THE DEVIL HIS DUE, GO TO THE
DEVIL, PLAY THE DEVIL WITH, RAISE THE DEVIL, SPEAK OF THE DEVIL AND HE
APPEARS.
[devil-may-care] {adj.} Not caring what happens; unworried. *
/Johnny has a devil-may-care feeling about his school work./ * /Alfred
was a devil-may-care youth but became more serious as he grew older./
[devil-may-care attitude] {n. phr.} An attitude of no concern for
financial or other loss. * /"Easy come, easy go," John said in a
devil-may-care attitude when he lost all of his money during a poker
game./
[devil of it] or [heck of it] {n. phr.} 1. The worst or most
unlucky thing about a trouble or accident; the part that is most
regrettable. * /Andy lost his notebook, and the devil of it was that
the notebook contained all his homework for the coming week./ * /When
I had a flat tire, the devil of it was that my spare tire was flat
too./ 2. Fun from doing mischief. - Used after "for". * /The boys
carried away Miss White's front gate just for the devil of it./
[devil to pay] {n. phr.} Great trouble. - Used after "the". *
/There'll be the devil to pay when the teacher finds out who broke the
window./ * /When Jim wrecked his father's car, there was the devil to
pay./
[dewey-eyed] See: MISTY-EYED.
[diamond in the rough] {n. phr.} A very smart person without a
formal education who may have untutored manners. * /Jack never went to
school but he is extremely talented; he is a veritable diamond in the
rough./
[dibs] See: TO HAVE DIBS ON or TO PUT DIBS ON.
[dice] See: NO DEAL or NO DICE.
[Dick] See: TOM, DICK AND HARRY.
[die] See: CROSS ONE'S HEART or CROSS ONE'S HEART AND HOPE TO DIE,
DO-OR-DIE, NEVER SAY DIE.
[die away] or [die down] {v.} To come slowly to an end; grow slowly
less or weaker. * /The wind died down./ * /The music died away./ * /He
waited until the excitement had died down./ * /His mother's anger died
away./
[die in one's boots] or [die with one's boots on] {v. phr.},
{informal} To be killed or hanged rather than die in bed. * /The
badmen of the Old West usually died in their boots./ * /The robber
said he wanted to die with his boots on./
[die is cast] {v. phr.}, {literary} To make an irrevocable
decision. (From Julius Caesar's famous words in Latin, "alea iacta
est", when he crossed the river Rubicon, which meant war.) *
/Everything was ready for the invasion of Europe, the die had been
cast, and there was no turning back now./
[die off] {v.} To die one at a time. * /The flowers are dying off
because there has been no rain./
[die on the vine] or [wither on the vine] {v. phr.} To fail or
collapse in the planning stages. * /The program for rebuilding the
city died on the vine./
[die out] {v.} To die or disappear slowly until all gone. * /This
kind of bird is dying out./ * /If you pour salt water on grass, it
dies out./ * /The American colonists started colleges so that learning
would not die out./
[difference] See: MAKE A DIFFERENCE, SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE.
[different] See: SING A DIFFERENT TUNE or WHISTLE A DIFFERENT TUNE.
[dig down] {v.}, {slang} To spend your own money. * /The school let
the club use the bus and driver free for their trip, but they had to
dig down to pay for gas and meals./ * /"So you broke Mrs. Brown's
window?" Tom's father said, "You'll have to dig down and pay for it,"/
[dig in] {v.}, {informal} 1. To dig ditches for protection against
an enemy attack. * /The soldiers dug in and waited for the enemy to
come./ 2a. To go seriously to work; work hard. * /John dug in and
finished his homework very quickly./ 2b. To begin eating. * /Mother
set the food on the table and told the children to dig in./
[dig out] {v.} 1. To find by searching; bring out (something) that
was put away. * /Jack dug his sled out of the cellar./ * /The
newspaper printed an old story dug out of their records./ Compare: DIG
UP. 2. {informal} To escape. - Usually used with "of". Often used in
the phrase "dig oneself out of a hole." * /The pitcher dug himself out
of a hole by striking the batter out./
[dig up] {v.}, {informal} To find or get (something) with some
effort. * /Sue dug up some useful material for her English
composition./ * /Jim asked each boy to dig up twenty-five cents to pay
for the hot dogs and soda./ Compare: DIG OUT.
[dilemma] See: HORNS OF A DILEMMA.
[dim] See: TAKE A DIM VIEW OF.
[dime a dozen] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Easy to get and so of little
value; being an everyday thing because there are many of them; common.
* /Mr. Jones gives A's to only one or two students, but in Mr. Smith's
class, A's are a dime a dozen./
[dime store] or [five-and-dime] or [five-and-ten] {n. phr.} A store
that sells things that cost little. * /Charles bought a pencil at the
five-and-dime./
[dine out] {v. phr.} To not eat at home but to go to a restaurant.
* /"Let's dine out tonight, honey," she said to her husband. "I am
tired of cooking dinner every night."/ See: EAT OUT.
[dint] See: BY DINT OF.
[dip into] {v. phr.} 1. To scan or sample lightly and briefly (said
of printed materials). * /I didn't get a chance to read all of War and
Peace, but I dipped into it here and there./ 2. To take money out of a
savings account or a piggy bank. * /I am sorry to have to say that I
had to dip into the piggy bank; I took out $6.75./
[dirt] See: EAT DIRT, HIT THE DIRT, PAY DIRT.
[dirt cheap] {adj.} Extremely inexpensive. * /The apartment we are
renting is dirt cheap compared to other apartments of similar size in
this neighborhood./
[dirty] See: AIR ONE'S DIRTY LINEN IN PUBLIC or WASH ONE'S DIRTY
LINEN IN PUBLIC.
[dirty look] {n.}, {informal} A look that shows dislike. * /Miss
Parker sent Joe to the principal's office for giving her a dirty
look./
[dirty old man] {n. phr.} An older man who shows an unhealthy
interest in young girls. * /"Stay away from Uncle Algernon, Sally,"
her mother warned. "He is a dirty old man."/
[dirty one's hands] or [soil one's hands] {v. phr.} To lower or
hurt one's character or good name; do a bad or shameful thing. * /The
teacher warned the children not to dirty their hands by cheating in
the examination./ * /I would not soil my hands by going with bad
people and doing bad things./
[dirty story] {n. phr.} An improper or obscene story. * /Uncle Bill
is much too fond of telling dirty stories in order to embarrass his
friends./
[dirty trick] {n. phr.} A treacherous action; an unfair act. *
/That was a dirty trick John played on Mary when he ran away with her
younger sister./
[disappear] or [evaporate] or [vanish into thin air] {v. phr.} To
disappear quickly, without leaving a trace. * /Money seems to
disappear into thin air these days./ * /Jack just vanished into thin
air before the meeting had started./
[discretion] See: THROW CAUTION TO THE WINDS also THROW DISCRETION
TO THE WINDS.
[discretion is the better part of valor] {literary} When you are in
danger or trouble, good sense helps more than foolish risks; it is
better to be careful than to be foolishly brave. - A proverb. * /When
you are facing a man with a knife, discretion is the better part of
valor./
[dish] See: COVERED-DISH SUPPER.
[dish of tea] See: CUP OF TEA.
[dish out] {v.} 1. To serve (food) from a large bowl or plate. *
/Ann's mother asked her to dish out the beans./ 2. {informal} To give
in large quantities. * /That teacher dished out so much homework that
her pupils complained to their parents./ 3. {slang} To scold; treat or
criticize roughly. * /Jim likes to dish it out, but he hates to take
it./ Compare: HAND OUT.
[dish the dirt] {v. phr.}, {slang} To gossip, to spread rumors
about others. * /Stop dishing the dirt. Sally, it's really quite
unbecoming!/
[disk jockey] {n.} An employee at a radio station or in a dance
club who puts on the records that will be broadcast. * /Jack is
working as a disk jockey at the local FM station./
[dispose of] {v.} 1. To throw away; give away, or sell; get rid of.
* /John's father wants to dispose of their old house and buy a new
one./ * /The burglars had difficulty in disposing of the stolen
jewelry./ 2. To finish. with; settle; complete. * /The boys were
hungry, and quickly disposed of their dinner./ * /The committee soon
disposed of all its business./ 3. To destroy or defeat. * /The
champion disposed of the other fighter by knocking him out in the
second round./ * /Our planes disposed of two enemy planes./
[dispute] See: IN DISPUTE.
[distance] See: KEEP AT A DISTANCE, KEEP ONE'S DISTANCE.
[ditch] See: LAST DITCH,
[dive] See: GO INTO A TAIL SPIN or GO INTO A NOSE DIVE.
[do] See: HAVE DONE, HAVE DONE WITH, HAVE TO DO WITH, LET GEORGE DO
IT, LET ONE'S RIGHT HAND KNOW WHAT ONE'S LEFT HAND IS DOING, LET'S
DON'T, MAKE DO, WELL-TO-DO, WHAT'S UP or WHAT'S DOING.
[do a double take] {v. phr.}, {informal} To look again in surprise;
suddenly understand what is seen or said. * /John did a double take
when he saw Bill in girls' clothes./ * /When Evvie said she was
quitting school, I did a double take./
[do a job on] {v. phr.}, {slang} To damage badly; do harm to; make
ugly or useless. * /The baby did a job on Mary's book./ * /Jane cut
her hair and really did a job on herself./
[Doakes] See: JOE DOAKES.
[do a stretch] {v. phr.} To spend time in jail serving one's
sentence. * /Jake has disappeared from view for a while; he is doing a
stretch for dope smuggling./
[do away with] {v.} 1. To put an end to; stop. * /The teachers want
to do away with cheating in their school./ * /The city has decided to
do away with overhead wires./ Compare: RID OF. 2. To kill; murder. *
/The robbers did away with their victims./
[do by someone or something] {v.} To deal with; treat. - Used with
a qualifying adverb between "do" and "by". * /Andy's employer always
does very well by him./
[do credit] or [do credit to] also ({informal}) [do proud] To add
to or improve the reputation, good name, honor, or esteem of; show
(you) deserve praise. * /Your neat appearance does you credit./ *
/Mary's painting would do credit to a real artist./
[doctor] See: JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED.
[doctor up] {v. phr.} To meddle with; adulterate. * /You don't have
to doctor up this basic salad with a lot of extras as I am trying to
lose weight./
[do duty for] {v. phr.} To substitute for; act in place of. * /The
bench often does duty for a table./
[Doe] See: JOHN DOE.
[doesn't add up to a can of beans] {v. phr.} To be of little or no
value. (Said of plans, ideas, etc.) * /"That's a fairly interesting
concept you got there, Mike, but the competition is bound to say that
it doesn't add up to a can of beans."/
[do for] {v.}, {informal} To cause the death or ruin of; cause to
fail. - Used usually in the passive form "done for". * /The poor
fellow is done for and will die before morning./ * /Andy's employer
always does very well by him./ * /If Jim fails that test, he is done
for./
[dog] See: EVERY DOG HAS HIS DAY, GO TO THE DOGS, HOT DOG, LEAD A
DOG'S LIFE, LET SLEEPING DOGS LIE, RAIN CATS AND DOGS.
[dog days] {n. phr.} The hottest days of the year in the Northern
Hemisphere (July and August). (The ancient Romans associated this time
with the "Dog Star" - Sirius - which becomes visible in the heavens at
this time of year.) * /"The dog days are upon us," John said. "It's
time to go swimming in the lake."/
[dog-eat-dog(1)] {n.} A way of living in which every person tries
to get what he wants for himself no matter how badly or cruelly he
must treat others to get it; readiness to do anything to get what you
want. * /In some early frontier towns it was dog-eat-dog./
[dog-eat-dog(2)] {adj.} Ready or willing to fight and hurt others
to get what you want. * /During the California gold rush, men had a
dog-eat-dog life./
[doghouse] See: IN THE DOGHOUSE.
[dog in the manger] {n. phr.} A person who is unwilling to let
another use what he himself has no use for. * /Although Valerie lives
alone in that big house, she is like a dog in the manger when it comes
to letting someone sharing it with her./
[dog one's steps] {v. phr.} To follow someone closely. * /All the
time he was in Havana, Castro's police were dogging his steps./
[dog's age] or [coon's age] {n.}, {informal} A very long time.
Usually used after "for" or "in" with a negative. * /Charlie Brown! I
haven't seen you for a coon's age./ * /Father hasn't had a night out
with the boys in a dog's age./ * /I waited for him for a dog's age,
but he didn't come./ Syn.: MONTH OF SUNDAYS.
[dog's life] {n. phr.} A life of misery, poverty, and unhappiness.
* /Diogenes, the Greek philosopher, lived a dog's life inside an empty
barrel./
[do in] {v.}, {slang} 1. To ruin; destroy. * /Mr. Smith's business
was done in by a fire that burned down his store./ 2a. To kill;
murder. * /The poor man was done in by two gangsters who ran away
after the crime./ 2b. To make tired; exhaust. * /The boys were done in
after their long hike./ Syn.: WEAR OUT(2). 3. To cheat; swindle. *
/Mr. Jones was done in by two men who claimed to be collecting money
for orphans and widows./
[doing] See: NOTHING DOING.
[do justice to] {v. phr.} 1. To do (something) as well as you
should; do properly. * /Barbara had so many things to do that she
could not do justice to her lessons./ * /The newspaper man did not do
justice to the story./ 2. To eat or drink with enthusiasm or
enjoyment. * /The boy did justice to the meal./
[dole out] {v. phr.} To measure out sparingly. * /Since the water
ration was running low in the desert, the camp commandant doled out
small cups of water to each soldier./
[dollar] See: BET ONE'S BOTTOM DOLLAR at BET ONE'S BOOTS, FEEL LIKE
A MILLION or FEEL LIKE A MILLION DOLLARS, LOOK LIKE A MILLION DOLLARS.
[doll up] {v.}, {slang} 1. To dress in fine or fancy clothes. *
/The girls dolled up for the big school dance of the year./ * /The
girls were all dolled up for the Christmas party./ 2. To make more
pretty or attractive. * /The classrooms were all dolled up with
Christmas decorations./ Compare: DECKED OUT.
[done for] {adj. phr.} Finished; dead. * /When the police burst in
on the crooks, they knew they were done for./
[done to a turn] See: TO A T or TO A TURN.
[done with] {adj. phr.} Finished; completed. * /As soon as you're
done with your work, give us a call./
[don't cross your bridges until you come to them] See: CROSS A
BRIDGE BEFORE ONE COMES TO IT.
[don't cry before you're hurt] See: CRY BEFORE ONE IS HURT.
[don't let's] See: LET'S DON'T.
[don't look a gift horse in the mouth] See: LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN
THE MOUTH.
[do one a good turn] {v. phr.} To perform an act of kindness,
friendship, or help to another person, unselfishly, without
expectation of reward. * /"I'll be happy to help you any time you need
it," John said. "After all you have done me so many good turns."/
[do one good] {v. phr.} To benefit. * /The fresh air will do you
good after having been inside the house all day./
[do one good] or [do one's heart good] {v. phr.} To give
satisfaction; please; gratify. * /It does my heart good to see those
children play./
[do one's best] {v. phr.} To perform at one's optimum capacity;
spare no effort in fulfilling one's duties. * /"I've really done my
best teaching you people," the tired professor said on the last day of
classes. "I hope you got something out of this course."/
[do one's bit] or [part] {v. phr.} To shoulder one's share of
responsibility in a communal undertaking; shirk one's obligation. *
/"Let me go home and rest, fellows, " John said. "I think I've done my
bit for this project. "/
[do one's thing] or [do one's own thing] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1.
To do what one does well and actually enjoys doing. * /Two thousand
fans paid $15 each to hear the rock group do their thing./ 2. To
follow one's bent; for example, to be engaged in left-wing politics,
some sort of meditation, or use of drugs (particularly in the
sixties). * /The hippies were doing their own thing when the cops came
and busted them./ 3. To be engaged in an unusual activity that strikes
others as odd. * /Leave Jim alone, he's just doing his own thing when
he's standing on his head./
[do one's worst] {v. phr.} To do one's utmost by resorting to every
foul means possible. * /Hitler did his worst to drive out the Allied
invasion from Europe, but he failed./
[door] See: AT DEATH'S DOOR, AT ONE'S DOOR, CLOSED-DOOR, CLOSE ITS
DOORS, CLOSE THE DOOR or BAR THE DOOR or SHUT THE DOOR, DARKEN ONE S
DOOR, or DARKEN THE DOOR, FOOT IN THE DOOR, KEEP THE WOLF FROM THE
DOOR, LAY AT ONE'S DOOR, LOCK THE BARN DOOR AFTER THE HORSE IS STOLEN,
NEXT DOOR, OPEN ITS DOORS, OPEN THE DOOR, SHOW THE DOOR, SLAM THE DOOR
IN ONE'S FACE at IN ONE'S FACE.
[do-or-die] {adj.} Strongly decided, very eager and determined. *
/With a real do-or-die spirit the team scored two touchdowns in the
last five minutes of the game./ * /The other army was larger but our
men showed a do-or-die determination and won the battle./
[doorstep] See: AT ONE'S DOOR or AT ONE'S DOOR-STEP.
[do over] {v. phr.} 1. To renovate; redecorate. * /The new owners
are going to do over the entire building in the fall./ 2. To repeat. *
/Please do that math problem over until you get it right./
[dope out] {v.}, {slang} To think of something that explains. *
/The detectives tried to dope out why the man was murdered./ Syn.:
FIGURE OUT.
[do proud] See: DO CREDIT.
[do someone out of something] {v.}, {informal} To cause to lose by
trickery or cheating. * /The clerk in the store did me out of $2.00 by
overcharging me./
[dose of one's own medicine] or [taste of one's own medicine] {n.
phr.} Being treated in the same way you treat others; something bad
done to you as you have done bad to other people. * /Jim was always
playing tricks on other boys. Finally they decided to give him a dose
of his own medicine./
[dot] See: ON THE DOT also ON THE BUTTON.
[do tell] {interj.}, {informal} An inelegant expression used to
show that you are a little surprised by what you hear. * /"You say
George is going to get married after all these years? Do tell!" said
Mrs. Green./ Syn.: YOU DON'T SAY.
[do the business] {v. phr.}, {informal} To do what is needed or
wanted; get the job done; take proper action. * /The boys had trouble
in rolling the stone, but four of them did the business./ * /When the
little boy cut his finger a bandage did the business./
[do the honors] {v. phr.} To act as host or hostess (as in
introducing guests, carving, or paying other attentions to guests.) *
/The president of the club will do the honors at the banquet./
[do the trick] {v. phr.}, {informal} To bring success in doing
something; have a desired result. * /Jim was not passing in English,
but he studied harder and that did the trick./ * /The car wheels
slipped on the ice, so Tom put sand under them, which did the trick./
Compare: TURN THE TRICK.
[do things by halves] {v. phr.} To do things in a careless and
incomplete way. * /When he reads a book he always does it by halves;
he seldom finishes it./
[do time] or [doing time] See: DO A STRETCH.
[do to death] {v. phr.} To overdo; do something so often that it
becomes extremely boring or tiresome. * /The typical car chase scene
in motion pictures has been done to death./
[dot the i's and cross the t's] {v. phr.} To be careful, thorough,
and pay close attention to detail. * /"The best way to get an A on the
final exam," the teacher said, "is for every one to dot the i's and
cross the t's."/ Compare: MIND ONE'S P'S AND Q'S.
[double back] {v.} 1. To turn back on one's way or course. * /The
escaped prisoner doubled back on his tracks./ 2. To fold over; usually
in the middle. * /The teacher told Johnny to double back the sheet of
paper and tear it in half./
[double check] {n.} A careful second check to be sure that
something is right; a careful look for errors. * /The policeman made a
double check on the doors in the shopping area./
[double-check] {v.} 1. To do a double check on; look at again very
carefully. * /When the last typing of his book was finished, the
author double-checked it./ 2. To make a double check; look carefully
at something. * /The proofreader double-checks against errors./
[double-cross] {v.} To promise one thing and deliver another; to
deceive. * /The lawyer double-crossed the inventor by manufacturing
the gadget instead of fulfilling his promise to arrange a patent for
his client./ Compare: SELL DOWN THE RIVER, TWO-TIME.
[double date] {n.}, {informal} A date on which two couples go
together. * /John and Nancy went with Mary and Bill on a double date./
[double-date] {v.}, {informal} To go on a double date; date with
another couple. * /John and Nancy and Mary and Bill double-date./
[double duty] {n.} Two uses or jobs; two purposes or duties. *
/Matthew does double duty. He's the janitor in the morning and
gardener in the afternoon./ * /Our new washer does double duty; it
washes the clothes and also dries them./
[double-header] {n.} Two games or contests played one right after
the other, between the same two teams or two different pairs of teams.
* /The Yankees and the Dodgers played a double-header Sunday
afternoon./ * /We went to a basketball double-header at Madison Square
Garden and saw Seton Hall play St. John's and N.Y.U. play Notre Dame./
[double nickel] {adv.}, {slang}, {citizen's band radio jargon} The
nationally enforced speed limit on some highways - 55 MPH. * /We'd
better go double nickel on this stretch, partner; there's a bear in
the air./
[double-park] {v.} To park a car beside another car which is at the
curb. * /Jimmy's father double-parked his car and the police gave him
a ticket./ * /If you double-park, you block other cars from passing./
[double-talk] {n.} 1. Something said that is worded, either on
purpose or by accident, so that it may be understood in two or more
different ways. * /The politician avoided the question with
double-talk./ 2. Something said that does not make sense; mixed up
talk or writing; nonsense. * /The man's explanation of the new tax
bill was just a lot of double-talk./
[double up] {v.} 1. To bend far over forward. * /Jim was hit by the
baseball and doubled up with pain./ 2. To share a room, bed, or home
with another. * /When relatives came for a visit, Ann had to double up
with her sister./
[doubt] See: GIVE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT, NO DOUBT.
[do up] {v.} 1a. To clean and prepare for use or wear; launder. *
/Ann asked her mother to do up her dress./ 1b. To put in order;
straighten up; clean. * /At camp the girls have to do up their own
cabins./ 2. To tie up or wrap. * /Joan asked the clerk to do up her
purchases./ 3a. To set and fasten (hair) in place. * /Grace helped her
sister to do up her hair./ Compare: PUT UP. 3b. {informal} To dress or
clothe. * /Suzie was done up in her fine new skirt and blouse./
[do up brown] {v. phr.}, {slang} To do in a thorough or complete
way. * /When Jim does a job, he does it up brown./
[do well by] {v. phr.} To benefit; help; treat exceptionally well.
* /In his will Grandpa did well by all of his grandchildren and left
each of them one million dollars./
[do with] {v.} 1. To find enough for one's needs; manage. - Usually
follows "can". * /Some children can do with very little spending
money./ Compare: GET ALONG, MAKE DO. 2. To make use of; find useful or
helpful. - Follows "can" or "could". * /After a hard day's work, a man
can do with a good, hot meal./ * /After cleaning out the basement, the
boy could do with a bath./
[do without] or [go without] {v.} 1. To live or work without
(something you want); manage without. * /Ann said that she likes
candy, but can do without it./ * /We had to go without hot food
because the stove was broken./ 2. To live or work without something
you want; manage. * /If George cannot earn money for a bicycle, he
will have to do without./ Compare: GET ALONG, GET BY.
[down and out] {adj. phr.} Without money; without a job or home;
broke. * /Poor Sam lost his job after his wife had left him; he is
really down and out./
[down-and-outer] {n. phr.} A person who has lost everything and is
penniless. * /Joe goes from shelter to shelter asking for food and a
place to sleep; he's become a regular down-and-outer./
[down-at-heel] or [down-at-the-heel] or [down-at-the-heels] {adj.}
Poorly kept up or dressed shabby; not neat; sloppy. * /John is always
down-at-the-heels, but his sister is always very neat./ * /Old houses
sometimes look down-at-the-heel./
[down east] or [Down East] {n.} The northeast coastal part of the
United States and part of Canada; especially: the coastal parts of
Maine. * /Many people in Boston like to go down east for their summer
vacation./ Compare: I WOULDN'T DO IT FOR A FARM DOWN EAST.
[down in the dumps] or [down in the mouth] {adj. phr.}, {informal}
Sad or discouraged; gloomy; dejected. * /The boys were certainly down
in the dumps when they heard that their team had lost./
[down on] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Having a grudge against; angry
at. * /John is down on his teacher because she gave him a low grade./
[down one's alley] or [up one's alley] {adj. phr.}, {slang} Suited
to your tastes and abilities; what you like or like to do. * /Baseball
is right down Jim's alley./ Compare: CUP OF TEA.
[down one's neck] See: BREATHE DOWN ONE'S NECK.
[down one's nose] See: LOOK DOWN ONE'S NOSE.
[down one's throat] See: JUMP DOWN ONE'S THROAT, SHOVE DOWN ONE'S
THROAT or RAM DOWN ONE'S THROAT.
[down on one's luck] {adj.}, {informal} Having bad luck; having
much trouble; not successful in life. * /Harry asked me to lend him
ten dollars, because he was down on his luck./ * /The teacher is easy
on Jane because Jane has been down on her luck lately./ Compare: HARD
ROW TO HOE, HARD SLEDDING, ON ONE'S UPPERS.
[down payment] {n.} A retainer paid to a prospective seller. * /How
much of a down payment do you require for this new car?/
[down the drain] {adj.} or {adv. phr.}, {informal} Wasted; lost. *
/It is money down the drain if you spend it all on candy./ * /Our
plans to go swimming went down the drain when it rained./ Compare: GO
BY THE BOARD.
[down the hatch!] {v. phr.}, {informal} Let us drink! * /When we
celebrated Mom's birthday, we all raised our glasses and cried in
unison, "Down the hatch!"/
[down the line] {adv. phr.}, {informal} 1. Down the road or street;
straight ahead. * /The church is down the line a few blocks./ 2. All
the way; completely; thoroughly. * /Bob always follows the teacher's
directions right down the line./
[down-to-earth] {adj.} Showing good sense; practical. * /The
committee's first plan for the party was too fancy, but the second was
more down-to-earth./ * /Mr. Jenkins never seems to know what is
happening around him, but his wife is friendly and down-to-earth./
Compare: COME BACK TO EARTH.
[down to the wire] {adj.}, {slang} 1. Running out of time, nearing
a deadline. * /Bob is down to the wire on his project./ 2. Being
financially almost broke, being very low on cash or other funds. * /We
can't afford going to a restaurant tonight - we're really down to the
wire!/
[down with a disease] {adj. phr.} Ill or sick. * /Aunt Liz is down
with the flu this week; she has to stay in bed./
[dozen] See: BY THE DOZEN, DAILY DOZEN, DIME A DOZEN, SIX OF ONE
AND HALF-A-DOZEN OF THE OTHER.
[drag in] {v.} To insist on bringing (another subject) into a
discussion; begin talking about (something different.) * /No matter
what we talk about, Jim drags in politics./ * /Whenever anyone
mentions travel, Grace has to drag in the trip to Mexico she took ten
years ago./
[drag on] or [drag out] {v.} 1. To pass very slowly. * /The cold
winter months dragged on until we thought spring would never come./ 2.
To prolong; make longer. * /The meeting would have been over quickly
if the members had not dragged out the argument about dues./
[drag on the market] {n. phr.} An article for which the demand has
fallen off thus causing an oversupply. * /Your type of word processor
went out of style and is now a drag on the market./
[drag oneself up by one's boot straps] See: PULL ONESELF UP BY THE
BOOT STRAPS.
[drag one's feet] or [drag one's heels] {v. phr.} To act slowly or
reluctantly. * /The children wanted to watch television, and dragged
their feet when their mother told them to go to bed./ * /The city
employees said the mayor had promised to raise their pay, but was now
dragging his feet./
[drag out] See: DRAG ON.
[drag race] {n.}, {slang} An automobile race in which the drivers
try to cover a certain distance (usually one quarter mile) in the
shortest possible time. * /Drag races are often held on airport
landing strips./ * /Holding drag races is a good way to stop teenage
hot rod racing on public highways./ Compare: DRAG STRIP.
[drag strip] {n.}, {slang} A place where drag races are held. *
/Before the race Paul loaded his racer onto the trailer to take it out
of town to the drag strip for the race./ Compare: DRAG RACE.
[drain] See: DOWN THE DRAIN.
[draw] See: BEAT TO THE PUNCH or BEAT TO THE DRAW.
[draw a bead on] {v. phr.} {informal} 1. To aim at; sight (with a
gun). * /The deer bounded into the forest before the hunters could
draw a bead on them./ * /John drew a bead on the elk, but didn't have
the heart to pull the trigger./ 2. To take (something) as an aim or
goal. * /"I'm drawing a bead on the Literary Society president's
office," said Tom./ 3. To use as a target of attack; criticize. *
/Whenever a politician makes a mistake, his opponents are ready to
draw a bead on him./
[draw a blank] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To obtain nothing in return
for an effort made or to get a negative result. * /I looked up all the
Joneses in the telephone book but I drew a blank every time I asked
for Archibald Jones./ 2. To fail to remember something. * /I am trying
to think of the name but I keep drawing a blank./ 3. To be
consistently unsuccessful at doing something. * /I keep trying to pass
that math exam but each time I try it I draw a blank./
[draw a conclusion] {v. phr.} To make an inference. * /After he
failed to keep an appointment with me for the third time, I drew the
conclusion that he was an unreliable person./
[draw a line] or [draw the line] {v. phr.} 1. To think of as
different. * /The law in this country draws a line between murder and
manslaughter./ * /Can you draw the line between a lie and a fib?/ 2.
To set a limit to what will be done; say something cannot be done. *
/We would like to invite everybody to our party, but we have to draw a
line somewhere./ - Often used with "at". * /Mrs. Jones draws the line
at permitting the children to play in their father's den./ * /People
fighting for their freedom often do not draw the line at murder./
[draw a long breath] or [take a long breath] {v. phr.} To breathe
deeply when getting ready to speak or act. * /Father asked who broke
the window. Jim drew a long breath and admitted that he had done it./
* /The salesman took a long breath and started his talk./
[draw a parallel] {v. phr.} To make a comparison. * /It is easy to
draw a parallel between the characters of Saint Francis of Assisi and
Great Saint Theresa of Aquila, but this doesn't mean that all saints
are alike./
[draw and quarter] {v. phr.}, {literary} 1. To execute someone in
the barbaric medieval fashion of having him torn into four pieces by
four horses tearing his body in four different directions. * /The
captured foreign marauders were drawn and quartered by the angry
citizens of ancient Frankfurt./ 2. To punish someone very severely. *
/"If you miss another homework assignment, John," the teacher said,
"I'll have you drawn and quartered."/
[draw aside] {v. phr.} To separate; take to one side. * /He drew
her aside and whispered into her ear, "Johanna, please marry me!"/
[draw back] {v.} To move back; back away; step backward; withdraw;
move away from. * /When the man spotted the rattlesnake, he drew back
and aimed his shotgun./ * /The children drew back from the dog when it
barked at them./ * /When the pitcher drew back his arm to pitch the
ball, Tom ran as fast as he could to steal second base./ * /Some juice
from the grapefruit that Father was eating squirted in his eye and he
drew back in surprise./ Compare: DROP BACK.
[drawback] {n.} Disadvantage; obstacle; hindrance. * /The biggest
drawback of Bill's plan is the cost involved./
[draw blood] {v. phr.}, {informal} To make someone feel hurt or
angry. * /If you want to draw blood, ask Jim about his last
money-making scheme./ * /Her sarcastic comments drew blood./
[drawer] See: TOP-DRAWER.
[draw fire] {v. phr.} 1. To attract or provoke shooting; be a
target. * /The general's white horse drew the enemy's fire./ 2. To
bring criticism or argument; make people say bad things about you. *
/Having the newest car in your group is sure to draw fire./
[drawing card] {n.} The most important figure in a multi-person
event; the top entertainer during a show; the best professor or
researcher at a university, etc. * /During the concert series Barbra
Streisand was the biggest drawing card./ * /The biggest drawing card
at many a university is the resident Nobel Laureate./
[draw in one's horns] See: PULL IN ONE'S HORNS.
[draw interest] {v. phr.} To earn interest on invested capital. *
/My savings account draws 4.5% interest./
[draw lots] {v. phr.} To select at random from a series in order to
determine precedents or apportionment. * /The refugees to be evacuated
drew lots on who would get a place on the first airplane out of the
besieged city./
[draw near] {v. phr.} To approach; come near. * /The time is
drawing near when this century will end and the next will begin./
[draw off] {v. phr.} To drain away; deflect. * /A light flanking
attack was made in order to draw off the enemy's fire./
[draw on] {v. phr.} 1. To arrive; approach. * /As midnight drew on,
the New Year's Eve party grew louder and louder./ 2. To secure funds
from a bank or person. * /Jack kept drawing on his bank account so
much that several of his checks bounced./
[draw out] {v. phr.} 1. To take out; remove. * /Johnny drew a
dollar out of the bank to buy his mother a present./ * /The hunter
drew out his gun and shot the snake./ 2. To make (a person) talk or
tell something. * /Jimmy was bashful but Mrs. Wilson drew him out by
asking him about baseball./ 3. To make come out; bring out. * /The
bell of the ice-cream truck drew the children out of the houses./ *
/Mary was drawn out of her silence by Billy's jokes./ 4. To make
longer or too long; stretch. * /The Smiths drew out their vacation at
the beach an extra week./ * /It was a long drawn out meeting because
everybody tried to talk at once./ * /Mary and her mother drew out
their goodbyes so long at the bus station that Mary almost missed the
bus./
[draw the fire of] See: DRAW OFF.
[draw the line] See: DRAW A LINE.
[draw to a close] {v. phr.} To finish; terminate; come to an end. *
/The meeting drew to a close around midnight./
[draw up] {v.} 1. To write (something) in its correct form; put in
writing. * /The rich man had his lawyers draw up his will so that each
of his children would receive part of his money when he died./ 2. To
plan or prepare; begin to write out. * /The two countries drew up a
peace treaty after the war ended./ * /Plans are being drawn up for a
new school next year./ Compare: WRITE UP. 3. To hold yourself straight
or stiffly, especially because you are proud or angry. * /When we said
that Mary was getting fat, she drew herself up angrily and walked out
of the room./ 4. To stop or come to a stop. * /The cowboy drew up his
horse at the top of the hill./ * /A big black car drew up in front of
the house./ Syn.: PULL UP.
[dread] See: BURNT CHILD DREADS THE FIRE.
[dream of] {v.} To think about seriously; think about with the idea
of really doing; consider seriously. - Usually used with a negative. *
/I wouldn't dream of wearing shorts to church./
[dressing down] {n.}, {informal} A scolding. * /The sergeant gave
the soldier a good dressing down because his shoes were not shined./
[dress a window] See: WINDOW DRESSING.
[dress like a million dollars] See: BEST BIB AND TUCKER.
[dress up] {v.} 1a. To put on best or special clothes. * /Billy
hated being dressed up and took off his best suit as soon as he got
home from church./ 1b. To put on a costume for fun or clothes for a
part in a play. * /Mary was dressed up to play Cinderella in her
school play./ 2. To make (something) look different; make (something)
seem better or more important. * /A fresh coat of paint will dress up
the old bicycle very much./ * /Tommy dressed up the story of what he
did on vacation and made it seem twice as interesting as it was./
[dressed fit to kill] See: BEST BIB AND TUCKER.
[dressed like a peacock] See: BEST BIB AND TUCKER.
[dribs and drabs] {n. phr.} Portions; small bits. * /John paid
Oliver back what he owed him in dribs and drabs./
[drift off] {v. phr.} 1. To fall asleep, * /He kept nodding and
drifting off to sleep while the lecturer was speaking./ 2. To depart;
leave gradually. * /One by one, the sailboats drifted off over the
horizon./
[drink down] {v. phr.} To drink in one gulp; swallow entirely. *
/Steve was so thirsty that he drank down six glasses of orange juice
in rapid succession./
[drink in] {v. phr.} To absorb with great interest. * /The tourists
stood on the beach drinking in the wonderful Hawaiian sunset./
[drink like a fish] {v. phr.} To drink (alcoholic beverages) in
great quantities; to be addicted to alcohol. * /John is a nice guy
but, unfortunately, he drinks like a fish./
[drink up] {v. phr.} To finish drinking; empty one's glass. *
/"Drink up that cough syrup," the nurse said, "and never mind the
taste,"/
[drive] See: LINE DRIVE.
[drive a bargain] {v. phr.} 1. To buy or sell at a good price;
succeed in a trade or deal. * /Tom's collie is a champion; it should
be easy for Tom to drive a bargain when he sells her puppies./ *
/Father drove a hard bargain with the real estate agent when we bought
our new house./ 2. To make an agreement that is better for you than
for the other person; make an agreement to your advantage. * /The
French drove a hard bargain in demanding that Germany pay fully for
World War I damages./
[drive a hard bargain] See: DRIVE A BARGAIN.
[drive at] {v.} To try or want to say; mean. - Used in the present
participle. * /John did not understand what the coach was driving at./
* /He had been talking for half an hour before anyone realized what he
was driving at./
[drive home] {v. phr.} To argue convincingly; make a strong point.
* /The doctor's convincing arguments and explanation of his X-ray
pictures drove home the point to Max that he needed surgery./
[drive-in] {adj.}/{n.} A kind of movie theater, fast food
restaurant, or church, where the customers, spectators, or worshippers
do not leave their automobiles but are served the food inside their
cars, can watch a motion picture from inside their cars, or can
participate in a religious service in their cars. * /Let's not waste
time on the road; let's just eat at the next drive-in restaurant./ *
/There is a drive-in theater not far from where we live./ * /Max and
Hilde go to a drive-in church every Sunday./
[drive like Jehu] {v. phr.}, {informal} To drive very fast,
carelessly or recklessly. * /When Joe is late for work, he drives like
Jehu./
[drive one ape], [bananas], [crazy], [mad] or [nuts] {v. phr.},
{informal} To irritate, frustrate, or tickle someone's fancy so badly
that they think they are going insane. * /"Stop teasing me, Mary,"
John said. "You are driving me nuts."/ * /"You are driving me bananas
with all your crazy riddles," Steve said./
[drive one round the bend] {v. phr.}, {informal} To upset someone
so much that they think they are going crazy. * /"Slow down, please,"
Miss Jones cried. "You are driving me around the bend!"/ Contrast:
DRIVE ONE APE, BANANAS, ETC.
[driver] See: BACKSEAT DRIVER.
[drive to the wall] {v. phr.} To defeat someone completely; to ruin
someone. * /Poor Uncle Jack was driven to the wall
by his angry creditors when his business
failed./ Compare: GO TO THE WALL.
[drive someone bananas] or [drive someone nuts] or [drive someone
ape] {v. phr.}, {slang} {informal} To excite someone to the point that
he or she goes out of his or her mind; to drive someone crazy. *
/You're driving me bananas/nuts with that kind of talk!]
[drop] See: AT THE DROP OF A HAT, BOTTOM DROP OUT, JAW DROP or JAW
DROP A MILE.
[drop a line] {v. phr.} To write someone a short letter or note. *
/Please drop me a line when you get to Paris; I'd like to know that
you've arrived safely./
[drop back] {v.} To move or step backwards; retreat. * /The
soldiers dropped back before the enemy's attack./ * /The quarterback
dropped back to pass the football./ Compare: DRAW BACK, FADE BACK,
FALL BACK.
[drop by] or [stop by] {v.} 1. or [drop around] To make a short or
unplanned visit; go on a call or errand; stop at someone's home. *
/Drop by any time you're in town./ * /Mv sister dropped around last
night./ * /Don't forget to stop by at the gas station./ Syn.: DROP IN.
2. or [drop into] To stop (somewhere) for a short visit or a short
[death] See: AT DEATH'S DOOR, BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH, CATCH ONE'S
DEATH OF or TAKE ONE'S DEATH OF, SIGN ONE'S OWN DEATH WARRANT, TO
DEATH.
[death knell] {n.}, {formal} 1. The ringing of a bell at a death or
funeral. * /The people mourned at the death knell of their friend./ 2.
{literary} Something which shows a future failure. * /Bill's poor
grade on his final examination sounded the death knell of his hope to
be a doctor./ * /His sudden deafness was the death knell of his hope
to become President./
[death on] {adj. phr.}, {informal} 1. Very successful in meeting or
dealing with. * /Joe is death on fast balls. He usually knocks them
out of the park./ 2. Disliking or strongly against; very strict about.
* /The new teacher is death on students who come late to class./ *
/The twins' grandmother is death on smoking./
[deck] See: HIT THE DECK, ON DECK.
[decked out] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Dressed in fancy clothes;
specially decorated for some festive occasion. * /The school band was
decked out in bright red uniforms with brass buttons./ * /Main Street
was decked with flags for the Fourth of July./
[declare] See: I DECLARE.
[deep] See: BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA, GO OFF THE
DEEP END, IN DEEP, KNEE-DEEP.
[deep-six] {v.}, {slang} To throw away; dispose of. * /As the
police boat came near, the drug smugglers deep-sixed their cargo./ (An
expression originally used by sailors, suggesting throwing something
into water six fathoms deep.)
[deep water] {n.} Serious trouble or difficulty. * /When Dad tried
to take Mom's place for a day, he found himself in deep water./
[defense] See: ZONE DEFENSE.
[defiance] See: IN DEFIANCE OF.
[degree] See: TO A DEGREE, TO THE NTH DEGREE.
[deliver the goods] {v. phr.} 1. To carry things and give them to
the person who wants them. * /Lee delivered the goods to the right
house./ 2. {slang} To succeed in doing well what is expected. * /The
new pitcher delivered the goods by striking out 20 men in his first
game./ * /This personal computer surely delivers the goods./ Compare:
BRING HOME THE BACON.
[delta wave] {n.}, {informal}, {semi-technical} A brain wave 1-3
cycles per second, associated with very deep sleep. * /Good night,
honey, I'm off to produce some delta waves./ Compare: CATCH SOME Z'S,
HIT THE HAY or HIT THE SACK.
[demand] See: IN DEMAND.
[Dennis the Menace] {n. phr.} After the notorious television
character played by a young boy who always creates trouble for the
grownups. Any hyperactive little boy who needs calming down. * /"Your
son, Joey, is becoming a regular 'Dennis the Menace'," Jane said to
Elvira./
[dent] See: MAKE A DENT IN.
[deposit] See: ON DEPOSIT.
[depth] See: BEYOND ONE'S DEPTH.
[desk clerk] See: ROOM CLERK.
[detective] See: HOUSE DETECTIVE.
[devil] See: BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA, FULL OF THE
OLD NICK or FULL OF THE DEVIL, GIVE THE DEVIL HIS DUE, GO TO THE
DEVIL, PLAY THE DEVIL WITH, RAISE THE DEVIL, SPEAK OF THE DEVIL AND HE
APPEARS.
[devil-may-care] {adj.} Not caring what happens; unworried. *
/Johnny has a devil-may-care feeling about his school work./ * /Alfred
was a devil-may-care youth but became more serious as he grew older./
[devil-may-care attitude] {n. phr.} An attitude of no concern for
financial or other loss. * /"Easy come, easy go," John said in a
devil-may-care attitude when he lost all of his money during a poker
game./
[devil of it] or [heck of it] {n. phr.} 1. The worst or most
unlucky thing about a trouble or accident; the part that is most
regrettable. * /Andy lost his notebook, and the devil of it was that
the notebook contained all his homework for the coming week./ * /When
I had a flat tire, the devil of it was that my spare tire was flat
too./ 2. Fun from doing mischief. - Used after "for". * /The boys
carried away Miss White's front gate just for the devil of it./
[devil to pay] {n. phr.} Great trouble. - Used after "the". *
/There'll be the devil to pay when the teacher finds out who broke the
window./ * /When Jim wrecked his father's car, there was the devil to
pay./
[dewey-eyed] See: MISTY-EYED.
[diamond in the rough] {n. phr.} A very smart person without a
formal education who may have untutored manners. * /Jack never went to
school but he is extremely talented; he is a veritable diamond in the
rough./
[dibs] See: TO HAVE DIBS ON or TO PUT DIBS ON.
[dice] See: NO DEAL or NO DICE.
[Dick] See: TOM, DICK AND HARRY.
[die] See: CROSS ONE'S HEART or CROSS ONE'S HEART AND HOPE TO DIE,
DO-OR-DIE, NEVER SAY DIE.
[die away] or [die down] {v.} To come slowly to an end; grow slowly
less or weaker. * /The wind died down./ * /The music died away./ * /He
waited until the excitement had died down./ * /His mother's anger died
away./
[die in one's boots] or [die with one's boots on] {v. phr.},
{informal} To be killed or hanged rather than die in bed. * /The
badmen of the Old West usually died in their boots./ * /The robber
said he wanted to die with his boots on./
[die is cast] {v. phr.}, {literary} To make an irrevocable
decision. (From Julius Caesar's famous words in Latin, "alea iacta
est", when he crossed the river Rubicon, which meant war.) *
/Everything was ready for the invasion of Europe, the die had been
cast, and there was no turning back now./
[die off] {v.} To die one at a time. * /The flowers are dying off
because there has been no rain./
[die on the vine] or [wither on the vine] {v. phr.} To fail or
collapse in the planning stages. * /The program for rebuilding the
city died on the vine./
[die out] {v.} To die or disappear slowly until all gone. * /This
kind of bird is dying out./ * /If you pour salt water on grass, it
dies out./ * /The American colonists started colleges so that learning
would not die out./
[difference] See: MAKE A DIFFERENCE, SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE.
[different] See: SING A DIFFERENT TUNE or WHISTLE A DIFFERENT TUNE.
[dig down] {v.}, {slang} To spend your own money. * /The school let
the club use the bus and driver free for their trip, but they had to
dig down to pay for gas and meals./ * /"So you broke Mrs. Brown's
window?" Tom's father said, "You'll have to dig down and pay for it,"/
[dig in] {v.}, {informal} 1. To dig ditches for protection against
an enemy attack. * /The soldiers dug in and waited for the enemy to
come./ 2a. To go seriously to work; work hard. * /John dug in and
finished his homework very quickly./ 2b. To begin eating. * /Mother
set the food on the table and told the children to dig in./
[dig out] {v.} 1. To find by searching; bring out (something) that
was put away. * /Jack dug his sled out of the cellar./ * /The
newspaper printed an old story dug out of their records./ Compare: DIG
UP. 2. {informal} To escape. - Usually used with "of". Often used in
the phrase "dig oneself out of a hole." * /The pitcher dug himself out
of a hole by striking the batter out./
[dig up] {v.}, {informal} To find or get (something) with some
effort. * /Sue dug up some useful material for her English
composition./ * /Jim asked each boy to dig up twenty-five cents to pay
for the hot dogs and soda./ Compare: DIG OUT.
[dilemma] See: HORNS OF A DILEMMA.
[dim] See: TAKE A DIM VIEW OF.
[dime a dozen] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Easy to get and so of little
value; being an everyday thing because there are many of them; common.
* /Mr. Jones gives A's to only one or two students, but in Mr. Smith's
class, A's are a dime a dozen./
[dime store] or [five-and-dime] or [five-and-ten] {n. phr.} A store
that sells things that cost little. * /Charles bought a pencil at the
five-and-dime./
[dine out] {v. phr.} To not eat at home but to go to a restaurant.
* /"Let's dine out tonight, honey," she said to her husband. "I am
tired of cooking dinner every night."/ See: EAT OUT.
[dint] See: BY DINT OF.
[dip into] {v. phr.} 1. To scan or sample lightly and briefly (said
of printed materials). * /I didn't get a chance to read all of War and
Peace, but I dipped into it here and there./ 2. To take money out of a
savings account or a piggy bank. * /I am sorry to have to say that I
had to dip into the piggy bank; I took out $6.75./
[dirt] See: EAT DIRT, HIT THE DIRT, PAY DIRT.
[dirt cheap] {adj.} Extremely inexpensive. * /The apartment we are
renting is dirt cheap compared to other apartments of similar size in
this neighborhood./
[dirty] See: AIR ONE'S DIRTY LINEN IN PUBLIC or WASH ONE'S DIRTY
LINEN IN PUBLIC.
[dirty look] {n.}, {informal} A look that shows dislike. * /Miss
Parker sent Joe to the principal's office for giving her a dirty
look./
[dirty old man] {n. phr.} An older man who shows an unhealthy
interest in young girls. * /"Stay away from Uncle Algernon, Sally,"
her mother warned. "He is a dirty old man."/
[dirty one's hands] or [soil one's hands] {v. phr.} To lower or
hurt one's character or good name; do a bad or shameful thing. * /The
teacher warned the children not to dirty their hands by cheating in
the examination./ * /I would not soil my hands by going with bad
people and doing bad things./
[dirty story] {n. phr.} An improper or obscene story. * /Uncle Bill
is much too fond of telling dirty stories in order to embarrass his
friends./
[dirty trick] {n. phr.} A treacherous action; an unfair act. *
/That was a dirty trick John played on Mary when he ran away with her
younger sister./
[disappear] or [evaporate] or [vanish into thin air] {v. phr.} To
disappear quickly, without leaving a trace. * /Money seems to
disappear into thin air these days./ * /Jack just vanished into thin
air before the meeting had started./
[discretion] See: THROW CAUTION TO THE WINDS also THROW DISCRETION
TO THE WINDS.
[discretion is the better part of valor] {literary} When you are in
danger or trouble, good sense helps more than foolish risks; it is
better to be careful than to be foolishly brave. - A proverb. * /When
you are facing a man with a knife, discretion is the better part of
valor./
[dish] See: COVERED-DISH SUPPER.
[dish of tea] See: CUP OF TEA.
[dish out] {v.} 1. To serve (food) from a large bowl or plate. *
/Ann's mother asked her to dish out the beans./ 2. {informal} To give
in large quantities. * /That teacher dished out so much homework that
her pupils complained to their parents./ 3. {slang} To scold; treat or
criticize roughly. * /Jim likes to dish it out, but he hates to take
it./ Compare: HAND OUT.
[dish the dirt] {v. phr.}, {slang} To gossip, to spread rumors
about others. * /Stop dishing the dirt. Sally, it's really quite
unbecoming!/
[disk jockey] {n.} An employee at a radio station or in a dance
club who puts on the records that will be broadcast. * /Jack is
working as a disk jockey at the local FM station./
[dispose of] {v.} 1. To throw away; give away, or sell; get rid of.
* /John's father wants to dispose of their old house and buy a new
one./ * /The burglars had difficulty in disposing of the stolen
jewelry./ 2. To finish. with; settle; complete. * /The boys were
hungry, and quickly disposed of their dinner./ * /The committee soon
disposed of all its business./ 3. To destroy or defeat. * /The
champion disposed of the other fighter by knocking him out in the
second round./ * /Our planes disposed of two enemy planes./
[dispute] See: IN DISPUTE.
[distance] See: KEEP AT A DISTANCE, KEEP ONE'S DISTANCE.
[ditch] See: LAST DITCH,
[dive] See: GO INTO A TAIL SPIN or GO INTO A NOSE DIVE.
[do] See: HAVE DONE, HAVE DONE WITH, HAVE TO DO WITH, LET GEORGE DO
IT, LET ONE'S RIGHT HAND KNOW WHAT ONE'S LEFT HAND IS DOING, LET'S
DON'T, MAKE DO, WELL-TO-DO, WHAT'S UP or WHAT'S DOING.
[do a double take] {v. phr.}, {informal} To look again in surprise;
suddenly understand what is seen or said. * /John did a double take
when he saw Bill in girls' clothes./ * /When Evvie said she was
quitting school, I did a double take./
[do a job on] {v. phr.}, {slang} To damage badly; do harm to; make
ugly or useless. * /The baby did a job on Mary's book./ * /Jane cut
her hair and really did a job on herself./
[Doakes] See: JOE DOAKES.
[do a stretch] {v. phr.} To spend time in jail serving one's
sentence. * /Jake has disappeared from view for a while; he is doing a
stretch for dope smuggling./
[do away with] {v.} 1. To put an end to; stop. * /The teachers want
to do away with cheating in their school./ * /The city has decided to
do away with overhead wires./ Compare: RID OF. 2. To kill; murder. *
/The robbers did away with their victims./
[do by someone or something] {v.} To deal with; treat. - Used with
a qualifying adverb between "do" and "by". * /Andy's employer always
does very well by him./
[do credit] or [do credit to] also ({informal}) [do proud] To add
to or improve the reputation, good name, honor, or esteem of; show
(you) deserve praise. * /Your neat appearance does you credit./ *
/Mary's painting would do credit to a real artist./
[doctor] See: JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED.
[doctor up] {v. phr.} To meddle with; adulterate. * /You don't have
to doctor up this basic salad with a lot of extras as I am trying to
lose weight./
[do duty for] {v. phr.} To substitute for; act in place of. * /The
bench often does duty for a table./
[Doe] See: JOHN DOE.
[doesn't add up to a can of beans] {v. phr.} To be of little or no
value. (Said of plans, ideas, etc.) * /"That's a fairly interesting
concept you got there, Mike, but the competition is bound to say that
it doesn't add up to a can of beans."/
[do for] {v.}, {informal} To cause the death or ruin of; cause to
fail. - Used usually in the passive form "done for". * /The poor
fellow is done for and will die before morning./ * /Andy's employer
always does very well by him./ * /If Jim fails that test, he is done
for./
[dog] See: EVERY DOG HAS HIS DAY, GO TO THE DOGS, HOT DOG, LEAD A
DOG'S LIFE, LET SLEEPING DOGS LIE, RAIN CATS AND DOGS.
[dog days] {n. phr.} The hottest days of the year in the Northern
Hemisphere (July and August). (The ancient Romans associated this time
with the "Dog Star" - Sirius - which becomes visible in the heavens at
this time of year.) * /"The dog days are upon us," John said. "It's
time to go swimming in the lake."/
[dog-eat-dog(1)] {n.} A way of living in which every person tries
to get what he wants for himself no matter how badly or cruelly he
must treat others to get it; readiness to do anything to get what you
want. * /In some early frontier towns it was dog-eat-dog./
[dog-eat-dog(2)] {adj.} Ready or willing to fight and hurt others
to get what you want. * /During the California gold rush, men had a
dog-eat-dog life./
[doghouse] See: IN THE DOGHOUSE.
[dog in the manger] {n. phr.} A person who is unwilling to let
another use what he himself has no use for. * /Although Valerie lives
alone in that big house, she is like a dog in the manger when it comes
to letting someone sharing it with her./
[dog one's steps] {v. phr.} To follow someone closely. * /All the
time he was in Havana, Castro's police were dogging his steps./
[dog's age] or [coon's age] {n.}, {informal} A very long time.
Usually used after "for" or "in" with a negative. * /Charlie Brown! I
haven't seen you for a coon's age./ * /Father hasn't had a night out
with the boys in a dog's age./ * /I waited for him for a dog's age,
but he didn't come./ Syn.: MONTH OF SUNDAYS.
[dog's life] {n. phr.} A life of misery, poverty, and unhappiness.
* /Diogenes, the Greek philosopher, lived a dog's life inside an empty
barrel./
[do in] {v.}, {slang} 1. To ruin; destroy. * /Mr. Smith's business
was done in by a fire that burned down his store./ 2a. To kill;
murder. * /The poor man was done in by two gangsters who ran away
after the crime./ 2b. To make tired; exhaust. * /The boys were done in
after their long hike./ Syn.: WEAR OUT(2). 3. To cheat; swindle. *
/Mr. Jones was done in by two men who claimed to be collecting money
for orphans and widows./
[doing] See: NOTHING DOING.
[do justice to] {v. phr.} 1. To do (something) as well as you
should; do properly. * /Barbara had so many things to do that she
could not do justice to her lessons./ * /The newspaper man did not do
justice to the story./ 2. To eat or drink with enthusiasm or
enjoyment. * /The boy did justice to the meal./
[dole out] {v. phr.} To measure out sparingly. * /Since the water
ration was running low in the desert, the camp commandant doled out
small cups of water to each soldier./
[dollar] See: BET ONE'S BOTTOM DOLLAR at BET ONE'S BOOTS, FEEL LIKE
A MILLION or FEEL LIKE A MILLION DOLLARS, LOOK LIKE A MILLION DOLLARS.
[doll up] {v.}, {slang} 1. To dress in fine or fancy clothes. *
/The girls dolled up for the big school dance of the year./ * /The
girls were all dolled up for the Christmas party./ 2. To make more
pretty or attractive. * /The classrooms were all dolled up with
Christmas decorations./ Compare: DECKED OUT.
[done for] {adj. phr.} Finished; dead. * /When the police burst in
on the crooks, they knew they were done for./
[done to a turn] See: TO A T or TO A TURN.
[done with] {adj. phr.} Finished; completed. * /As soon as you're
done with your work, give us a call./
[don't cross your bridges until you come to them] See: CROSS A
BRIDGE BEFORE ONE COMES TO IT.
[don't cry before you're hurt] See: CRY BEFORE ONE IS HURT.
[don't let's] See: LET'S DON'T.
[don't look a gift horse in the mouth] See: LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN
THE MOUTH.
[do one a good turn] {v. phr.} To perform an act of kindness,
friendship, or help to another person, unselfishly, without
expectation of reward. * /"I'll be happy to help you any time you need
it," John said. "After all you have done me so many good turns."/
[do one good] {v. phr.} To benefit. * /The fresh air will do you
good after having been inside the house all day./
[do one good] or [do one's heart good] {v. phr.} To give
satisfaction; please; gratify. * /It does my heart good to see those
children play./
[do one's best] {v. phr.} To perform at one's optimum capacity;
spare no effort in fulfilling one's duties. * /"I've really done my
best teaching you people," the tired professor said on the last day of
classes. "I hope you got something out of this course."/
[do one's bit] or [part] {v. phr.} To shoulder one's share of
responsibility in a communal undertaking; shirk one's obligation. *
/"Let me go home and rest, fellows, " John said. "I think I've done my
bit for this project. "/
[do one's thing] or [do one's own thing] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1.
To do what one does well and actually enjoys doing. * /Two thousand
fans paid $15 each to hear the rock group do their thing./ 2. To
follow one's bent; for example, to be engaged in left-wing politics,
some sort of meditation, or use of drugs (particularly in the
sixties). * /The hippies were doing their own thing when the cops came
and busted them./ 3. To be engaged in an unusual activity that strikes
others as odd. * /Leave Jim alone, he's just doing his own thing when
he's standing on his head./
[do one's worst] {v. phr.} To do one's utmost by resorting to every
foul means possible. * /Hitler did his worst to drive out the Allied
invasion from Europe, but he failed./
[door] See: AT DEATH'S DOOR, AT ONE'S DOOR, CLOSED-DOOR, CLOSE ITS
DOORS, CLOSE THE DOOR or BAR THE DOOR or SHUT THE DOOR, DARKEN ONE S
DOOR, or DARKEN THE DOOR, FOOT IN THE DOOR, KEEP THE WOLF FROM THE
DOOR, LAY AT ONE'S DOOR, LOCK THE BARN DOOR AFTER THE HORSE IS STOLEN,
NEXT DOOR, OPEN ITS DOORS, OPEN THE DOOR, SHOW THE DOOR, SLAM THE DOOR
IN ONE'S FACE at IN ONE'S FACE.
[do-or-die] {adj.} Strongly decided, very eager and determined. *
/With a real do-or-die spirit the team scored two touchdowns in the
last five minutes of the game./ * /The other army was larger but our
men showed a do-or-die determination and won the battle./
[doorstep] See: AT ONE'S DOOR or AT ONE'S DOOR-STEP.
[do over] {v. phr.} 1. To renovate; redecorate. * /The new owners
are going to do over the entire building in the fall./ 2. To repeat. *
/Please do that math problem over until you get it right./
[dope out] {v.}, {slang} To think of something that explains. *
/The detectives tried to dope out why the man was murdered./ Syn.:
FIGURE OUT.
[do proud] See: DO CREDIT.
[do someone out of something] {v.}, {informal} To cause to lose by
trickery or cheating. * /The clerk in the store did me out of $2.00 by
overcharging me./
[dose of one's own medicine] or [taste of one's own medicine] {n.
phr.} Being treated in the same way you treat others; something bad
done to you as you have done bad to other people. * /Jim was always
playing tricks on other boys. Finally they decided to give him a dose
of his own medicine./
[dot] See: ON THE DOT also ON THE BUTTON.
[do tell] {interj.}, {informal} An inelegant expression used to
show that you are a little surprised by what you hear. * /"You say
George is going to get married after all these years? Do tell!" said
Mrs. Green./ Syn.: YOU DON'T SAY.
[do the business] {v. phr.}, {informal} To do what is needed or
wanted; get the job done; take proper action. * /The boys had trouble
in rolling the stone, but four of them did the business./ * /When the
little boy cut his finger a bandage did the business./
[do the honors] {v. phr.} To act as host or hostess (as in
introducing guests, carving, or paying other attentions to guests.) *
/The president of the club will do the honors at the banquet./
[do the trick] {v. phr.}, {informal} To bring success in doing
something; have a desired result. * /Jim was not passing in English,
but he studied harder and that did the trick./ * /The car wheels
slipped on the ice, so Tom put sand under them, which did the trick./
Compare: TURN THE TRICK.
[do things by halves] {v. phr.} To do things in a careless and
incomplete way. * /When he reads a book he always does it by halves;
he seldom finishes it./
[do time] or [doing time] See: DO A STRETCH.
[do to death] {v. phr.} To overdo; do something so often that it
becomes extremely boring or tiresome. * /The typical car chase scene
in motion pictures has been done to death./
[dot the i's and cross the t's] {v. phr.} To be careful, thorough,
and pay close attention to detail. * /"The best way to get an A on the
final exam," the teacher said, "is for every one to dot the i's and
cross the t's."/ Compare: MIND ONE'S P'S AND Q'S.
[double back] {v.} 1. To turn back on one's way or course. * /The
escaped prisoner doubled back on his tracks./ 2. To fold over; usually
in the middle. * /The teacher told Johnny to double back the sheet of
paper and tear it in half./
[double check] {n.} A careful second check to be sure that
something is right; a careful look for errors. * /The policeman made a
double check on the doors in the shopping area./
[double-check] {v.} 1. To do a double check on; look at again very
carefully. * /When the last typing of his book was finished, the
author double-checked it./ 2. To make a double check; look carefully
at something. * /The proofreader double-checks against errors./
[double-cross] {v.} To promise one thing and deliver another; to
deceive. * /The lawyer double-crossed the inventor by manufacturing
the gadget instead of fulfilling his promise to arrange a patent for
his client./ Compare: SELL DOWN THE RIVER, TWO-TIME.
[double date] {n.}, {informal} A date on which two couples go
together. * /John and Nancy went with Mary and Bill on a double date./
[double-date] {v.}, {informal} To go on a double date; date with
another couple. * /John and Nancy and Mary and Bill double-date./
[double duty] {n.} Two uses or jobs; two purposes or duties. *
/Matthew does double duty. He's the janitor in the morning and
gardener in the afternoon./ * /Our new washer does double duty; it
washes the clothes and also dries them./
[double-header] {n.} Two games or contests played one right after
the other, between the same two teams or two different pairs of teams.
* /The Yankees and the Dodgers played a double-header Sunday
afternoon./ * /We went to a basketball double-header at Madison Square
Garden and saw Seton Hall play St. John's and N.Y.U. play Notre Dame./
[double nickel] {adv.}, {slang}, {citizen's band radio jargon} The
nationally enforced speed limit on some highways - 55 MPH. * /We'd
better go double nickel on this stretch, partner; there's a bear in
the air./
[double-park] {v.} To park a car beside another car which is at the
curb. * /Jimmy's father double-parked his car and the police gave him
a ticket./ * /If you double-park, you block other cars from passing./
[double-talk] {n.} 1. Something said that is worded, either on
purpose or by accident, so that it may be understood in two or more
different ways. * /The politician avoided the question with
double-talk./ 2. Something said that does not make sense; mixed up
talk or writing; nonsense. * /The man's explanation of the new tax
bill was just a lot of double-talk./
[double up] {v.} 1. To bend far over forward. * /Jim was hit by the
baseball and doubled up with pain./ 2. To share a room, bed, or home
with another. * /When relatives came for a visit, Ann had to double up
with her sister./
[doubt] See: GIVE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT, NO DOUBT.
[do up] {v.} 1a. To clean and prepare for use or wear; launder. *
/Ann asked her mother to do up her dress./ 1b. To put in order;
straighten up; clean. * /At camp the girls have to do up their own
cabins./ 2. To tie up or wrap. * /Joan asked the clerk to do up her
purchases./ 3a. To set and fasten (hair) in place. * /Grace helped her
sister to do up her hair./ Compare: PUT UP. 3b. {informal} To dress or
clothe. * /Suzie was done up in her fine new skirt and blouse./
[do up brown] {v. phr.}, {slang} To do in a thorough or complete
way. * /When Jim does a job, he does it up brown./
[do well by] {v. phr.} To benefit; help; treat exceptionally well.
* /In his will Grandpa did well by all of his grandchildren and left
each of them one million dollars./
[do with] {v.} 1. To find enough for one's needs; manage. - Usually
follows "can". * /Some children can do with very little spending
money./ Compare: GET ALONG, MAKE DO. 2. To make use of; find useful or
helpful. - Follows "can" or "could". * /After a hard day's work, a man
can do with a good, hot meal./ * /After cleaning out the basement, the
boy could do with a bath./
[do without] or [go without] {v.} 1. To live or work without
(something you want); manage without. * /Ann said that she likes
candy, but can do without it./ * /We had to go without hot food
because the stove was broken./ 2. To live or work without something
you want; manage. * /If George cannot earn money for a bicycle, he
will have to do without./ Compare: GET ALONG, GET BY.
[down and out] {adj. phr.} Without money; without a job or home;
broke. * /Poor Sam lost his job after his wife had left him; he is
really down and out./
[down-and-outer] {n. phr.} A person who has lost everything and is
penniless. * /Joe goes from shelter to shelter asking for food and a
place to sleep; he's become a regular down-and-outer./
[down-at-heel] or [down-at-the-heel] or [down-at-the-heels] {adj.}
Poorly kept up or dressed shabby; not neat; sloppy. * /John is always
down-at-the-heels, but his sister is always very neat./ * /Old houses
sometimes look down-at-the-heel./
[down east] or [Down East] {n.} The northeast coastal part of the
United States and part of Canada; especially: the coastal parts of
Maine. * /Many people in Boston like to go down east for their summer
vacation./ Compare: I WOULDN'T DO IT FOR A FARM DOWN EAST.
[down in the dumps] or [down in the mouth] {adj. phr.}, {informal}
Sad or discouraged; gloomy; dejected. * /The boys were certainly down
in the dumps when they heard that their team had lost./
[down on] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Having a grudge against; angry
at. * /John is down on his teacher because she gave him a low grade./
[down one's alley] or [up one's alley] {adj. phr.}, {slang} Suited
to your tastes and abilities; what you like or like to do. * /Baseball
is right down Jim's alley./ Compare: CUP OF TEA.
[down one's neck] See: BREATHE DOWN ONE'S NECK.
[down one's nose] See: LOOK DOWN ONE'S NOSE.
[down one's throat] See: JUMP DOWN ONE'S THROAT, SHOVE DOWN ONE'S
THROAT or RAM DOWN ONE'S THROAT.
[down on one's luck] {adj.}, {informal} Having bad luck; having
much trouble; not successful in life. * /Harry asked me to lend him
ten dollars, because he was down on his luck./ * /The teacher is easy
on Jane because Jane has been down on her luck lately./ Compare: HARD
ROW TO HOE, HARD SLEDDING, ON ONE'S UPPERS.
[down payment] {n.} A retainer paid to a prospective seller. * /How
much of a down payment do you require for this new car?/
[down the drain] {adj.} or {adv. phr.}, {informal} Wasted; lost. *
/It is money down the drain if you spend it all on candy./ * /Our
plans to go swimming went down the drain when it rained./ Compare: GO
BY THE BOARD.
[down the hatch!] {v. phr.}, {informal} Let us drink! * /When we
celebrated Mom's birthday, we all raised our glasses and cried in
unison, "Down the hatch!"/
[down the line] {adv. phr.}, {informal} 1. Down the road or street;
straight ahead. * /The church is down the line a few blocks./ 2. All
the way; completely; thoroughly. * /Bob always follows the teacher's
directions right down the line./
[down-to-earth] {adj.} Showing good sense; practical. * /The
committee's first plan for the party was too fancy, but the second was
more down-to-earth./ * /Mr. Jenkins never seems to know what is
happening around him, but his wife is friendly and down-to-earth./
Compare: COME BACK TO EARTH.
[down to the wire] {adj.}, {slang} 1. Running out of time, nearing
a deadline. * /Bob is down to the wire on his project./ 2. Being
financially almost broke, being very low on cash or other funds. * /We
can't afford going to a restaurant tonight - we're really down to the
wire!/
[down with a disease] {adj. phr.} Ill or sick. * /Aunt Liz is down
with the flu this week; she has to stay in bed./
[dozen] See: BY THE DOZEN, DAILY DOZEN, DIME A DOZEN, SIX OF ONE
AND HALF-A-DOZEN OF THE OTHER.
[drag in] {v.} To insist on bringing (another subject) into a
discussion; begin talking about (something different.) * /No matter
what we talk about, Jim drags in politics./ * /Whenever anyone
mentions travel, Grace has to drag in the trip to Mexico she took ten
years ago./
[drag on] or [drag out] {v.} 1. To pass very slowly. * /The cold
winter months dragged on until we thought spring would never come./ 2.
To prolong; make longer. * /The meeting would have been over quickly
if the members had not dragged out the argument about dues./
[drag on the market] {n. phr.} An article for which the demand has
fallen off thus causing an oversupply. * /Your type of word processor
went out of style and is now a drag on the market./
[drag oneself up by one's boot straps] See: PULL ONESELF UP BY THE
BOOT STRAPS.
[drag one's feet] or [drag one's heels] {v. phr.} To act slowly or
reluctantly. * /The children wanted to watch television, and dragged
their feet when their mother told them to go to bed./ * /The city
employees said the mayor had promised to raise their pay, but was now
dragging his feet./
[drag out] See: DRAG ON.
[drag race] {n.}, {slang} An automobile race in which the drivers
try to cover a certain distance (usually one quarter mile) in the
shortest possible time. * /Drag races are often held on airport
landing strips./ * /Holding drag races is a good way to stop teenage
hot rod racing on public highways./ Compare: DRAG STRIP.
[drag strip] {n.}, {slang} A place where drag races are held. *
/Before the race Paul loaded his racer onto the trailer to take it out
of town to the drag strip for the race./ Compare: DRAG RACE.
[drain] See: DOWN THE DRAIN.
[draw] See: BEAT TO THE PUNCH or BEAT TO THE DRAW.
[draw a bead on] {v. phr.} {informal} 1. To aim at; sight (with a
gun). * /The deer bounded into the forest before the hunters could
draw a bead on them./ * /John drew a bead on the elk, but didn't have
the heart to pull the trigger./ 2. To take (something) as an aim or
goal. * /"I'm drawing a bead on the Literary Society president's
office," said Tom./ 3. To use as a target of attack; criticize. *
/Whenever a politician makes a mistake, his opponents are ready to
draw a bead on him./
[draw a blank] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To obtain nothing in return
for an effort made or to get a negative result. * /I looked up all the
Joneses in the telephone book but I drew a blank every time I asked
for Archibald Jones./ 2. To fail to remember something. * /I am trying
to think of the name but I keep drawing a blank./ 3. To be
consistently unsuccessful at doing something. * /I keep trying to pass
that math exam but each time I try it I draw a blank./
[draw a conclusion] {v. phr.} To make an inference. * /After he
failed to keep an appointment with me for the third time, I drew the
conclusion that he was an unreliable person./
[draw a line] or [draw the line] {v. phr.} 1. To think of as
different. * /The law in this country draws a line between murder and
manslaughter./ * /Can you draw the line between a lie and a fib?/ 2.
To set a limit to what will be done; say something cannot be done. *
/We would like to invite everybody to our party, but we have to draw a
line somewhere./ - Often used with "at". * /Mrs. Jones draws the line
at permitting the children to play in their father's den./ * /People
fighting for their freedom often do not draw the line at murder./
[draw a long breath] or [take a long breath] {v. phr.} To breathe
deeply when getting ready to speak or act. * /Father asked who broke
the window. Jim drew a long breath and admitted that he had done it./
* /The salesman took a long breath and started his talk./
[draw a parallel] {v. phr.} To make a comparison. * /It is easy to
draw a parallel between the characters of Saint Francis of Assisi and
Great Saint Theresa of Aquila, but this doesn't mean that all saints
are alike./
[draw and quarter] {v. phr.}, {literary} 1. To execute someone in
the barbaric medieval fashion of having him torn into four pieces by
four horses tearing his body in four different directions. * /The
captured foreign marauders were drawn and quartered by the angry
citizens of ancient Frankfurt./ 2. To punish someone very severely. *
/"If you miss another homework assignment, John," the teacher said,
"I'll have you drawn and quartered."/
[draw aside] {v. phr.} To separate; take to one side. * /He drew
her aside and whispered into her ear, "Johanna, please marry me!"/
[draw back] {v.} To move back; back away; step backward; withdraw;
move away from. * /When the man spotted the rattlesnake, he drew back
and aimed his shotgun./ * /The children drew back from the dog when it
barked at them./ * /When the pitcher drew back his arm to pitch the
ball, Tom ran as fast as he could to steal second base./ * /Some juice
from the grapefruit that Father was eating squirted in his eye and he
drew back in surprise./ Compare: DROP BACK.
[drawback] {n.} Disadvantage; obstacle; hindrance. * /The biggest
drawback of Bill's plan is the cost involved./
[draw blood] {v. phr.}, {informal} To make someone feel hurt or
angry. * /If you want to draw blood, ask Jim about his last
money-making scheme./ * /Her sarcastic comments drew blood./
[drawer] See: TOP-DRAWER.
[draw fire] {v. phr.} 1. To attract or provoke shooting; be a
target. * /The general's white horse drew the enemy's fire./ 2. To
bring criticism or argument; make people say bad things about you. *
/Having the newest car in your group is sure to draw fire./
[drawing card] {n.} The most important figure in a multi-person
event; the top entertainer during a show; the best professor or
researcher at a university, etc. * /During the concert series Barbra
Streisand was the biggest drawing card./ * /The biggest drawing card
at many a university is the resident Nobel Laureate./
[draw in one's horns] See: PULL IN ONE'S HORNS.
[draw interest] {v. phr.} To earn interest on invested capital. *
/My savings account draws 4.5% interest./
[draw lots] {v. phr.} To select at random from a series in order to
determine precedents or apportionment. * /The refugees to be evacuated
drew lots on who would get a place on the first airplane out of the
besieged city./
[draw near] {v. phr.} To approach; come near. * /The time is
drawing near when this century will end and the next will begin./
[draw off] {v. phr.} To drain away; deflect. * /A light flanking
attack was made in order to draw off the enemy's fire./
[draw on] {v. phr.} 1. To arrive; approach. * /As midnight drew on,
the New Year's Eve party grew louder and louder./ 2. To secure funds
from a bank or person. * /Jack kept drawing on his bank account so
much that several of his checks bounced./
[draw out] {v. phr.} 1. To take out; remove. * /Johnny drew a
dollar out of the bank to buy his mother a present./ * /The hunter
drew out his gun and shot the snake./ 2. To make (a person) talk or
tell something. * /Jimmy was bashful but Mrs. Wilson drew him out by
asking him about baseball./ 3. To make come out; bring out. * /The
bell of the ice-cream truck drew the children out of the houses./ *
/Mary was drawn out of her silence by Billy's jokes./ 4. To make
longer or too long; stretch. * /The Smiths drew out their vacation at
the beach an extra week./ * /It was a long drawn out meeting because
everybody tried to talk at once./ * /Mary and her mother drew out
their goodbyes so long at the bus station that Mary almost missed the
bus./
[draw the fire of] See: DRAW OFF.
[draw the line] See: DRAW A LINE.
[draw to a close] {v. phr.} To finish; terminate; come to an end. *
/The meeting drew to a close around midnight./
[draw up] {v.} 1. To write (something) in its correct form; put in
writing. * /The rich man had his lawyers draw up his will so that each
of his children would receive part of his money when he died./ 2. To
plan or prepare; begin to write out. * /The two countries drew up a
peace treaty after the war ended./ * /Plans are being drawn up for a
new school next year./ Compare: WRITE UP. 3. To hold yourself straight
or stiffly, especially because you are proud or angry. * /When we said
that Mary was getting fat, she drew herself up angrily and walked out
of the room./ 4. To stop or come to a stop. * /The cowboy drew up his
horse at the top of the hill./ * /A big black car drew up in front of
the house./ Syn.: PULL UP.
[dread] See: BURNT CHILD DREADS THE FIRE.
[dream of] {v.} To think about seriously; think about with the idea
of really doing; consider seriously. - Usually used with a negative. *
/I wouldn't dream of wearing shorts to church./
[dressing down] {n.}, {informal} A scolding. * /The sergeant gave
the soldier a good dressing down because his shoes were not shined./
[dress a window] See: WINDOW DRESSING.
[dress like a million dollars] See: BEST BIB AND TUCKER.
[dress up] {v.} 1a. To put on best or special clothes. * /Billy
hated being dressed up and took off his best suit as soon as he got
home from church./ 1b. To put on a costume for fun or clothes for a
part in a play. * /Mary was dressed up to play Cinderella in her
school play./ 2. To make (something) look different; make (something)
seem better or more important. * /A fresh coat of paint will dress up
the old bicycle very much./ * /Tommy dressed up the story of what he
did on vacation and made it seem twice as interesting as it was./
[dressed fit to kill] See: BEST BIB AND TUCKER.
[dressed like a peacock] See: BEST BIB AND TUCKER.
[dribs and drabs] {n. phr.} Portions; small bits. * /John paid
Oliver back what he owed him in dribs and drabs./
[drift off] {v. phr.} 1. To fall asleep, * /He kept nodding and
drifting off to sleep while the lecturer was speaking./ 2. To depart;
leave gradually. * /One by one, the sailboats drifted off over the
horizon./
[drink down] {v. phr.} To drink in one gulp; swallow entirely. *
/Steve was so thirsty that he drank down six glasses of orange juice
in rapid succession./
[drink in] {v. phr.} To absorb with great interest. * /The tourists
stood on the beach drinking in the wonderful Hawaiian sunset./
[drink like a fish] {v. phr.} To drink (alcoholic beverages) in
great quantities; to be addicted to alcohol. * /John is a nice guy
but, unfortunately, he drinks like a fish./
[drink up] {v. phr.} To finish drinking; empty one's glass. *
/"Drink up that cough syrup," the nurse said, "and never mind the
taste,"/
[drive] See: LINE DRIVE.
[drive a bargain] {v. phr.} 1. To buy or sell at a good price;
succeed in a trade or deal. * /Tom's collie is a champion; it should
be easy for Tom to drive a bargain when he sells her puppies./ *
/Father drove a hard bargain with the real estate agent when we bought
our new house./ 2. To make an agreement that is better for you than
for the other person; make an agreement to your advantage. * /The
French drove a hard bargain in demanding that Germany pay fully for
World War I damages./
[drive a hard bargain] See: DRIVE A BARGAIN.
[drive at] {v.} To try or want to say; mean. - Used in the present
participle. * /John did not understand what the coach was driving at./
* /He had been talking for half an hour before anyone realized what he
was driving at./
[drive home] {v. phr.} To argue convincingly; make a strong point.
* /The doctor's convincing arguments and explanation of his X-ray
pictures drove home the point to Max that he needed surgery./
[drive-in] {adj.}/{n.} A kind of movie theater, fast food
restaurant, or church, where the customers, spectators, or worshippers
do not leave their automobiles but are served the food inside their
cars, can watch a motion picture from inside their cars, or can
participate in a religious service in their cars. * /Let's not waste
time on the road; let's just eat at the next drive-in restaurant./ *
/There is a drive-in theater not far from where we live./ * /Max and
Hilde go to a drive-in church every Sunday./
[drive like Jehu] {v. phr.}, {informal} To drive very fast,
carelessly or recklessly. * /When Joe is late for work, he drives like
Jehu./
[drive one ape], [bananas], [crazy], [mad] or [nuts] {v. phr.},
{informal} To irritate, frustrate, or tickle someone's fancy so badly
that they think they are going insane. * /"Stop teasing me, Mary,"
John said. "You are driving me nuts."/ * /"You are driving me bananas
with all your crazy riddles," Steve said./
[drive one round the bend] {v. phr.}, {informal} To upset someone
so much that they think they are going crazy. * /"Slow down, please,"
Miss Jones cried. "You are driving me around the bend!"/ Contrast:
DRIVE ONE APE, BANANAS, ETC.
[driver] See: BACKSEAT DRIVER.
[drive to the wall] {v. phr.} To defeat someone completely; to ruin
someone. * /Poor Uncle Jack was driven to the wall
by his angry creditors when his business
failed./ Compare: GO TO THE WALL.
[drive someone bananas] or [drive someone nuts] or [drive someone
ape] {v. phr.}, {slang} {informal} To excite someone to the point that
he or she goes out of his or her mind; to drive someone crazy. *
/You're driving me bananas/nuts with that kind of talk!]
[drop] See: AT THE DROP OF A HAT, BOTTOM DROP OUT, JAW DROP or JAW
DROP A MILE.
[drop a line] {v. phr.} To write someone a short letter or note. *
/Please drop me a line when you get to Paris; I'd like to know that
you've arrived safely./
[drop back] {v.} To move or step backwards; retreat. * /The
soldiers dropped back before the enemy's attack./ * /The quarterback
dropped back to pass the football./ Compare: DRAW BACK, FADE BACK,
FALL BACK.
[drop by] or [stop by] {v.} 1. or [drop around] To make a short or
unplanned visit; go on a call or errand; stop at someone's home. *
/Drop by any time you're in town./ * /Mv sister dropped around last
night./ * /Don't forget to stop by at the gas station./ Syn.: DROP IN.
2. or [drop into] To stop (somewhere) for a short visit or a short