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refusing to cheat./
[good many] or [great many] {n.} or {adj.} A large number (of);
very many. Used with "a". * /We found some fall flowers, but the frost
had already killed a good many./ * /A great many of the houses were
knocked down by the earthquake./ * /Tom has a good many friends at
school./ * /Mary has a great many ideas for interesting programs./
Syn.: QUITE A FEW. Compare: A LOT, ANY NUMBER, GOOD DEAL. Contrast: A
FEW.
[good nature] {n.} Readiness to please others and to be pleased.
Cheerfulness, pleasantness. * /Everybody likes Mr. Crowe because of
his good nature./ * /Miss Reynolds was remembered by her students for
her good nature./
[goodness] See: HONEST-TO-GOODNESS, MY GOD or MY GOODNESS.
[goodness gracious] {interj.}, {slightly archaic} Exclamation of
surprise and a certain degree of disapproval. * /"Can my boyfriend
stay overnight, Dad?" Melanie asked. "Goodness gracious, most
certainly not!" her father replied. "What would the neighbors think?"/
[goodness knows] See: GOD KNOWS.
[good night] {interj.} 1. Used as a polite phrase when you leave
someone at night. * /"Good night!" said Bob as he left Dick's house
after the party. "I'll see you in the morning."/ * /Bill said good
night to his parents and went upstairs to bed./ 2. or [good grief] -
Used to show surprise and often some fear or anger. * /Mr. Johnson's
eyes opened wide when he saw the fish his little boy had caught, and
said, "Good night!"/ * /Mother was angry and said to Mary, "Good
grief! Haven't you started the dishes yet?"/
[good riddance] {n.} A loss that you are glad about. Often used as
an exclamation, and in the sentence "good riddance to bad rubbish". To
show that you are glad that something or somebody has been taken or
sent away. * /The boys thought it was good riddance when the
troublemaker was sent home./ * /When Mr. Roberts' old car was stolen
he thought it was good riddance./ * /Betty thought it was good
riddance when her little brother broke his toy drum./ * /"I'm going
and won't come back," said John. "Good riddance to bad rubbish!" said
Mary./
[goods] See: DELIVER THE GOODS, CONSUMER GOODS.
[good show!] {adj. phr.} Excellent; terrific; wonderful. * /"Good
show, boys!" the coach cried, when our team won the game./
[good scout] See: GOOD EGG.
[go off] {v.} 1. To leave; to depart. * /Helen's mother told her
not to go off without telling her./ 2a. To be fired; explode. * /The
firecracker went off and scared Jack's dog./ 2b. To begin to ring or
buzz. * /The alarm clock went off at six o'clock and woke Father./ 3.
To happen. * /The party went off without any trouble./ * /The parade
went off without rain./
[go off half-cocked] also [go off at half cock] {v. phr.},
{informal} To act or speak before getting ready; to do something too
soon. * /Bill often goes off half cocked./ * /Mr. Jones was thinking
about quilting his job, but his wife told him not to go at half cock./
[go off like clockwork] See: GO LIKE CLOCKWORK.
[go off the deep end] or [go overboard] {v. phr.}, {informal} To
act excitedly and without careful thinking. * /John has gone off the
deep end about owning a motorcycle./ * /Mike warned his roommate not
to go off the deep end and get married./ * /Some girls go overboard
for handsome movie and television actors./
[goof off] {v.}, {slang} To loaf or be lazy; not want to work or be
serious; fool around. * /Tow didn't get promoted because he goofed off
all the time and never did his homework./ * /If you goof off on the
job too much, you'll be fired./
[go off in a huff]{v. phr.} To depart in anger. * /Marian went off
in a huff just because Jeff failed to open the door for her./
[go on] {v.} 1a. To continue; not stop. * /After he was hit by the
ball, Billy quit pitching and went home, but the game went on./ * /The
TV picture began to jump, and it went on like that until Father turned
a knob./ * /I asked Jane a question but she went on reading and didn't
answer./ * /Mother told Jim to stop, but he went on hitting Susan./
Syn.: KEEP ON. 1b. To continue after a pause; begin with the next
thing. * /"Go on! I'm listening," said Mother./ * /The teacher pointed
to the map, and went on, "But the land that Columbus came to was not
India."/ - Often used before an infinitive. * /Father said Mother had
gone to the hospital, and went on to say that Grandmother was coming
to take care of us./ 1c. (Of time:) To pass. * /As time went on, Mary
began to wonder if John had forgotten their date./ * /The years went
on, and Betty's classmates became gray-haired men and women./ 2. To
happen. * /Mr. Scott heard the noise and went to see what was going on
in the hall./ * /The teacher knows what goes on when she leaves the
room./ Syn.: TAKE PLACE. 3. To talk for too long, often angrily. * /We
thought Jane would never finish going on about the amount of homework
she had./ 4. To fit on; be able to be worn. * /My little brother's
coat wouldn't go on me. It was too small./ 5. Stop trying to fool me;
I don't believe you. - Used as a command, sometimes with "with". *
/When Father told Mother she was the prettiest girl in the world.
Mother just said, "Oh, go on, Charles."/ * /"Aunt May, your picture is
in the paper." "Go on with you, boy!"/
[go on record] {v. phr.} To make an official statement as opposed
to an informal one; say something officially that may be quoted with
the person's name added for reference. * /I want to go on record that
I oppose the merger with the firm of Catwallender and Swartvik./
[go on the rocks] See: ON THE ROCKS.
[go one's way] {v. phr.} 1. To start again or continue to where you
are going. * /The milkman left the milk and went his way./ * /The man
stopped and asked me for a match, then went his way./ Compare: GO
ALONG, GO ON. 2. To go or act the way you want to or usually do. *
/Joe just wants to go his way and mind his own business./ * /Don't
tell me how to do my job. You go your way and I'll go mine./ * /George
was not a good sport; when the game did not go his way, he became
angry and quit./
[goose] See: COOK ONE'S GOOSE, FOX AND GEESE, KILL THE GOOSE THAT
LAID THE GOLDEN EGG, GONE GOOSE.
[goose bumps] or [goose pimples] {n. plural}, {informal} Small
bumps that come on a person's skin when he gets cold or afraid. *
/Nancy gets goose bumps when she sees a snake./ * /Ann, put on your
sweater; you're so cold you have goose pimples on your arms./
[go or drive to the wall] See: TO THE WALL.
[go out] {v. phr.} 1. To pass out of date or style. * /Short skirts
are gradually going out./ 2. To stop giving off light or burning. *
/Put more wood on the fire or it will go out./ 3. To leave. * /When I
called Sue, her mother said that she had just gone out./
[go out for] or [come out for] {v. phr.} To try for a place on (an
athletic team.) * /Ten boys went out for track that spring./ * /The
coach asked Tom why he didn't come out for basketball./
[go out of business] {v. phr.} To cease functioning as a commercial
enterprise. * /The windows of the store are all boarded up because
they went out of business./
[go out of one's way] {v. phr.} To make an extra effort; do more
than usual. * /Jane went out of her way to be nice to the new girl./ *
/Don did not like Charles, and he went out of his way to say bad
things about Charles./ Compare: BEND OVER BACKWARD, KNOCK ONESELF OUT.
[go out the window] {v. phr.}, {informal} To go out of effect; be
abandoned. * /During the war, the school dress code went out the
window./
[go over] {v.} 1. To examine; think about or look at carefully. *
/The teacher went over the list and picked John's name./ * /The police
went over the gun for fingerprints./ 2. To repeat; do again. * /Don't
make me go all over it again./ * /We painted the house once, then we
went over it again./ 3. To read again; study. * /After you finish the
test, go over it again to look for mistakes./ * /They went over their
lessons together at night./ 4. To cross; go to stop or visit; travel.
* /We went over to the other side of the street./ * /I'm going over to
Mary's house./ * /We went over to the next town to the game./ 5. To
change what you believe. * /Father is a Democrat, but he says that he
is going over to the Republicans in the next election./ * /Many of the
natives on the island went over to Christianity after the white men
came./ 6. To be liked; succeed. - Often used in the informal phrase
"go over big". * /Bill's joke went over big with the other boys and
girls./ * /Your idea went over well with the boss./
[go over like a lead balloon] {v. phr.}, {informal} To fail to
generate a positive response or enthusiasm; to meet with boredom or
disapproval. * /The president's suggested budget cuts went over like a
lead balloon./ * /Jack's off-color jokes went over like a lead
balloon./
[go over one's head] {v. phr.} 1. To be too difficult to
understand. * /Penny complains that what her math teacher says simply
goes over her head./ 2. To do something without the permission of
one's superior. * /Fred went over his boss's head when he signed the
contract on his own./
[go over with a fine-tooth comb] See: FINE-TOOTH COMB.
[gopher ball] {n.}, {slang} A baseball pitch that is hit for a home
run. * /The pitcher's only weakness this year is the gopher ball./
[go places] See: GO TO TOWN(2).
[go sit on a tack] {v.}, {slang} Shut up and go away; stop
bothering. - Usually used as a command and considered rude. * /Henry
told Bill to go sit on a tack./ Compare: GO JUMP IN THE LAKE.
[gosling] See: GONE GOOSE also GONE GOSLING.
[go somebody one better] {v. phr.}, {informal} To do something
better than (someone else); do more or better than; beat. * /Bill's
mother gave the boys in Bill's club hot dogs for refreshments, so
Tom's mother said that she would go her one better next time by giving
them hot dogs and ice cream./ * /John made a good dive into the water,
but Bob went him one better by diving in backwards./
[go stag] {v. phr.} 1. To go to a dance or party without a
companion of the opposite sex. * /When Sally turned him down, Tom
decided to go stag to the college prom./ 2. To participate in a party
for men only. * /Mrs. Smith's husband frequently goes stag, leaving
her at home./
[go steady] {v. phr.} To go on dates with the same person all the
time; dale just one person. * /At first Tom and Martha were not
serious about each other, but now they are going steady./ * /Jean went
steady with Bob for a year; then they had a quarrel and stopped dating
each other./ Syn.: KEEP COMPANY. Contrast: PLAY THE FIELD.
[go straight] {v. phr.}, {slang} To become an honest person; lead
an honest life. * /After the man got out of prison, he went straight./
* /Mr. Wright promised to go straight if the judge would let him go
free./
[got a thing going] {v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} To be engaged in
a pleasurable or profitable activity with someone else as a partner
either in romance or in mutually profitable business. * /"You two seem
to have got a thing going, haven't you?"/ * /"You've got a good thing
going with your travel bureau, why quit now?"/
[go the rounds] {v. phr.} To pass or be told from one person to
another; spread among many people. * /There is a rumor going the
rounds that Mr. Norton will be the new superintendent./ * /The story
about Mr. Cox's falling into the lake is making the rounds./ Syn.: GO
AROUND.
[go the whole hog] or [go whole hog] {v. phr.}, {informal} To do
something completely or thoroughly; to give all your strength or
attention to something. * /When Bob became interested in model
airplanes, he went the whole hog./ * /The family went whole hog at the
fair, and spent a lot of money./ Compare: ALL OUT, ALL THE WAY, SHOOT
THE WORKS.
[go through] {v.} 1. To examine or think about carefully; search. *
/I went through the papers looking for Jane's letter./ * /Mother went
through the drawer looking for the sweater./ Syn.: GO OVER. 2. To
experience; suffer; live through. * /Frank went through many dangers
during the war./ 3. To do what you are supposed to do; do what you
promised. * /I went through my part of the bargain, but you didn't go
through your part./ Syn.: CARRY OUT. 4. To go or continue to the end
of; do or use all of. * /Jack went through the magazine quickly./ *
/We went through all our money at the circus./ Syn.: RUN THROUGH. 5.
To be allowed; pass; be agreed on. * /I hope the new law we want goes
through Congress./ * /The sale of the store went through quickly./
[go through hell and high water] {v. phr.}, {informal} To go
through danger, or trouble. * /John is ready to go through hell and
high water to help his chum./ * /The soldiers went through hell and
high water to capture the fort./ Compare: COME HELL OR HIGH WATER,
THROUGH THE MILL.
[go through the motions] {v. phr.} To pretend to do something by
moving or acting as if you were really doing it; do something without
really trying hard or caring. * /Jane was angry because she couldn't
go out, and when her mother said to dust her room she just went
through the motions./ * /The team was so far behind in the game that
they just went through the motions of playing at the end./
[go through with] {v. phr.} To finish; do as planned or agreed; not
stop or fail to do. * /The boys don't think Bob will go through with
his plans to spend the summer at a camp./ * /Mr. Trent hopes the city
won't go through with its plans to widen the street./ Syn.: CARRY OUT.
Compare: CARRY THROUGH, LIVE UP TO.
[go to] {v.} To be ready to do; start doing something. * /When Jack
went to write down the telephone number, he had forgotten it./
[go to any length] {v. phr.} To do everything you can. * /Bill will
go to any length to keep Dick from getting a date with Mary./ Compare:
ALL-OUT.
[go to bat for] {v. phr.}, {informal} To help out in trouble or
need; give aid to. * /Everybody else thought Billy had broken the
window, but Tom went to bat for him./ * /Mary went to bat for the new
club program./ Syn.: STAND UP FOR.
[go to bed with the chickens] {v. phr.}, {informal} To go to bed
early at night. * /On the farm John worked hard and went to bed with
the chickens./ * /Mr. Barnes goes to bed with the chickens because he
has to get up at 5 A.M./
[go together] {v.} 1. To go with the same boy or girl all the time;
date just one person. * /Herbert and Thelma go together./ Compare: GO
STEADY, GO WITH(2), KEEP COMPANY. 2. To be suitable or agreeable with
each other; match. * /Roast turkey and cranberries go together./ *
/Ice cream and cake go together./ * /Green and yellow go together./
[go to great lengths] See: GO TO ANY LENGTH.
[go to hell] See: GO TO THE DEVIL.
[go to it!] {v. phr.} An expression of encouragement meaning go
ahead; proceed. * /"Go to it!" my father cried enthusiastically, when
I told him I had decided to become a doctor./
[go to one's head] {v. phr.} 1. To make one dizzy. * /Beer and wine
go to a person's head./ * /Looking out the high window went to the
woman's head./ 2. To make someone too proud; make a person think he is
too important. * /Being the star player went to John's head./ * /The
girl's fame as a movie actress went to her head./
[go to pieces] {v. phr.} To become very nervous or sick from
nervousness; become wild. * /Mrs. Vance went to pieces when she heard
her daughter was in the hospital./ * /The man went to pieces when the
judge said he would have to go to prison for life./ * /Mary goes to
pieces when she can't have her own way./
[go to pot] {v. phr.}, {informal} To be ruined; become bad; be
destroyed. * /Mr. Jones' health has gone to pot./ * /The motel
business went to pot when the new highway was built./ Compare: GO TO
WRACK AND RUIN, GO TO THE DOGS.
[go to prove] See: GO TO SHOW.
[go to seed] or [run to seed] {v. phr.} 1. To grow seeds. * /Onions
go to seed in hot weather./ 2. To lose skill or strength; stop being
good or useful. * /Sometimes a good athlete runs to seed when he gets
too old for sports./ * /Mr. Allen was a good carpenter until he became
rich and went to seed./
[go to show] or [go to prove] {v. phr.}, {informal} To seem to
prove; act or serve to show (a fact); demonstrate. - Often used after
"it". * /Our team beat a bigger team, and it just goes to show you can
win if you play hard enough./ * /The hard winter at Valley Forge goes
to show that our soldiers suffered a great deal to win the
Revolution./
[go to the chair] {v. phr.} To be executed in the electric chair. *
/After many stays of execution, the criminal finally had to go to the
chair./
[go to the devil] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To go away, mind your
own business. - Used as a command; considered rude. * /George told Bob
to go to the devil./ * /"Go to the devil!" said Jack, when his sister
tried to tell him what to do./ 2. To become bad or ruined; become
useless. * /The boy got mixed up with bad company and began to steal
and rob his friends. He went to the devil./ * /Mr. Jones went to the
devil after he lost his business./
[go to the dogs] {v. phr.}, {informal} To go to ruin; to be ruined
or destroyed. * /The man went to the dogs after he started drinking./
* /After the death of the owner, the business went to the dogs./ *
/The team went to the dogs when its best players got hurt./ Compare:
GO TO POT.
[go to the trouble] or [take the trouble] {v. phr.} To make trouble
or extra work for yourself; bother. * /John told Mr. Brown not to go
to the trouble of driving him home./ * /Since your aunt took the
trouble to get you a nice birthday present, the least you can do is to
thank her./ Compare: PUT OUT(5).
[go to town] {v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To do something quickly or with
great force or energy; work fast or hard. * /The boys went to town on
the old garage, and had it torn down before Father came home from
work./ * /While Sally was slowly washing the dishes, she remembered
she had a date with Pete that evening; then she really went to town./
Compare: IN NO TIME, MAKE TIME. Contrast: TAKE ONE'S TIME. 2. or [go
places]. To do a good job; succeed. * /Our team is going to town this
year. We have won all five games that we played./ * /Dan was a good
student and a good athlete; we expect him to go places in business./
[go to waste] {v. phr.} To be wasted or lost; not used. * /The
strawberries went to waste because there was nobody to pick them./ *
/Joe's work on the model automobile went to waste when he dropped it./
Compare: IN VAIN.
[go to wrack and ruin] {v. phr.} To fall apart and be ruined; to
become useless. * /The barn went to wrack and ruin after the farmer
moved./ * /The car will soon go to wrack and ruin standing out in all
kinds of weather./
[go under] {v.} 1. To be sunk. * /The ship hit an iceberg and went
under./ 2. To fail; be defeated. * /The filling station went under
because there were too many others on the street./
[go under the hammer] {v. phr.} To be auctioned off. * /Our old
family paintings went under the hammer when my father lost his job./
[go up] {v.} 1. To go or move higher; rise. * /Many people came to
watch the weather balloon go up./ * /The path goes up the hill./ 2. To
be able to become heard; become loud or louder. * /A shout went up
from the crowd at the game./ 3. Grow in height while being built; to
be built. * /The new church is going up on the corner./ 4. To
increase. * /Prices of fruit and vegetables have gone up./
[go up in smoke] or [go up in flames] {v. phr.} To burn; be
destroyed by fire. 1. * /The house went up in flames./ * /The barn
full of hay went up in smoke./ 2. Disappear; fail; not come true. *
/Jane's hopes of going to college went up in smoke when her father
lost his job./ * /The team's chances to win went up in smoke when
their captain was hurt./
[go up in the air] {v. phr.} To become angry; lose one's temper. *
/Herb is so irritable these days that he goes up in the air for no
reason at all./
[gourd] See: SAW WOOD or SAW GOURDS.
[go with] {v.} 1. To match; to look good with. * /A yellow blouse
goes with her blonde hair./ * /The woman bought a purse to go with her
new shoes./ 2. To go out in the company of. * /Tom goes with the girl
who lives across the street./
[go without] See: DO WITHOUT.
[go without saying] {v. phr.} To be too plain to need talking
about; not be necessary to say or mention. * /It goes without saying
that children should not be given knives to play with./ * /A person
with weak eyes should wear glasses. That goes without saying./
[go wrong] {v. phr.} 1. To fail; go out of order. * /Something went
wrong with our car and we stalled on the road./ 2. To sink into an
immoral or criminal existence. * /In a large city many young people go
wrong every year./
[gown] See: TOWN AND GOWN.
[grab bag] {n.} 1. A bag from which surprise packages are chosen; a
bag in which there are many unknown things. * /The woman paid a
quarter for a chance at the grab bag./ * /The children brought
packages to be sold from the grab bag at the school carnival./ 2. A
group of many different things from which to choose; a variety. * /The
TV program was a grab bag for young and old alike./
[grab off] {v.}, {informal} To take quickly; take or grab before
anybody else can; choose for yourself. * /The people who got to the
show first grabbed off the best seats./ * /The women hurried to the
store to grab off the things on sale./ * /The prettiest girls at the
dance were grabbed off for partners first./ Compare: SNAP UP.
[grabs] See: UP FOR GRABS.
[grace] See: FALL FROM GRACE, IN ONE'S BAD GRACES, IN ONE'S GOOD
GRACES, WITH BAD GRACE, WITH GOOD GRACE.
[grace period] or [period of grace] {n.} The time or extra time
allowed in which to do something. * /Most insurance companies have a
grace period of one month for payments./ * /The teacher gave the class
a week's period of grace to finish workbooks./
[grade] See: MAKE THE GRADE.
[grain] See: AGAINST THE GRAIN, TAKE WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.
[grand slam] {n.} A home run hit when there are three men on the
bases. * /Tony's grand slam won the game for the Yankees, 4-0./
[grandstand] {v.}, {slang}, {informal} To show off, to perform
histrionics needlessly. * /Stop grandstanding and get down to honest
work!/
[grandstander] {n.}, {slang}, {informal} A showoff, a person who
likes to engage in histrionics. * /Many people think that Evel Knievel
is a grandstander./
[granted] See: TAKE FOR GRANTED.
[grasp at straws] or [clutch at straws] {v. phr.} To depend on
something that is useless or unable to help in a time of trouble or
danger; try something with little hope of succeeding. * /To depend on
your memory without studying for a test is to grasp at straws./ * /The
robber clutched at straws to make excuses. He said he wasn't in the
country when the robbery happened./
[grass] See: LET GRASS GROW UNDER ONE'S FEET, SNAKE IN THE GRASS.
[grasshopper] See: KNEE-HIGH TO A GRASSHOPPER
[grass is always greener on the other side of the fence] or [grass
is always greener on the other side of the hill] We are often not
satisfied and want to be somewhere else; a place that is far away or
different seems better than where we are. * /John is always changing
his job because the grass always looks greener to him on the other
side of the fence./
[grave] See: ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE, TURN IN ONE'S GRAVE or TURN
OVER IN ONE'S GRAVE.
[graveyard shift] {n. phr.} The work period lasting from sundown to
sunup, when one has to work in the dark or by artificial light. *
/"Why are you always so sleepy in class?" Professor Brown asked Sam.
"Because I have to work the graveyard shift beside going to school,"
Sam answered./
[gravy] See: PAN GRAVY.
[gravy train] {n.}, {slang}, {informal} The kind of job that brings
in a much higher income than the services rendered would warrant. *
/Jack's job at the Athletic Club as Social Director is a regular gravy
train./
[gray] See: GET GRAY HAIR or GET GRAY, GIVE GRAY HAIR.
[grease-ball] {n.}, {slang}, {derogatory} (avoid) An immigrant from
a southern country, such as Mexico, Italy, or Spain; a person with
oily looking black hair. * /Mr. White is a racist; he calls Mr. Lopez
from Tijuana a grease-ball because he has dark hair./
[grease monkey] {n., {slang} 1. A person who greases or works on
machinery; a mechanic or worker in a garage or gasoline station. *
/Hey, grease monkey, fill up my gas tank!/ * /The grease monkey was
all dirty when he came out from under the car./ 2. Airplane mechanic.
* /Jack was a grease monkey in the Air Force./
[grease one's palm] or [grease the palm] {slang} 1. To pay a person
for something done or given, especially dishonestly; bribe. * /Some
politicians will help you if you grease their palms./ 2. To give a
tip; pay for a special favor or extra help. * /We had to grease the
palm of the waiter to get a table in the crowded restaurant./
[grease the wheels] {v. phr.}, {informal} To do something or act to
make something go smoothly or happen in the way that is wanted. * /Mr.
Davis asked a friend to grease the wheels so he could borrow money
from the bank./ * /William's father tried to grease the wheels for him
to get a new job./
[greasy spoon] {n.}, {informal} Any small, inexpensive restaurant
patronized by workers or people in a hurry; a place not noted for its
excellence of cuisine or its decor. * /I won't have time to eat lunch
at the club today; I'll just grab a sandwich at the local greasy
spoon./
[great] See: THINK A GREAT DEAL OF.
[great deal] See: GOOD DEAL.
[great Godfrey] or [great guns] or [great Scott] {interj.},
{informal} A saying usually used to show surprise or anger. * /Great
Godfrey! Uncle Willie is sitting on top of the flagpole!/ * /Great
guns! The lion is out of his cage./ * /Great Scott! Who stole my
watch?/
[great guns] {adv. phr.}, {informal} 1. Very fast or very hard. -
Usually used in the phrases "blow great guns", "go great guns". * /The
wind was blowing great guns, and big waves beat the shore./ * /The men
were going great guns to finish the job./ Compare: FAST AND FURIOUS.
2. Very well; successfully. * /Smith's new store opened last week and
it's going great guns./
[great many] See: GOOD MANY.
[great oaks from little acorns grow] As great oak trees grow from
tiny acorns, so many great people or things grew from a small and
unimportant beginning, so be patient. - A proverb. * /Many great men
were once poor, unimportant boys. Great oaks from little acorns grow./
[Great Scott] See: GREAT GODFREY.
[green] See: GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE
or GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HILL.
[green around the gills] or [pale around the gills] {adj. phr.},
{slang} Pale-faced from fear or sickness; sickly; nauseated. * /Bill's
father took him for a ride in his boat while the waves were rough, and
when he came back he was green around the gills./ * /The car almost
hit Mary crossing the street, and she was pale around the gills
because it came so close./ - Also used with other prepositions besides
"around", as "about", "at", "under", and with other colors, as "blue",
"pink", "yellow", "white".
[green-eyed monster] {n. phr.} Jealousy; envy. * /When John's
brother got the new bicycle, the green-eyed monster made John fight
with him./
[green power] {n.}, {slang}, {informal} The social prestige or
power money can buy one. * /In American political elections the
candidates that win are usually the ones who have green power backing
them./
[green thumb] {n.}, {informal} A talent for gardening; ability to
make things grow. - Considered trite by many. * /Mr. Wilson's
neighbors say his flowers grow because he has a green thumb./
[green with envy] {adj. phr.} Very jealous; full of envy. *
/Alice's girlfriends were green with envy when they saw her new
dress./ * /The other boys were green with envy when Joe bought a
second-hand car./ Compare: GREEN-EYED MONSTER.
[grief] See: COME TO GRIEF, GOOD GRIEF, GOOD NIGHT(2) or GOOD
GRIEF.
[grin and bear it] {v. phr.}, {informal} To be as cheerful as
possible in pain or trouble; do something without complaining. * /The
doctor told Mrs. Howard that she had to stop eating sweets if she
wanted to lose weight, and she tried to grin and bear it./ * /If you
must have a tooth drilled, all you can do is grin and bear it./
Compare: MAKE THE BEST OF, PUT UP WITH.
[grind] See: AX TO GRIND.
[grindstone] See: KEEP ONE'S NOSE TO THE GRINDSTONE.
[grind to a halt] {v. phr.}, {informal} To slow down and stop like
a machine does when turned off. * /The old car ground to a halt in
front of the house./ * /The Cardinals' offense ground to a halt before
the stubborn Steeler defense./
[grip] See: COME TO GRIPS WITH, LOSE ONE'S GRIP.
[groove] See: IN THE GROOVE.
[gross out] {v.}, {slang} To commit a vulgar act; to repel someone
by saying a disgusting or vulgar thing. * /You are going to gross out
people if you continue talking like that./
[gross-out session] {n.}, {slang}, {avoidable} A verbal contest
between teen-agers in which the object of the game is to see who can
be more disgusting or vulgar than anybody else. * /When Jim got home
he found his two teen-age sons engaged in a gross-out session; he
bawled them out and cut their weekly allowance./
[ground] See: BREAK GROUND, COMMON GROUND, COVER GROUND or COVER
THE GROUND, CUT THE GROUND FROM UNDER, EAR TO THE GROUND, FEET ON THE
GROUND, GAIN GROUND, GET OFF THE GROUND, GIVE GROUND, HAPPY HUNTING
GROUND, HOLD ONE'S GROUND, LOSE GROUND, MIDDLE GROUND, RUN INTO THE
GROUND, STAMPING GROUND, STAND ONE'S GROUND, FROM THE GROUND UP.
[ground ball] {n.} A ball batted onto the ground in baseball; a
grounder. * /Taylor hit a ground ball to the short-stop./
[ground floor] {n.} 1. First floor of a house or building. * /Mrs.
Turner has an apartment on the ground floor./ 2. {informal} The first
or best chance, especially in a business. * /That man got rich because
he got in on the ground floor of the television business./
[ground rule] {n.} 1. A rule in sports that is made especially for
the grounds or place where a game is played. - Usually used in the
plural. * /There was such a big crowd at the baseball game, that the
ground rules of the field were changed in case a ball went into the
crowd./ 2. A rule, usually not written, of what to do or how to act in
case certain things happen. - Usually used in the plural. * /When you
go to a new school, you don't know tire ground rules of how you are
supposed to behave./
[grow] See: GREAT OAKS PROM LITTLE ACORNS GROW, LET GRASS GROW
UNDER ONE'S FEET.
[growing pains] {n.} 1. Pains in children's legs supposed to be
caused by changes in their bodies and feelings as they grow. * /The
little girl's legs hurt, and her mother told her she had growing
pains./ 2. {informal} Troubles when something new is beginning or
growing. * /The factory has growing pains./
[grow on] or [grow upon] {v.} 1. To become stronger in; increase as
a habit of. * /The habit of eating before going to bed grew upon
John./ 2. To become more interesting to or liked by. * /The more Jack
saw Mary, the more she grew on him./ * /Football grew on Billy as he
grew older./
[grow out of] {v. phr.} 1. To outgrow; become too mature for. * /As
a child he had a habit of scratching his chin all the time, but he
grew out of it./ 2. To result from; arise. * /Tom's illness grew out
of his tendency to overwork and neglect his health./
[grow up] {v.} 1. To increase in size or height; become taller or
older; reach full height. * /Johnny is growing up; his shoes are too
small for him./ * /I grew up on a farm./ * /The city has grown up
since I was young./ 2. To become adult in mind or judgment; become old
enough to think or decide in important matters. * /Tom wants to he a
coach when he grows up./ * /Grow up, you're not a baby any more!/
[grudge] See: NURSE A GRUDGE.
[guard] See: COLOR GUARD, OFF GUARD, ON GUARD.
[guest] See: BF. MY GUEST.
[gum up] {v.}, {slang} To cause not to work or ruin; spoil; make
something go wrong. - Often used in the phrase "gum up the works". *
/Jimmy has gummed up the typewriter./ Syn.: THROW A MONKEY WRENCH.
[gun] See: BIG CHEESE or BIG GUN, GIVE IT THE GUN or GIVE HER THE
GUN, GREAT GODFREY or GREAT GUNS, JUMP THE GUN, SON OF A GUN, STICK TO
ONE'S GUNS or STAND BY ONE'S GUNS, TILL THE LAST GUN IS FIRED or UNTIL
THE LAST GUN IS FIRED.
[gun for] {v.}, {informal} 1. To hunt for with a gun; look hard for
a chance to harm or defeat. * /The cowboy is gunning for the man who
stole his horse./ * /Bob is gunning for me because I got a higher mark
than he did./ 2. To try very hard to get. * /The man is gunning for
first prize in the golf tournament./
[gung-ho] {adj.}, {colloquial} Enthusiastic, full of eagerness in
an uncritical or unsophisticated manner. * /Suzie is all gung-ho on
equal rights for women, but fails to see the consequences./
[gut feeling] {n. phr.} An instinctive reaction. * /I have a gut
feeling that they will never get married in spite of all they say./
[gut reaction] {n. phr.} A mental or physical response that springs
from one's depths. * /My gut reaction was to get out of here as fast
as possible./
[gut talk] {n. phr.} Sincere, honest talk. * /We admire people who
speak gut talk and tell exactly what they think and feet./
[guts] See: HATE ONE'S GUTS, HAVE THE GUTS TO DO SOMETHING.
[guy] See: REGULAR GUY, WISE GUY.
[hackle] See: RAISE HACKLES or RAISE ONE'S HACKLES.
[had as soon] or [had as lief] See: AS SOON.
[had better] or [had best] {informal} Should; must. * /I had better
leave now, or I'll be late./ * /If you want to stay out of trouble,
you had best not make any mistakes. / * /Jim decided he had better do
his homework instead of playing ball./
[had rather] or [had sooner] {v.} To choose to (do one thing
instead of another thing); like better to; would prefer to. - Used
with an infinitive without "to". * /My aunt invited me to the movies,
but I said I had rather go on a picnic with the girls./ * /I had
sooner live in the city than on a farm./
[hall] See: WITHIN CALL or WITHIN HAIL.
[hail-fellow-well-met(1)] {adj. phr.} Talking easily and in a
friendly way to everyone you meet. * /John won the election as class
president because he was hail-fellow-well-met./
[hail-fellow-well-met(2)] {n. phr.} A good friend and companion;
buddy; pal. * /John just moved to town but he and the boys in the
neighborhood are already hail-fellows-well-met./
[hail from] {v.}, {informal} To have your home in; come from; be
from; especially, to have been born and raised in. * /Mrs. Gardner
hails from Mississippi./ * /Mr. Brown and Mr. White are old friends
because they both hail from the same town./
[hair] See: CURL ONE'S HAIR, GET GRAY HAIR or GET GRAY, GIVE GRAY
HAIR, HANG BY A THREAD or HANG BY A HAIR, HIDE OR HAIR or HIDE NOR
HAIR, IN ONE'S HAIR, LET ONE'S HAIR DOWN, OUT OF ONE'S HAIR, SPLIT
HAIRS, TEAR ONE'S HAIR.
[haircut place] {n.}, {slang}, {citizen's band radio jargon} Bridge
or overpass with tight clearance. * /Are we going to make it in that
haircut place?/
[hairdo] {n.} Style or manner of arranging, combing, or wearing
one's hair. * /"How do you like my new hairdo?" Jane asked, as she
left the beauty parlor./
[hair stand on end] {informal} The hair of your head rises stiffly
upwards as a sign or result of great fright or horror. * /When he
heard the strange cry, his hair stood on end./ * /The sight of the
dead man made his hair stand on end./ Compare: BLOOD RUN COLD, HEART
IN ONE'S MOUTH, HEART STAND STILL, JUMP OUT OF ONE'S SKIN,
SPINE-CHILLING.
[hale and hearty] {adj. phr.} In very good health; well and strong.
* /Grandfather will be 80 years old tomorrow, but he is hale and
hearty./ * /That little boy looks hale and hearty, as if he is never
sick./
[half] See: GO HALVES, GO OFF HALF-COCKED also GO OFF AT HALF COCK,
IN HALF, SIX OF ONE AND HALF-A-DOZEN OF THE OTHER, TIME AND A HALF,
TOO-BY HALF.
[half a chance] or [a half chance] {n.} An opportunity; a
reasonable chance. * /Just give yourself half a chance and you will
quickly get used to your new job./
[half a loaf is better than none] or [half a loaf is better than no
bread] Part of what we want or need is better than nothing. - A
proverb. * /Albert wanted two dollars for shoveling snow from the
sidewalk but the lady would only give him a dollar. And he said that
half a loaf is better than none./ Compare: BETTER LATE THAN NEVER.
[half a mind] also [half a notion] {n. phr.}, {informal} A wish or
plan that you have not yet decided to act on; a thought of possibly
doing something. - Used after "have" or "with" and before "to" and an
infinitive. * /I have half a mind to stop studying and walk over to
the brook./ * /Jerry went home with half a mind to telephone Betty./
[half-and-half(1)] {adj.} As much one thing as the other. * /We
asked the coach if more boys than girls were interested in debating,
and he said it was about half-and-half./ * /The show last night was
neither very good nor very poor - just half-and-half./ Compare:
FIFTY-FIFTY.
[half-and-half(2)] {n.} A mixture of milk and cream in equal parts,
used with cereal or coffee. * /John uses half-and-half with his
cereal, but his wife, who is dieting, uses milk./
[half an eye] {n. phr.} A slight glance; a quick look. * /The
substitute teacher could see with half an eye that she was going to
have trouble with the class./ * /While Mary was cooking she kept half
an eye on the baby to see that he didn't get into mischief./
[half bad] See: NOT BAD.
[half-baked] {adj.}, {informal} Not thought out or studied
thoroughly; not worth considering or accepting. * /We wish Tom would
not take our time at meetings to offer his half-baked ideas./ * /We
cannot afford to put the government in the hands of people with
half-baked plans./
[half-hearted] {adj.} Lacking enthusiasm or interest. * /Phil made
several half-hearted attempts to learn word processing, but we could
see that he didn't really like it./
[half-holiday] {n.} A day on which you get out of school or work in
the afternoon. * /The principal said that Tuesday would be a
half-holiday./
[half the battle] {n.phr.} A large part of the work. * /When you
write an essay for class, making the outline is half the battle./ *
/To see your faults and decide to change is half the battle of
self-improvement./
[half-time] {n.} A rest period in the middle of certain games. * /I
saw Henry at the football game and I went over and talked to him at
half-time./ * /The pep squad put on a drill at half-time when we
played basketball with our old rivals./
[halfway] See: GO HALFWAY or MEET ONE HALF-WAY or GO HALFWAY TO
MEET ONE.
[halt] See: CALL A HALT, GRIND TO A HALT.
[ham actor] {n. phr.}, {slang} An untalented actor; someone who
tries so hard to act that his performance becomes foolishly
exaggerated. * /Fred is a ham actor who, instead of memorizing his
lines, keeps moving around in a ridiculous way./
[ham-handed] {adj.}, {slang} 1. Having very large hands. * /Pete is
a big, ham-handed man who used to be a football player./ 2. See:
HEAVY-HANDED.
[ham it up] {v. phr.}, {slang} To do more than look natural in
acting a part; pretend too much; exaggerate. * /When Tom told the
teacher he was too sick to do homework, he really hammed it up./ *
/The old-fashioned movies are funny to us because the players hammed
it up./ Compare: LAY IT ON.
[hammer] See: GO AT IT HAMMER AND TONGS, UNDER THE HAMMER.
[hammer and tongs] {adv. phr.} Violently. * /Mr. and Mrs. Smith
have been at it all day, hammer and tongs./
[hammer at] or [hammer away at] {v.} 1. To work steadily at; keep
at. * /That lesson is not easy, but hammer away at it and you will get
it right./ 2. To talk about again and again; emphasize. * /The speaker
hammered at his opponent's ideas./
[hammer out] {v.} 1. To write or produce by hard work. * /The
President sat at his desk till midnight hammering out his speech for
the next day./ 2. To remove, change, or work out by discussion and
debate; debate and agree on (something). * /Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Green
have hammered out their difference of opinion./ * /The club members
have hammered out an agreement between the two groups./ Compare: IRON
OUT.
[Hancock] See: JOHN HANCOCK or JOHN HENRY.
[hand] See: AT HAND, BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH,
BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS ONE, CLEAN HANDS, DIRTY ONE'S HANDS, EAT OUT
OF ONE'S HAND, FORCE ONE'S HAND, FREE HAND, FROM HAND TO HAND, GLAD
HAND, HAM-HANDED, HANG HEAVY or HANG HEAVY ON ONE'S HANDS, HAT IN
HAND, HAVE A HAND IN, HAVE ONE'S HANDS FULL, HEAVY-HANDED, IN HAND,
JOIN FORCES or JOIN HANDS, KEEP ONE'S HAND IN, LAY HANDS ON, LAY ONE'S
HANDS ON or GET ONE'S HAND ON or PUT ONE'S HAND ON, LEND A HAND or
GIVE A HAND or BEAR A HAND, LET ONE'S LEFT HAND KNOW WHAT ONE'S RIGHT
HAND IS DOING, LIFT A FINGER or LIFT A HAND also RAISE A HAND, LIVE
FROM HAND TO MOUTH, MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK, OFF ONE'S HANDS, ON
HAND, ON ONE'S HANDS, ON THE OTHER HAND, OUT OF HAND, PLAY INTO ONE'S
HANDS, PUT ONE'S HAND TO or SET ONE'S HAND TO or TURN ONE'S HAND TO,
PUT ONE'S HAND TO THE PLOW, ROB THE TILL or HAVE ONE'S HAND IN THE
TILL, SECTION HAND, SIT ON ONE'S HANDS, TAKE ONE'S LIFE IN ONE'S
HANDS, TAKE THE LAW INTO ONE'S OWN HANDS, THROW UP ONE'S HANDS, THROW
UP ONE'S HANDS IN HORROR, TIE ONE'S HANDS, TRY ONE'S HAND, UPPER HAND
or WHIP HAND, WASH ONE'S HANDS OF.
[hand and foot] {adv. phr.} 1. So that the hands and feet cannot be
used. - Used with "bind" or a synonym. * /The robbers bound him hand
and foot and left him on the floor./ 2. So that no tree action is
possible. - Used with "bind" or a synonym. * /If Mr. Jones signs that
paper, he will be bound hand and foot./ 3. See: WAIT ON HAND AND FOOT.
[hand and glove] See: HAND IN GLOVE.
[hand down] {v.} To arrange to give or leave after, death. * /Joe
will have his father's gold watch because it is handed down in the
family./ * /In old times, property was usually handed down to the
oldest son at his father's death./ Compare: PASS ON.
[hand in] See: TURN IN(1).
[hand in glove] or [hand and glove] {adj.} or {adv. phr.} Very
close or friendly; working together; in very close agreement or
cooperation, especially for bad purposes. * /The Navy and the Coast
Guard work hand and glove, especially in war time./ * /Judges and
others in high office sometimes are hand in glove with gangsters to
cheat and steal./
[hand in hand] {adv. phr.} 1. Holding hands. * /Bob and Mary walked
along hand in hand in the park./ Compare: ARM IN ARM. 2. Accompanying
each other; together; closely connected. - Used with "go". *
/Ignorance and poverty often go hand in hand./ * /Selfishness and
unhappiness often go hand in hand./
[hand it to] {v. phr.}, {informal} To admit the excellence of; give
credit or praise to. * /You have to hand it to Jim; he is very careful
and hard-working in all he does./ * /The teacher said, "I hand it to
Jane for the way she managed the Music Club."/ Syn.: TAKE OFF ONE'S
HAT TO.
[handle] See: FLY OFF THE HANDLE.
[handle to one's name] {n. phr.}, {slang} A special title used
before your name. * /Jim's father has a handle to his name. He is
Major Watson./ * /Bob came back from the University with a handle to
his name and was called Dr. Jones./
[handle with gloves] or [handle with kid gloves] {v. phr.},
{informal} 1. To treat very gently and carefully. * /An atomic bomb is
handled with kid gloves./ 2. To treat with great tact and diplomacy. *
/Aunt Jane is so irritable that we have to treat her with kid gloves./
[hand-me-down] {n.}, {informal} Something given away after another
person has no more use for it; especially, used clothing. * /Alice had
four older sisters, so all her clothes were hand-me-downs./
[hand off] {v.} To hand the football to another back. * /The
quarterback faked to the fullback and handed off to the halfback./
[hand on] {v.} To pass along to the next person who should have it.
* /Everyone in class should read this, so when you have finished,
please hand it on./ * /In the early days, news was handed on from one
person to another./
[handout] {n.} 1. A free gift of food, clothes, etc. * /The
homeless people were standing in a long line for various handouts./ 2.
[good many] or [great many] {n.} or {adj.} A large number (of);
very many. Used with "a". * /We found some fall flowers, but the frost
had already killed a good many./ * /A great many of the houses were
knocked down by the earthquake./ * /Tom has a good many friends at
school./ * /Mary has a great many ideas for interesting programs./
Syn.: QUITE A FEW. Compare: A LOT, ANY NUMBER, GOOD DEAL. Contrast: A
FEW.
[good nature] {n.} Readiness to please others and to be pleased.
Cheerfulness, pleasantness. * /Everybody likes Mr. Crowe because of
his good nature./ * /Miss Reynolds was remembered by her students for
her good nature./
[goodness] See: HONEST-TO-GOODNESS, MY GOD or MY GOODNESS.
[goodness gracious] {interj.}, {slightly archaic} Exclamation of
surprise and a certain degree of disapproval. * /"Can my boyfriend
stay overnight, Dad?" Melanie asked. "Goodness gracious, most
certainly not!" her father replied. "What would the neighbors think?"/
[goodness knows] See: GOD KNOWS.
[good night] {interj.} 1. Used as a polite phrase when you leave
someone at night. * /"Good night!" said Bob as he left Dick's house
after the party. "I'll see you in the morning."/ * /Bill said good
night to his parents and went upstairs to bed./ 2. or [good grief] -
Used to show surprise and often some fear or anger. * /Mr. Johnson's
eyes opened wide when he saw the fish his little boy had caught, and
said, "Good night!"/ * /Mother was angry and said to Mary, "Good
grief! Haven't you started the dishes yet?"/
[good riddance] {n.} A loss that you are glad about. Often used as
an exclamation, and in the sentence "good riddance to bad rubbish". To
show that you are glad that something or somebody has been taken or
sent away. * /The boys thought it was good riddance when the
troublemaker was sent home./ * /When Mr. Roberts' old car was stolen
he thought it was good riddance./ * /Betty thought it was good
riddance when her little brother broke his toy drum./ * /"I'm going
and won't come back," said John. "Good riddance to bad rubbish!" said
Mary./
[goods] See: DELIVER THE GOODS, CONSUMER GOODS.
[good show!] {adj. phr.} Excellent; terrific; wonderful. * /"Good
show, boys!" the coach cried, when our team won the game./
[good scout] See: GOOD EGG.
[go off] {v.} 1. To leave; to depart. * /Helen's mother told her
not to go off without telling her./ 2a. To be fired; explode. * /The
firecracker went off and scared Jack's dog./ 2b. To begin to ring or
buzz. * /The alarm clock went off at six o'clock and woke Father./ 3.
To happen. * /The party went off without any trouble./ * /The parade
went off without rain./
[go off half-cocked] also [go off at half cock] {v. phr.},
{informal} To act or speak before getting ready; to do something too
soon. * /Bill often goes off half cocked./ * /Mr. Jones was thinking
about quilting his job, but his wife told him not to go at half cock./
[go off like clockwork] See: GO LIKE CLOCKWORK.
[go off the deep end] or [go overboard] {v. phr.}, {informal} To
act excitedly and without careful thinking. * /John has gone off the
deep end about owning a motorcycle./ * /Mike warned his roommate not
to go off the deep end and get married./ * /Some girls go overboard
for handsome movie and television actors./
[goof off] {v.}, {slang} To loaf or be lazy; not want to work or be
serious; fool around. * /Tow didn't get promoted because he goofed off
all the time and never did his homework./ * /If you goof off on the
job too much, you'll be fired./
[go off in a huff]{v. phr.} To depart in anger. * /Marian went off
in a huff just because Jeff failed to open the door for her./
[go on] {v.} 1a. To continue; not stop. * /After he was hit by the
ball, Billy quit pitching and went home, but the game went on./ * /The
TV picture began to jump, and it went on like that until Father turned
a knob./ * /I asked Jane a question but she went on reading and didn't
answer./ * /Mother told Jim to stop, but he went on hitting Susan./
Syn.: KEEP ON. 1b. To continue after a pause; begin with the next
thing. * /"Go on! I'm listening," said Mother./ * /The teacher pointed
to the map, and went on, "But the land that Columbus came to was not
India."/ - Often used before an infinitive. * /Father said Mother had
gone to the hospital, and went on to say that Grandmother was coming
to take care of us./ 1c. (Of time:) To pass. * /As time went on, Mary
began to wonder if John had forgotten their date./ * /The years went
on, and Betty's classmates became gray-haired men and women./ 2. To
happen. * /Mr. Scott heard the noise and went to see what was going on
in the hall./ * /The teacher knows what goes on when she leaves the
room./ Syn.: TAKE PLACE. 3. To talk for too long, often angrily. * /We
thought Jane would never finish going on about the amount of homework
she had./ 4. To fit on; be able to be worn. * /My little brother's
coat wouldn't go on me. It was too small./ 5. Stop trying to fool me;
I don't believe you. - Used as a command, sometimes with "with". *
/When Father told Mother she was the prettiest girl in the world.
Mother just said, "Oh, go on, Charles."/ * /"Aunt May, your picture is
in the paper." "Go on with you, boy!"/
[go on record] {v. phr.} To make an official statement as opposed
to an informal one; say something officially that may be quoted with
the person's name added for reference. * /I want to go on record that
I oppose the merger with the firm of Catwallender and Swartvik./
[go on the rocks] See: ON THE ROCKS.
[go one's way] {v. phr.} 1. To start again or continue to where you
are going. * /The milkman left the milk and went his way./ * /The man
stopped and asked me for a match, then went his way./ Compare: GO
ALONG, GO ON. 2. To go or act the way you want to or usually do. *
/Joe just wants to go his way and mind his own business./ * /Don't
tell me how to do my job. You go your way and I'll go mine./ * /George
was not a good sport; when the game did not go his way, he became
angry and quit./
[goose] See: COOK ONE'S GOOSE, FOX AND GEESE, KILL THE GOOSE THAT
LAID THE GOLDEN EGG, GONE GOOSE.
[goose bumps] or [goose pimples] {n. plural}, {informal} Small
bumps that come on a person's skin when he gets cold or afraid. *
/Nancy gets goose bumps when she sees a snake./ * /Ann, put on your
sweater; you're so cold you have goose pimples on your arms./
[go or drive to the wall] See: TO THE WALL.
[go out] {v. phr.} 1. To pass out of date or style. * /Short skirts
are gradually going out./ 2. To stop giving off light or burning. *
/Put more wood on the fire or it will go out./ 3. To leave. * /When I
called Sue, her mother said that she had just gone out./
[go out for] or [come out for] {v. phr.} To try for a place on (an
athletic team.) * /Ten boys went out for track that spring./ * /The
coach asked Tom why he didn't come out for basketball./
[go out of business] {v. phr.} To cease functioning as a commercial
enterprise. * /The windows of the store are all boarded up because
they went out of business./
[go out of one's way] {v. phr.} To make an extra effort; do more
than usual. * /Jane went out of her way to be nice to the new girl./ *
/Don did not like Charles, and he went out of his way to say bad
things about Charles./ Compare: BEND OVER BACKWARD, KNOCK ONESELF OUT.
[go out the window] {v. phr.}, {informal} To go out of effect; be
abandoned. * /During the war, the school dress code went out the
window./
[go over] {v.} 1. To examine; think about or look at carefully. *
/The teacher went over the list and picked John's name./ * /The police
went over the gun for fingerprints./ 2. To repeat; do again. * /Don't
make me go all over it again./ * /We painted the house once, then we
went over it again./ 3. To read again; study. * /After you finish the
test, go over it again to look for mistakes./ * /They went over their
lessons together at night./ 4. To cross; go to stop or visit; travel.
* /We went over to the other side of the street./ * /I'm going over to
Mary's house./ * /We went over to the next town to the game./ 5. To
change what you believe. * /Father is a Democrat, but he says that he
is going over to the Republicans in the next election./ * /Many of the
natives on the island went over to Christianity after the white men
came./ 6. To be liked; succeed. - Often used in the informal phrase
"go over big". * /Bill's joke went over big with the other boys and
girls./ * /Your idea went over well with the boss./
[go over like a lead balloon] {v. phr.}, {informal} To fail to
generate a positive response or enthusiasm; to meet with boredom or
disapproval. * /The president's suggested budget cuts went over like a
lead balloon./ * /Jack's off-color jokes went over like a lead
balloon./
[go over one's head] {v. phr.} 1. To be too difficult to
understand. * /Penny complains that what her math teacher says simply
goes over her head./ 2. To do something without the permission of
one's superior. * /Fred went over his boss's head when he signed the
contract on his own./
[go over with a fine-tooth comb] See: FINE-TOOTH COMB.
[gopher ball] {n.}, {slang} A baseball pitch that is hit for a home
run. * /The pitcher's only weakness this year is the gopher ball./
[go places] See: GO TO TOWN(2).
[go sit on a tack] {v.}, {slang} Shut up and go away; stop
bothering. - Usually used as a command and considered rude. * /Henry
told Bill to go sit on a tack./ Compare: GO JUMP IN THE LAKE.
[gosling] See: GONE GOOSE also GONE GOSLING.
[go somebody one better] {v. phr.}, {informal} To do something
better than (someone else); do more or better than; beat. * /Bill's
mother gave the boys in Bill's club hot dogs for refreshments, so
Tom's mother said that she would go her one better next time by giving
them hot dogs and ice cream./ * /John made a good dive into the water,
but Bob went him one better by diving in backwards./
[go stag] {v. phr.} 1. To go to a dance or party without a
companion of the opposite sex. * /When Sally turned him down, Tom
decided to go stag to the college prom./ 2. To participate in a party
for men only. * /Mrs. Smith's husband frequently goes stag, leaving
her at home./
[go steady] {v. phr.} To go on dates with the same person all the
time; dale just one person. * /At first Tom and Martha were not
serious about each other, but now they are going steady./ * /Jean went
steady with Bob for a year; then they had a quarrel and stopped dating
each other./ Syn.: KEEP COMPANY. Contrast: PLAY THE FIELD.
[go straight] {v. phr.}, {slang} To become an honest person; lead
an honest life. * /After the man got out of prison, he went straight./
* /Mr. Wright promised to go straight if the judge would let him go
free./
[got a thing going] {v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} To be engaged in
a pleasurable or profitable activity with someone else as a partner
either in romance or in mutually profitable business. * /"You two seem
to have got a thing going, haven't you?"/ * /"You've got a good thing
going with your travel bureau, why quit now?"/
[go the rounds] {v. phr.} To pass or be told from one person to
another; spread among many people. * /There is a rumor going the
rounds that Mr. Norton will be the new superintendent./ * /The story
about Mr. Cox's falling into the lake is making the rounds./ Syn.: GO
AROUND.
[go the whole hog] or [go whole hog] {v. phr.}, {informal} To do
something completely or thoroughly; to give all your strength or
attention to something. * /When Bob became interested in model
airplanes, he went the whole hog./ * /The family went whole hog at the
fair, and spent a lot of money./ Compare: ALL OUT, ALL THE WAY, SHOOT
THE WORKS.
[go through] {v.} 1. To examine or think about carefully; search. *
/I went through the papers looking for Jane's letter./ * /Mother went
through the drawer looking for the sweater./ Syn.: GO OVER. 2. To
experience; suffer; live through. * /Frank went through many dangers
during the war./ 3. To do what you are supposed to do; do what you
promised. * /I went through my part of the bargain, but you didn't go
through your part./ Syn.: CARRY OUT. 4. To go or continue to the end
of; do or use all of. * /Jack went through the magazine quickly./ *
/We went through all our money at the circus./ Syn.: RUN THROUGH. 5.
To be allowed; pass; be agreed on. * /I hope the new law we want goes
through Congress./ * /The sale of the store went through quickly./
[go through hell and high water] {v. phr.}, {informal} To go
through danger, or trouble. * /John is ready to go through hell and
high water to help his chum./ * /The soldiers went through hell and
high water to capture the fort./ Compare: COME HELL OR HIGH WATER,
THROUGH THE MILL.
[go through the motions] {v. phr.} To pretend to do something by
moving or acting as if you were really doing it; do something without
really trying hard or caring. * /Jane was angry because she couldn't
go out, and when her mother said to dust her room she just went
through the motions./ * /The team was so far behind in the game that
they just went through the motions of playing at the end./
[go through with] {v. phr.} To finish; do as planned or agreed; not
stop or fail to do. * /The boys don't think Bob will go through with
his plans to spend the summer at a camp./ * /Mr. Trent hopes the city
won't go through with its plans to widen the street./ Syn.: CARRY OUT.
Compare: CARRY THROUGH, LIVE UP TO.
[go to] {v.} To be ready to do; start doing something. * /When Jack
went to write down the telephone number, he had forgotten it./
[go to any length] {v. phr.} To do everything you can. * /Bill will
go to any length to keep Dick from getting a date with Mary./ Compare:
ALL-OUT.
[go to bat for] {v. phr.}, {informal} To help out in trouble or
need; give aid to. * /Everybody else thought Billy had broken the
window, but Tom went to bat for him./ * /Mary went to bat for the new
club program./ Syn.: STAND UP FOR.
[go to bed with the chickens] {v. phr.}, {informal} To go to bed
early at night. * /On the farm John worked hard and went to bed with
the chickens./ * /Mr. Barnes goes to bed with the chickens because he
has to get up at 5 A.M./
[go together] {v.} 1. To go with the same boy or girl all the time;
date just one person. * /Herbert and Thelma go together./ Compare: GO
STEADY, GO WITH(2), KEEP COMPANY. 2. To be suitable or agreeable with
each other; match. * /Roast turkey and cranberries go together./ *
/Ice cream and cake go together./ * /Green and yellow go together./
[go to great lengths] See: GO TO ANY LENGTH.
[go to hell] See: GO TO THE DEVIL.
[go to it!] {v. phr.} An expression of encouragement meaning go
ahead; proceed. * /"Go to it!" my father cried enthusiastically, when
I told him I had decided to become a doctor./
[go to one's head] {v. phr.} 1. To make one dizzy. * /Beer and wine
go to a person's head./ * /Looking out the high window went to the
woman's head./ 2. To make someone too proud; make a person think he is
too important. * /Being the star player went to John's head./ * /The
girl's fame as a movie actress went to her head./
[go to pieces] {v. phr.} To become very nervous or sick from
nervousness; become wild. * /Mrs. Vance went to pieces when she heard
her daughter was in the hospital./ * /The man went to pieces when the
judge said he would have to go to prison for life./ * /Mary goes to
pieces when she can't have her own way./
[go to pot] {v. phr.}, {informal} To be ruined; become bad; be
destroyed. * /Mr. Jones' health has gone to pot./ * /The motel
business went to pot when the new highway was built./ Compare: GO TO
WRACK AND RUIN, GO TO THE DOGS.
[go to prove] See: GO TO SHOW.
[go to seed] or [run to seed] {v. phr.} 1. To grow seeds. * /Onions
go to seed in hot weather./ 2. To lose skill or strength; stop being
good or useful. * /Sometimes a good athlete runs to seed when he gets
too old for sports./ * /Mr. Allen was a good carpenter until he became
rich and went to seed./
[go to show] or [go to prove] {v. phr.}, {informal} To seem to
prove; act or serve to show (a fact); demonstrate. - Often used after
"it". * /Our team beat a bigger team, and it just goes to show you can
win if you play hard enough./ * /The hard winter at Valley Forge goes
to show that our soldiers suffered a great deal to win the
Revolution./
[go to the chair] {v. phr.} To be executed in the electric chair. *
/After many stays of execution, the criminal finally had to go to the
chair./
[go to the devil] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To go away, mind your
own business. - Used as a command; considered rude. * /George told Bob
to go to the devil./ * /"Go to the devil!" said Jack, when his sister
tried to tell him what to do./ 2. To become bad or ruined; become
useless. * /The boy got mixed up with bad company and began to steal
and rob his friends. He went to the devil./ * /Mr. Jones went to the
devil after he lost his business./
[go to the dogs] {v. phr.}, {informal} To go to ruin; to be ruined
or destroyed. * /The man went to the dogs after he started drinking./
* /After the death of the owner, the business went to the dogs./ *
/The team went to the dogs when its best players got hurt./ Compare:
GO TO POT.
[go to the trouble] or [take the trouble] {v. phr.} To make trouble
or extra work for yourself; bother. * /John told Mr. Brown not to go
to the trouble of driving him home./ * /Since your aunt took the
trouble to get you a nice birthday present, the least you can do is to
thank her./ Compare: PUT OUT(5).
[go to town] {v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To do something quickly or with
great force or energy; work fast or hard. * /The boys went to town on
the old garage, and had it torn down before Father came home from
work./ * /While Sally was slowly washing the dishes, she remembered
she had a date with Pete that evening; then she really went to town./
Compare: IN NO TIME, MAKE TIME. Contrast: TAKE ONE'S TIME. 2. or [go
places]. To do a good job; succeed. * /Our team is going to town this
year. We have won all five games that we played./ * /Dan was a good
student and a good athlete; we expect him to go places in business./
[go to waste] {v. phr.} To be wasted or lost; not used. * /The
strawberries went to waste because there was nobody to pick them./ *
/Joe's work on the model automobile went to waste when he dropped it./
Compare: IN VAIN.
[go to wrack and ruin] {v. phr.} To fall apart and be ruined; to
become useless. * /The barn went to wrack and ruin after the farmer
moved./ * /The car will soon go to wrack and ruin standing out in all
kinds of weather./
[go under] {v.} 1. To be sunk. * /The ship hit an iceberg and went
under./ 2. To fail; be defeated. * /The filling station went under
because there were too many others on the street./
[go under the hammer] {v. phr.} To be auctioned off. * /Our old
family paintings went under the hammer when my father lost his job./
[go up] {v.} 1. To go or move higher; rise. * /Many people came to
watch the weather balloon go up./ * /The path goes up the hill./ 2. To
be able to become heard; become loud or louder. * /A shout went up
from the crowd at the game./ 3. Grow in height while being built; to
be built. * /The new church is going up on the corner./ 4. To
increase. * /Prices of fruit and vegetables have gone up./
[go up in smoke] or [go up in flames] {v. phr.} To burn; be
destroyed by fire. 1. * /The house went up in flames./ * /The barn
full of hay went up in smoke./ 2. Disappear; fail; not come true. *
/Jane's hopes of going to college went up in smoke when her father
lost his job./ * /The team's chances to win went up in smoke when
their captain was hurt./
[go up in the air] {v. phr.} To become angry; lose one's temper. *
/Herb is so irritable these days that he goes up in the air for no
reason at all./
[gourd] See: SAW WOOD or SAW GOURDS.
[go with] {v.} 1. To match; to look good with. * /A yellow blouse
goes with her blonde hair./ * /The woman bought a purse to go with her
new shoes./ 2. To go out in the company of. * /Tom goes with the girl
who lives across the street./
[go without] See: DO WITHOUT.
[go without saying] {v. phr.} To be too plain to need talking
about; not be necessary to say or mention. * /It goes without saying
that children should not be given knives to play with./ * /A person
with weak eyes should wear glasses. That goes without saying./
[go wrong] {v. phr.} 1. To fail; go out of order. * /Something went
wrong with our car and we stalled on the road./ 2. To sink into an
immoral or criminal existence. * /In a large city many young people go
wrong every year./
[gown] See: TOWN AND GOWN.
[grab bag] {n.} 1. A bag from which surprise packages are chosen; a
bag in which there are many unknown things. * /The woman paid a
quarter for a chance at the grab bag./ * /The children brought
packages to be sold from the grab bag at the school carnival./ 2. A
group of many different things from which to choose; a variety. * /The
TV program was a grab bag for young and old alike./
[grab off] {v.}, {informal} To take quickly; take or grab before
anybody else can; choose for yourself. * /The people who got to the
show first grabbed off the best seats./ * /The women hurried to the
store to grab off the things on sale./ * /The prettiest girls at the
dance were grabbed off for partners first./ Compare: SNAP UP.
[grabs] See: UP FOR GRABS.
[grace] See: FALL FROM GRACE, IN ONE'S BAD GRACES, IN ONE'S GOOD
GRACES, WITH BAD GRACE, WITH GOOD GRACE.
[grace period] or [period of grace] {n.} The time or extra time
allowed in which to do something. * /Most insurance companies have a
grace period of one month for payments./ * /The teacher gave the class
a week's period of grace to finish workbooks./
[grade] See: MAKE THE GRADE.
[grain] See: AGAINST THE GRAIN, TAKE WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.
[grand slam] {n.} A home run hit when there are three men on the
bases. * /Tony's grand slam won the game for the Yankees, 4-0./
[grandstand] {v.}, {slang}, {informal} To show off, to perform
histrionics needlessly. * /Stop grandstanding and get down to honest
work!/
[grandstander] {n.}, {slang}, {informal} A showoff, a person who
likes to engage in histrionics. * /Many people think that Evel Knievel
is a grandstander./
[granted] See: TAKE FOR GRANTED.
[grasp at straws] or [clutch at straws] {v. phr.} To depend on
something that is useless or unable to help in a time of trouble or
danger; try something with little hope of succeeding. * /To depend on
your memory without studying for a test is to grasp at straws./ * /The
robber clutched at straws to make excuses. He said he wasn't in the
country when the robbery happened./
[grass] See: LET GRASS GROW UNDER ONE'S FEET, SNAKE IN THE GRASS.
[grasshopper] See: KNEE-HIGH TO A GRASSHOPPER
[grass is always greener on the other side of the fence] or [grass
is always greener on the other side of the hill] We are often not
satisfied and want to be somewhere else; a place that is far away or
different seems better than where we are. * /John is always changing
his job because the grass always looks greener to him on the other
side of the fence./
[grave] See: ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE, TURN IN ONE'S GRAVE or TURN
OVER IN ONE'S GRAVE.
[graveyard shift] {n. phr.} The work period lasting from sundown to
sunup, when one has to work in the dark or by artificial light. *
/"Why are you always so sleepy in class?" Professor Brown asked Sam.
"Because I have to work the graveyard shift beside going to school,"
Sam answered./
[gravy] See: PAN GRAVY.
[gravy train] {n.}, {slang}, {informal} The kind of job that brings
in a much higher income than the services rendered would warrant. *
/Jack's job at the Athletic Club as Social Director is a regular gravy
train./
[gray] See: GET GRAY HAIR or GET GRAY, GIVE GRAY HAIR.
[grease-ball] {n.}, {slang}, {derogatory} (avoid) An immigrant from
a southern country, such as Mexico, Italy, or Spain; a person with
oily looking black hair. * /Mr. White is a racist; he calls Mr. Lopez
from Tijuana a grease-ball because he has dark hair./
[grease monkey] {n., {slang} 1. A person who greases or works on
machinery; a mechanic or worker in a garage or gasoline station. *
/Hey, grease monkey, fill up my gas tank!/ * /The grease monkey was
all dirty when he came out from under the car./ 2. Airplane mechanic.
* /Jack was a grease monkey in the Air Force./
[grease one's palm] or [grease the palm] {slang} 1. To pay a person
for something done or given, especially dishonestly; bribe. * /Some
politicians will help you if you grease their palms./ 2. To give a
tip; pay for a special favor or extra help. * /We had to grease the
palm of the waiter to get a table in the crowded restaurant./
[grease the wheels] {v. phr.}, {informal} To do something or act to
make something go smoothly or happen in the way that is wanted. * /Mr.
Davis asked a friend to grease the wheels so he could borrow money
from the bank./ * /William's father tried to grease the wheels for him
to get a new job./
[greasy spoon] {n.}, {informal} Any small, inexpensive restaurant
patronized by workers or people in a hurry; a place not noted for its
excellence of cuisine or its decor. * /I won't have time to eat lunch
at the club today; I'll just grab a sandwich at the local greasy
spoon./
[great] See: THINK A GREAT DEAL OF.
[great deal] See: GOOD DEAL.
[great Godfrey] or [great guns] or [great Scott] {interj.},
{informal} A saying usually used to show surprise or anger. * /Great
Godfrey! Uncle Willie is sitting on top of the flagpole!/ * /Great
guns! The lion is out of his cage./ * /Great Scott! Who stole my
watch?/
[great guns] {adv. phr.}, {informal} 1. Very fast or very hard. -
Usually used in the phrases "blow great guns", "go great guns". * /The
wind was blowing great guns, and big waves beat the shore./ * /The men
were going great guns to finish the job./ Compare: FAST AND FURIOUS.
2. Very well; successfully. * /Smith's new store opened last week and
it's going great guns./
[great many] See: GOOD MANY.
[great oaks from little acorns grow] As great oak trees grow from
tiny acorns, so many great people or things grew from a small and
unimportant beginning, so be patient. - A proverb. * /Many great men
were once poor, unimportant boys. Great oaks from little acorns grow./
[Great Scott] See: GREAT GODFREY.
[green] See: GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE
or GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HILL.
[green around the gills] or [pale around the gills] {adj. phr.},
{slang} Pale-faced from fear or sickness; sickly; nauseated. * /Bill's
father took him for a ride in his boat while the waves were rough, and
when he came back he was green around the gills./ * /The car almost
hit Mary crossing the street, and she was pale around the gills
because it came so close./ - Also used with other prepositions besides
"around", as "about", "at", "under", and with other colors, as "blue",
"pink", "yellow", "white".
[green-eyed monster] {n. phr.} Jealousy; envy. * /When John's
brother got the new bicycle, the green-eyed monster made John fight
with him./
[green power] {n.}, {slang}, {informal} The social prestige or
power money can buy one. * /In American political elections the
candidates that win are usually the ones who have green power backing
them./
[green thumb] {n.}, {informal} A talent for gardening; ability to
make things grow. - Considered trite by many. * /Mr. Wilson's
neighbors say his flowers grow because he has a green thumb./
[green with envy] {adj. phr.} Very jealous; full of envy. *
/Alice's girlfriends were green with envy when they saw her new
dress./ * /The other boys were green with envy when Joe bought a
second-hand car./ Compare: GREEN-EYED MONSTER.
[grief] See: COME TO GRIEF, GOOD GRIEF, GOOD NIGHT(2) or GOOD
GRIEF.
[grin and bear it] {v. phr.}, {informal} To be as cheerful as
possible in pain or trouble; do something without complaining. * /The
doctor told Mrs. Howard that she had to stop eating sweets if she
wanted to lose weight, and she tried to grin and bear it./ * /If you
must have a tooth drilled, all you can do is grin and bear it./
Compare: MAKE THE BEST OF, PUT UP WITH.
[grind] See: AX TO GRIND.
[grindstone] See: KEEP ONE'S NOSE TO THE GRINDSTONE.
[grind to a halt] {v. phr.}, {informal} To slow down and stop like
a machine does when turned off. * /The old car ground to a halt in
front of the house./ * /The Cardinals' offense ground to a halt before
the stubborn Steeler defense./
[grip] See: COME TO GRIPS WITH, LOSE ONE'S GRIP.
[groove] See: IN THE GROOVE.
[gross out] {v.}, {slang} To commit a vulgar act; to repel someone
by saying a disgusting or vulgar thing. * /You are going to gross out
people if you continue talking like that./
[gross-out session] {n.}, {slang}, {avoidable} A verbal contest
between teen-agers in which the object of the game is to see who can
be more disgusting or vulgar than anybody else. * /When Jim got home
he found his two teen-age sons engaged in a gross-out session; he
bawled them out and cut their weekly allowance./
[ground] See: BREAK GROUND, COMMON GROUND, COVER GROUND or COVER
THE GROUND, CUT THE GROUND FROM UNDER, EAR TO THE GROUND, FEET ON THE
GROUND, GAIN GROUND, GET OFF THE GROUND, GIVE GROUND, HAPPY HUNTING
GROUND, HOLD ONE'S GROUND, LOSE GROUND, MIDDLE GROUND, RUN INTO THE
GROUND, STAMPING GROUND, STAND ONE'S GROUND, FROM THE GROUND UP.
[ground ball] {n.} A ball batted onto the ground in baseball; a
grounder. * /Taylor hit a ground ball to the short-stop./
[ground floor] {n.} 1. First floor of a house or building. * /Mrs.
Turner has an apartment on the ground floor./ 2. {informal} The first
or best chance, especially in a business. * /That man got rich because
he got in on the ground floor of the television business./
[ground rule] {n.} 1. A rule in sports that is made especially for
the grounds or place where a game is played. - Usually used in the
plural. * /There was such a big crowd at the baseball game, that the
ground rules of the field were changed in case a ball went into the
crowd./ 2. A rule, usually not written, of what to do or how to act in
case certain things happen. - Usually used in the plural. * /When you
go to a new school, you don't know tire ground rules of how you are
supposed to behave./
[grow] See: GREAT OAKS PROM LITTLE ACORNS GROW, LET GRASS GROW
UNDER ONE'S FEET.
[growing pains] {n.} 1. Pains in children's legs supposed to be
caused by changes in their bodies and feelings as they grow. * /The
little girl's legs hurt, and her mother told her she had growing
pains./ 2. {informal} Troubles when something new is beginning or
growing. * /The factory has growing pains./
[grow on] or [grow upon] {v.} 1. To become stronger in; increase as
a habit of. * /The habit of eating before going to bed grew upon
John./ 2. To become more interesting to or liked by. * /The more Jack
saw Mary, the more she grew on him./ * /Football grew on Billy as he
grew older./
[grow out of] {v. phr.} 1. To outgrow; become too mature for. * /As
a child he had a habit of scratching his chin all the time, but he
grew out of it./ 2. To result from; arise. * /Tom's illness grew out
of his tendency to overwork and neglect his health./
[grow up] {v.} 1. To increase in size or height; become taller or
older; reach full height. * /Johnny is growing up; his shoes are too
small for him./ * /I grew up on a farm./ * /The city has grown up
since I was young./ 2. To become adult in mind or judgment; become old
enough to think or decide in important matters. * /Tom wants to he a
coach when he grows up./ * /Grow up, you're not a baby any more!/
[grudge] See: NURSE A GRUDGE.
[guard] See: COLOR GUARD, OFF GUARD, ON GUARD.
[guest] See: BF. MY GUEST.
[gum up] {v.}, {slang} To cause not to work or ruin; spoil; make
something go wrong. - Often used in the phrase "gum up the works". *
/Jimmy has gummed up the typewriter./ Syn.: THROW A MONKEY WRENCH.
[gun] See: BIG CHEESE or BIG GUN, GIVE IT THE GUN or GIVE HER THE
GUN, GREAT GODFREY or GREAT GUNS, JUMP THE GUN, SON OF A GUN, STICK TO
ONE'S GUNS or STAND BY ONE'S GUNS, TILL THE LAST GUN IS FIRED or UNTIL
THE LAST GUN IS FIRED.
[gun for] {v.}, {informal} 1. To hunt for with a gun; look hard for
a chance to harm or defeat. * /The cowboy is gunning for the man who
stole his horse./ * /Bob is gunning for me because I got a higher mark
than he did./ 2. To try very hard to get. * /The man is gunning for
first prize in the golf tournament./
[gung-ho] {adj.}, {colloquial} Enthusiastic, full of eagerness in
an uncritical or unsophisticated manner. * /Suzie is all gung-ho on
equal rights for women, but fails to see the consequences./
[gut feeling] {n. phr.} An instinctive reaction. * /I have a gut
feeling that they will never get married in spite of all they say./
[gut reaction] {n. phr.} A mental or physical response that springs
from one's depths. * /My gut reaction was to get out of here as fast
as possible./
[gut talk] {n. phr.} Sincere, honest talk. * /We admire people who
speak gut talk and tell exactly what they think and feet./
[guts] See: HATE ONE'S GUTS, HAVE THE GUTS TO DO SOMETHING.
[guy] See: REGULAR GUY, WISE GUY.
[hackle] See: RAISE HACKLES or RAISE ONE'S HACKLES.
[had as soon] or [had as lief] See: AS SOON.
[had better] or [had best] {informal} Should; must. * /I had better
leave now, or I'll be late./ * /If you want to stay out of trouble,
you had best not make any mistakes. / * /Jim decided he had better do
his homework instead of playing ball./
[had rather] or [had sooner] {v.} To choose to (do one thing
instead of another thing); like better to; would prefer to. - Used
with an infinitive without "to". * /My aunt invited me to the movies,
but I said I had rather go on a picnic with the girls./ * /I had
sooner live in the city than on a farm./
[hall] See: WITHIN CALL or WITHIN HAIL.
[hail-fellow-well-met(1)] {adj. phr.} Talking easily and in a
friendly way to everyone you meet. * /John won the election as class
president because he was hail-fellow-well-met./
[hail-fellow-well-met(2)] {n. phr.} A good friend and companion;
buddy; pal. * /John just moved to town but he and the boys in the
neighborhood are already hail-fellows-well-met./
[hail from] {v.}, {informal} To have your home in; come from; be
from; especially, to have been born and raised in. * /Mrs. Gardner
hails from Mississippi./ * /Mr. Brown and Mr. White are old friends
because they both hail from the same town./
[hair] See: CURL ONE'S HAIR, GET GRAY HAIR or GET GRAY, GIVE GRAY
HAIR, HANG BY A THREAD or HANG BY A HAIR, HIDE OR HAIR or HIDE NOR
HAIR, IN ONE'S HAIR, LET ONE'S HAIR DOWN, OUT OF ONE'S HAIR, SPLIT
HAIRS, TEAR ONE'S HAIR.
[haircut place] {n.}, {slang}, {citizen's band radio jargon} Bridge
or overpass with tight clearance. * /Are we going to make it in that
haircut place?/
[hairdo] {n.} Style or manner of arranging, combing, or wearing
one's hair. * /"How do you like my new hairdo?" Jane asked, as she
left the beauty parlor./
[hair stand on end] {informal} The hair of your head rises stiffly
upwards as a sign or result of great fright or horror. * /When he
heard the strange cry, his hair stood on end./ * /The sight of the
dead man made his hair stand on end./ Compare: BLOOD RUN COLD, HEART
IN ONE'S MOUTH, HEART STAND STILL, JUMP OUT OF ONE'S SKIN,
SPINE-CHILLING.
[hale and hearty] {adj. phr.} In very good health; well and strong.
* /Grandfather will be 80 years old tomorrow, but he is hale and
hearty./ * /That little boy looks hale and hearty, as if he is never
sick./
[half] See: GO HALVES, GO OFF HALF-COCKED also GO OFF AT HALF COCK,
IN HALF, SIX OF ONE AND HALF-A-DOZEN OF THE OTHER, TIME AND A HALF,
TOO-BY HALF.
[half a chance] or [a half chance] {n.} An opportunity; a
reasonable chance. * /Just give yourself half a chance and you will
quickly get used to your new job./
[half a loaf is better than none] or [half a loaf is better than no
bread] Part of what we want or need is better than nothing. - A
proverb. * /Albert wanted two dollars for shoveling snow from the
sidewalk but the lady would only give him a dollar. And he said that
half a loaf is better than none./ Compare: BETTER LATE THAN NEVER.
[half a mind] also [half a notion] {n. phr.}, {informal} A wish or
plan that you have not yet decided to act on; a thought of possibly
doing something. - Used after "have" or "with" and before "to" and an
infinitive. * /I have half a mind to stop studying and walk over to
the brook./ * /Jerry went home with half a mind to telephone Betty./
[half-and-half(1)] {adj.} As much one thing as the other. * /We
asked the coach if more boys than girls were interested in debating,
and he said it was about half-and-half./ * /The show last night was
neither very good nor very poor - just half-and-half./ Compare:
FIFTY-FIFTY.
[half-and-half(2)] {n.} A mixture of milk and cream in equal parts,
used with cereal or coffee. * /John uses half-and-half with his
cereal, but his wife, who is dieting, uses milk./
[half an eye] {n. phr.} A slight glance; a quick look. * /The
substitute teacher could see with half an eye that she was going to
have trouble with the class./ * /While Mary was cooking she kept half
an eye on the baby to see that he didn't get into mischief./
[half bad] See: NOT BAD.
[half-baked] {adj.}, {informal} Not thought out or studied
thoroughly; not worth considering or accepting. * /We wish Tom would
not take our time at meetings to offer his half-baked ideas./ * /We
cannot afford to put the government in the hands of people with
half-baked plans./
[half-hearted] {adj.} Lacking enthusiasm or interest. * /Phil made
several half-hearted attempts to learn word processing, but we could
see that he didn't really like it./
[half-holiday] {n.} A day on which you get out of school or work in
the afternoon. * /The principal said that Tuesday would be a
half-holiday./
[half the battle] {n.phr.} A large part of the work. * /When you
write an essay for class, making the outline is half the battle./ *
/To see your faults and decide to change is half the battle of
self-improvement./
[half-time] {n.} A rest period in the middle of certain games. * /I
saw Henry at the football game and I went over and talked to him at
half-time./ * /The pep squad put on a drill at half-time when we
played basketball with our old rivals./
[halfway] See: GO HALFWAY or MEET ONE HALF-WAY or GO HALFWAY TO
MEET ONE.
[halt] See: CALL A HALT, GRIND TO A HALT.
[ham actor] {n. phr.}, {slang} An untalented actor; someone who
tries so hard to act that his performance becomes foolishly
exaggerated. * /Fred is a ham actor who, instead of memorizing his
lines, keeps moving around in a ridiculous way./
[ham-handed] {adj.}, {slang} 1. Having very large hands. * /Pete is
a big, ham-handed man who used to be a football player./ 2. See:
HEAVY-HANDED.
[ham it up] {v. phr.}, {slang} To do more than look natural in
acting a part; pretend too much; exaggerate. * /When Tom told the
teacher he was too sick to do homework, he really hammed it up./ *
/The old-fashioned movies are funny to us because the players hammed
it up./ Compare: LAY IT ON.
[hammer] See: GO AT IT HAMMER AND TONGS, UNDER THE HAMMER.
[hammer and tongs] {adv. phr.} Violently. * /Mr. and Mrs. Smith
have been at it all day, hammer and tongs./
[hammer at] or [hammer away at] {v.} 1. To work steadily at; keep
at. * /That lesson is not easy, but hammer away at it and you will get
it right./ 2. To talk about again and again; emphasize. * /The speaker
hammered at his opponent's ideas./
[hammer out] {v.} 1. To write or produce by hard work. * /The
President sat at his desk till midnight hammering out his speech for
the next day./ 2. To remove, change, or work out by discussion and
debate; debate and agree on (something). * /Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Green
have hammered out their difference of opinion./ * /The club members
have hammered out an agreement between the two groups./ Compare: IRON
OUT.
[Hancock] See: JOHN HANCOCK or JOHN HENRY.
[hand] See: AT HAND, BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH,
BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS ONE, CLEAN HANDS, DIRTY ONE'S HANDS, EAT OUT
OF ONE'S HAND, FORCE ONE'S HAND, FREE HAND, FROM HAND TO HAND, GLAD
HAND, HAM-HANDED, HANG HEAVY or HANG HEAVY ON ONE'S HANDS, HAT IN
HAND, HAVE A HAND IN, HAVE ONE'S HANDS FULL, HEAVY-HANDED, IN HAND,
JOIN FORCES or JOIN HANDS, KEEP ONE'S HAND IN, LAY HANDS ON, LAY ONE'S
HANDS ON or GET ONE'S HAND ON or PUT ONE'S HAND ON, LEND A HAND or
GIVE A HAND or BEAR A HAND, LET ONE'S LEFT HAND KNOW WHAT ONE'S RIGHT
HAND IS DOING, LIFT A FINGER or LIFT A HAND also RAISE A HAND, LIVE
FROM HAND TO MOUTH, MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK, OFF ONE'S HANDS, ON
HAND, ON ONE'S HANDS, ON THE OTHER HAND, OUT OF HAND, PLAY INTO ONE'S
HANDS, PUT ONE'S HAND TO or SET ONE'S HAND TO or TURN ONE'S HAND TO,
PUT ONE'S HAND TO THE PLOW, ROB THE TILL or HAVE ONE'S HAND IN THE
TILL, SECTION HAND, SIT ON ONE'S HANDS, TAKE ONE'S LIFE IN ONE'S
HANDS, TAKE THE LAW INTO ONE'S OWN HANDS, THROW UP ONE'S HANDS, THROW
UP ONE'S HANDS IN HORROR, TIE ONE'S HANDS, TRY ONE'S HAND, UPPER HAND
or WHIP HAND, WASH ONE'S HANDS OF.
[hand and foot] {adv. phr.} 1. So that the hands and feet cannot be
used. - Used with "bind" or a synonym. * /The robbers bound him hand
and foot and left him on the floor./ 2. So that no tree action is
possible. - Used with "bind" or a synonym. * /If Mr. Jones signs that
paper, he will be bound hand and foot./ 3. See: WAIT ON HAND AND FOOT.
[hand and glove] See: HAND IN GLOVE.
[hand down] {v.} To arrange to give or leave after, death. * /Joe
will have his father's gold watch because it is handed down in the
family./ * /In old times, property was usually handed down to the
oldest son at his father's death./ Compare: PASS ON.
[hand in] See: TURN IN(1).
[hand in glove] or [hand and glove] {adj.} or {adv. phr.} Very
close or friendly; working together; in very close agreement or
cooperation, especially for bad purposes. * /The Navy and the Coast
Guard work hand and glove, especially in war time./ * /Judges and
others in high office sometimes are hand in glove with gangsters to
cheat and steal./
[hand in hand] {adv. phr.} 1. Holding hands. * /Bob and Mary walked
along hand in hand in the park./ Compare: ARM IN ARM. 2. Accompanying
each other; together; closely connected. - Used with "go". *
/Ignorance and poverty often go hand in hand./ * /Selfishness and
unhappiness often go hand in hand./
[hand it to] {v. phr.}, {informal} To admit the excellence of; give
credit or praise to. * /You have to hand it to Jim; he is very careful
and hard-working in all he does./ * /The teacher said, "I hand it to
Jane for the way she managed the Music Club."/ Syn.: TAKE OFF ONE'S
HAT TO.
[handle] See: FLY OFF THE HANDLE.
[handle to one's name] {n. phr.}, {slang} A special title used
before your name. * /Jim's father has a handle to his name. He is
Major Watson./ * /Bob came back from the University with a handle to
his name and was called Dr. Jones./
[handle with gloves] or [handle with kid gloves] {v. phr.},
{informal} 1. To treat very gently and carefully. * /An atomic bomb is
handled with kid gloves./ 2. To treat with great tact and diplomacy. *
/Aunt Jane is so irritable that we have to treat her with kid gloves./
[hand-me-down] {n.}, {informal} Something given away after another
person has no more use for it; especially, used clothing. * /Alice had
four older sisters, so all her clothes were hand-me-downs./
[hand off] {v.} To hand the football to another back. * /The
quarterback faked to the fullback and handed off to the halfback./
[hand on] {v.} To pass along to the next person who should have it.
* /Everyone in class should read this, so when you have finished,
please hand it on./ * /In the early days, news was handed on from one
person to another./
[handout] {n.} 1. A free gift of food, clothes, etc. * /The
homeless people were standing in a long line for various handouts./ 2.