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make ends meet./
[make eyes at] {v. phr.}, {informal} To look at a girl or boy in a
way that tries to attract him to you; flirt. * /The other girls
disliked her way of making eyes at their boyfriends instead of finding
one of her own./
[make faces at] {v. phr.} To grimace; scowl. * /"Stop making faces
at each other, you children," my aunt said, "and start eating."/
[make for] {v.} To go toward; start in the direction of. * /The
children took their ice skates and made for the frozen pond./ * /The
bee got his load of pollen and made for the hive./
[make free with] {v.} 1. To take or use (things) without asking. *
/Bob makes free with his roommate's clothes./ * /A student should not
make free with his teacher's first name./ 2. To act toward (someone)
in a rude or impolite way. * /The girls don't like Ted because he
makes free with them./ Compare: TAKE LIBERTIES.
[make friends] {v. phr.} To become friends; form a friendship. *
/Mrs. Jones invited Bobby to her home to play with Don. She hoped that
they would make friends with each other./ * /You can make friends with
an elephant by giving him peanuts./
[make fun of] or [poke fun at] {v. phr.}, {informal} To joke about;
laugh at; tease; mock. * /Men like to make fun of the trimmings on
women's hats./ * /James poked fun at the new pupil because her speech
was not like the other pupils./
[make good] {v. phr.} 1. To do what one promised to do; make
something come true. * /Mr. Smith borrowed some money. He promised to
pay it back on payday. He made good his promise./ * /Joe made good his
boast to swim across the lake./ * /John's mother promised to take him
and his friends to the zoo on Saturday. She made good her promise./
Compare: CARRY OUT. 2. To compensate; pay for loss or damage. * /The
policeman told the boy's parents that the boy must make good the money
he had stolen or go to jail./ - Often used in the phrase "make it
good". * /The radio was broken while it was being delivered so the
store had to make it good and send us a new radio./ Compare: MAKE UP.
3. To do good work at one's job; succeed. * /Kate wanted to be a
nurse. She studied and worked hard in school. Then she got a job in
the hospital and made good as a nurse./
[make good time] {v. phr.} To make unimpeded progress on a journey;
arrive at one's destination sooner than estimated. * /There was not
much traffic on the expressway so we made good time on our way to the
airport./
[make haste] {v. phr.} To move fast; hurry. - Rarely used in
speaking. * /The dog wriggled into one end of the hollow log, and the
rabbit made haste to get out the other end./ * /Mary saw that she had
hurt Jane's feelings, and made haste to say she was sorry./ Compare:
MAKE TRACKS.
[make haste with] See: HURRY ON WITH.
[make hay while the sun shines] {v. phr.} To do something at the
right time; not wait too long. * /Dick had a free hour so he made hay
while the sun shone and got his lesson for the next day./ Compare:
MAKE THE MOST OF.
[make head or tail of] {v. phr.}, {informal} To see the why of;
finding a meaning in; understand. - Used in negative, conditional, and
interrogative sentences. * /She could not make head or tail of the
directions on the dress pattern./ * /Can you make head or tail of the
letter?/
[make headway] {v. phr.} To move forward; make progress. * /The
university is making headway with its campus reorganization project./
[make it hot] {v. phr.}, {informal} To bring punishment; cause
trouble. * /Dick threatened to make it hot for anyone who tied knots
in his pajama legs again./
[make it snappy] {v. phr.}, {informal} To move quickly; be fast;
hurry. - Usually used as a command. * /"Make it snappy," Mother said,
"or we'll be late for the movie."/ * /The man hurried into the
restaurant and told the waitress, "A cup of coffee, and make it
snappy."/
[make it with] {v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} 1. To be accepted by
a group. * /Joe finally made it with the in crowd in Hollywood./ 2.
{vulgar} To have sex with (someone). * /I wonder if Joe has made it
with Sue./
[make light of] {v. phr.} To treat an important matter as if it
were trivial. * /One ought to know which problems to make light of and
which ones to handle seriously./ Compare: LAUGH OFF. Contrast: MAKE
MUCH OF.
[make little of] {v. phr.} To make (something) seem unimportant;
belittle. * /Mary made little of Jane's new bicycle because she was
jealous./ * /Tom made little of his saving the drowning boy./
Contrast: MAKE MUCH OF.
[make love] {v. phr.} 1. To be warm, loving, and tender toward
someone of the opposite sex; try to get him or her to love you too. *
/There was moonlight on the roses and he made love to her in the porch
swing./ 2. To have sexual relations with (someone). * /It is rumored
that Alfred makes love to every girl he hires as a secretary./
[make merry] {v. phr.}, {literary} To have fun, laugh, and be
happy, * /In Aesop's fable the grasshopper made merry while the ant
worked and saved up food./ * /In the Bible story a rich man ate and
drank and made merry./
[make mincemeat (out) of] {v. phr.} To destroy completely. * /The
defense attorney made mincemeat of the prosecution's argument./
[make much of] {v. phr.} To make something seem of more worth or
importance than it really is; praise. * /Visitors made much of the new
collie./ * /The boy made much of the hard things of his mountain
climb./ Contrast: MAKE LIGHT OF, MAKE LITTLE OF.
[make neither head nor tail of] {v. phr.} To be unable to figure
something out. * /This puzzle is so complicated that I can make
neither head nor tail of it./ Compare: HEADS OR TAILS.
[make no bones] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To have no doubts; not to
worry about right or wrong; not to be against. - Used with "about". *
/Bill makes no bones about telling a lie to escape punishment./ * /The
boss made no bones about hiring extra help for the holidays./ 2. To
make no secret; not keep from talking; admit. - Used with "about" or
"of the fact". * /John thinks being poor is no disgrace and he makes
no bones of the fact./ * /Mary made no bones about her love of poetry
even after some of her friends laughed at her./
[make of] {v. phr.} To interpret; understand. * /What do you make
of his sudden decision to go to Africa?/
[make off] {v.} To go away; run away; leave. * /When the deer saw
the hunter it made off at once./ * /A thief stopped John on a dark
street and made off with his wallet./ Compare: TAKE OFF.
[make one feel at home] {v. phr.} To be hospitable; welcome; make
someone feel at ease. * /They are very popular hosts because they
always manage to make their guests feel at home./
[make one out to be] {v. phr.} To accuse someone of being
something. * /Don't make me out to be such a grouch; I am really quite
happy-go-lucky./
[make one's bed and lie in it] To be responsible for what you have
done and so to have to accept the bad results. * /Billy smoked one of
his father's cigars and now he is sick. He made his bed, now let him
lie in it./ Compare: FACE THE MUSIC(2).
[make one's blood boil] or [make the blood boil] {v. phr.},
{informal} To make someone very angry. * /When someone calls me a liar
it makes my blood boil./ * /It made Mary's blood boil to see the
children make fun of the crippled girl./ Compare: BOILING POINT.
[make one's blood run cold] See: BLOOD RUNS COLD.
[make one's ears burn] See: EARS BURN.
[make oneself at home] {v. phr.} To feel comfortable; act as if you
were in your own home. * /If you get to my house before I do, help
yourself to a drink and make yourself at home./ * /John was an outdoor
man and could make himself at home in the woods at night./ Compare: AT
EASE, AT HOME(2).
[make oneself scarce] {v. phr.}, {slang} To leave quickly; go away.
* /The boys made themselves scarce when they saw the principal coming
to stop their noise./ * /A wise mouse makes himself scarce when a cat
is nearby./
[make one's hair stand on end] See: HAIR STAND ON END.
[make one's head spin] {v. phr.} To be bewildered; be confused. *
/It makes my head spin to think about the amount of work I still have
to do./
[make one's mark] {v. phr.} To become known to many people; do well
the work you started to do; make a reputation. * /Shakespeare made his
mark as a playwright./
[make one's mouth water] {v. phr.} 1. To look or smell very good;
make you want very much to eat or drink something you see or smell. *
/The pies in the store window made Dan's mouth water./ * /The picture
of the ice cream soda made his mouth water./ 2. To be attractive; make
you want to have something very much. * /Judy collects folk song
records, and the records in the store window made her mouth water./
Compare: LICK ONE'S CHOPS.
[make one's pile] {v. phr.} To make one's fortune. * /The rich man
made his pile in the stock market./
[make one's way] {v. phr.} 1. To go forward with difficulty; find a
path for yourself. * /They made their way through the crowd./ 2. To do
many hard things to earn a living; make a life work for yourself. *
/He was anxious to finish school and make his own way in the world./
Compare: SHIFT FOR ONESELF.
[make one tick] {v. phr.} To cause to operate; to motivate. * /He
is so secretive that we are unable to figure out what makes him tick./
[make or break] {v. phr.} To bring complete success or failure,
victory or defeat. * /Playing the role of Hamlet will make or break
the young actor./
[make out] {v.} 1. To write the facts asked for (as in an
application blank or a report form); fill out. * /The teacher made out
the report cards and gave them to the students to take home./ * /Mrs.
Smith gave the clerk in the store some money and the clerk made out a
receipt./ 2. To see, hear, or understand by trying hard. * /It was
dark, and we could not make out who was coming along the road./ *
/They could not make out what the child had drawn. /* /The book had
many hard words and Anne could not make out what the writer meant./ *
/Mr. White does many strange things. No one can make him out./ Syn.:
FIGURE OUT. 3. {informal} To make someone believe; show; prove. *
/Charles and Bob had a fight, and Charles tried to make out that Bob
started it./ * /The boy said he did not take the money but the teacher
found the money in the boy's desk and it made him out to be a liar./
4. {informal} Do well enough; succeed. * /John's father wanted John to
do well in school and asked the teacher how John was making out./ *
/The sick woman could not make out alone in her house, so her friend
came and helped her./ 5. To kiss or pet. * /What are Jack and Jill up
to? - They're making out on the back porch./
[make over] {v.} 1. To change by law something from one owner to
another owner; change the name on the title (lawful paper) from one
owner to another. * /Mr. Brown made over the title to the car to Mr.
Jones./ 2. To make something look different; change the style of. *
/He asked the tailor to make over his pants. The tailor cut off the
cuffs and put a belt across the back./
[make passes at] See: MAKE A PASS AT.
[make rounds] {v. phr.} To travel the same route, making several
stops along the way. * /The milkman makes his rounds every morning./ *
/The doctor makes the rounds of the hospital rooms./
[make sense] {v. phr.} 1. To be something you can understand or
explain; not be difficult or strange. * /The explanation in the school
book made no sense because the words were hard./ Compare: MAKE HEAD OR
TAIL OF. 2. To seem right to do; sound reasonable or practical. *
/Does it make sense to let little children play with matches?/
[make short work of] {v. phr.} To finish rapidly. * /The cat made
short work of the baby rabbit./ * /Tim was anxious to get to the
movies so he made short work of his homework./
[make sit up] {v. phr.} To shock to attention; surprise; create
keen interest. * /Her sudden appearance at the party and her amazingly
low-cut dress made us all sit up./
[make something of] {v. phr.} 1. To make (something) seem
important. * /When girls see another girl with a boy, they often try
to make something of it./ 2. To start a fight over; use as an excuse
to start a quarrel. * /Bob accidentally shoved Bill in the corridor,
and Bill made something of it./ * /Ann didn't like what Mary said
about her. She tried to make something of what Mary said./ Compare:
START SOMETHING.
[make sport of] See: MAKE FUN OF.
[make sure] {v. phr.} To see about something yourself; look at to
be sure. * /Father makes sure that all the lights are off before he
goes to bed./ * /Mary thought she had time to get to school but she
ran all the way just to make sure./ * /Before you write your report on
the life of Washington you should make sure of your facts./
[make the best of] {v. phr.} To do something you do not like to do
and not complain; accept with good humor. * /The girl did not like to
wash dishes but she made the best of it./ Compare: MAKE A VIRTUE OF
NECESSITY.
[make the blood boil] See: MAKE ONE'S BLOOD BOIL.
[make the feathers fly] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To enjoy working;
be strong and work hard. * /When Mrs. Hale did her spring cleaning she
made the feathers fly./ 2. See: MAKE THE FUR FLY.
[make the fur fly] or [make the feathers fly] {v. phr.}, {informal}
Say or write mean things about someone or to jump on and fight hard. *
/A man fooled Mr. Black and got his money. Mr. Black will really make
the fur fly when he finds the man./ * /Mrs. Baker's dog dug holes in
her neighbor's garden. The neighbor really made the fur fly when she
saw Mrs. Baker./
[make the grade] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To make good; succeed. *
/It was clear that Mr. Baker had made the grade in the insurance
business./ * /It takes hard study to make the grade in school./ 2. To
meet a standard; qualify. * /That whole shipment of cattle made the
grade as prime beef./
[make the most of] {v. phr.} To do the most you can with; get the
most from; use to the greatest advantage. * /She planned the weekend
in town to make the most of it./ * /George studied hard. He wanted to
make the most of his chance to learn./ * /The teacher went out of the
room for five minutes and some bad boys made the most of it./ * /Bill
liked Mary; he would do anything for her, and Mary made the most of
it./ Compare: MAKE HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES.
[make the scene] {v. phr.}, {slang} To be present; to arrive at a
certain place or event. * /I am too tired to make the scene; let's go
home./
[make things hum] See: KEEP THINGS HUMMING.
[make time] {v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To be successful in arriving at a
designated place in short or good time. * /We're supposed to be there
at 6 P.M., and it's only 5:30 - we're making good time./ 2. To be
successful in making sexual advances to someone. * /Joe sure is making
time with Sue, isn't he?/
[make tongues wag] See: TONGUES TO WAG.
[make tracks] {v. phr.}, {informal} To go fast; get a speedy start;
hurry. * /Man, it's time we made tracks!/ * /The boys made tracks for
home when it began to get dark./ Compare: GET GOING, MAKE HASTE.
[makeup] {n.} (stress on "make") 1. Cosmetics. * /All the actors
and actresses put on a lot of makeup./ 2. Attributive auxiliary in
lieu of, or belated. * /The professor gave a makeup to the sick
students./
[make up] {v.} (stress on "up") 1. To make by putting things or
parts together. * /A car is made up of many different parts./ 2. To
invent; think and say something that is new or not true. * /Jean makes
up stories to amuse her little brother./ 3a. To do or provide
(something lacking or needed); do or supply (something not done, lost,
or missed); get back; regain; give back; repay. * /I have to make up
the test I missed last week./ * /I want to go to bed early to make up
the sleep I lost last night./ * /We have to drive fast to make up the
hour we lost in Boston./ * /Vitamin pills make up what you lack in
your diet./ * /The toy cost a dollar and Ted only had fifty cents, so
Father made up the difference./ - Often used in the phrase "make it up
to". * /Uncle Fred forgot my birthday present but he made it up to me
by taking me to the circus./ * /Mrs. Rich spent so much time away from
her children that she tried to make it up to them by giving them
things./ Compare: MAKE GOOD. 3b. To do what is lacking or needed; do
or give what should be done or given; get or give back what has been
lost, missed, or not done; get or give instead; pay back. - Used with
"for". * /We made up for lost time by taking an airplane instead of a
train./ * /Saying you are sorry won't make up for the damage of
breaking the window./ * /Mary had to make up for the time she missed
in school when she was sick, by studying very hard./ * /The beautiful
view at the top of the mountain makes up for the hard climb to get
there./ 4. To put on lipstick and face paint powder. * /Clowns always
make up before a circus show./ * /Tom watched his sister make up her
face for her date./ 5. To become friends again after a quarrel. *
/Mary and Joan quarreled, but made up after a while./ Compare: BURY
THE HATCHET. 6. To try to make friends with someone; to win favor. -
Followed by "to". * /The new boy made up to the teacher by sharpening
her pencils./
[make up one's mind] {v. phr.} To choose what to do; decide. *
/They made up their minds to sell the house./ * /Tom couldn't decide
whether he should tell Mother about the broken window or let her find
it herself./ Contrast: ON THE FENCE.
[make waves] {v. phr.}, {informal} Make one's influence felt;
create a disturbance, a sensation. * /Joe Catwallender is the wrong
man for the job; he is always trying to make waves./
[make way] {v. phr.} To move from in front so someone can go
through; stand aside. * /The people made way for the king./ * /When
older men retire they make way for younger men to take their places./
[mama's boy] {n. phr.}, {informal} A boy who depends too much on
his mother; a sissy. * /The other boys called Tommy a mama's boy
because he wouldn't come out to play unless his mother stayed near
him./
[man] See: COMPANY MAN, EVERY LAST MAN also EVERY MAN JACK, FRONT
MAN, HIRED MAN, LADY'S MAN, NEW MAN, SEPARATE THE MEN FROM THE BOYS,
TO A MAN, YES-MAN.
[man] or [the man] {n.}, {slang} 1. The police; a policeman. * /I
am gonna turn you in to the man./ 2. The boss; the leader; the most
important figure in an organization or outfit. * /The man will
decide./
[man-about-town] {n. phr.} A sophisticate; an idler; a member of
cafe society; one who knows where the best plays and concerts are
given. * /Ask Mark where to go when you're in New York City; he's a
real man-about-town./
[manger] See: DOG IN THE MANGER.
[man in the moon] {n. phr.} An imaginary or nonexistent person
(often used to indicate a person of ignorance). * /Stop asking me such
difficult questions about nuclear physics; I know as much about it as
the man in the moon./
[man in the street] {n. phr.} The man who is just like most other
men; the average man; the ordinary man. * /The newspaper took a poll
of the man in the street./ Compare: JOE DOAKES, JOHN Q. PUBLIC.
[manner] See: ALL MANNER OF, TO THE MANNER BORN.
[man of few words] {n. phr.} A man who doesn't talk very much; a
man who says only what is needed. * /The principal is a man of few
words, but the pupils know what he wants./
[man of his word] {n. phr.} A man who keeps his promises and does
the things he agrees to do; a man who can be trusted. * /My uncle is a
man of his word./
[man of letters] {n. phr.} A writer; an author; a scholar. *
/Chekhov was not only a practicing physician but also a first-rate man
of letters./
[man of means] {n. phr.} A rich person. * /He became a man of means
by successfully playing the stock market./
[man of parts] {n. phr.}, {literary} A man who has several
different skills, talents, or qualities. * /The pianist is a man of
parts. He wrote the piece he played, and he also plays the organ and
paints well./
[man-of-war] {n. phr.} 1. A stinging jellyfish in the Gulf of
Mexico. * /"No swimming today," the sign said, "as we have a
man-of-war alert."/ 2. A large battleship displaying its national flag
or insignia. * /The shipwreck victims were picked up by an American
man-of-war./ 3. The albatross bird. * /After several days at sea we
noticed some men-of-war majestically sailing through the skies./
[man-to-man] {adj.} Honest and full in the telling; not hiding
anything embarrassing. * /Tom and his father had a man-to-man talk
about his smoking pot./ Compare: HEART-TO-HEART.
[many] See: GOOD MANY or GREAT MANY, IN SO MANY WORDS, SO MANY.
[many a] {adj.} Many (persons or things) - Used with a singular
noun. * /Many a boy learns to swim before he can read./ * /I have
spent many a day in his home./
[many hands make light work] If many people work together, even a
hard job becomes easier. - A proverb. * /Come on boys, many hands make
light work. If we work together, we can finish painting the barn./
[many is me] There are a great number of (persons or things); many
are the (persons or things). - Used at the beginning of a sentence
with a singular noun. * /Many is the man I have lent money to./ *
/Many was the time I ate at that restaurant./ Compare: MANY A.
[many moons ago] {adv. phr.} A long, long time ago. * /Many moons
ago, when I was young, I was able to dance all night./
[map] See: PUT ON THE MAP.
[map out] {v. phr.} To arrange; lay out; plan. * /The candidate
will meet with his campaign manager tomorrow to map out his campaign
strategy./
[marble] See: HAVE ALL ONE'S BUTTONS or HAVE ALL ONE'S MARBLES.
[March] See: MAD AS A HATTER or MAD AS A MARCH HARE.
[march] See: STEAL A MARCH ON.
[mare's nest] {n. phr.} Something that doesn't exist; a discovery
that proves to be worthless. * /He claims that he has discovered a
gasoline substitute but we suspect it will turn out to be a mare's
nest./
[marine] See: TELL IT TO THE MARINES.
[mark] See: MAKE ONE'S MARK, TOE THE LINE or TOE THE MARK, UP TO
THE MARK at UP TO PAR(2), WALK THE CHALK or WALK THE CHALK LINE or
WALK THE CHALK MARK, WIDE OF THE MARK.
[markdown] {n.} A reduction in price. * /Joan asked, "Do you like
my new sandals? They were markdowns at Marshall Field's."/
[mark down] {v. phr.} 1. To lower the price. * /The department
store marked down their prices on women's sandals./ 2. To give a poor
grade to a student. * /Peter was marked down for his numerous spelling
errors./ 3. To make a written note of something. * /Here is my phone
number; mark it down./
[marked man] {n. phr.} A man whose behavior has made him the object
of suspicion; a man whose life may be in danger. * /When Dave dared to
criticize the dictator openly, he became a marked man./
[market] See: FLEA MARKET, IN THE MARKET FOR, ON THE MARKET, PLAY
THE MARKET.
[mark off] {v. phr.} Mark with lines; lay out in sections. * /The
field will be marked off in accordance with the special track events
that will take place tomorrow./
[mark one's words] {v. phr.} To pay close attention to what one
says; an emphatic expression indicating prophecy. * /"It will
certainly rain tomorrow," he said. "Mark my words."/
[mark time] {v. phr.} 1. To move the feet up and down as in
marching, but not going forward. * /The officer made the soldiers mark
time as a punishment./ 2. To be idle; waiting for something to happen.
* /The teacher marked time until all the children were ready for the
test./ 3. To seem to be working or doing something, but really not
doing it. * /It was so hot that the workmen just marked time./
[marry money] {v. phr.} To marry a rich person. * /Ellen married
money when she became Hal's wife./
[masking tape] {n.} A paper tape that is stuck around the edges of
a surface being painted to keep the paint off the surface next to it.
* /The painters put masking tape around the window frames to keep the
paint off the glass./
[masse] See: EN MASSE.
[mast] See: NAIL ONE'S COLORS TO THE MAST.
[master copy] {n.} 1. A perfect text to which all copies are made
to conform; a corrected version used as a standard by printers. * /The
master copy must be right, because if it isn't, the mistakes in it
will be repeated all through the edition./ 2. A stencil from which
other copies are made. * /Mr. Brown told his secretary to save the
master copy so that they could run off more copies whenever they
needed them./ * /The master copy was too light so many of the copies
didn't come out clear./
[master key] {n. phr.} A key that opens a set of different locks. *
/The building janitor has a master key to all of the apartments in
this building./
[mastermind] {v.} To create; direct; invent the central plan for
several individuals to follow. * /Lenin masterminded the Bolshevik
Revolution in Russia./
[mastermind] {n.} A person who supplies the intelligence for a
project and/or undertakes its management. * /Winston Churchill was the
mastermind in the war against Hitler./
[master of ceremonies] or [M.C.] or [emcee] {n.} The person in
charge of introducing the various participants in a show or
entertainment. * /Bob Hope was the M.C. of many memorable shows./
[mat] See: WELCOME MAT IS OUT.
[matter] See: FOR THAT MATTER, LAUGHING MATTER, NO MATTER, THE
MATTER.
[matter of course] {n. phr.} Something always done; the usual way;
habit; rule. * /A was a matter of course for John to dress carefully
when he was meeting his wife./ * /Bank officers ask questions as a
matter of course when someone wants to borrow money./
[matter of fact] {n. phr.} Something that is really true; something
that can be proved. * /The town records showed that it was a matter of
fact that the two boys were brothers./ * /It is a matter of fact that
the American war against England was successful./ - Often used for
emphasis in the phrase "as a matter of fact". * /I didn't go
yesterday, and as a matter of fact, f didn't go all week./ * /Mary
wasn't wearing a blue dress. As a matter of fact, she hasn't got a
blue dress./ Compare: FOR THAT MATTER, IN FACT. Contrast: MATTER OF
OPINION.
[matter-of-fact] {adj.} 1. Simply telling or showing the truth; not
explaining or telling more. * /The newspaper gave a matter-of-fact
account of the murder trial./ 2. Showing little feeling or excitement
or trouble; seeming not to care much. * /When Mary's father died she
acted in a very matter-of-fact way./ * /He was a very matter-of-fact
person./
[matter of opinion] {n. phr.} Something that may or may not be
true; something that people do not all agree on. * /Whether or not he
was a good general is a matter of opinion./ Compare: MATTER OF FACT.
[matter of record] {n. phr.} A fact or event that is kept
officially as a legal record. * /If you are convicted of speeding it
becomes a matter of record./ * /A birth certificate or a marriage
license is a matter of record./
[may] See: BE THAT AS IT MAY, COME WHAT MAY, LET THE CHIPS FALL
WHERE THEY MAY.
[M.C.] or [emcee] {v.} To act as master of ceremonies at a show. *
/The famous actor emceed the entire television show./
[me] See: DEAR ME, PICK-ME-UP, SO HELP ME.
[mean business] {v. phr.}, {informal} To decide strongly to do what
you plan to do; really mean it; be serious. * /The boss said he would
fire us if we didn't work harder and he means business./ * /When she
went to college to study, she meant business./ * /He just liked the
company of the other girls he dated, but this time he seems to mean
business./
[means] See: BY ALL MEANS, BY MEANS OF, BY NO MEANS, WAYS AND
MEANS.
[means to an end] {n. phr.} An action leading to some end or
purpose. * /Money for him was just a means to an end; actually he
wanted power./
[mean well] {v. phr.} To have good intentions. * /Fred generally
means well, but he has a tendency to be tactless./
[measure] See: BEYOND MEASURE, FOR GOOD MEASURE, MADE-TO-MEASURE,
TAKE ONE'S MEASURE or TAKE THE MEASURE OF.
[measure off] {v. phr.} To mark by measuring. * /She measured off
three yards with which to make the new dress./
[measure up] {v.} To be equal; be of fully high quality; come up. *
/John didn't measure up to the best catchers but he was a good one./ *
/Lois' school work didn't measure up to her ability./ Compare up: TO
PAR. Contrast: FALL SHORT.
[meatball] {n.}, {slang} A dull, boring, slow-witted, or
uninteresting person. * /You'll never get an interesting story out of
that meatball - stop inviting him./
[medicine] See: TAKE ONE'S MEDICINE.
[medium] See: STRIKE A HAPPY MEDIUM.
[meet] See: MAKE ENDS MEET.
[meet halfway] See: GO HALFWAY.
[meeting] See: BEST BIB AND TUCKER or SUNDAY-GO-TO-MEETING CLOTHES.
[meet one's death] {v. phr.} To die. * /Algernon met his death in a
car accident./
[meet one's eye] {v. phr.} To be in plain view or come into plain
view; appear clearly or obviously. * /When John rounded the bend, a
clear blue lake met his eye./ * /On a first reading the plan looked
good, but there was more to it than met the eye./
[meet one's match] {v. phr.} To encounter someone as good as
oneself. * /The champion finally met his match and lost the game./
[meet one's Waterloo] {v. phr.} To be defeated; lose an important
contest. * /After seven straight victories the team met its Waterloo./
* /John fought instead of running, and the bully met his Waterloo./
(After Napoleon's final defeat at Waterloo.)
[meet up with] {v. phr.} To meet by accident; come upon without
planning or expecting to. * /When he ran around the tree, Bob suddenly
meet up with a large bear./ * /The family would have arrived on time,
but they met up with a flat tire./
[meet with] {v.} 1. To meet (someone), usually by accident. * /In
the woods he met with two strangers./ Syn.: COME UPON. 2. To meet
together, usually by plan; join; have a meeting with. * /The two
scouts met with the officers to talk about plans for the march./ 3. To
experience (as unhappiness); suffer (as bad luck); have (as an
accident or mishap). * /The farmer met with misfortune; his crops were
destroyed by a storm./ * /The traveler met with an accident on the
road./
[melt] See: BUTTER WOULDN'T MELT IN ONE'S MOUTH, MELT IN ONE'S
MOUTH.
[melting pot] {n. phr.} A country where different nationalities
mingle and mix with the result that, in the second generation, most
people speak the main language of the country and behave like the
majority. * /It is no longer considered entirely true that the United
States is a melting pot; many immigrants speak a second language./
[melt in one's mouth] {v. phr.} 1. To be so tender as to seem to
need no chewing. * /The chicken was so tender that it melted in your
mouth./ 2. To taste very good; be delicious. * /Mother's apple pie
really melts in your mouth./
[memory] See: IN MEMORY OF.
[mend] See: ON THE MEND.
[mend one's fences] {v. phr.}, {informal} To do something to make
people like or follow you again; strengthen your friendships or
influence. * /The senator went home from Washington to mend his
fences./ * /John saw that his friends did not like him, so he decided
to mend his fences./
[mend one's ways] {v. phr.} To reform; change one's behavior from
negative to positive. * /He had better mend his ways or he'll wind up
in jail./
[mental telepathy] {n. phr.} The passing of one person's thoughts
to another without any discoverable talking or carrying of signals
between them. * /Mrs. Smith knew the moment her husband's ship sank on
the other side of the world. It seems like a case of mental
telepathy./ * /Most or all men who practice mental telepathy on stage
have really trained themselves to detect tiny clues from the
audience./
[mention] See: NOT TO MENTION.
[meow] See: CAT'S MEOW.
[mercy] See: AT THE MERCY OF.
[mercy killing] {n. phr.} The act of killing a terminally ill
patient or animal in order to avoid further suffering. * /Mercy
killing of humans is illegal in most countries, yet many doctors
practice it secretly./
[merrier] See: MORE THE MERRIER.
[merry] See: LEAD A MERRY CHASE, MAKE MERRY.
[message] See: GET THE MESSAGE.
[mess around] {v. phr.} 1. To engage in idle or purposeless
activity. * /Come on, you guys, - start doing some work, don't just
mess around all day!/ 2. {vulgar} To be promiscuous; to indulge in sex
with little discrimination as to who the partner is. * /Allen needs
straightening out; he's been messing around with the whole female
population of his class./ Compare: FOOL AROUND.
[mess up] {v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} 1. To cause trouble; to
spoil something. * /What did you have to mess up my accounts for?/ 2.
To cause someone emotional trauma. * /Sue will never get married; she
got messed up when she was a teenager./ 3. To beat up someone
physically. * /When Joe came in after the fight with the boys, he was
all messed up./
[method in (to) one's madness] {n. phr.} A plan or organization of
ideas hard to perceive at first, but that becomes noticeable after
longer and closer examination. * /We thought he was crazy to threaten
to resign from the university but, when he was offered a tenured full
professorship, we realized that there had been method in his madness./
[mickey mouse(1)] {adj.}, {slang} Inferior; second rate; chicken;
easy; gimmicky. * /Watch out for Perkins; he's full of mickey mouse
ideas./
[mickey mouse(2)] {n.} ({derogatory}) A stupid person; a policeman;
a white man (as used by blacks).
[midair] See: UP IN THE AIR(2) also IN MIDAIR.
[middle] See: CHANGE HORSES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREAM, IN THE
MIDDLE.
[middle ground] {n.} A place halfway between the two sides of an
argument; a compromise. * /John wanted to go running. Bill said it was
too hot. Tom took the middle ground and suggested a hike./ * /The
committee found a middle ground between the two proposals./
[middleman] {n.} A person or small business standing in an
intermediary position between two parties. * /A retail merchant is the
middleman between the factory and the consumer./
[middle of the road] {n. phr.} A way of thinking which does not
favor one idea or thing too much; being halfway between two different
ideas. * /The teacher did not support the boys or the girls in the
debate, but stayed in the middle of the road./
[middle-of-the-road] {adj.} Favoring action halfway between two
opposite movements or ideas; with ideas halfway between two opposite
sides; seeing good on both sides. * /The men who wrote the
Constitution followed a middle-of-the-road plan on whether greater
power belonged to the United States government or to the separate
states./ * /Senator Jones favors a middle-of-the-road policy in the
labor-management dispute./
[midfield stripe] {n.} The line across the center of a football
field; the 50-yard line. * /The visitors were able to cross the
midfield stripe once during the whole game./
[midnight oil] See: BURN THE MIDNIGHT OIL.
[midstream] See: CHANGE HORSES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREAM or
CHANGE HORSES IN MIDSTREAM.
[might] See: WITH MIGHT AND MAIN.
[mighty] See: HIGH-AND-MIGHTY.
[mile] See: GIVE ONE AN INCH AND HE WILL TAKE A MILE, JAW DROP or
JAW DROP A MILE, MISS BY A MILE, MISS IS AS GOOD AS A MILE.
[mile markers] {n.}, {slang}, {citizen's band radio jargon} Small
signs along interstate highways usually bearing a number. * /The
Smokey is located at 131 mile marker./
[miles away] {adj. phr.} Inattentive; not concentrating. * /When
Betty said, "We have theater tickets for tonight," Ken didn't react as
his mind was miles away./
[milk] See: CRY OVER SPILLED MILK.
[mill] See: RUN-OF-THE-MILL, THROUGH THE MILL.
[mill around] {v. phr.} To move impatiently in no particular
direction. * /The crowd milled around, waiting for the arrival of the
president./
[million] See: FEEL LIKE A MILLION, LOOK LIKE A MILLION DOLLARS.
[millstone around one's neck] {n. phr.} An intolerable burden. *
/Max said that his old car was a millstone around his neck./ Compare:
MONKEY ON ONE'S BACK.
[mince words] {v. phr.} To choose words carefully for the sake of
politeness or deception. * /I like people who speak frankly and
truthfully without mincing words./
[mind] See: CROSS ONE'S MIND or PASS THROUGH ONE'S MIND, GIVE A
PIECE OF ONE'S MIND, HALF A MIND, IN MIND, IN ONE'S MIND'S EYE, MAKE
UP ONE'S MIND, NEVER MIND, ON ONE'S MIND, OUT OF ONE'S HEAD or OUT OF
ONE'S MIND, PUT IN MIND OF, READ ONE'S MIND.
[mind like a steel trap] {n. phr.} A very quick and understanding
mind, which is quick to catch an idea. * /Henry is not fond of sports,
but he has a mind like a steel trap./ * /A successful lawyer must have
a mind like a steel trap./
[mind one's own business] {v. phr.} To not interfere in the affairs
of others. * /He finally got tired of her criticism and told her to
mind her own business./
[mind one's p's and q's] {v. phr.} To be very careful what you do
or say; not make mistakes. * /When the principal of the school visited
the class the students all minded their p's and q's./ * /If you wish
to succeed you must mind your p's and q's./ (From the old U.S. Navy
when sailors marked on a board in the bar how many Pints and Quarts of
liquor they had taken. It was bad manners to cheat.) Syn.: WATCH ONE'S
STEP.
[mind-reader] See: READ ONE'S MIND.
[mind you] {v. phr.}, {informal} I want you to notice and
understand. * /Mind you, I am not blaming him./
[mine] See: BACK TO THE SALT MINES, RUN OF THE MILL or RUN OF THE
MINE.
[mine of information] {n. phr.} A person, a book, etc., that is a
valuable source of information. * /A dictionary can be a mine of
information./ * /He is a mine of information on the stock market./
[minority leader] {n. phr.} The leader of the political party that
has fewer votes in a legislative house. * /The minority leader of the
Senate supported the bill./ * /The minority leader in the House of
Representatives held a caucus./ Compare: MAJORITY LEADER.
[mint money] See: COIN MONEY.
[minutes of the meeting] {n. phr.} The notes taken by the recording
secretary; of an official body or an association recording of what was
said and transacted during the given session. * /"Shall we accept the
minutes of our last meeting as read by the secretary?" the chairman
asked./
[misfire] {v.} To fail to appeal; fall flat. * /The standup comic's
jokes misfired with the audience./ Compare: GO OVER LIKE A LEAD
BALLOON.
[miss] See: HEART SKIP A BEAT or HEART MISS A BEAT.
[miss a trick] {v. phr.} To fail to see, hear, or notice something
of even the slightest importance. * /He never misses a trick when it
comes to the stock market./
[miss by a mile] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To shoot at something and
be far from hitting it; not hit near. * /Jack's first shot missed the
target by a mile./ 2. To be very wrong; be far from right. * /Lee
tried to guess on the examination, but his answers missed by a mile./
3. To fail badly; not succeed at all. * /John Brown wanted to be
governor but in the election he missed by a mile./
[missing link] n. 1. Something needed to complete a group; a
missing part of a chain of things. * /A 1936 penny was the missing
link in John's collection of pennies./ * /The detective hunted for the
fact that was the missing link in the case./ 2. An unknown extinct
animal that was supposed to be a connection between man and lower
animals. * /The missing link would be half man and half ape./
[miss is as good as a mile] It is the same if one fails or misses
something by much or by little. - A proverb. * /We thought Tom had a
home run but the ball went foul by inches. A miss is as good as a
mile./
[Missouri] See: FROM MISSOURI.
[miss out] {v.}, {informal} To fail; lose or not take a good
chance; miss something good. * /Jim's mother told him he missed out on
a chance to go fishing with his father because he came home late./ *
/You missed out by not coming with us; we had a great time./ Compare:
LOSE OUT.
[miss the boat] also [miss the bus] {v. phr.}, {informal} To fail
through slowness; to put something off until too late; do the wrong
thing and lose the chance. * /Mr. Brown missed the boat when he
decided not to buy the house./ * /In college he didn't study enough so
he missed the boat and failed to pass./ * /Ted could have married Lena
but he put off asking her and missed the boat./
[miss the point] {v. phr.} To be unable to comprehend the essence
of what was meant. * /The student didn't get a passing grade on the
exam because, although he wrote three pages, he actually missed the
point./
[mistake] See: BY MISTAKE.
[misty-eyed] or [dewey-eyed] {adj. phr.} 1. Having eyes damp with
tears; emotional. * /The teacher was misty-eyed when the school gave
her a retirement gift./ 2. Of the kind who cries easily; sentimental.
* /The movie appealed to dewey-eyed girls./
[mixed bag] {n. phr.} A varied set of people, ideas, objects, or
circumstances, including both the good and the bad. * /This report is
a mixed bag of opinions./ * /There was a mixed bag of people at the
press conference./
[mixed blessing] {n.} Something good that has bad features. *
/John's new bicycle was a mixed blessing. The other boys were always
asking John to ride it./
[mixed up] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Confused in mind; puzzled. *
/Bob was all mixed up after the accident./ Compare: BALL UP(1). 2.
Disordered; disarranged; not neat. * /The papers on his desk were
mixed up./ 3. {informal} Joined or connected (with someone or
something bad). * /Harry was mixed up in a fight after the game./ *
/Mary's father told her not to get mixed up with the students that
always break school rules./
[mix up] {v.} To confuse; make a mistake about. * /Jimmy doesn't
know colors yet; he mixes up purple with blue./ * /Even the twins'
mother mixes them up./ Compare: MIXED UP.
[molehill] See: MAKE A MOUNTAIN OUT OF A MOLEHILL.
[moment] See: ON THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT.
[Monday] See: BLUE MONDAY.
[money] See: COIN MONEY or MINT MONEY, EASY MONEY, FOOL AND HIS
MONEY ARE SOON PARTED, FOR LOVE OR MONEY, IN THE CHIPS or IN THE
MONEY, MADE OF MONEY, MARRY MONEY, PUT ONE'S MONEY ON A SCRATCHED
HORSE, RUN FOR ONE'S MONEY, SEE THE COLOR OF ONE'S MONEY, SPENDING
MONEY or POCKET MONEY.
[money burns a hole in one's pocket] See: BURN A HOLE IN ONE'S
POCKET.
[money is no object] {informal sentence} The price of something is
irrelevant. * /Please show me your most beautiful mink coat; money is
no object./
[money to burn] {n. phr.}, {informal} Very much money, more than is
needed. * /Dick's uncle died and left him money to burn./ * /When Joe
is twenty-one he will have money to burn./ * /Jean is looking for a
husband with money to burn./ Compare: MADE OF MONEY.
[monkey] See: GREASE MONKEY, MAKE A FOOL OF or MAKE A MONKEY OF.
[monkey around] See: FUCK AROUND, HORSE AROUND, MESS AROUND.
[monkey business] {n.}, {slang}, {informal} 1. Any unethical,
illegitimate, or objectionable activity that is furtive or deceitful,
e.g., undercover sexual advances, cheating, misuse of public funds,
etc. * /There is a lot of monkey business going on in that firm; you'd
better watch out who you deal with!/ 2. Comical or silly actions;
goofing off. * /Come on boys, let's cut out the monkey business and
get down to work!/
[monkey on one's back] {n. phr.}, {informal} An unsolved or nagging
problem. * /"My math course is a real monkey on my back," Jack
complained./ Compare: ALBATROSS AROUND ONE'S NECK, MILLSTONE AROUND
ONE'S NECK.
[monkey wrench] See: THROW A MONKEY WRENCH.
[monster] See: GREEN-EYED MONSTER.
[month in, month out] See: DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
[month of Sundays] {n. phr.}, informal A very long time. - Used for
emphasis after "for" or "in" and usually with a negative verb. * /I
have not had devil's food cake in a month of Sundays./ * /When he got
her first letter, he felt that he had not heard from her for a month
of Sundays./ Syn.: DOG'S AGE.
[moon] See: ASK FOR THE MOON or CRY FOR THE MOON, DARK OF THE MOON,
FULL OF THE MOON, ONCE IN A BLUE MOON, PROMISE THE MOON.
[moonshine] {n.} Illegally distilled alcoholic beverage made at
home, mostly on a farm. * /Grandpa is at it again in the barn, making
moonshine out of plums./
[mop the floor with] or [mop up the floor with] or [wipe the floor
[make eyes at] {v. phr.}, {informal} To look at a girl or boy in a
way that tries to attract him to you; flirt. * /The other girls
disliked her way of making eyes at their boyfriends instead of finding
one of her own./
[make faces at] {v. phr.} To grimace; scowl. * /"Stop making faces
at each other, you children," my aunt said, "and start eating."/
[make for] {v.} To go toward; start in the direction of. * /The
children took their ice skates and made for the frozen pond./ * /The
bee got his load of pollen and made for the hive./
[make free with] {v.} 1. To take or use (things) without asking. *
/Bob makes free with his roommate's clothes./ * /A student should not
make free with his teacher's first name./ 2. To act toward (someone)
in a rude or impolite way. * /The girls don't like Ted because he
makes free with them./ Compare: TAKE LIBERTIES.
[make friends] {v. phr.} To become friends; form a friendship. *
/Mrs. Jones invited Bobby to her home to play with Don. She hoped that
they would make friends with each other./ * /You can make friends with
an elephant by giving him peanuts./
[make fun of] or [poke fun at] {v. phr.}, {informal} To joke about;
laugh at; tease; mock. * /Men like to make fun of the trimmings on
women's hats./ * /James poked fun at the new pupil because her speech
was not like the other pupils./
[make good] {v. phr.} 1. To do what one promised to do; make
something come true. * /Mr. Smith borrowed some money. He promised to
pay it back on payday. He made good his promise./ * /Joe made good his
boast to swim across the lake./ * /John's mother promised to take him
and his friends to the zoo on Saturday. She made good her promise./
Compare: CARRY OUT. 2. To compensate; pay for loss or damage. * /The
policeman told the boy's parents that the boy must make good the money
he had stolen or go to jail./ - Often used in the phrase "make it
good". * /The radio was broken while it was being delivered so the
store had to make it good and send us a new radio./ Compare: MAKE UP.
3. To do good work at one's job; succeed. * /Kate wanted to be a
nurse. She studied and worked hard in school. Then she got a job in
the hospital and made good as a nurse./
[make good time] {v. phr.} To make unimpeded progress on a journey;
arrive at one's destination sooner than estimated. * /There was not
much traffic on the expressway so we made good time on our way to the
airport./
[make haste] {v. phr.} To move fast; hurry. - Rarely used in
speaking. * /The dog wriggled into one end of the hollow log, and the
rabbit made haste to get out the other end./ * /Mary saw that she had
hurt Jane's feelings, and made haste to say she was sorry./ Compare:
MAKE TRACKS.
[make haste with] See: HURRY ON WITH.
[make hay while the sun shines] {v. phr.} To do something at the
right time; not wait too long. * /Dick had a free hour so he made hay
while the sun shone and got his lesson for the next day./ Compare:
MAKE THE MOST OF.
[make head or tail of] {v. phr.}, {informal} To see the why of;
finding a meaning in; understand. - Used in negative, conditional, and
interrogative sentences. * /She could not make head or tail of the
directions on the dress pattern./ * /Can you make head or tail of the
letter?/
[make headway] {v. phr.} To move forward; make progress. * /The
university is making headway with its campus reorganization project./
[make it hot] {v. phr.}, {informal} To bring punishment; cause
trouble. * /Dick threatened to make it hot for anyone who tied knots
in his pajama legs again./
[make it snappy] {v. phr.}, {informal} To move quickly; be fast;
hurry. - Usually used as a command. * /"Make it snappy," Mother said,
"or we'll be late for the movie."/ * /The man hurried into the
restaurant and told the waitress, "A cup of coffee, and make it
snappy."/
[make it with] {v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} 1. To be accepted by
a group. * /Joe finally made it with the in crowd in Hollywood./ 2.
{vulgar} To have sex with (someone). * /I wonder if Joe has made it
with Sue./
[make light of] {v. phr.} To treat an important matter as if it
were trivial. * /One ought to know which problems to make light of and
which ones to handle seriously./ Compare: LAUGH OFF. Contrast: MAKE
MUCH OF.
[make little of] {v. phr.} To make (something) seem unimportant;
belittle. * /Mary made little of Jane's new bicycle because she was
jealous./ * /Tom made little of his saving the drowning boy./
Contrast: MAKE MUCH OF.
[make love] {v. phr.} 1. To be warm, loving, and tender toward
someone of the opposite sex; try to get him or her to love you too. *
/There was moonlight on the roses and he made love to her in the porch
swing./ 2. To have sexual relations with (someone). * /It is rumored
that Alfred makes love to every girl he hires as a secretary./
[make merry] {v. phr.}, {literary} To have fun, laugh, and be
happy, * /In Aesop's fable the grasshopper made merry while the ant
worked and saved up food./ * /In the Bible story a rich man ate and
drank and made merry./
[make mincemeat (out) of] {v. phr.} To destroy completely. * /The
defense attorney made mincemeat of the prosecution's argument./
[make much of] {v. phr.} To make something seem of more worth or
importance than it really is; praise. * /Visitors made much of the new
collie./ * /The boy made much of the hard things of his mountain
climb./ Contrast: MAKE LIGHT OF, MAKE LITTLE OF.
[make neither head nor tail of] {v. phr.} To be unable to figure
something out. * /This puzzle is so complicated that I can make
neither head nor tail of it./ Compare: HEADS OR TAILS.
[make no bones] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To have no doubts; not to
worry about right or wrong; not to be against. - Used with "about". *
/Bill makes no bones about telling a lie to escape punishment./ * /The
boss made no bones about hiring extra help for the holidays./ 2. To
make no secret; not keep from talking; admit. - Used with "about" or
"of the fact". * /John thinks being poor is no disgrace and he makes
no bones of the fact./ * /Mary made no bones about her love of poetry
even after some of her friends laughed at her./
[make of] {v. phr.} To interpret; understand. * /What do you make
of his sudden decision to go to Africa?/
[make off] {v.} To go away; run away; leave. * /When the deer saw
the hunter it made off at once./ * /A thief stopped John on a dark
street and made off with his wallet./ Compare: TAKE OFF.
[make one feel at home] {v. phr.} To be hospitable; welcome; make
someone feel at ease. * /They are very popular hosts because they
always manage to make their guests feel at home./
[make one out to be] {v. phr.} To accuse someone of being
something. * /Don't make me out to be such a grouch; I am really quite
happy-go-lucky./
[make one's bed and lie in it] To be responsible for what you have
done and so to have to accept the bad results. * /Billy smoked one of
his father's cigars and now he is sick. He made his bed, now let him
lie in it./ Compare: FACE THE MUSIC(2).
[make one's blood boil] or [make the blood boil] {v. phr.},
{informal} To make someone very angry. * /When someone calls me a liar
it makes my blood boil./ * /It made Mary's blood boil to see the
children make fun of the crippled girl./ Compare: BOILING POINT.
[make one's blood run cold] See: BLOOD RUNS COLD.
[make one's ears burn] See: EARS BURN.
[make oneself at home] {v. phr.} To feel comfortable; act as if you
were in your own home. * /If you get to my house before I do, help
yourself to a drink and make yourself at home./ * /John was an outdoor
man and could make himself at home in the woods at night./ Compare: AT
EASE, AT HOME(2).
[make oneself scarce] {v. phr.}, {slang} To leave quickly; go away.
* /The boys made themselves scarce when they saw the principal coming
to stop their noise./ * /A wise mouse makes himself scarce when a cat
is nearby./
[make one's hair stand on end] See: HAIR STAND ON END.
[make one's head spin] {v. phr.} To be bewildered; be confused. *
/It makes my head spin to think about the amount of work I still have
to do./
[make one's mark] {v. phr.} To become known to many people; do well
the work you started to do; make a reputation. * /Shakespeare made his
mark as a playwright./
[make one's mouth water] {v. phr.} 1. To look or smell very good;
make you want very much to eat or drink something you see or smell. *
/The pies in the store window made Dan's mouth water./ * /The picture
of the ice cream soda made his mouth water./ 2. To be attractive; make
you want to have something very much. * /Judy collects folk song
records, and the records in the store window made her mouth water./
Compare: LICK ONE'S CHOPS.
[make one's pile] {v. phr.} To make one's fortune. * /The rich man
made his pile in the stock market./
[make one's way] {v. phr.} 1. To go forward with difficulty; find a
path for yourself. * /They made their way through the crowd./ 2. To do
many hard things to earn a living; make a life work for yourself. *
/He was anxious to finish school and make his own way in the world./
Compare: SHIFT FOR ONESELF.
[make one tick] {v. phr.} To cause to operate; to motivate. * /He
is so secretive that we are unable to figure out what makes him tick./
[make or break] {v. phr.} To bring complete success or failure,
victory or defeat. * /Playing the role of Hamlet will make or break
the young actor./
[make out] {v.} 1. To write the facts asked for (as in an
application blank or a report form); fill out. * /The teacher made out
the report cards and gave them to the students to take home./ * /Mrs.
Smith gave the clerk in the store some money and the clerk made out a
receipt./ 2. To see, hear, or understand by trying hard. * /It was
dark, and we could not make out who was coming along the road./ *
/They could not make out what the child had drawn. /* /The book had
many hard words and Anne could not make out what the writer meant./ *
/Mr. White does many strange things. No one can make him out./ Syn.:
FIGURE OUT. 3. {informal} To make someone believe; show; prove. *
/Charles and Bob had a fight, and Charles tried to make out that Bob
started it./ * /The boy said he did not take the money but the teacher
found the money in the boy's desk and it made him out to be a liar./
4. {informal} Do well enough; succeed. * /John's father wanted John to
do well in school and asked the teacher how John was making out./ *
/The sick woman could not make out alone in her house, so her friend
came and helped her./ 5. To kiss or pet. * /What are Jack and Jill up
to? - They're making out on the back porch./
[make over] {v.} 1. To change by law something from one owner to
another owner; change the name on the title (lawful paper) from one
owner to another. * /Mr. Brown made over the title to the car to Mr.
Jones./ 2. To make something look different; change the style of. *
/He asked the tailor to make over his pants. The tailor cut off the
cuffs and put a belt across the back./
[make passes at] See: MAKE A PASS AT.
[make rounds] {v. phr.} To travel the same route, making several
stops along the way. * /The milkman makes his rounds every morning./ *
/The doctor makes the rounds of the hospital rooms./
[make sense] {v. phr.} 1. To be something you can understand or
explain; not be difficult or strange. * /The explanation in the school
book made no sense because the words were hard./ Compare: MAKE HEAD OR
TAIL OF. 2. To seem right to do; sound reasonable or practical. *
/Does it make sense to let little children play with matches?/
[make short work of] {v. phr.} To finish rapidly. * /The cat made
short work of the baby rabbit./ * /Tim was anxious to get to the
movies so he made short work of his homework./
[make sit up] {v. phr.} To shock to attention; surprise; create
keen interest. * /Her sudden appearance at the party and her amazingly
low-cut dress made us all sit up./
[make something of] {v. phr.} 1. To make (something) seem
important. * /When girls see another girl with a boy, they often try
to make something of it./ 2. To start a fight over; use as an excuse
to start a quarrel. * /Bob accidentally shoved Bill in the corridor,
and Bill made something of it./ * /Ann didn't like what Mary said
about her. She tried to make something of what Mary said./ Compare:
START SOMETHING.
[make sport of] See: MAKE FUN OF.
[make sure] {v. phr.} To see about something yourself; look at to
be sure. * /Father makes sure that all the lights are off before he
goes to bed./ * /Mary thought she had time to get to school but she
ran all the way just to make sure./ * /Before you write your report on
the life of Washington you should make sure of your facts./
[make the best of] {v. phr.} To do something you do not like to do
and not complain; accept with good humor. * /The girl did not like to
wash dishes but she made the best of it./ Compare: MAKE A VIRTUE OF
NECESSITY.
[make the blood boil] See: MAKE ONE'S BLOOD BOIL.
[make the feathers fly] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To enjoy working;
be strong and work hard. * /When Mrs. Hale did her spring cleaning she
made the feathers fly./ 2. See: MAKE THE FUR FLY.
[make the fur fly] or [make the feathers fly] {v. phr.}, {informal}
Say or write mean things about someone or to jump on and fight hard. *
/A man fooled Mr. Black and got his money. Mr. Black will really make
the fur fly when he finds the man./ * /Mrs. Baker's dog dug holes in
her neighbor's garden. The neighbor really made the fur fly when she
saw Mrs. Baker./
[make the grade] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To make good; succeed. *
/It was clear that Mr. Baker had made the grade in the insurance
business./ * /It takes hard study to make the grade in school./ 2. To
meet a standard; qualify. * /That whole shipment of cattle made the
grade as prime beef./
[make the most of] {v. phr.} To do the most you can with; get the
most from; use to the greatest advantage. * /She planned the weekend
in town to make the most of it./ * /George studied hard. He wanted to
make the most of his chance to learn./ * /The teacher went out of the
room for five minutes and some bad boys made the most of it./ * /Bill
liked Mary; he would do anything for her, and Mary made the most of
it./ Compare: MAKE HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES.
[make the scene] {v. phr.}, {slang} To be present; to arrive at a
certain place or event. * /I am too tired to make the scene; let's go
home./
[make things hum] See: KEEP THINGS HUMMING.
[make time] {v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To be successful in arriving at a
designated place in short or good time. * /We're supposed to be there
at 6 P.M., and it's only 5:30 - we're making good time./ 2. To be
successful in making sexual advances to someone. * /Joe sure is making
time with Sue, isn't he?/
[make tongues wag] See: TONGUES TO WAG.
[make tracks] {v. phr.}, {informal} To go fast; get a speedy start;
hurry. * /Man, it's time we made tracks!/ * /The boys made tracks for
home when it began to get dark./ Compare: GET GOING, MAKE HASTE.
[makeup] {n.} (stress on "make") 1. Cosmetics. * /All the actors
and actresses put on a lot of makeup./ 2. Attributive auxiliary in
lieu of, or belated. * /The professor gave a makeup to the sick
students./
[make up] {v.} (stress on "up") 1. To make by putting things or
parts together. * /A car is made up of many different parts./ 2. To
invent; think and say something that is new or not true. * /Jean makes
up stories to amuse her little brother./ 3a. To do or provide
(something lacking or needed); do or supply (something not done, lost,
or missed); get back; regain; give back; repay. * /I have to make up
the test I missed last week./ * /I want to go to bed early to make up
the sleep I lost last night./ * /We have to drive fast to make up the
hour we lost in Boston./ * /Vitamin pills make up what you lack in
your diet./ * /The toy cost a dollar and Ted only had fifty cents, so
Father made up the difference./ - Often used in the phrase "make it up
to". * /Uncle Fred forgot my birthday present but he made it up to me
by taking me to the circus./ * /Mrs. Rich spent so much time away from
her children that she tried to make it up to them by giving them
things./ Compare: MAKE GOOD. 3b. To do what is lacking or needed; do
or give what should be done or given; get or give back what has been
lost, missed, or not done; get or give instead; pay back. - Used with
"for". * /We made up for lost time by taking an airplane instead of a
train./ * /Saying you are sorry won't make up for the damage of
breaking the window./ * /Mary had to make up for the time she missed
in school when she was sick, by studying very hard./ * /The beautiful
view at the top of the mountain makes up for the hard climb to get
there./ 4. To put on lipstick and face paint powder. * /Clowns always
make up before a circus show./ * /Tom watched his sister make up her
face for her date./ 5. To become friends again after a quarrel. *
/Mary and Joan quarreled, but made up after a while./ Compare: BURY
THE HATCHET. 6. To try to make friends with someone; to win favor. -
Followed by "to". * /The new boy made up to the teacher by sharpening
her pencils./
[make up one's mind] {v. phr.} To choose what to do; decide. *
/They made up their minds to sell the house./ * /Tom couldn't decide
whether he should tell Mother about the broken window or let her find
it herself./ Contrast: ON THE FENCE.
[make waves] {v. phr.}, {informal} Make one's influence felt;
create a disturbance, a sensation. * /Joe Catwallender is the wrong
man for the job; he is always trying to make waves./
[make way] {v. phr.} To move from in front so someone can go
through; stand aside. * /The people made way for the king./ * /When
older men retire they make way for younger men to take their places./
[mama's boy] {n. phr.}, {informal} A boy who depends too much on
his mother; a sissy. * /The other boys called Tommy a mama's boy
because he wouldn't come out to play unless his mother stayed near
him./
[man] See: COMPANY MAN, EVERY LAST MAN also EVERY MAN JACK, FRONT
MAN, HIRED MAN, LADY'S MAN, NEW MAN, SEPARATE THE MEN FROM THE BOYS,
TO A MAN, YES-MAN.
[man] or [the man] {n.}, {slang} 1. The police; a policeman. * /I
am gonna turn you in to the man./ 2. The boss; the leader; the most
important figure in an organization or outfit. * /The man will
decide./
[man-about-town] {n. phr.} A sophisticate; an idler; a member of
cafe society; one who knows where the best plays and concerts are
given. * /Ask Mark where to go when you're in New York City; he's a
real man-about-town./
[manger] See: DOG IN THE MANGER.
[man in the moon] {n. phr.} An imaginary or nonexistent person
(often used to indicate a person of ignorance). * /Stop asking me such
difficult questions about nuclear physics; I know as much about it as
the man in the moon./
[man in the street] {n. phr.} The man who is just like most other
men; the average man; the ordinary man. * /The newspaper took a poll
of the man in the street./ Compare: JOE DOAKES, JOHN Q. PUBLIC.
[manner] See: ALL MANNER OF, TO THE MANNER BORN.
[man of few words] {n. phr.} A man who doesn't talk very much; a
man who says only what is needed. * /The principal is a man of few
words, but the pupils know what he wants./
[man of his word] {n. phr.} A man who keeps his promises and does
the things he agrees to do; a man who can be trusted. * /My uncle is a
man of his word./
[man of letters] {n. phr.} A writer; an author; a scholar. *
/Chekhov was not only a practicing physician but also a first-rate man
of letters./
[man of means] {n. phr.} A rich person. * /He became a man of means
by successfully playing the stock market./
[man of parts] {n. phr.}, {literary} A man who has several
different skills, talents, or qualities. * /The pianist is a man of
parts. He wrote the piece he played, and he also plays the organ and
paints well./
[man-of-war] {n. phr.} 1. A stinging jellyfish in the Gulf of
Mexico. * /"No swimming today," the sign said, "as we have a
man-of-war alert."/ 2. A large battleship displaying its national flag
or insignia. * /The shipwreck victims were picked up by an American
man-of-war./ 3. The albatross bird. * /After several days at sea we
noticed some men-of-war majestically sailing through the skies./
[man-to-man] {adj.} Honest and full in the telling; not hiding
anything embarrassing. * /Tom and his father had a man-to-man talk
about his smoking pot./ Compare: HEART-TO-HEART.
[many] See: GOOD MANY or GREAT MANY, IN SO MANY WORDS, SO MANY.
[many a] {adj.} Many (persons or things) - Used with a singular
noun. * /Many a boy learns to swim before he can read./ * /I have
spent many a day in his home./
[many hands make light work] If many people work together, even a
hard job becomes easier. - A proverb. * /Come on boys, many hands make
light work. If we work together, we can finish painting the barn./
[many is me] There are a great number of (persons or things); many
are the (persons or things). - Used at the beginning of a sentence
with a singular noun. * /Many is the man I have lent money to./ *
/Many was the time I ate at that restaurant./ Compare: MANY A.
[many moons ago] {adv. phr.} A long, long time ago. * /Many moons
ago, when I was young, I was able to dance all night./
[map] See: PUT ON THE MAP.
[map out] {v. phr.} To arrange; lay out; plan. * /The candidate
will meet with his campaign manager tomorrow to map out his campaign
strategy./
[marble] See: HAVE ALL ONE'S BUTTONS or HAVE ALL ONE'S MARBLES.
[March] See: MAD AS A HATTER or MAD AS A MARCH HARE.
[march] See: STEAL A MARCH ON.
[mare's nest] {n. phr.} Something that doesn't exist; a discovery
that proves to be worthless. * /He claims that he has discovered a
gasoline substitute but we suspect it will turn out to be a mare's
nest./
[marine] See: TELL IT TO THE MARINES.
[mark] See: MAKE ONE'S MARK, TOE THE LINE or TOE THE MARK, UP TO
THE MARK at UP TO PAR(2), WALK THE CHALK or WALK THE CHALK LINE or
WALK THE CHALK MARK, WIDE OF THE MARK.
[markdown] {n.} A reduction in price. * /Joan asked, "Do you like
my new sandals? They were markdowns at Marshall Field's."/
[mark down] {v. phr.} 1. To lower the price. * /The department
store marked down their prices on women's sandals./ 2. To give a poor
grade to a student. * /Peter was marked down for his numerous spelling
errors./ 3. To make a written note of something. * /Here is my phone
number; mark it down./
[marked man] {n. phr.} A man whose behavior has made him the object
of suspicion; a man whose life may be in danger. * /When Dave dared to
criticize the dictator openly, he became a marked man./
[market] See: FLEA MARKET, IN THE MARKET FOR, ON THE MARKET, PLAY
THE MARKET.
[mark off] {v. phr.} Mark with lines; lay out in sections. * /The
field will be marked off in accordance with the special track events
that will take place tomorrow./
[mark one's words] {v. phr.} To pay close attention to what one
says; an emphatic expression indicating prophecy. * /"It will
certainly rain tomorrow," he said. "Mark my words."/
[mark time] {v. phr.} 1. To move the feet up and down as in
marching, but not going forward. * /The officer made the soldiers mark
time as a punishment./ 2. To be idle; waiting for something to happen.
* /The teacher marked time until all the children were ready for the
test./ 3. To seem to be working or doing something, but really not
doing it. * /It was so hot that the workmen just marked time./
[marry money] {v. phr.} To marry a rich person. * /Ellen married
money when she became Hal's wife./
[masking tape] {n.} A paper tape that is stuck around the edges of
a surface being painted to keep the paint off the surface next to it.
* /The painters put masking tape around the window frames to keep the
paint off the glass./
[masse] See: EN MASSE.
[mast] See: NAIL ONE'S COLORS TO THE MAST.
[master copy] {n.} 1. A perfect text to which all copies are made
to conform; a corrected version used as a standard by printers. * /The
master copy must be right, because if it isn't, the mistakes in it
will be repeated all through the edition./ 2. A stencil from which
other copies are made. * /Mr. Brown told his secretary to save the
master copy so that they could run off more copies whenever they
needed them./ * /The master copy was too light so many of the copies
didn't come out clear./
[master key] {n. phr.} A key that opens a set of different locks. *
/The building janitor has a master key to all of the apartments in
this building./
[mastermind] {v.} To create; direct; invent the central plan for
several individuals to follow. * /Lenin masterminded the Bolshevik
Revolution in Russia./
[mastermind] {n.} A person who supplies the intelligence for a
project and/or undertakes its management. * /Winston Churchill was the
mastermind in the war against Hitler./
[master of ceremonies] or [M.C.] or [emcee] {n.} The person in
charge of introducing the various participants in a show or
entertainment. * /Bob Hope was the M.C. of many memorable shows./
[mat] See: WELCOME MAT IS OUT.
[matter] See: FOR THAT MATTER, LAUGHING MATTER, NO MATTER, THE
MATTER.
[matter of course] {n. phr.} Something always done; the usual way;
habit; rule. * /A was a matter of course for John to dress carefully
when he was meeting his wife./ * /Bank officers ask questions as a
matter of course when someone wants to borrow money./
[matter of fact] {n. phr.} Something that is really true; something
that can be proved. * /The town records showed that it was a matter of
fact that the two boys were brothers./ * /It is a matter of fact that
the American war against England was successful./ - Often used for
emphasis in the phrase "as a matter of fact". * /I didn't go
yesterday, and as a matter of fact, f didn't go all week./ * /Mary
wasn't wearing a blue dress. As a matter of fact, she hasn't got a
blue dress./ Compare: FOR THAT MATTER, IN FACT. Contrast: MATTER OF
OPINION.
[matter-of-fact] {adj.} 1. Simply telling or showing the truth; not
explaining or telling more. * /The newspaper gave a matter-of-fact
account of the murder trial./ 2. Showing little feeling or excitement
or trouble; seeming not to care much. * /When Mary's father died she
acted in a very matter-of-fact way./ * /He was a very matter-of-fact
person./
[matter of opinion] {n. phr.} Something that may or may not be
true; something that people do not all agree on. * /Whether or not he
was a good general is a matter of opinion./ Compare: MATTER OF FACT.
[matter of record] {n. phr.} A fact or event that is kept
officially as a legal record. * /If you are convicted of speeding it
becomes a matter of record./ * /A birth certificate or a marriage
license is a matter of record./
[may] See: BE THAT AS IT MAY, COME WHAT MAY, LET THE CHIPS FALL
WHERE THEY MAY.
[M.C.] or [emcee] {v.} To act as master of ceremonies at a show. *
/The famous actor emceed the entire television show./
[me] See: DEAR ME, PICK-ME-UP, SO HELP ME.
[mean business] {v. phr.}, {informal} To decide strongly to do what
you plan to do; really mean it; be serious. * /The boss said he would
fire us if we didn't work harder and he means business./ * /When she
went to college to study, she meant business./ * /He just liked the
company of the other girls he dated, but this time he seems to mean
business./
[means] See: BY ALL MEANS, BY MEANS OF, BY NO MEANS, WAYS AND
MEANS.
[means to an end] {n. phr.} An action leading to some end or
purpose. * /Money for him was just a means to an end; actually he
wanted power./
[mean well] {v. phr.} To have good intentions. * /Fred generally
means well, but he has a tendency to be tactless./
[measure] See: BEYOND MEASURE, FOR GOOD MEASURE, MADE-TO-MEASURE,
TAKE ONE'S MEASURE or TAKE THE MEASURE OF.
[measure off] {v. phr.} To mark by measuring. * /She measured off
three yards with which to make the new dress./
[measure up] {v.} To be equal; be of fully high quality; come up. *
/John didn't measure up to the best catchers but he was a good one./ *
/Lois' school work didn't measure up to her ability./ Compare up: TO
PAR. Contrast: FALL SHORT.
[meatball] {n.}, {slang} A dull, boring, slow-witted, or
uninteresting person. * /You'll never get an interesting story out of
that meatball - stop inviting him./
[medicine] See: TAKE ONE'S MEDICINE.
[medium] See: STRIKE A HAPPY MEDIUM.
[meet] See: MAKE ENDS MEET.
[meet halfway] See: GO HALFWAY.
[meeting] See: BEST BIB AND TUCKER or SUNDAY-GO-TO-MEETING CLOTHES.
[meet one's death] {v. phr.} To die. * /Algernon met his death in a
car accident./
[meet one's eye] {v. phr.} To be in plain view or come into plain
view; appear clearly or obviously. * /When John rounded the bend, a
clear blue lake met his eye./ * /On a first reading the plan looked
good, but there was more to it than met the eye./
[meet one's match] {v. phr.} To encounter someone as good as
oneself. * /The champion finally met his match and lost the game./
[meet one's Waterloo] {v. phr.} To be defeated; lose an important
contest. * /After seven straight victories the team met its Waterloo./
* /John fought instead of running, and the bully met his Waterloo./
(After Napoleon's final defeat at Waterloo.)
[meet up with] {v. phr.} To meet by accident; come upon without
planning or expecting to. * /When he ran around the tree, Bob suddenly
meet up with a large bear./ * /The family would have arrived on time,
but they met up with a flat tire./
[meet with] {v.} 1. To meet (someone), usually by accident. * /In
the woods he met with two strangers./ Syn.: COME UPON. 2. To meet
together, usually by plan; join; have a meeting with. * /The two
scouts met with the officers to talk about plans for the march./ 3. To
experience (as unhappiness); suffer (as bad luck); have (as an
accident or mishap). * /The farmer met with misfortune; his crops were
destroyed by a storm./ * /The traveler met with an accident on the
road./
[melt] See: BUTTER WOULDN'T MELT IN ONE'S MOUTH, MELT IN ONE'S
MOUTH.
[melting pot] {n. phr.} A country where different nationalities
mingle and mix with the result that, in the second generation, most
people speak the main language of the country and behave like the
majority. * /It is no longer considered entirely true that the United
States is a melting pot; many immigrants speak a second language./
[melt in one's mouth] {v. phr.} 1. To be so tender as to seem to
need no chewing. * /The chicken was so tender that it melted in your
mouth./ 2. To taste very good; be delicious. * /Mother's apple pie
really melts in your mouth./
[memory] See: IN MEMORY OF.
[mend] See: ON THE MEND.
[mend one's fences] {v. phr.}, {informal} To do something to make
people like or follow you again; strengthen your friendships or
influence. * /The senator went home from Washington to mend his
fences./ * /John saw that his friends did not like him, so he decided
to mend his fences./
[mend one's ways] {v. phr.} To reform; change one's behavior from
negative to positive. * /He had better mend his ways or he'll wind up
in jail./
[mental telepathy] {n. phr.} The passing of one person's thoughts
to another without any discoverable talking or carrying of signals
between them. * /Mrs. Smith knew the moment her husband's ship sank on
the other side of the world. It seems like a case of mental
telepathy./ * /Most or all men who practice mental telepathy on stage
have really trained themselves to detect tiny clues from the
audience./
[mention] See: NOT TO MENTION.
[meow] See: CAT'S MEOW.
[mercy] See: AT THE MERCY OF.
[mercy killing] {n. phr.} The act of killing a terminally ill
patient or animal in order to avoid further suffering. * /Mercy
killing of humans is illegal in most countries, yet many doctors
practice it secretly./
[merrier] See: MORE THE MERRIER.
[merry] See: LEAD A MERRY CHASE, MAKE MERRY.
[message] See: GET THE MESSAGE.
[mess around] {v. phr.} 1. To engage in idle or purposeless
activity. * /Come on, you guys, - start doing some work, don't just
mess around all day!/ 2. {vulgar} To be promiscuous; to indulge in sex
with little discrimination as to who the partner is. * /Allen needs
straightening out; he's been messing around with the whole female
population of his class./ Compare: FOOL AROUND.
[mess up] {v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} 1. To cause trouble; to
spoil something. * /What did you have to mess up my accounts for?/ 2.
To cause someone emotional trauma. * /Sue will never get married; she
got messed up when she was a teenager./ 3. To beat up someone
physically. * /When Joe came in after the fight with the boys, he was
all messed up./
[method in (to) one's madness] {n. phr.} A plan or organization of
ideas hard to perceive at first, but that becomes noticeable after
longer and closer examination. * /We thought he was crazy to threaten
to resign from the university but, when he was offered a tenured full
professorship, we realized that there had been method in his madness./
[mickey mouse(1)] {adj.}, {slang} Inferior; second rate; chicken;
easy; gimmicky. * /Watch out for Perkins; he's full of mickey mouse
ideas./
[mickey mouse(2)] {n.} ({derogatory}) A stupid person; a policeman;
a white man (as used by blacks).
[midair] See: UP IN THE AIR(2) also IN MIDAIR.
[middle] See: CHANGE HORSES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREAM, IN THE
MIDDLE.
[middle ground] {n.} A place halfway between the two sides of an
argument; a compromise. * /John wanted to go running. Bill said it was
too hot. Tom took the middle ground and suggested a hike./ * /The
committee found a middle ground between the two proposals./
[middleman] {n.} A person or small business standing in an
intermediary position between two parties. * /A retail merchant is the
middleman between the factory and the consumer./
[middle of the road] {n. phr.} A way of thinking which does not
favor one idea or thing too much; being halfway between two different
ideas. * /The teacher did not support the boys or the girls in the
debate, but stayed in the middle of the road./
[middle-of-the-road] {adj.} Favoring action halfway between two
opposite movements or ideas; with ideas halfway between two opposite
sides; seeing good on both sides. * /The men who wrote the
Constitution followed a middle-of-the-road plan on whether greater
power belonged to the United States government or to the separate
states./ * /Senator Jones favors a middle-of-the-road policy in the
labor-management dispute./
[midfield stripe] {n.} The line across the center of a football
field; the 50-yard line. * /The visitors were able to cross the
midfield stripe once during the whole game./
[midnight oil] See: BURN THE MIDNIGHT OIL.
[midstream] See: CHANGE HORSES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREAM or
CHANGE HORSES IN MIDSTREAM.
[might] See: WITH MIGHT AND MAIN.
[mighty] See: HIGH-AND-MIGHTY.
[mile] See: GIVE ONE AN INCH AND HE WILL TAKE A MILE, JAW DROP or
JAW DROP A MILE, MISS BY A MILE, MISS IS AS GOOD AS A MILE.
[mile markers] {n.}, {slang}, {citizen's band radio jargon} Small
signs along interstate highways usually bearing a number. * /The
Smokey is located at 131 mile marker./
[miles away] {adj. phr.} Inattentive; not concentrating. * /When
Betty said, "We have theater tickets for tonight," Ken didn't react as
his mind was miles away./
[milk] See: CRY OVER SPILLED MILK.
[mill] See: RUN-OF-THE-MILL, THROUGH THE MILL.
[mill around] {v. phr.} To move impatiently in no particular
direction. * /The crowd milled around, waiting for the arrival of the
president./
[million] See: FEEL LIKE A MILLION, LOOK LIKE A MILLION DOLLARS.
[millstone around one's neck] {n. phr.} An intolerable burden. *
/Max said that his old car was a millstone around his neck./ Compare:
MONKEY ON ONE'S BACK.
[mince words] {v. phr.} To choose words carefully for the sake of
politeness or deception. * /I like people who speak frankly and
truthfully without mincing words./
[mind] See: CROSS ONE'S MIND or PASS THROUGH ONE'S MIND, GIVE A
PIECE OF ONE'S MIND, HALF A MIND, IN MIND, IN ONE'S MIND'S EYE, MAKE
UP ONE'S MIND, NEVER MIND, ON ONE'S MIND, OUT OF ONE'S HEAD or OUT OF
ONE'S MIND, PUT IN MIND OF, READ ONE'S MIND.
[mind like a steel trap] {n. phr.} A very quick and understanding
mind, which is quick to catch an idea. * /Henry is not fond of sports,
but he has a mind like a steel trap./ * /A successful lawyer must have
a mind like a steel trap./
[mind one's own business] {v. phr.} To not interfere in the affairs
of others. * /He finally got tired of her criticism and told her to
mind her own business./
[mind one's p's and q's] {v. phr.} To be very careful what you do
or say; not make mistakes. * /When the principal of the school visited
the class the students all minded their p's and q's./ * /If you wish
to succeed you must mind your p's and q's./ (From the old U.S. Navy
when sailors marked on a board in the bar how many Pints and Quarts of
liquor they had taken. It was bad manners to cheat.) Syn.: WATCH ONE'S
STEP.
[mind-reader] See: READ ONE'S MIND.
[mind you] {v. phr.}, {informal} I want you to notice and
understand. * /Mind you, I am not blaming him./
[mine] See: BACK TO THE SALT MINES, RUN OF THE MILL or RUN OF THE
MINE.
[mine of information] {n. phr.} A person, a book, etc., that is a
valuable source of information. * /A dictionary can be a mine of
information./ * /He is a mine of information on the stock market./
[minority leader] {n. phr.} The leader of the political party that
has fewer votes in a legislative house. * /The minority leader of the
Senate supported the bill./ * /The minority leader in the House of
Representatives held a caucus./ Compare: MAJORITY LEADER.
[mint money] See: COIN MONEY.
[minutes of the meeting] {n. phr.} The notes taken by the recording
secretary; of an official body or an association recording of what was
said and transacted during the given session. * /"Shall we accept the
minutes of our last meeting as read by the secretary?" the chairman
asked./
[misfire] {v.} To fail to appeal; fall flat. * /The standup comic's
jokes misfired with the audience./ Compare: GO OVER LIKE A LEAD
BALLOON.
[miss] See: HEART SKIP A BEAT or HEART MISS A BEAT.
[miss a trick] {v. phr.} To fail to see, hear, or notice something
of even the slightest importance. * /He never misses a trick when it
comes to the stock market./
[miss by a mile] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To shoot at something and
be far from hitting it; not hit near. * /Jack's first shot missed the
target by a mile./ 2. To be very wrong; be far from right. * /Lee
tried to guess on the examination, but his answers missed by a mile./
3. To fail badly; not succeed at all. * /John Brown wanted to be
governor but in the election he missed by a mile./
[missing link] n. 1. Something needed to complete a group; a
missing part of a chain of things. * /A 1936 penny was the missing
link in John's collection of pennies./ * /The detective hunted for the
fact that was the missing link in the case./ 2. An unknown extinct
animal that was supposed to be a connection between man and lower
animals. * /The missing link would be half man and half ape./
[miss is as good as a mile] It is the same if one fails or misses
something by much or by little. - A proverb. * /We thought Tom had a
home run but the ball went foul by inches. A miss is as good as a
mile./
[Missouri] See: FROM MISSOURI.
[miss out] {v.}, {informal} To fail; lose or not take a good
chance; miss something good. * /Jim's mother told him he missed out on
a chance to go fishing with his father because he came home late./ *
/You missed out by not coming with us; we had a great time./ Compare:
LOSE OUT.
[miss the boat] also [miss the bus] {v. phr.}, {informal} To fail
through slowness; to put something off until too late; do the wrong
thing and lose the chance. * /Mr. Brown missed the boat when he
decided not to buy the house./ * /In college he didn't study enough so
he missed the boat and failed to pass./ * /Ted could have married Lena
but he put off asking her and missed the boat./
[miss the point] {v. phr.} To be unable to comprehend the essence
of what was meant. * /The student didn't get a passing grade on the
exam because, although he wrote three pages, he actually missed the
point./
[mistake] See: BY MISTAKE.
[misty-eyed] or [dewey-eyed] {adj. phr.} 1. Having eyes damp with
tears; emotional. * /The teacher was misty-eyed when the school gave
her a retirement gift./ 2. Of the kind who cries easily; sentimental.
* /The movie appealed to dewey-eyed girls./
[mixed bag] {n. phr.} A varied set of people, ideas, objects, or
circumstances, including both the good and the bad. * /This report is
a mixed bag of opinions./ * /There was a mixed bag of people at the
press conference./
[mixed blessing] {n.} Something good that has bad features. *
/John's new bicycle was a mixed blessing. The other boys were always
asking John to ride it./
[mixed up] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Confused in mind; puzzled. *
/Bob was all mixed up after the accident./ Compare: BALL UP(1). 2.
Disordered; disarranged; not neat. * /The papers on his desk were
mixed up./ 3. {informal} Joined or connected (with someone or
something bad). * /Harry was mixed up in a fight after the game./ *
/Mary's father told her not to get mixed up with the students that
always break school rules./
[mix up] {v.} To confuse; make a mistake about. * /Jimmy doesn't
know colors yet; he mixes up purple with blue./ * /Even the twins'
mother mixes them up./ Compare: MIXED UP.
[molehill] See: MAKE A MOUNTAIN OUT OF A MOLEHILL.
[moment] See: ON THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT.
[Monday] See: BLUE MONDAY.
[money] See: COIN MONEY or MINT MONEY, EASY MONEY, FOOL AND HIS
MONEY ARE SOON PARTED, FOR LOVE OR MONEY, IN THE CHIPS or IN THE
MONEY, MADE OF MONEY, MARRY MONEY, PUT ONE'S MONEY ON A SCRATCHED
HORSE, RUN FOR ONE'S MONEY, SEE THE COLOR OF ONE'S MONEY, SPENDING
MONEY or POCKET MONEY.
[money burns a hole in one's pocket] See: BURN A HOLE IN ONE'S
POCKET.
[money is no object] {informal sentence} The price of something is
irrelevant. * /Please show me your most beautiful mink coat; money is
no object./
[money to burn] {n. phr.}, {informal} Very much money, more than is
needed. * /Dick's uncle died and left him money to burn./ * /When Joe
is twenty-one he will have money to burn./ * /Jean is looking for a
husband with money to burn./ Compare: MADE OF MONEY.
[monkey] See: GREASE MONKEY, MAKE A FOOL OF or MAKE A MONKEY OF.
[monkey around] See: FUCK AROUND, HORSE AROUND, MESS AROUND.
[monkey business] {n.}, {slang}, {informal} 1. Any unethical,
illegitimate, or objectionable activity that is furtive or deceitful,
e.g., undercover sexual advances, cheating, misuse of public funds,
etc. * /There is a lot of monkey business going on in that firm; you'd
better watch out who you deal with!/ 2. Comical or silly actions;
goofing off. * /Come on boys, let's cut out the monkey business and
get down to work!/
[monkey on one's back] {n. phr.}, {informal} An unsolved or nagging
problem. * /"My math course is a real monkey on my back," Jack
complained./ Compare: ALBATROSS AROUND ONE'S NECK, MILLSTONE AROUND
ONE'S NECK.
[monkey wrench] See: THROW A MONKEY WRENCH.
[monster] See: GREEN-EYED MONSTER.
[month in, month out] See: DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
[month of Sundays] {n. phr.}, informal A very long time. - Used for
emphasis after "for" or "in" and usually with a negative verb. * /I
have not had devil's food cake in a month of Sundays./ * /When he got
her first letter, he felt that he had not heard from her for a month
of Sundays./ Syn.: DOG'S AGE.
[moon] See: ASK FOR THE MOON or CRY FOR THE MOON, DARK OF THE MOON,
FULL OF THE MOON, ONCE IN A BLUE MOON, PROMISE THE MOON.
[moonshine] {n.} Illegally distilled alcoholic beverage made at
home, mostly on a farm. * /Grandpa is at it again in the barn, making
moonshine out of plums./
[mop the floor with] or [mop up the floor with] or [wipe the floor