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wrong time or place; so as to annoy others. * /Dick loses friends by
speaking out of turn./
[out of wedlock] See: BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK.
[out of whack] {adj. phr.}, {slang }1. Needing repair; not working
right. * /Ben was glad the lawn mower got out of whack, because he
didn't have to mow the lawn./ Syn.: OUT OF ORDER. 2. Not going
together well; not in agreement. * /The things Mr. Black does are out
of whack with what he says./ * /George's earnings and his spending
were out of whack./ Compare: OUT OF LINE.
[out of work] {adv. phr.} Having no income-producing job;
unemployed. * /When too many people are out of work, it is a sign that
the economy is in a recession./
[out on a limb] {adv. phr.} With your beliefs and opinions openly
stated; in a dangerous position that can't be changed. * /The
president went out on a limb and supported a foreign aid bill that
many people were against./ * /Grandfather went out on a limb before
the summer was over and said that the next winter would be long and
cold with many snowstorms./
[out on bail] {adv. phr.} Released from prison because a security
deposit known as "bail" has been put up by an individual or a bail
bond broker. * /The murder suspect was out on a one million dollar
bail awaiting trial./
[out on parole] {adv. phr.} Released from prison but still under
the supervision of the police. * /Although Henry is out on parole he
must watch his step very carefully. If he commits another burglary he
may have to go to jail for a very long time./
[out on the town] {adv. phr.} Going from one bar or restaurant to
the next in order to celebrate an event. * /They all went out on the
town to celebrate his promotion to vice president./
[outside of] {prep.} 1. Not in; outside. * /I would not want to
meet a lion outside of a zoo./ Contrast: INSIDE OF. 2. Except for; not
including. * /Outside of Johnny, all the boys on the basketball team
are over six feet tall./ * /Mrs. Cox had no jewelry outside of her
wedding ring./ Syn.: APART FROM.
[out to lunch] {adj.}, {slang}, {informal} 1. Gone for the midday
meal. 2. Inattentive; daydreaming; inefficient; stupid. * /Neil Bender
is just out to lunch today./
[overall] {adj.} All inclusive; comprehensive. * /What our
department needs is an overall revamping of our undergraduate
curriculum./
[over a barrel] also [over the barrel] {adv. phr.}, {informal} In
the power of your enemies; not able to do anything about what happens
to you; in a helpless condition; trapped. * /Bill had Tom over a
barrel because Tom owed him money./ * /Ralph has me over a barrel; I
need five dollars, and he won't lend it to me unless I let him use my
bicycle./ Compare: ON THE ROPES.
[over age] {adj. phr.} Too old; not young enough; above the legal
age. * /Grandfather wanted to fight in World War II, but he could not
because he was over age./ Contrast: UNDER AGE.
[over and done with] {adj. phr.} Finished; completed; forgotten. *
/Norm and Meg's affair has been over and done with for a long time./
[overboard] See: GO OFF THE DEEP END or GO OVERBOARD.
[overhead] {n.} Expenses incurred in the upkeep of one's plant and
premises, employees' salaries, etc., which are not due to the cost of
individual items or products. * /"Our overhead is killing us!" the
used car lot owner complained. "We have to move to a cheaper place."/
[overnight] {adj.} 1. From one evening until the next morning. *
/We could drive from Chicago to Detroit in one day, but it would be
more comfortable if we stayed overnight in a motel./ 2. Rapidly. *
/When Tom won the lottery he became a rich man overnight./
[over one's dead body] {adv. phr.}, {informal} Not having the
ability to stop something undesirable from taking place. * /"You will
get married at age sixteen over my dead body!" Jane's father cried./
[over one's head] {adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. Not understandable;
beyond your ability to understand; too hard or strange for you to
understand. * /Mary laughed just to be polite, but the joke was really
over her head./ * /The lesson today was hard; it went over my head./
Compare: BEYOND ONE'S DEPTH. 2. To a more important person in charge;
to a higher official. * /When Mary's supervisor said no, Mary went
over her head to the person in charge of the whole department./ * /If
Johnny can't get what he wants from his big sister, he goes over her
head and asks his mother./ 3. See: HANG OVER ONE'S HEAD.
[over spilled milk] See: CRY OVER SPILLED MILK.
[over the coals] See: HAUL OVER THE COALS or RAKE OVER THE COALS.
[over the hill] {adj.}, {informal} Past one's prime; unable to
function as one used to; senile. * /Poor Mr. Jones is sure not like he
used to be; well, he's over the hill./
[over the hump] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Past the most difficult
part; past the crisis; out of danger. * /Mary was failing math, but
she is over the hump now./ * /John was very sick after his accident,
hut he's over the hump./ * /When Mr. Smith was out of work it looked
as if his family would have to go on relief, but they got over the
hump./
[over the long haul] See: IN THE LONG RUN. Contrast: OVER THE SHORT
HAUL.
[over the short haul] See: IN THE SHORT RUN. Contrast: OVER THE
LONG HAUL.
[over the top] {adv. phr.} 1. Out of the trenches and against the
enemy. * /The plan was to spend the night in the trenches and go over
the top at dawn./ * /Johnny found that he was braver than he thought
he would be when his company went over the top./ 2. Over the goal. *
/Our goal was to collect a half million dollars for the new school
building, but we went over the top./ * /Mary was asked to sell twenty
tickets, and she went over the top./
[over the traces] See: KICK OVER THE TRACES.
[over with(1)] {prep.} At the end of; finished with; through with.
* /They were over with the meeting by ten o'clock./ * /By Saturday
Mary will be over with the measles./
[over with(2)] {adj.}, {informal} At an end; finished. * /John knew
his mother would scold him for losing the money, and he wanted to get
it over with./ * /After the hard test, Jerry said, "I'm glad that's
over with!"/
[own] See: COME INTO ONE'S OWN, DOSE OF ONE'S OWN MEDICINE, HOLD
ONE'S OWN, IN A WORLD OF ONE'S OWN, KEEP ONE'S OWN COUNSEL, OF ONE'S
OWN ACCORD or OF ONE'S OWN FREE WILL, ON ONE'S OWN ACCOUNT or ON ONE'S
OWN HOOK, ON ONE'S OWN TIME, SIGN ONE'S OWN DEATH WARRANT, TAKE THE
LAW INTO ONE'S OWN HANDS, UNDER ONE'S OWN STEAM.
[own up] {v.}, {informal} To take the blame; admit your guilt;
confess. * /When Mr. Jones asked who broke the window, Johnny owned
up./ * /Mary owned up to having borrowed her sister's sweater./ *
/When Mother saw that someone had broken the vase, Billy owned up to
it./ See: COME CLEAN.
[oyster] See: WORLD IS ONE'S OYSTER.
[p] See: MIND ONE'S P'S AND Q'S.
[pace] See: CHANGE OF PACE, KEEP PACE, PUT THROUGH ONE'S PACES,
SNAIL'S PACE.
[pace off] See: STEP OFF(2).
[pace-setter], [pace-setting] See: SET THE PACE.
[pack a punch] or [pack a wallop] {v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To be able
to give a powerful blow; have a dangerous fist. * /He packed a mean
punch./ 2. To have a violent effect; be powerful. * /It was vodka, and
it packed quite a wallop./
[pack off] {v.}, {informal} To send away; dismiss abruptly. * /When
an Englishman got in trouble long ago, his family would pack him off
to Australia or some other distant land./ * /Jane couldn't really get
started on her homework until she had packed the children off to
school./
[pack rat] {n.}, {informal} A person who cannot part with old,
useless objects; an avid collector of useless things; a junk hoarder.
* /"Why are there so many things in this room?" John asked. "It is my
brother's room, and he is a pack rat; he is unable to throw stuff
away."/
[packed (in) like sardines] {adj. phr.} So tightly crowded that
there is hardly room to turn. * /The trains are so full during rush
hour that we must go to work packed in like sardines./
[pack of lies] {n. phr.} An unbelievable story; unprovable
allegations. * /What Al told us about his new girlfriend was nothing
but a pack of lies./
[pack one's bag] {v. phr.} To leave a place out of anger,
annoyance, or disagreement. * /"This place is beginning to irritate
me," she said to her friend. "I want to pack my bags and get out of
here."/
[pack up] {v. phr.} To pack one's suitcase for traveling; prepare a
package. * /Without saying a single word, the unhappy husband packed
up and left./
[paddle] See: UP THE CREEK or UP THE CREEK WITHOUT A PADDLE.
[paddle one's own canoe] {v. phr.}, {informal} To work without
help; earn your own living; support yourself. * /After his father
died, John had to paddle his own canoe./ Syn.: HOE ONE'S OWN ROW.
Compare: MAKE ONE'S WAY.
[paddy wagon] {n.}, {informal} A police van used for transporting
prisoners to jail or the police station. * /The police threw the
demonstrators into the paddy wagon./
[pad the bill] {v. phr.} To add false expenses to a bill; make a
bill larger than it really was. * /The salesman padded the bill for
his traveling expenses by exaggerating his food expenses./
[pain] See: AT PAINS, FEEL NO PAIN, GIVE A PAIN, GROWING PAINS, ON
PAIN OF, TAKE PAINS.
[pain in the ass] or [pain in the neck] {n.}, {slang}, {vulgar with
ass} An obnoxious or bothersome person or event. * /Phoebe Hochrichter
is a regular pain in the neck (ass)./
[paint a gloomy picture] {v. phr.} To describe something in a
gloomy, pessimistic way. * /We are sad because the weather forecast
has painted a gloomy picture for all of next week when we go on
vacation./
[paint oneself into a corner] {v. phr.} To get oneself into a bad
situation that is difficult or impossible to get out of. * /By
promising to both lower taxes and raise the defense budget, the
president has painted himself into a corner./
[paint the lily] See: GILD THE LILY.
[paint the town red] or [paint the town] {v. phr.}, {slang} To go
out to drink and have a good time; celebrate wildly; carouse. * /It
was the sailors' first night ashore; they painted the town red./
Compare: ON THE TOWN(2).
[pair] See: TAKE TO ONE'S HEELS also SHOW A CLEAN PAIR OF HEELS.
[pair off] {v.} 1. To make a pair of; put two together; associate;
match. * /Mrs. Smith paired off her guests by age and tastes./ 2. To
belong to a pair; become one of a pair. * /Jane paired off with Alice
in a tennis doubles match./ 3. To divide or join into pairs. * /Later
in the day the picnic crowd paired off for walks and boat rides./
[pair up] {v.} 1. To make a pair of; match. * /When she finished
the mending, she paired up the socks./ 2. To form a pair; to be or
become one of a pair. * /Not all the socks would pair up./ * /Joe
paired up with Charlie to work on the lesson./
[pajamas] See: CAT'S MEOW or CAT'S PAJAMAS.
[pal] See: PEN PAL.
[pale] See: BEYOND THE PALE.
[pale around the gills] See: GREEN AROUND THE GILLS.
[palm] See: CARRY OFF THE PALM, GREASE ONE'S PALM, ITCHING PALM.
[palm off] {v.}, {informal} 1. To sell or give (something) by
pretending it is something more valuable; to sell or give by trickery.
* /He palmed off his own painting as a Rembrandt./ * /The salesman
palmed off pine wood floors as oak./ Syn.: FOB OFF, PASS OFF. 2. To
deceive (someone) by a trick or lie. * /He palmed his creditors off
with a great show of prosperity./ Syn.: PUT OFF. 3. To introduce
someone as a person he isn't; present in a false pretense. * /He
palmed the girl off as a real Broadway actress./
[pan] See: FLASH IN THE PAN, OUT OF THE PRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE.
[Pandora's box] {n. phr.}, {literary} A thing or problem that, if
activated, will give rise to many unmanageable problems. * /If they
insist on having that inquiry, they will open up a Pandora's box./
Compare: CAN OF WORMS.
[pan gravy] {n.} Gravy made with meat drippings with seasoning and
often a little water. * /His wife liked cream gravy, but he preferred
pan gravy./ * /Pan gravy from country ham is often called red-eye
gravy./
[panic] See: PUSH THE PANIC BUTTON.
[pan out] {v.}, {informal} To have a result, especially a good
result; result favorably; succeed. * /Suppose the class tried to make
money by selling candy. How would that pan out?/ * /Edison's efforts
to invent an electric light bulb did not pan out until he used
tungsten wires./
[pant for] {v. phr.} To desire something very deeply. * /He is
panting for his girlfriend, who went out of town to see her family./
[pants] See: ANTS IN ONE'S PANTS, CATCH ONE WITH ONE'S PANTS DOWN,
FANCY PANTS, FLY BY THE SEAT OF ONE'S PANTS, GET THE LEAD OUT OF ONE'S
PANTS, KICK IN THE PANTS, WEAR THE TROUSERS or WEAR THE PANTS.
[paper] See: ON PAPER, WALKING PAPERS.
[par] See: UP TO PAR.
[parade] See: HIT PARADE.
[parade rest] {n.} A position in which soldiers stand still, with
feet apart and hands behind their backs. * /The marines were at parade
rest in front of the officials' platform./ Compare: AT EASE(3).
[parallel bars] {n.} Two horizontal bars the same distance apart,
that are a few feet above the floor of a gymnasium. * /The boys
exercised on the parallel bars in the gym./
[parcel] See: PART AND PARCEL.
[parcel out] {v.} To give out in parts or shares; divide. * /He
parceled out the remaining food to the workers./
[par for the course] {n. phr.}, {informal} Just what was expected;
nothing unusual; a typical happening. - Usually refers to things going
wrong. * /Mary is very clumsy so it was par for the course when she
bumped into the table and broke the vase./ * /When John came late
again, Mary said, "That's par for the course."/ Compare: ALL IN A
DAY'S WORK, RUNNING TRUE TO FORM.
[pare down] {v. phr.} To limit; economize; reduce. * /With a
smaller income per month, the family had to pare down their household
expenses./
[parliamentary law] {n.} The rules for legislative or other
meetings. * /The club followed parliamentary law at the business
meeting./
[parrot-fashion] {adv.} Like a parrot; by rote memorization and
without any understanding. * /The candidate delivered a speech that
was prepared for him and he read it parrot-fashion./
[part] See: DISCRETION IS THE BETTER PART OF VALOR, FOOL AND HIS
MONEY ARE SOON PARTED, FOR MY PART, FOR ONE'S PART also ON ONE'S PART,
FOR THE MOST PART, IN PART, MAN OF PARTS, TAKE PART.
[partake of] {v.}, {formal} 1. To take some of; receive a share of;
eat. * /He partook of ordinary country fare as he traveled./ 2. To
have the same qualities as; show the characteristics of. * /Her way of
cooking partook of both Italian and American habits./
[part and parcel] {n. phr.} A necessary or important part;
something necessary to a larger thing. - Usually followed by "of". *
/Freedom of speech is part and parcel of the liberty of a free man./
[part company] {v. phr.} 1. To part with someone; leave each other;
separate. * /The boys parted company as they came from the park./ *
/George parted company with the others at his front door./ 2. To be
different from someone in opinion or action; follow your own way;
disagree; differ. * /They parted company on where the new highway
should be built./ * /The mayor parted company with the newspapers on
raising taxes./
[partial to] {v. phr.} Having a weakness for; favorable toward. *
/He seems to be partial to blondes while his brother is partial to
redheads./
[particular] See: IN PARTICULAR.
[parting of the ways] {n. phr.} 1. The point where a road or path
divides; a fork. * /They stood undecided at a parting of the ways,
where a forest path forked./ 2. A time or place where a choice must be
made; a deciding point. * /He had come to a parting of the ways: he
had to choose the high school courses that would prepare him for
college, or the courses that would prepare him for business./
[part of the furniture] {n. phr.} In a job or position for so long
that one is taken entirely for granted, like a part of the physical
surroundings. * /He has been working in the same office for so many
years now that people consider him to be a part of the furniture./
[part with] {v.} 1. To separate from; leave. * /He parted with us
at the end of the trip./ Compare: PART COMPANY. 2. To let go. * /They
were sorry to part with the old house./ * /He had to part with his
secretary when she got married./ Compare: GIVE UP.
[party] See: HEN PARTY, LIFE OF THE PARTY, NECK-TIE PARTY, THROW A
PARTY.
[party line] {n. phr.} Ideas, policies, and goals set forth by the
leadership of a group or organization. * /Dan seldom has an original
idea but he keeps faithfully repeating his company's party line./
[party to] {adj. phr.} Concerned with; participating in. * /The
prosecution has been trying to show that the defendant was party to a
fraud./
[pass] See: BRING TO PASS, COME TO PASS, FORWARD PASS, JUMP PASS,
SCREEN PASS.
[pass around] {v. phr.} To circulate from one to another;
distribute something among a group of people. * /Why doesn't he pass
around the appetizers to the guests?/
[pass away] {v.} 1. To slip by; go by; pass. * /We had so much fun
that the weekend passed away before we realized it./ * /Forty years
had passed away since they had met./ 2. To cease to exist; end;
disappear; vanish * /When automobiles became popular, the use of the
horse and buggy passed away./ 3. To have your life stop; die. * /He
passed away at eighty./ Syn.: PASS ON(3), PASS OUT(3).
[pass by] See: PASS OVER.
[pass by the board] See: GO BY THE BOARD.
[passed ball] {n.} A pitched baseball missed by the catcher when he
should have been able to catch it. * /The batter singled and went to
second on a passed ball./
[pass for] {v. phr.} To be taken for; be considered as. * /Charles
speaks Arabic so fluently that he could easily pass for an Arab./
[passing] See: IN PASSING.
[pass muster] {v. phr.}, {informal} To pass a test or check-up; be
good enough. * /After a practice period, Sam found that he was able to
pass muster as a lathe operator./ * /His work was done carefully, so
it always passed muster./ Compare: MEASURE UP.
[pass off] {v.} 1. To sell or give (something) by false claims;
offer (something fake) as genuine. * /The dishonest builder passed off
a poorly built house by pretending it was well constructed./ Syn.: FOB
OFF, PALM OFF(2). To claim to be someone you are not; pretend to be
someone else. * /He passed himself off as a doctor until someone
checked his record./ 3. To go away gradually; disappear. * /Mrs.
White's morning headache had passed off by that night./ 4. To reach an
end; run its course from beginning to end. * /The party passed off
well./ Syn.: GO OFF.
[pass on] {v.} 1. To give an opinion about; judge; settle. * /The
college passed on his application and found him acceptable./ * /The
committee recommended three people for the job and the president
passed on them./ 2. To give away (something that has been outgrown.) *
/As he grew up, he passed on his clothes to his younger brother./
Compare: HAND DOWN. 3. To die. * /Mary was very sorry to hear that her
first grade teacher had passed on./ Syn.: PASS AWAY(3), PASS OUT(3).
[pass out] {v.}, {informal} 1. To lose consciousness; faint. * /She
went back to work while she was still sick, and finally she just
passed out./ Compare: GIVE OUT(3). 2. or {slang} [pass out cold] To
drop into a drunken stupor; become unconscious from drink. * /After
three drinks, the man passed out./ 3. To die. * /Life came and went
weakly in him for hours after surgery; then he passed out./ Syn.: PASS
AWAY(3), PASS ON(3).
[pass over] or [pass by] {v.} To give no attention to; not notice;
ignore, * /I can pass over the disorderliness of the troops, but their
disobedience is serious./ * /In choosing men to be given a salary
raise, the foreman passed Mr. Hart by./ * /She was unattractive, the
kind of a girl that everybody would pass by./
[pass the buck] {v. phr.}, {informal} To make another person decide
something or accept a responsibility or give orders instead of doing
it yourself; shift or escape responsibility or blame; put the duty or
blame on someone else. * /Mrs. Brown complained to the man who sold
her the bad meat, but he only passed the buck and told her to see the
manager./ * /If you break a window, do not pass the buck; admit that
you did it./ Compare: LET GEORGE DO IT. - [buck-passer] {n. phr.} A
person who passes the buck. * /Mr. Jones was a buck-passer even at
home, and tried to make his wife make all the decisions./ -
[buck-passing] {n.} or {adj.} * /Buck-passing clerks in stores make
customers angry./
[pass the hat] {v. phr.} To solicit money; take up collections for
a cause. * /The businessmen's club frequently passes the hat for
contributions toward scholarships./
[pass the time of day] {v. phr.} To exchange greetings; stop for a
chat. * /They met at the corner and paused to pass the time of day./
[pass through one's mind] See: CROSS ONE'S MIND.
[pass up] {v.} To let (something) go by; refuse. * /Mary passed up
the dessert because she was on a diet./ * /John was offered a good job
in California, but he passed it up because he didn't want to move./
Compare: TURN DOWN.
[pass upon] {v. phr.} To express an opinion about; judge. * /George
said he wanted his wife to pass up the new house before he decided to
buy it./
[pass with flying colors] See: WITH FLYING COLORS.
[past master] {n. phr.} An expert. * /Alan wins so often because he
is a past master at chess./
[past one's peak] {adj. phr.} No longer as strong, efficient, or
able as one once was, usually because of advanced age and decreased
ability. * /He used to be a terrific athlete but we're afraid he is
past his peak./
[pat] See: PIT-A-PAT, STAND PAT.
[pat-a-cake] {n.} A clapping game that keeps time to a nursery
rhyme. * /Mother played pat-a-cake with the baby./
[patch up] {v.} 1. To mend a hole or break; repair; fix. * /He
patched up a couple of old tires./ * /The lovers patched up their
quarrel./ 2. To put together in a hurried or shaky way. * /They
patched up a hasty peace./
[pat on the back(1)] {v. phr.} 1. To clap lightly on the back in
support, encouragement, or praise. * /The coach patted the player on
the back and said a few encouraging words./ 2. To make your support or
encouragement for (someone) felt; praise. * /After he won the game,
everyone patted him on the back for days./
[pat on the back(2)] {n. phr.} 1. An encouraging tap of the hand on
someone's back; a show of sympathy or support. * /I gave her a pat on
the back and told her she had done fine work./ 2. A word or gesture of
praise or other encouragement; applause. * /Pats on the back weren't
enough; he wanted hard cash./
[patrol] See: SHORE PATROL.
[Paul] See: ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL.
[pause] See: GIVE PAUSE.
[pavement] See: POUND THE PAVEMENT.
[pave the way] {v. phr.} To make preparation; make easy. *
/Aviation paved the way for space travel./ * /A good education paves
the way to success./
[pay] See: DEVIL TO PAY.
[pay a call] {v. phr.} To visit someone. * /"Come and pay us a call
some time, when you're in town," Sue said to Henry./
[pay as one goes] {v. phr.} To pay cash; to pay at once; to avoid
charging anything bought; to avoid debt entirely by paying cash. -
Usually used with "you". * /It is best to pay as you go; then you will
not have to worry about paying debts later./
[pay attention] {v. phr.} To listen to someone; hear and understand
someone alertly. * /"Pay attention, children!" the teacher cried,
"Here is your homework for next week!"/
[pay court to] {v. phr.} To woo; to shower with attention. * /He
had been paying court to her for three long years before he worked up
the courage to ask her to marry him./
[pay dirt] {n.}, {slang} 1. The dirt in which much gold is found. *
/The man searched for gold many years before he found pay dirt./ 2.
{informal} A valuable discovery. - Often used in the phrase "strike
pay dirt". * /When Bill joined the team, the coach struck pay dirt./ *
/Jean looked in many books for facts about her hometown, and finally
she struck pay dirt./ Compare: STRIKE IT RICH.
[pay down] {v. phr.} 1. To give as a deposit on some purchase, the
rest of which is to be paid in periodic installments. * /"How much can
you pay down on the house, sir?" the realtor asked./ 2. To decrease a
debt with periodical payments. * /I'd like to pay down the charges on
my credit cards./ Compare: DOWN PAYMENT.
[pay for] {v.} To have trouble because of (something you did wrong
or did not do); be punished or suffer because of. * /When Bob could
not get a good job, he realized he had to pay for all the years of
fooling around instead of working in school./ * /Mary was very mean to
John because she wanted to make him pay for all the years in which he
had ignored her./ Compare: MAKE UP(3b), PAY OFF.
[pay in advance] See: IN ADVANCE.
[pay lip service to] See: LIP SERVICE.
[payoff] {n.} Culmination point; climax. * /After many months of
patient labor on your book, the payoff comes when you see the first
printed copy./
[pay off] {v. phr.} 1. To pay the wages of. * /The men were paid
off just before quitting time, the last day before the holiday./ 2. To
pay and discharge from a job. * /When the building was completed he
paid off the laborers./ 3. To hurt (someone) who has done wrong to
you; get revenge on. * /When Bob tripped Dick, Dick paid Bob off by
punching him in the nose./ Syn.: PAY BACK. 4. {informal} To bring a
return; make profit. * /At first Mr. Harrison lost money on his
investments, but finally one paid off./ 5. {informal} To prove
successful, rewarding, or worthwhile. * /Ben's friendship with the old
man who lived beside him paid off in pleasant hours and broadened
interests./ * /John studied hard before the examination, and it paid
off. He made an A./
[pay one a left-handed compliment] See: LEFT-HANDED COMPLIMENT.
[pay one back in his own coin] {v. phr.} To retaliate. * /Jim
refused to help Bob when he needed it most, so Bob decided to pay him
back in his own coin and told him to go and look for help elsewhere./
[pay one's respect to] {v. phr.} To discharge one's social
obligations by visiting someone or by calling them on the phone. *
/The newly arrived people paid their respects to their various
neighbors during their first couple of weeks in town./
[pay one's way] {v. phr.} 1. To pay in cash or labor for your
expenses. * /He paid his way by acting as a guide./ 2. To be
profitable; earn as much as you cost someone; be valuable to an
employer; to yield a return above expenses. * /The bigger truck paid
its way from the start./ * /We had to offer our new manager a large
salary, but he was a capable man, and paid his way./ Compare: WORTH
ONE'S SALT.
[pay out] See: PAY OFF.
[pay the piper] or [pay the fiddler] {v. phr.} To suffer the
results of being foolish; pay or suffer because of your foolish acts
or wasting money. * /Bob had spent all his money and got into debt, so
now he must pay the piper./ * /Fred had a fight, broke a window, and
quarreled with his counselor so now he must pay the fiddler./ Compare:
PACE THE MUSIC(2). (From the proverb "He who dances must pay the piper
(or the fiddler).")
[pay through the nose] {v. phr.}, {informal} To pay at a very high
rate; pay too much. * /He had wanted experience, but this job seemed
like paying through the nose for it./ * /There was a shortage of cars;
if you found one for sale, you had to pay through the nose./
[pay up] {v.} To pay in full; pay the amount of; pay what is owed.
* /The monthly installments on the car were paid up./ * /He pays his
dues up promptly./ * /He gets behind when he is out of work but always
pays up when he is working again./
[peace] See: HOLD ONE'S PEACE.
[pearl] See: CAST PEARLS BEFORE SWINE or CAST ONE'S PEARLS BEFORE
SWINE.
[pebble] See: NOT THE ONLY PEBBLE ON THE BEACH.
[peck] See: HUNT AND PECK.
[pecking order] {n.} The way people are ranked in relation to each
other (for honor, privilege, or power); status classification;
hierarchy. * /After the president was in office several months, his
staff developed a pecking order./
[pedestal] See: ON A PEDESTAL.
[peel] See: KEEP ONE'S EYES PEELED.
[peel off] {v.} To dive away from a group of airplanes in a flight
formation; bring one plane down from a group. * /As the group neared
the home base, pilot after pilot peeled off for a landing./
[peeping Tom] {n.} A man or boy who likes sly peeping. * /He was
picked up by the police as a peeping Tom./
[peg] See: SQUARE PEG IN A ROUND HOLE, TAKE DOWN A PEG.
[peg away] {v.} To work methodically, industriously, or steadily *
/Thomson pegged away for years at a shoe repair business./ * /Jones
kept pegging away, and finally recognition came./
[pen] See: POISON-PEN, SLIP OF THE PEN.
[penalty box] {n.} A place where penalized hockey players are
required to go to wait until the penalty is over. * /Two players got
into a fight and were sent to the penalty box for two minutes./
[penny for one's thoughts] Please tell me what you are thinking
about; what's your daydream. * /"A penny for your thoughts!" he
exclaimed./
[penny pincher], [penny pinching] See: PINCH PENNIES.
[penny wise and pound foolish] Wise or careful in small things but
not careful enough in important things. - A proverb. * /Mr. Smith's
fence is rotting and falling down because he wouldn't spend money to
paint it. He is penny wise and pound foolish./
[pen pal] {n.} A friend who is known to someone through an exchange
of letters. * /John's pen pal writes him letters about school in
Alaska./
[people who live in glass houses should not throw stones] Do not
complain about other people if you are as bad as they are. - A
proverb. * /Mary says that Betty is jealous, but Mary is more jealous
herself. People who live in glass houses should not throw stones./
[pep talk] {n.}, {informal} A speech that makes people feel good so
they will try harder and not give up. * /The football coach gave the
team a pep talk./ * /Mary was worried about her exams, but felt better
after the teacher's pep talk./
[period of grace] See: GRACE PERIOD.
[perish the thought] {v. phr.} Let us not even think of it; may it
never come true. - Used as an exclamation. * /If John fails the
college entrance exam - perish the thought - he will go back to high
school for one more year./ * /Perish the thought that Mary should have
cancer./ Compare: GOD FORBID.
[perk up] {v.} To get or give back pep, vigor, health, or spirit;
become or make more lively; liven up. * /He perked up quickly after
his illness./ * /The rain perked up the flowers wonderfully./
[person] See: IN PERSON.
[pet name] {n. phr.} A special or abbreviated name indicating
affection. * /He never calls his wife her real name, "Elizabeth," but
only such pet names as "honey," "honey bunch," "sweetheart," and
"sugar."/
[petard] See: HOIST WITH ONE'S OWN PETARD.
[Peter] See: ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL.
[peter out] {v.}, {informal} To fail or die down gradually; grow
less; become exhausted. * /After the factory closed, the town pretty
well petered out./ * /The mine once had a rich vein of silver, but it
petered out./ * /But as he thought of her, his anger slowly petered
out./ Compare: GIVE OUT.
[photo finish] {n. phr.} A close finish in a race of people or
animals, where the camera must decide the actual result, sometimes by
millimeters. * /The black horse was declared the winner in a photo
finish./
[pick] See: BONE TO PICK or CROW TO PICK.
[pick a bone] See: BONE TO PICK.
[pick a fight] See: PICK A QUARREL.
[pick a hole in] or [pick holes in] {v. phr.}, {informal} To find a
mistake in or things wrong with; criticize; blame. * /The witness said
he had been walking in the moonlight last Sunday, but the lawyer
picked a hole in what he said by proving that there was no moon and
that it rained Sunday night./ * /Mary is always picking holes in what
the other girls do./ Compare: FIND FAULT.
[pick and choose] {v.} To select with much care; choose in a fussy
way; take a long time before choosing. * /He was never one to pick and
choose./ * /Some people pick and choose to get something perfect, and
some just because they can't make up their minds./
[pick apart] or [pick to pieces] {v. phr.} To criticize harshly;
find things wrong with; find fault with. * /After the dance, the girls
picked Susan apart./ * /They picked the play to pieces./
[pick a pocket] {v. phr.} To steal by removing from the pocket of
another. * /While in the train, somebody picked his pocket and took
the last dollar he had./
[pick a/the lock] {v. phr.} To burglarize; open illegally; open a
lock without the regular key. * /The robber got into the house by
picking the lock./
[pick a quarrel] {v. phr.} To seek the opportunity for a fight or a
quarrel. * /When Charlie has too much to drink, he has a tendency to
pick a quarrel with whomever happens to be around./ See: PICK A FIGHT.
[pick at] {v.} 1. To reach or grasp for repeatedly. * /The baby
kept picking at the coverlet./ 2. To eat without appetite; choose a
small piece every little while to eat. * /He picked at his food./ 3.
To annoy or bother continually; find fault with. * /They showed their
displeasure by continually picking at her./ Syn.: PICK ON.
[pick holes in] {v. phr.} To criticize or find fault with
something, such as a speech, a statement, a theory, etc. * /It is
easier to pick holes in someone else's argument than to make a good
one yourself./
[pick-me-up] {n. phr.} Something you take when you feel tired or
weak. * /John stopped at a drugstore for a pick-me-up after working
three hours overtime./ * /Mary always carried a bar of chocolate in
her pocketbook for a pick-me-up./
[pickpocket] {n.} A thief; a petty criminal who steals things and
money out of people's pockets on a bus, train, etc. * /In some big
cities many poor children become pickpockets out of poverty./
[pick off] {v.} 1. To pull off; remove with the fingers. * /He
picked off the burs that had stuck to his overcoat./ 2. To shoot, one
at a time; knock down one by one. * /The sniper picked off the slower
soldiers as they came out into the road./ 3. To catch a base runner
off base by throwing the ball quickly to a fielder who tags him out. *
/The pitcher turned around suddenly and threw to the second baseman to
pick the runner off second base./ Compare: OFF BASE. 4. To catch and,
especially in football, to intercept. * /Alert defenders picked off
three of Jack's passes./
[pick on] {v.} 1. {informal} To make a habit of annoying or
bothering (someone); do or say bad things to (someone). * /Other boys
picked on him until he decided to fight them./ Syn.: PICK AT(3). 2. To
single out; choose; select. * /He visited a lot of colleges, and
finally picked on Stanford./
[pick one's teeth] {v. phr.} To clean one's teeth with a toothpick.
* /It is considered poor manners to pick one's teeth in public./
[pick one's way] {v. phr.} To go ahead carefully in difficult or
unfamiliar places; advance with care. * /After nightfall we drove
slowly along, picking our way until we found the right turn./ * /He
picked his way across the rough and rocky hillside./
[pick out] {v.} 1. To choose. * /It took Mary a long time to pick
out a dress at the store./ 2. To see among others; recognize; tell
from others. * /We could pick out different places in the city from
the airplane./ * /We could not pick Bob out in the big crowd./ Syn.:
MAKE OUT(2). 3. To find by examining or trying; tell the meaning. *
/The box was so dirty we couldn't pick out the directions on the
label./ Compare: FIND OUT.
[pick over] {v.} To select the best of; look at and take what is
good from; choose from. * /She picked the apples over and threw out
the bad ones./ * /We hurried to the big sale, but we were late and
everything had already been picked over./
[pick the brains of] {v. phr.} To get ideas or information about a
particular subject by asking an expert. * /If you have time, I'd like
to pick your brains about home computers./
[pick to pieces] See: PICK APART, PICK HOLES IN.
[pickup] {n.}, (stress on "pick") 1. A rugged, small truck. * /When
he got into the lumber business, Max traded in his comfortable
two-door sedan for a pickup./ 2. Scheduled meeting in order to
transfer merchandise or stolen goods. * /The pickup goes down at 7
A.M. every day by the loading dock./ * /The dope pushers usually make
their pickup on Rush Street./ 3. A person who is easy to persuade to
go home with the suitor. * /Sue is said to be an easy pickup./
[pick up] {v.} 1. To take up; lift. * /During the morning Mrs.
Carter picked up sticks in the yard./ 2. {informal} To pay for someone
else. * /After lunch, in the restaurant, Uncle Bob picked up the
check./ 3. To take on or away; receive; get. * /At the next corner the
bus stopped and picked up three people./ 4. To get from different
places at different times; a little at a time; collect. * /He had
picked up rare coins in seaports all over the world./ 5. To get
without trying; get accidentally. * /He picked up knowledge of radio
just by staying around the radio station./ * /Billy picked up a cold
at school./ 6a. To gather together; collect. * /When the carpenter
finished making the cabinet, he began picking up his tools./ 6b. To
make neat and tidy; tidy up; put in order. * /Pick up your room before
Mother sees it./ 6c. To gather things together; tidy a place up. *
/It's almost dinner time, children. Time to pick up and get ready./ 7.
To catch the sound of. * /He picked up Chicago on the radio./ 8. To
get acquainted with (someone) without an introduction; make friends
with (a person of the other sex). * /Mother told Mary not to walk home
by herself from the party because some stranger might try to pick her
up./ 9. {informal} To take to the police station or jail; arrest. *
/Police picked the man up for burglary./ 10. To recognize the trail of
a hunted person or animal; find. * /State police picked up the
bandit's trail./ * /The dogs picked up the fox's smell./ 11. To make
(someone) feel better; refresh. * /A little food will pick you up./
12a. To increase (the speed); make (the speed) faster. * /The teacher
told her singing class to pick up the tempo./ * /The car picked up
speed./ 12b. To become faster; become livelier. * /The speed of the
train began to pick up./ * /After the band practiced for a while, the
music began to pick up./ 13. To start again after interruption; go on
with. * /The class picked up the story where they had left it before
the holiday./ * /They met after five years, and picked up their
friendship as if there had been no interruption./ 14. {informal} To
become better; recover; gain. * /She picked up in her schoolwork./ *
/He picked up gradually after a long illness./ * /His spirits picked
up as he came near home./
[pick up the tab] {v. phr.} To pay the bill in a restaurant; be the
one who underwrites financially what others are doing. * /"I am always
the one who picks up the tab," Charlie complained bitterly. "Others
get away with being freeloaders."/ Compare: FOOT THE BILL.
[Pidgin English] {n. phr.} A jargon that consists of some
mispronounced English words and some foreign words used by Orientals
in talking with Westerners. * /You can conduct a lot of business in
Pidgin English in the Far East./
[pie] See: EAT HUMBLE PIE, FINGER IN THE PIE, PIE IN THE SKY,
SWEETIE PIE.
[piece] See: BY THE PIECE, CONVERSATION PIECE, GIVE A PIECE OF
ONE'S MIND, GO TO PIECES, OF A PIECE, PIECE OF CAKE, SAY ONE'S PIECE
or SPEAK ONE'S PIECE, TO PIECES.
[piece of cake] {adj.}, {slang} Easy. * /The final exam was a piece
of cake./
[piece out] {v.} 1. To put together from many different pieces; put
together from odd parts; patch. * /They pieced out a meal from
leftovers./ * /He pieced out the machine with scrap parts./ * /The
detective pieced out the story from a stray fact here, a clue there,
and a hint somewhere else./ 2. To make larger or longer by adding one
or more pieces. * /The girl grew so fast that her mother had to piece
out her dresses./
[piecework] {n.} Work paid for in accordance with the quantity
produced. * /Al prefers working on a piecework basis to being on a
regular salary because he feels he makes more that way./
[pie in the sky] {n. phr.}, {informal} An unrealistic wish or hope.
* /Our trip to Hawaii is still only a pie in the sky./ Compare: PIPE
DREAM.
[pigeonhole] {v.} 1. To set aside; defer consideration of. * /The
plan was pigeonholed until the next committee meeting./ 2. To
typecast; give a stereotypical characterization to someone. * /It was
unfair of the committee to pigeonhole him as a left-wing
troublemaker./
[pigeonhole] {n.} 1. Small compartment for internal mail in an
office or a department. * /"You can just put your late exam into my
pigeonhole," said Professor Brown to the concerned student./ 2. One of
the small compartments in a desk or cabinet. * /He keeps his cufflinks
in a pigeonhole in his desk./
[piggy-back] {adj.} or {adv.} Sitting or being carried on the
shoulders. * /Little John loved to go for a piggy-back ride on his
father's shoulders./ * /When Mary sprained her ankle, John carried her
piggy-back to the doctor./
[piggy bank] {n.} A small bank, sometimes in the shape of a pig,
for saving coins. * /John's father gave him a piggy bank./
[pigheaded] {adj.} Stubborn; unwilling to compromise. * /"Stop
being so pigheaded!" she cried. "I, too, can be right sometimes!"/
[pig in a poke] {n. phr.} An unseen bargain; something accepted or
bought without looking at it carefully. * /Buying land by mail is
buying a pig in a poke: sometimes the land turns out to be under
water./
[pig out] {v. phr.} 1. To eat a tremendous amount of food. * /"I
always pig out on my birthday," she confessed./ 2. To peruse; have
great fun with; indulge in for a longer period of time. * /"Go to bed
and pig out on a good mystery story," the doctor recommended./
[pile up] {v. phr.} 1. To grow into a big heap. * /He didn't go
into his office for three days and his work kept piling up./ 2. To run
aground. * /Boats often pile up on the rocks in the shallow water./ 3.
To crash. * /One car made a sudden stop and the two cars behind it
piled up./
[pile-up] {n.} 1. A heap; a deposit of one object on top of
another. * /There is a huge pile-up of junked cars in this vacant
lot./ 2. A large number of objects in the same place, said of traffic.
* /I was late because of the traffic pile-up on the highway./
[pill] See: BITTER PILL.
[pillar of society] {n. phr.} A leading figure who contributes to
the support and the well-being of his/her society; a person of
irreproachable character. * /Mrs. Brown, the director of our classical
symphony fund, is a true pillar of society./
[pillar to post] See: FROM PILLAR TO POST.
[pimple] See: GOOSE BUMPS or GOOSE PIMPLES.
[pin] See: ON PINS AND NEEDLES.
[pinch] See: TAKE WITH A GRAIN OF SALT also TAKE WITH A PINCH OF
SALT, WHERE THE SHOE PINCHES.
[pinch and scrape] {v. phr.} To save as much money as possible by
spending as little as possible. * /They are trying to buy their first
house so they are pinching and scraping every penny they can./
[pinch-hit] {v.} 1. To substitute for another player at bat in a
baseball game. * /Smith was sent in to pinch-hit for Jones./ 2.
{informal} To act for a while, or in an emergency, for another person;
take someone's place for a while. * /I asked him to pinch-hit for me
while I was away./ * /The president of the City Council pinch-hits for
the mayor when the mayor is out of town./ - [pinch-hitter] {n.} *
/Jones was hit by a pitched ball and Smith came in as a pinch-hitter./
* /When our teacher was sick, Mrs. Harris was called as a
pinch-hitter./ - [pinch-hitting] {adj.} or {n.} * /Pinch-hitting for
another teacher is a hard job./
[pinch pennies] {v. phr.}, {informal} Not spend a penny more than
necessary; be very saving or thrifty. * /When Tom and Mary were saving
money to buy a house, they had to pinch pennies./ - [penny-pincher]
{n.}, {informal} A stingy or selfish person; miser. * /He spent so
speaking out of turn./
[out of wedlock] See: BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK.
[out of whack] {adj. phr.}, {slang }1. Needing repair; not working
right. * /Ben was glad the lawn mower got out of whack, because he
didn't have to mow the lawn./ Syn.: OUT OF ORDER. 2. Not going
together well; not in agreement. * /The things Mr. Black does are out
of whack with what he says./ * /George's earnings and his spending
were out of whack./ Compare: OUT OF LINE.
[out of work] {adv. phr.} Having no income-producing job;
unemployed. * /When too many people are out of work, it is a sign that
the economy is in a recession./
[out on a limb] {adv. phr.} With your beliefs and opinions openly
stated; in a dangerous position that can't be changed. * /The
president went out on a limb and supported a foreign aid bill that
many people were against./ * /Grandfather went out on a limb before
the summer was over and said that the next winter would be long and
cold with many snowstorms./
[out on bail] {adv. phr.} Released from prison because a security
deposit known as "bail" has been put up by an individual or a bail
bond broker. * /The murder suspect was out on a one million dollar
bail awaiting trial./
[out on parole] {adv. phr.} Released from prison but still under
the supervision of the police. * /Although Henry is out on parole he
must watch his step very carefully. If he commits another burglary he
may have to go to jail for a very long time./
[out on the town] {adv. phr.} Going from one bar or restaurant to
the next in order to celebrate an event. * /They all went out on the
town to celebrate his promotion to vice president./
[outside of] {prep.} 1. Not in; outside. * /I would not want to
meet a lion outside of a zoo./ Contrast: INSIDE OF. 2. Except for; not
including. * /Outside of Johnny, all the boys on the basketball team
are over six feet tall./ * /Mrs. Cox had no jewelry outside of her
wedding ring./ Syn.: APART FROM.
[out to lunch] {adj.}, {slang}, {informal} 1. Gone for the midday
meal. 2. Inattentive; daydreaming; inefficient; stupid. * /Neil Bender
is just out to lunch today./
[overall] {adj.} All inclusive; comprehensive. * /What our
department needs is an overall revamping of our undergraduate
curriculum./
[over a barrel] also [over the barrel] {adv. phr.}, {informal} In
the power of your enemies; not able to do anything about what happens
to you; in a helpless condition; trapped. * /Bill had Tom over a
barrel because Tom owed him money./ * /Ralph has me over a barrel; I
need five dollars, and he won't lend it to me unless I let him use my
bicycle./ Compare: ON THE ROPES.
[over age] {adj. phr.} Too old; not young enough; above the legal
age. * /Grandfather wanted to fight in World War II, but he could not
because he was over age./ Contrast: UNDER AGE.
[over and done with] {adj. phr.} Finished; completed; forgotten. *
/Norm and Meg's affair has been over and done with for a long time./
[overboard] See: GO OFF THE DEEP END or GO OVERBOARD.
[overhead] {n.} Expenses incurred in the upkeep of one's plant and
premises, employees' salaries, etc., which are not due to the cost of
individual items or products. * /"Our overhead is killing us!" the
used car lot owner complained. "We have to move to a cheaper place."/
[overnight] {adj.} 1. From one evening until the next morning. *
/We could drive from Chicago to Detroit in one day, but it would be
more comfortable if we stayed overnight in a motel./ 2. Rapidly. *
/When Tom won the lottery he became a rich man overnight./
[over one's dead body] {adv. phr.}, {informal} Not having the
ability to stop something undesirable from taking place. * /"You will
get married at age sixteen over my dead body!" Jane's father cried./
[over one's head] {adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. Not understandable;
beyond your ability to understand; too hard or strange for you to
understand. * /Mary laughed just to be polite, but the joke was really
over her head./ * /The lesson today was hard; it went over my head./
Compare: BEYOND ONE'S DEPTH. 2. To a more important person in charge;
to a higher official. * /When Mary's supervisor said no, Mary went
over her head to the person in charge of the whole department./ * /If
Johnny can't get what he wants from his big sister, he goes over her
head and asks his mother./ 3. See: HANG OVER ONE'S HEAD.
[over spilled milk] See: CRY OVER SPILLED MILK.
[over the coals] See: HAUL OVER THE COALS or RAKE OVER THE COALS.
[over the hill] {adj.}, {informal} Past one's prime; unable to
function as one used to; senile. * /Poor Mr. Jones is sure not like he
used to be; well, he's over the hill./
[over the hump] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Past the most difficult
part; past the crisis; out of danger. * /Mary was failing math, but
she is over the hump now./ * /John was very sick after his accident,
hut he's over the hump./ * /When Mr. Smith was out of work it looked
as if his family would have to go on relief, but they got over the
hump./
[over the long haul] See: IN THE LONG RUN. Contrast: OVER THE SHORT
HAUL.
[over the short haul] See: IN THE SHORT RUN. Contrast: OVER THE
LONG HAUL.
[over the top] {adv. phr.} 1. Out of the trenches and against the
enemy. * /The plan was to spend the night in the trenches and go over
the top at dawn./ * /Johnny found that he was braver than he thought
he would be when his company went over the top./ 2. Over the goal. *
/Our goal was to collect a half million dollars for the new school
building, but we went over the top./ * /Mary was asked to sell twenty
tickets, and she went over the top./
[over the traces] See: KICK OVER THE TRACES.
[over with(1)] {prep.} At the end of; finished with; through with.
* /They were over with the meeting by ten o'clock./ * /By Saturday
Mary will be over with the measles./
[over with(2)] {adj.}, {informal} At an end; finished. * /John knew
his mother would scold him for losing the money, and he wanted to get
it over with./ * /After the hard test, Jerry said, "I'm glad that's
over with!"/
[own] See: COME INTO ONE'S OWN, DOSE OF ONE'S OWN MEDICINE, HOLD
ONE'S OWN, IN A WORLD OF ONE'S OWN, KEEP ONE'S OWN COUNSEL, OF ONE'S
OWN ACCORD or OF ONE'S OWN FREE WILL, ON ONE'S OWN ACCOUNT or ON ONE'S
OWN HOOK, ON ONE'S OWN TIME, SIGN ONE'S OWN DEATH WARRANT, TAKE THE
LAW INTO ONE'S OWN HANDS, UNDER ONE'S OWN STEAM.
[own up] {v.}, {informal} To take the blame; admit your guilt;
confess. * /When Mr. Jones asked who broke the window, Johnny owned
up./ * /Mary owned up to having borrowed her sister's sweater./ *
/When Mother saw that someone had broken the vase, Billy owned up to
it./ See: COME CLEAN.
[oyster] See: WORLD IS ONE'S OYSTER.
[p] See: MIND ONE'S P'S AND Q'S.
[pace] See: CHANGE OF PACE, KEEP PACE, PUT THROUGH ONE'S PACES,
SNAIL'S PACE.
[pace off] See: STEP OFF(2).
[pace-setter], [pace-setting] See: SET THE PACE.
[pack a punch] or [pack a wallop] {v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To be able
to give a powerful blow; have a dangerous fist. * /He packed a mean
punch./ 2. To have a violent effect; be powerful. * /It was vodka, and
it packed quite a wallop./
[pack off] {v.}, {informal} To send away; dismiss abruptly. * /When
an Englishman got in trouble long ago, his family would pack him off
to Australia or some other distant land./ * /Jane couldn't really get
started on her homework until she had packed the children off to
school./
[pack rat] {n.}, {informal} A person who cannot part with old,
useless objects; an avid collector of useless things; a junk hoarder.
* /"Why are there so many things in this room?" John asked. "It is my
brother's room, and he is a pack rat; he is unable to throw stuff
away."/
[packed (in) like sardines] {adj. phr.} So tightly crowded that
there is hardly room to turn. * /The trains are so full during rush
hour that we must go to work packed in like sardines./
[pack of lies] {n. phr.} An unbelievable story; unprovable
allegations. * /What Al told us about his new girlfriend was nothing
but a pack of lies./
[pack one's bag] {v. phr.} To leave a place out of anger,
annoyance, or disagreement. * /"This place is beginning to irritate
me," she said to her friend. "I want to pack my bags and get out of
here."/
[pack up] {v. phr.} To pack one's suitcase for traveling; prepare a
package. * /Without saying a single word, the unhappy husband packed
up and left./
[paddle] See: UP THE CREEK or UP THE CREEK WITHOUT A PADDLE.
[paddle one's own canoe] {v. phr.}, {informal} To work without
help; earn your own living; support yourself. * /After his father
died, John had to paddle his own canoe./ Syn.: HOE ONE'S OWN ROW.
Compare: MAKE ONE'S WAY.
[paddy wagon] {n.}, {informal} A police van used for transporting
prisoners to jail or the police station. * /The police threw the
demonstrators into the paddy wagon./
[pad the bill] {v. phr.} To add false expenses to a bill; make a
bill larger than it really was. * /The salesman padded the bill for
his traveling expenses by exaggerating his food expenses./
[pain] See: AT PAINS, FEEL NO PAIN, GIVE A PAIN, GROWING PAINS, ON
PAIN OF, TAKE PAINS.
[pain in the ass] or [pain in the neck] {n.}, {slang}, {vulgar with
ass} An obnoxious or bothersome person or event. * /Phoebe Hochrichter
is a regular pain in the neck (ass)./
[paint a gloomy picture] {v. phr.} To describe something in a
gloomy, pessimistic way. * /We are sad because the weather forecast
has painted a gloomy picture for all of next week when we go on
vacation./
[paint oneself into a corner] {v. phr.} To get oneself into a bad
situation that is difficult or impossible to get out of. * /By
promising to both lower taxes and raise the defense budget, the
president has painted himself into a corner./
[paint the lily] See: GILD THE LILY.
[paint the town red] or [paint the town] {v. phr.}, {slang} To go
out to drink and have a good time; celebrate wildly; carouse. * /It
was the sailors' first night ashore; they painted the town red./
Compare: ON THE TOWN(2).
[pair] See: TAKE TO ONE'S HEELS also SHOW A CLEAN PAIR OF HEELS.
[pair off] {v.} 1. To make a pair of; put two together; associate;
match. * /Mrs. Smith paired off her guests by age and tastes./ 2. To
belong to a pair; become one of a pair. * /Jane paired off with Alice
in a tennis doubles match./ 3. To divide or join into pairs. * /Later
in the day the picnic crowd paired off for walks and boat rides./
[pair up] {v.} 1. To make a pair of; match. * /When she finished
the mending, she paired up the socks./ 2. To form a pair; to be or
become one of a pair. * /Not all the socks would pair up./ * /Joe
paired up with Charlie to work on the lesson./
[pajamas] See: CAT'S MEOW or CAT'S PAJAMAS.
[pal] See: PEN PAL.
[pale] See: BEYOND THE PALE.
[pale around the gills] See: GREEN AROUND THE GILLS.
[palm] See: CARRY OFF THE PALM, GREASE ONE'S PALM, ITCHING PALM.
[palm off] {v.}, {informal} 1. To sell or give (something) by
pretending it is something more valuable; to sell or give by trickery.
* /He palmed off his own painting as a Rembrandt./ * /The salesman
palmed off pine wood floors as oak./ Syn.: FOB OFF, PASS OFF. 2. To
deceive (someone) by a trick or lie. * /He palmed his creditors off
with a great show of prosperity./ Syn.: PUT OFF. 3. To introduce
someone as a person he isn't; present in a false pretense. * /He
palmed the girl off as a real Broadway actress./
[pan] See: FLASH IN THE PAN, OUT OF THE PRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE.
[Pandora's box] {n. phr.}, {literary} A thing or problem that, if
activated, will give rise to many unmanageable problems. * /If they
insist on having that inquiry, they will open up a Pandora's box./
Compare: CAN OF WORMS.
[pan gravy] {n.} Gravy made with meat drippings with seasoning and
often a little water. * /His wife liked cream gravy, but he preferred
pan gravy./ * /Pan gravy from country ham is often called red-eye
gravy./
[panic] See: PUSH THE PANIC BUTTON.
[pan out] {v.}, {informal} To have a result, especially a good
result; result favorably; succeed. * /Suppose the class tried to make
money by selling candy. How would that pan out?/ * /Edison's efforts
to invent an electric light bulb did not pan out until he used
tungsten wires./
[pant for] {v. phr.} To desire something very deeply. * /He is
panting for his girlfriend, who went out of town to see her family./
[pants] See: ANTS IN ONE'S PANTS, CATCH ONE WITH ONE'S PANTS DOWN,
FANCY PANTS, FLY BY THE SEAT OF ONE'S PANTS, GET THE LEAD OUT OF ONE'S
PANTS, KICK IN THE PANTS, WEAR THE TROUSERS or WEAR THE PANTS.
[paper] See: ON PAPER, WALKING PAPERS.
[par] See: UP TO PAR.
[parade] See: HIT PARADE.
[parade rest] {n.} A position in which soldiers stand still, with
feet apart and hands behind their backs. * /The marines were at parade
rest in front of the officials' platform./ Compare: AT EASE(3).
[parallel bars] {n.} Two horizontal bars the same distance apart,
that are a few feet above the floor of a gymnasium. * /The boys
exercised on the parallel bars in the gym./
[parcel] See: PART AND PARCEL.
[parcel out] {v.} To give out in parts or shares; divide. * /He
parceled out the remaining food to the workers./
[par for the course] {n. phr.}, {informal} Just what was expected;
nothing unusual; a typical happening. - Usually refers to things going
wrong. * /Mary is very clumsy so it was par for the course when she
bumped into the table and broke the vase./ * /When John came late
again, Mary said, "That's par for the course."/ Compare: ALL IN A
DAY'S WORK, RUNNING TRUE TO FORM.
[pare down] {v. phr.} To limit; economize; reduce. * /With a
smaller income per month, the family had to pare down their household
expenses./
[parliamentary law] {n.} The rules for legislative or other
meetings. * /The club followed parliamentary law at the business
meeting./
[parrot-fashion] {adv.} Like a parrot; by rote memorization and
without any understanding. * /The candidate delivered a speech that
was prepared for him and he read it parrot-fashion./
[part] See: DISCRETION IS THE BETTER PART OF VALOR, FOOL AND HIS
MONEY ARE SOON PARTED, FOR MY PART, FOR ONE'S PART also ON ONE'S PART,
FOR THE MOST PART, IN PART, MAN OF PARTS, TAKE PART.
[partake of] {v.}, {formal} 1. To take some of; receive a share of;
eat. * /He partook of ordinary country fare as he traveled./ 2. To
have the same qualities as; show the characteristics of. * /Her way of
cooking partook of both Italian and American habits./
[part and parcel] {n. phr.} A necessary or important part;
something necessary to a larger thing. - Usually followed by "of". *
/Freedom of speech is part and parcel of the liberty of a free man./
[part company] {v. phr.} 1. To part with someone; leave each other;
separate. * /The boys parted company as they came from the park./ *
/George parted company with the others at his front door./ 2. To be
different from someone in opinion or action; follow your own way;
disagree; differ. * /They parted company on where the new highway
should be built./ * /The mayor parted company with the newspapers on
raising taxes./
[partial to] {v. phr.} Having a weakness for; favorable toward. *
/He seems to be partial to blondes while his brother is partial to
redheads./
[particular] See: IN PARTICULAR.
[parting of the ways] {n. phr.} 1. The point where a road or path
divides; a fork. * /They stood undecided at a parting of the ways,
where a forest path forked./ 2. A time or place where a choice must be
made; a deciding point. * /He had come to a parting of the ways: he
had to choose the high school courses that would prepare him for
college, or the courses that would prepare him for business./
[part of the furniture] {n. phr.} In a job or position for so long
that one is taken entirely for granted, like a part of the physical
surroundings. * /He has been working in the same office for so many
years now that people consider him to be a part of the furniture./
[part with] {v.} 1. To separate from; leave. * /He parted with us
at the end of the trip./ Compare: PART COMPANY. 2. To let go. * /They
were sorry to part with the old house./ * /He had to part with his
secretary when she got married./ Compare: GIVE UP.
[party] See: HEN PARTY, LIFE OF THE PARTY, NECK-TIE PARTY, THROW A
PARTY.
[party line] {n. phr.} Ideas, policies, and goals set forth by the
leadership of a group or organization. * /Dan seldom has an original
idea but he keeps faithfully repeating his company's party line./
[party to] {adj. phr.} Concerned with; participating in. * /The
prosecution has been trying to show that the defendant was party to a
fraud./
[pass] See: BRING TO PASS, COME TO PASS, FORWARD PASS, JUMP PASS,
SCREEN PASS.
[pass around] {v. phr.} To circulate from one to another;
distribute something among a group of people. * /Why doesn't he pass
around the appetizers to the guests?/
[pass away] {v.} 1. To slip by; go by; pass. * /We had so much fun
that the weekend passed away before we realized it./ * /Forty years
had passed away since they had met./ 2. To cease to exist; end;
disappear; vanish * /When automobiles became popular, the use of the
horse and buggy passed away./ 3. To have your life stop; die. * /He
passed away at eighty./ Syn.: PASS ON(3), PASS OUT(3).
[pass by] See: PASS OVER.
[pass by the board] See: GO BY THE BOARD.
[passed ball] {n.} A pitched baseball missed by the catcher when he
should have been able to catch it. * /The batter singled and went to
second on a passed ball./
[pass for] {v. phr.} To be taken for; be considered as. * /Charles
speaks Arabic so fluently that he could easily pass for an Arab./
[passing] See: IN PASSING.
[pass muster] {v. phr.}, {informal} To pass a test or check-up; be
good enough. * /After a practice period, Sam found that he was able to
pass muster as a lathe operator./ * /His work was done carefully, so
it always passed muster./ Compare: MEASURE UP.
[pass off] {v.} 1. To sell or give (something) by false claims;
offer (something fake) as genuine. * /The dishonest builder passed off
a poorly built house by pretending it was well constructed./ Syn.: FOB
OFF, PALM OFF(2). To claim to be someone you are not; pretend to be
someone else. * /He passed himself off as a doctor until someone
checked his record./ 3. To go away gradually; disappear. * /Mrs.
White's morning headache had passed off by that night./ 4. To reach an
end; run its course from beginning to end. * /The party passed off
well./ Syn.: GO OFF.
[pass on] {v.} 1. To give an opinion about; judge; settle. * /The
college passed on his application and found him acceptable./ * /The
committee recommended three people for the job and the president
passed on them./ 2. To give away (something that has been outgrown.) *
/As he grew up, he passed on his clothes to his younger brother./
Compare: HAND DOWN. 3. To die. * /Mary was very sorry to hear that her
first grade teacher had passed on./ Syn.: PASS AWAY(3), PASS OUT(3).
[pass out] {v.}, {informal} 1. To lose consciousness; faint. * /She
went back to work while she was still sick, and finally she just
passed out./ Compare: GIVE OUT(3). 2. or {slang} [pass out cold] To
drop into a drunken stupor; become unconscious from drink. * /After
three drinks, the man passed out./ 3. To die. * /Life came and went
weakly in him for hours after surgery; then he passed out./ Syn.: PASS
AWAY(3), PASS ON(3).
[pass over] or [pass by] {v.} To give no attention to; not notice;
ignore, * /I can pass over the disorderliness of the troops, but their
disobedience is serious./ * /In choosing men to be given a salary
raise, the foreman passed Mr. Hart by./ * /She was unattractive, the
kind of a girl that everybody would pass by./
[pass the buck] {v. phr.}, {informal} To make another person decide
something or accept a responsibility or give orders instead of doing
it yourself; shift or escape responsibility or blame; put the duty or
blame on someone else. * /Mrs. Brown complained to the man who sold
her the bad meat, but he only passed the buck and told her to see the
manager./ * /If you break a window, do not pass the buck; admit that
you did it./ Compare: LET GEORGE DO IT. - [buck-passer] {n. phr.} A
person who passes the buck. * /Mr. Jones was a buck-passer even at
home, and tried to make his wife make all the decisions./ -
[buck-passing] {n.} or {adj.} * /Buck-passing clerks in stores make
customers angry./
[pass the hat] {v. phr.} To solicit money; take up collections for
a cause. * /The businessmen's club frequently passes the hat for
contributions toward scholarships./
[pass the time of day] {v. phr.} To exchange greetings; stop for a
chat. * /They met at the corner and paused to pass the time of day./
[pass through one's mind] See: CROSS ONE'S MIND.
[pass up] {v.} To let (something) go by; refuse. * /Mary passed up
the dessert because she was on a diet./ * /John was offered a good job
in California, but he passed it up because he didn't want to move./
Compare: TURN DOWN.
[pass upon] {v. phr.} To express an opinion about; judge. * /George
said he wanted his wife to pass up the new house before he decided to
buy it./
[pass with flying colors] See: WITH FLYING COLORS.
[past master] {n. phr.} An expert. * /Alan wins so often because he
is a past master at chess./
[past one's peak] {adj. phr.} No longer as strong, efficient, or
able as one once was, usually because of advanced age and decreased
ability. * /He used to be a terrific athlete but we're afraid he is
past his peak./
[pat] See: PIT-A-PAT, STAND PAT.
[pat-a-cake] {n.} A clapping game that keeps time to a nursery
rhyme. * /Mother played pat-a-cake with the baby./
[patch up] {v.} 1. To mend a hole or break; repair; fix. * /He
patched up a couple of old tires./ * /The lovers patched up their
quarrel./ 2. To put together in a hurried or shaky way. * /They
patched up a hasty peace./
[pat on the back(1)] {v. phr.} 1. To clap lightly on the back in
support, encouragement, or praise. * /The coach patted the player on
the back and said a few encouraging words./ 2. To make your support or
encouragement for (someone) felt; praise. * /After he won the game,
everyone patted him on the back for days./
[pat on the back(2)] {n. phr.} 1. An encouraging tap of the hand on
someone's back; a show of sympathy or support. * /I gave her a pat on
the back and told her she had done fine work./ 2. A word or gesture of
praise or other encouragement; applause. * /Pats on the back weren't
enough; he wanted hard cash./
[patrol] See: SHORE PATROL.
[Paul] See: ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL.
[pause] See: GIVE PAUSE.
[pavement] See: POUND THE PAVEMENT.
[pave the way] {v. phr.} To make preparation; make easy. *
/Aviation paved the way for space travel./ * /A good education paves
the way to success./
[pay] See: DEVIL TO PAY.
[pay a call] {v. phr.} To visit someone. * /"Come and pay us a call
some time, when you're in town," Sue said to Henry./
[pay as one goes] {v. phr.} To pay cash; to pay at once; to avoid
charging anything bought; to avoid debt entirely by paying cash. -
Usually used with "you". * /It is best to pay as you go; then you will
not have to worry about paying debts later./
[pay attention] {v. phr.} To listen to someone; hear and understand
someone alertly. * /"Pay attention, children!" the teacher cried,
"Here is your homework for next week!"/
[pay court to] {v. phr.} To woo; to shower with attention. * /He
had been paying court to her for three long years before he worked up
the courage to ask her to marry him./
[pay dirt] {n.}, {slang} 1. The dirt in which much gold is found. *
/The man searched for gold many years before he found pay dirt./ 2.
{informal} A valuable discovery. - Often used in the phrase "strike
pay dirt". * /When Bill joined the team, the coach struck pay dirt./ *
/Jean looked in many books for facts about her hometown, and finally
she struck pay dirt./ Compare: STRIKE IT RICH.
[pay down] {v. phr.} 1. To give as a deposit on some purchase, the
rest of which is to be paid in periodic installments. * /"How much can
you pay down on the house, sir?" the realtor asked./ 2. To decrease a
debt with periodical payments. * /I'd like to pay down the charges on
my credit cards./ Compare: DOWN PAYMENT.
[pay for] {v.} To have trouble because of (something you did wrong
or did not do); be punished or suffer because of. * /When Bob could
not get a good job, he realized he had to pay for all the years of
fooling around instead of working in school./ * /Mary was very mean to
John because she wanted to make him pay for all the years in which he
had ignored her./ Compare: MAKE UP(3b), PAY OFF.
[pay in advance] See: IN ADVANCE.
[pay lip service to] See: LIP SERVICE.
[payoff] {n.} Culmination point; climax. * /After many months of
patient labor on your book, the payoff comes when you see the first
printed copy./
[pay off] {v. phr.} 1. To pay the wages of. * /The men were paid
off just before quitting time, the last day before the holiday./ 2. To
pay and discharge from a job. * /When the building was completed he
paid off the laborers./ 3. To hurt (someone) who has done wrong to
you; get revenge on. * /When Bob tripped Dick, Dick paid Bob off by
punching him in the nose./ Syn.: PAY BACK. 4. {informal} To bring a
return; make profit. * /At first Mr. Harrison lost money on his
investments, but finally one paid off./ 5. {informal} To prove
successful, rewarding, or worthwhile. * /Ben's friendship with the old
man who lived beside him paid off in pleasant hours and broadened
interests./ * /John studied hard before the examination, and it paid
off. He made an A./
[pay one a left-handed compliment] See: LEFT-HANDED COMPLIMENT.
[pay one back in his own coin] {v. phr.} To retaliate. * /Jim
refused to help Bob when he needed it most, so Bob decided to pay him
back in his own coin and told him to go and look for help elsewhere./
[pay one's respect to] {v. phr.} To discharge one's social
obligations by visiting someone or by calling them on the phone. *
/The newly arrived people paid their respects to their various
neighbors during their first couple of weeks in town./
[pay one's way] {v. phr.} 1. To pay in cash or labor for your
expenses. * /He paid his way by acting as a guide./ 2. To be
profitable; earn as much as you cost someone; be valuable to an
employer; to yield a return above expenses. * /The bigger truck paid
its way from the start./ * /We had to offer our new manager a large
salary, but he was a capable man, and paid his way./ Compare: WORTH
ONE'S SALT.
[pay out] See: PAY OFF.
[pay the piper] or [pay the fiddler] {v. phr.} To suffer the
results of being foolish; pay or suffer because of your foolish acts
or wasting money. * /Bob had spent all his money and got into debt, so
now he must pay the piper./ * /Fred had a fight, broke a window, and
quarreled with his counselor so now he must pay the fiddler./ Compare:
PACE THE MUSIC(2). (From the proverb "He who dances must pay the piper
(or the fiddler).")
[pay through the nose] {v. phr.}, {informal} To pay at a very high
rate; pay too much. * /He had wanted experience, but this job seemed
like paying through the nose for it./ * /There was a shortage of cars;
if you found one for sale, you had to pay through the nose./
[pay up] {v.} To pay in full; pay the amount of; pay what is owed.
* /The monthly installments on the car were paid up./ * /He pays his
dues up promptly./ * /He gets behind when he is out of work but always
pays up when he is working again./
[peace] See: HOLD ONE'S PEACE.
[pearl] See: CAST PEARLS BEFORE SWINE or CAST ONE'S PEARLS BEFORE
SWINE.
[pebble] See: NOT THE ONLY PEBBLE ON THE BEACH.
[peck] See: HUNT AND PECK.
[pecking order] {n.} The way people are ranked in relation to each
other (for honor, privilege, or power); status classification;
hierarchy. * /After the president was in office several months, his
staff developed a pecking order./
[pedestal] See: ON A PEDESTAL.
[peel] See: KEEP ONE'S EYES PEELED.
[peel off] {v.} To dive away from a group of airplanes in a flight
formation; bring one plane down from a group. * /As the group neared
the home base, pilot after pilot peeled off for a landing./
[peeping Tom] {n.} A man or boy who likes sly peeping. * /He was
picked up by the police as a peeping Tom./
[peg] See: SQUARE PEG IN A ROUND HOLE, TAKE DOWN A PEG.
[peg away] {v.} To work methodically, industriously, or steadily *
/Thomson pegged away for years at a shoe repair business./ * /Jones
kept pegging away, and finally recognition came./
[pen] See: POISON-PEN, SLIP OF THE PEN.
[penalty box] {n.} A place where penalized hockey players are
required to go to wait until the penalty is over. * /Two players got
into a fight and were sent to the penalty box for two minutes./
[penny for one's thoughts] Please tell me what you are thinking
about; what's your daydream. * /"A penny for your thoughts!" he
exclaimed./
[penny pincher], [penny pinching] See: PINCH PENNIES.
[penny wise and pound foolish] Wise or careful in small things but
not careful enough in important things. - A proverb. * /Mr. Smith's
fence is rotting and falling down because he wouldn't spend money to
paint it. He is penny wise and pound foolish./
[pen pal] {n.} A friend who is known to someone through an exchange
of letters. * /John's pen pal writes him letters about school in
Alaska./
[people who live in glass houses should not throw stones] Do not
complain about other people if you are as bad as they are. - A
proverb. * /Mary says that Betty is jealous, but Mary is more jealous
herself. People who live in glass houses should not throw stones./
[pep talk] {n.}, {informal} A speech that makes people feel good so
they will try harder and not give up. * /The football coach gave the
team a pep talk./ * /Mary was worried about her exams, but felt better
after the teacher's pep talk./
[period of grace] See: GRACE PERIOD.
[perish the thought] {v. phr.} Let us not even think of it; may it
never come true. - Used as an exclamation. * /If John fails the
college entrance exam - perish the thought - he will go back to high
school for one more year./ * /Perish the thought that Mary should have
cancer./ Compare: GOD FORBID.
[perk up] {v.} To get or give back pep, vigor, health, or spirit;
become or make more lively; liven up. * /He perked up quickly after
his illness./ * /The rain perked up the flowers wonderfully./
[person] See: IN PERSON.
[pet name] {n. phr.} A special or abbreviated name indicating
affection. * /He never calls his wife her real name, "Elizabeth," but
only such pet names as "honey," "honey bunch," "sweetheart," and
"sugar."/
[petard] See: HOIST WITH ONE'S OWN PETARD.
[Peter] See: ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL.
[peter out] {v.}, {informal} To fail or die down gradually; grow
less; become exhausted. * /After the factory closed, the town pretty
well petered out./ * /The mine once had a rich vein of silver, but it
petered out./ * /But as he thought of her, his anger slowly petered
out./ Compare: GIVE OUT.
[photo finish] {n. phr.} A close finish in a race of people or
animals, where the camera must decide the actual result, sometimes by
millimeters. * /The black horse was declared the winner in a photo
finish./
[pick] See: BONE TO PICK or CROW TO PICK.
[pick a bone] See: BONE TO PICK.
[pick a fight] See: PICK A QUARREL.
[pick a hole in] or [pick holes in] {v. phr.}, {informal} To find a
mistake in or things wrong with; criticize; blame. * /The witness said
he had been walking in the moonlight last Sunday, but the lawyer
picked a hole in what he said by proving that there was no moon and
that it rained Sunday night./ * /Mary is always picking holes in what
the other girls do./ Compare: FIND FAULT.
[pick and choose] {v.} To select with much care; choose in a fussy
way; take a long time before choosing. * /He was never one to pick and
choose./ * /Some people pick and choose to get something perfect, and
some just because they can't make up their minds./
[pick apart] or [pick to pieces] {v. phr.} To criticize harshly;
find things wrong with; find fault with. * /After the dance, the girls
picked Susan apart./ * /They picked the play to pieces./
[pick a pocket] {v. phr.} To steal by removing from the pocket of
another. * /While in the train, somebody picked his pocket and took
the last dollar he had./
[pick a/the lock] {v. phr.} To burglarize; open illegally; open a
lock without the regular key. * /The robber got into the house by
picking the lock./
[pick a quarrel] {v. phr.} To seek the opportunity for a fight or a
quarrel. * /When Charlie has too much to drink, he has a tendency to
pick a quarrel with whomever happens to be around./ See: PICK A FIGHT.
[pick at] {v.} 1. To reach or grasp for repeatedly. * /The baby
kept picking at the coverlet./ 2. To eat without appetite; choose a
small piece every little while to eat. * /He picked at his food./ 3.
To annoy or bother continually; find fault with. * /They showed their
displeasure by continually picking at her./ Syn.: PICK ON.
[pick holes in] {v. phr.} To criticize or find fault with
something, such as a speech, a statement, a theory, etc. * /It is
easier to pick holes in someone else's argument than to make a good
one yourself./
[pick-me-up] {n. phr.} Something you take when you feel tired or
weak. * /John stopped at a drugstore for a pick-me-up after working
three hours overtime./ * /Mary always carried a bar of chocolate in
her pocketbook for a pick-me-up./
[pickpocket] {n.} A thief; a petty criminal who steals things and
money out of people's pockets on a bus, train, etc. * /In some big
cities many poor children become pickpockets out of poverty./
[pick off] {v.} 1. To pull off; remove with the fingers. * /He
picked off the burs that had stuck to his overcoat./ 2. To shoot, one
at a time; knock down one by one. * /The sniper picked off the slower
soldiers as they came out into the road./ 3. To catch a base runner
off base by throwing the ball quickly to a fielder who tags him out. *
/The pitcher turned around suddenly and threw to the second baseman to
pick the runner off second base./ Compare: OFF BASE. 4. To catch and,
especially in football, to intercept. * /Alert defenders picked off
three of Jack's passes./
[pick on] {v.} 1. {informal} To make a habit of annoying or
bothering (someone); do or say bad things to (someone). * /Other boys
picked on him until he decided to fight them./ Syn.: PICK AT(3). 2. To
single out; choose; select. * /He visited a lot of colleges, and
finally picked on Stanford./
[pick one's teeth] {v. phr.} To clean one's teeth with a toothpick.
* /It is considered poor manners to pick one's teeth in public./
[pick one's way] {v. phr.} To go ahead carefully in difficult or
unfamiliar places; advance with care. * /After nightfall we drove
slowly along, picking our way until we found the right turn./ * /He
picked his way across the rough and rocky hillside./
[pick out] {v.} 1. To choose. * /It took Mary a long time to pick
out a dress at the store./ 2. To see among others; recognize; tell
from others. * /We could pick out different places in the city from
the airplane./ * /We could not pick Bob out in the big crowd./ Syn.:
MAKE OUT(2). 3. To find by examining or trying; tell the meaning. *
/The box was so dirty we couldn't pick out the directions on the
label./ Compare: FIND OUT.
[pick over] {v.} To select the best of; look at and take what is
good from; choose from. * /She picked the apples over and threw out
the bad ones./ * /We hurried to the big sale, but we were late and
everything had already been picked over./
[pick the brains of] {v. phr.} To get ideas or information about a
particular subject by asking an expert. * /If you have time, I'd like
to pick your brains about home computers./
[pick to pieces] See: PICK APART, PICK HOLES IN.
[pickup] {n.}, (stress on "pick") 1. A rugged, small truck. * /When
he got into the lumber business, Max traded in his comfortable
two-door sedan for a pickup./ 2. Scheduled meeting in order to
transfer merchandise or stolen goods. * /The pickup goes down at 7
A.M. every day by the loading dock./ * /The dope pushers usually make
their pickup on Rush Street./ 3. A person who is easy to persuade to
go home with the suitor. * /Sue is said to be an easy pickup./
[pick up] {v.} 1. To take up; lift. * /During the morning Mrs.
Carter picked up sticks in the yard./ 2. {informal} To pay for someone
else. * /After lunch, in the restaurant, Uncle Bob picked up the
check./ 3. To take on or away; receive; get. * /At the next corner the
bus stopped and picked up three people./ 4. To get from different
places at different times; a little at a time; collect. * /He had
picked up rare coins in seaports all over the world./ 5. To get
without trying; get accidentally. * /He picked up knowledge of radio
just by staying around the radio station./ * /Billy picked up a cold
at school./ 6a. To gather together; collect. * /When the carpenter
finished making the cabinet, he began picking up his tools./ 6b. To
make neat and tidy; tidy up; put in order. * /Pick up your room before
Mother sees it./ 6c. To gather things together; tidy a place up. *
/It's almost dinner time, children. Time to pick up and get ready./ 7.
To catch the sound of. * /He picked up Chicago on the radio./ 8. To
get acquainted with (someone) without an introduction; make friends
with (a person of the other sex). * /Mother told Mary not to walk home
by herself from the party because some stranger might try to pick her
up./ 9. {informal} To take to the police station or jail; arrest. *
/Police picked the man up for burglary./ 10. To recognize the trail of
a hunted person or animal; find. * /State police picked up the
bandit's trail./ * /The dogs picked up the fox's smell./ 11. To make
(someone) feel better; refresh. * /A little food will pick you up./
12a. To increase (the speed); make (the speed) faster. * /The teacher
told her singing class to pick up the tempo./ * /The car picked up
speed./ 12b. To become faster; become livelier. * /The speed of the
train began to pick up./ * /After the band practiced for a while, the
music began to pick up./ 13. To start again after interruption; go on
with. * /The class picked up the story where they had left it before
the holiday./ * /They met after five years, and picked up their
friendship as if there had been no interruption./ 14. {informal} To
become better; recover; gain. * /She picked up in her schoolwork./ *
/He picked up gradually after a long illness./ * /His spirits picked
up as he came near home./
[pick up the tab] {v. phr.} To pay the bill in a restaurant; be the
one who underwrites financially what others are doing. * /"I am always
the one who picks up the tab," Charlie complained bitterly. "Others
get away with being freeloaders."/ Compare: FOOT THE BILL.
[Pidgin English] {n. phr.} A jargon that consists of some
mispronounced English words and some foreign words used by Orientals
in talking with Westerners. * /You can conduct a lot of business in
Pidgin English in the Far East./
[pie] See: EAT HUMBLE PIE, FINGER IN THE PIE, PIE IN THE SKY,
SWEETIE PIE.
[piece] See: BY THE PIECE, CONVERSATION PIECE, GIVE A PIECE OF
ONE'S MIND, GO TO PIECES, OF A PIECE, PIECE OF CAKE, SAY ONE'S PIECE
or SPEAK ONE'S PIECE, TO PIECES.
[piece of cake] {adj.}, {slang} Easy. * /The final exam was a piece
of cake./
[piece out] {v.} 1. To put together from many different pieces; put
together from odd parts; patch. * /They pieced out a meal from
leftovers./ * /He pieced out the machine with scrap parts./ * /The
detective pieced out the story from a stray fact here, a clue there,
and a hint somewhere else./ 2. To make larger or longer by adding one
or more pieces. * /The girl grew so fast that her mother had to piece
out her dresses./
[piecework] {n.} Work paid for in accordance with the quantity
produced. * /Al prefers working on a piecework basis to being on a
regular salary because he feels he makes more that way./
[pie in the sky] {n. phr.}, {informal} An unrealistic wish or hope.
* /Our trip to Hawaii is still only a pie in the sky./ Compare: PIPE
DREAM.
[pigeonhole] {v.} 1. To set aside; defer consideration of. * /The
plan was pigeonholed until the next committee meeting./ 2. To
typecast; give a stereotypical characterization to someone. * /It was
unfair of the committee to pigeonhole him as a left-wing
troublemaker./
[pigeonhole] {n.} 1. Small compartment for internal mail in an
office or a department. * /"You can just put your late exam into my
pigeonhole," said Professor Brown to the concerned student./ 2. One of
the small compartments in a desk or cabinet. * /He keeps his cufflinks
in a pigeonhole in his desk./
[piggy-back] {adj.} or {adv.} Sitting or being carried on the
shoulders. * /Little John loved to go for a piggy-back ride on his
father's shoulders./ * /When Mary sprained her ankle, John carried her
piggy-back to the doctor./
[piggy bank] {n.} A small bank, sometimes in the shape of a pig,
for saving coins. * /John's father gave him a piggy bank./
[pigheaded] {adj.} Stubborn; unwilling to compromise. * /"Stop
being so pigheaded!" she cried. "I, too, can be right sometimes!"/
[pig in a poke] {n. phr.} An unseen bargain; something accepted or
bought without looking at it carefully. * /Buying land by mail is
buying a pig in a poke: sometimes the land turns out to be under
water./
[pig out] {v. phr.} 1. To eat a tremendous amount of food. * /"I
always pig out on my birthday," she confessed./ 2. To peruse; have
great fun with; indulge in for a longer period of time. * /"Go to bed
and pig out on a good mystery story," the doctor recommended./
[pile up] {v. phr.} 1. To grow into a big heap. * /He didn't go
into his office for three days and his work kept piling up./ 2. To run
aground. * /Boats often pile up on the rocks in the shallow water./ 3.
To crash. * /One car made a sudden stop and the two cars behind it
piled up./
[pile-up] {n.} 1. A heap; a deposit of one object on top of
another. * /There is a huge pile-up of junked cars in this vacant
lot./ 2. A large number of objects in the same place, said of traffic.
* /I was late because of the traffic pile-up on the highway./
[pill] See: BITTER PILL.
[pillar of society] {n. phr.} A leading figure who contributes to
the support and the well-being of his/her society; a person of
irreproachable character. * /Mrs. Brown, the director of our classical
symphony fund, is a true pillar of society./
[pillar to post] See: FROM PILLAR TO POST.
[pimple] See: GOOSE BUMPS or GOOSE PIMPLES.
[pin] See: ON PINS AND NEEDLES.
[pinch] See: TAKE WITH A GRAIN OF SALT also TAKE WITH A PINCH OF
SALT, WHERE THE SHOE PINCHES.
[pinch and scrape] {v. phr.} To save as much money as possible by
spending as little as possible. * /They are trying to buy their first
house so they are pinching and scraping every penny they can./
[pinch-hit] {v.} 1. To substitute for another player at bat in a
baseball game. * /Smith was sent in to pinch-hit for Jones./ 2.
{informal} To act for a while, or in an emergency, for another person;
take someone's place for a while. * /I asked him to pinch-hit for me
while I was away./ * /The president of the City Council pinch-hits for
the mayor when the mayor is out of town./ - [pinch-hitter] {n.} *
/Jones was hit by a pitched ball and Smith came in as a pinch-hitter./
* /When our teacher was sick, Mrs. Harris was called as a
pinch-hitter./ - [pinch-hitting] {adj.} or {n.} * /Pinch-hitting for
another teacher is a hard job./
[pinch pennies] {v. phr.}, {informal} Not spend a penny more than
necessary; be very saving or thrifty. * /When Tom and Mary were saving
money to buy a house, they had to pinch pennies./ - [penny-pincher]
{n.}, {informal} A stingy or selfish person; miser. * /He spent so