At  this  rate  he'll  be  a
millionaire./ * /"Three 100's in the last four  tests!  At  this  rate
you'll soon be teaching the subject," Tom said to Mary./

   [at times] {adv. phr.} Not often; not regularly; not every day; not
every week; occasionally; sometimes. * /At times Tom's mother lets him
hold the baby./ * /You can certainly be exasperating, at times!/ * /We
have pie for dinner at times./ Syn.: FROM TIME TO TIME, NOW AND  THEN,
ONCE IN A WHILE.

   [at will] {adv. phr.} As you like; as you please or choose  freely.
* /Little Bobby is allowed to wander at will in the  neighborhood./  *
/With an air conditioner you can  enjoy  comfortable  temperatures  at
will./

   [at wits end] See: AT ONE'S WIT'S END.

   [at work] {adj, phr.} Busy at a job; doing work. * /The teacher was
soon hard at work correcting that day's test./ * /Jim is  at  work  on
his car./

   [at worst] or [at  the  worst]  {adv.  phr.}  1.  Under  the  worst
conditions; as the worst possibility. * /When Don was caught  cheating
in the examination he thought that at worst he would get a  scolding./
Compare: AT MOST. Contrast AT BEST. 2. In the least favorable view, to
say the worst about a thing. * /The treasurer had certainly not stolen
any of the club's money; at worst, he had forgotten to write down some
of the things he had spent money for./

   [aught] See: FOR AUGHT at FOR ALL(2), FOR ALL ONE KNOWS.

   [Aunt  Tom]  {n.},  {slang},  {originally  from  Black  English}  A
successful professional or business woman who, due to her success in a
masculine  profession,  doesn't  care  about  the  women's  liberation
movement or the passing of the Equal  Rights  Amendment  to  the  U.S.
Constitution. * /Hermione is a regular Aunt Tom, she'll never vote for
the ERA./

   [avail] See: TO NO AVAIL or OF NO AVAIL.

   [average] See: ON AN AVERAGE or ON THE AVERAGE, LAW OF AVERAGES.

   [awe] See: STAND IN AWE OF.

   [awkward age] {n.} Adolescence; awkwardness during  adolescence.  *
/Sue used to be an "ugly duckling" when she was at  the  awkward  age,
but today she is a glamorous fashion model./

   [AWOL] See: ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE.

   [ax to grind] {n. phr.}, {informal} Something to gain for yourself:
a selfish reason. * /In praising movies for classroom use he has an ax
to grind; he sells motion picture equipment./ * /When Charles told the
teacher he saw Arthur copying his homework from Jim, he had an  ax  to
grind; Arthur would not let Charles copy from him./



        B

   [babe in the woods] {n. phr.} A  person  who  is  inexperienced  or
innocent in certain things. * /He is a good driver, but as a  mechanic
he is just a babe in the woods./  Compare:  OVER  ONE'S  HEAD,  BEYOND
ONE'S DEPTH.

   [baby] See: WAR BABY.

   [baby boom] {n.} A sudden  increase  in  the  birth  rate.  *  /The
universities were filled  to  capacity  due  to  the  baby  boom  that
followed World War II./

   [baby grand] {n.} A small grand piano no longer  than  three  feet,
maximally four feet. * /This apartment  can't  take  a  regular  grand
piano, so we'll have to buy a baby grand./

   [baby kisser] {n.}, {slang} A person campaigning for votes  in  his
quest for elected political office; such  persons  often  kiss  little
children in public. * /Nixon was a baby kisser when he  ran  for  Vice
President with Eisenhower./

   [back] See: BACK OF or IN BACK OF, BEHIND ONE'S BACK,  BRUSH  BACK,
COME BACK, CUT BACK, DOUBLE BACK, DRAW BACK, DROP BACK.  EYES  IN  THE
BACK OF ONE'S HEAD, FADE BACK, FALL BACK, FALL BACK ON, FLANKER  BACK.
FROM WAY BACK, GET BACK AT, GET ONE'S BACK  UP,  GIVE  THE  SHIRT  OFF
ONE'S BACK, GO BACK ON, HANG BACK, HARK BACK, HOLD  BACK,  LIKE  WATER
OFF A DUCK'S BACK, LOOK BACK, OFF ONE'S BACK, ON ONE'S  BACK,  PAT  ON
THE BACK, PIGGY-BACK, PIN ONE'S EARS BACK, PUT BACK THE CLOCK or  TURN
BACK THE CLOCK, PUT ONE'S BACK TO IT, SCRATCH ONE'S  BACK,  SET  BACK,
SET BACK ON ONE'S HEELS, SIT BACK, STAB IN THE BACK, TAKE A BACK SEAT,
TAKE BACK, TALK BACK also ANSWER BACK, TURN ONE'S BACK ON,  WEIGHT  OF
THE WORLD ON ONE'S SHOULDERS or WORLD ON ONE'S BACK, WHILE BACK.

   [back and forth] {adv.} Backwards and forwards.  *  /The  chair  is
rocking hack and forth./ * /The tiger is pacing hack and forth in  his
cage./ Compare: TO AND FRO.

   [back away] {v.} To act to avoid or  lessen  one's  involvement  in
something; draw or turn back; retreat. * The townspeople  backed  away
from the building plan when they found out how much it would cost.

   [back door] {n.}, {slang}, {citizen's band radio  jargon}  Rear  of
vehicle. * /I am watching your back door./

   [back down] or [back off] {v.}, {informal} To give up a claim;  not
follow up a threat. * /Bill said he could beat Ted, but when  Ted  put
up his fists Bill backed down./ * /Harry claimed  Joe  had  taken  his
book, but backed down when the teacher talked with him./ Syn.: BEAT  A
RETREAT. Compare: BACK OUT, GIVE IN, GO BACK ON(1).

   [back in circulation] {adv. phr.} 1.  Socially  active  once  again
(said about people); back on the dating circuit after a divorce  or  a
romantic breakup. * /Now that Sully is divorced from Jim she  is  hack
in circulation./ 2. Once again available to  the  public  (said  about
types of paper money, rare  coins,  or  other  commercially  available
goods). * /In the USA the two-dollar hill was back in circulation  for
a short time only in the 1950s and 1960s./

   [back number] {n.} Something out of fashion,  or  out  of  date.  *
/Among today's young people a waltz like "The Blue Danube" is  a  hack
number./

   [backfire] {v.} To misfire; to have a reverse effect from what  was
intended. * /Mimi's gossip about the Head of the Department  backfired
wizen people began to mistrust her./

   [backhanded compliment] {n. phr.}  A  remark  that  sounds  like  a
compliment but is said sarcastically. * /"Not  had  for  a  girl"  the
coach said, offering a backhanded compliment./

   [back of] or [in back of] {prep.} 1. In or at the rear of;  to  the
back of; behind. * /The garage is hack of the house./ * /Our  car  was
in hack of theirs at the traffic light./ 2. {informal} Being  a  cause
or reason for; causing. * /Hard work was back of his success./ *  /The
principal tried to find out what was back of the trouble on the  bus./
3. {informal} In support or encouragement of; helping, clones will  be
elected because many powerful men are back of him. * /Get in  back  of
your team by cheering them at the game./

   [back out] {v. phr.} 1.  To  move  backwards  out  of  a  place  or
enclosure. * /Bob slowly backed his car out  of  the  garage./  2.  To
withdraw from an activity one has promised to carry out. * /Jim  tried
to back out of the engagement with Jane, but she  insisted  that  they
get married./ Compare: BEG OFF, GO BACK ON.

   [back seat] See: TAKE A BACK SEAT.

   [backseat driver] {n.}, {informal} A bossy  person  in  a  car  who
always tells the driver what to do. *  /The  man  who  drove  the  car
became angry with the back seat driver./

   [back street] {n.} A street not near the main streets or from which
it is hard to get to a main street. * /We got lost in the back streets
going through the city and it took us a half  hour  to  find  our  way
again./ Compare: SIDE STREET.

   [back talk] {n.} A sassy, impudent reply. * /Such  back  talk  will
get you nowhere, young man!/ See: TALK BACK.

   [back the wrong horse] {v. phr.} To support a loser. *  /In  voting
for George Bush, voters in 1992 were backing the wrong horse./

   [back-to-back] {adv.}  1.  Immediately  following.  *  /The  health
clinic had back-to-back appointments for the new students  during  the
first week of school./ 2. Very close to, as if touching.  *  /Sardines
are always packed in the can back-to-back./ * /The  bus  was  so  full
that people had to stand back-to-back./

   [back to the salt mines] {informal} Back to the job; back to  work;
back to work that is as hard or as unpleasant as  working  in  a  salt
mine would be. - An overworked phrase, used humorously. *  /The  lunch
hour is over, boys. Back to the salt mines!/ *  /"Vacation  is  over,"
said Billy. "Back to the salt mines."/

   [back to the wall] or [back against the  wall]  {adv.  phr.}  In  a
trap, with no way to escape; in bad trouble. * /The soldiers had their
backs to the wall./ * /He was in debt and could not get any help;  his
back was against the wall./ * /The team had their backs to the wall in
the second half./ Compare: BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE  DEEP  BLUE  SEA,
LAST DITCH, ON THE SPOT, UP AGAINST IT.

   [back up] {v.} 1. To move backwards. * /The train was backing  up./
2. To help or be ready to help; stay behind to help;  agree  with  and
speak in support of. * /Jim has joined the Boy Scouts and  his  father
is backing him up./ * /The principal backs up  the  faculty./  *  /Jim
told us what had happened and Bob backed him up./ Compare: BACK OF(3),
STAND BY(4). 3. To move behind (another fielder) in order to catch the
ball if he misses it. * /The shortstop backed up the second baseman on
the throw./

   [backward] See: BEND OVER BACKWARD or LEAN OVER BACKWARD; FALL OVER
BACKWARDS or FALL OVER ONESELF.

   [backward and forward] or [backwards and forwards] {adv.  phr.}  To
the full  extent;  in  all  details;  thoroughly;  completely.  *  /He
understood automobile engines backwards  and  forwards./  *  /He  knew
basketball rules backwards and forwards./ * /I  explained  matters  to
him so that he understood backwards and forwards how it was./

   [bacon] See: BRING HOME THE BACON.

   [bad] See: GO FROM BAD TO WORSE, IN A BAD WAY, IN BAD, IN ONE'S BAD
GRACES, LEAVE A BAD TASTE IN ONE'S MOUTH, NOT BAD or NOT SO BAD or NOT
HALF BAD, ON ONE'S BAD SIDE, TOO BAD, WITH BAD GRACE.

   [bad actor] {n.}, {informal} A person  or  animal  that  is  always
fighting, quarreling, or doing bad things. * /The boy was a bad  actor
and nobody liked him./

   [bad blood]  {n.},  {informal}  Anger  or  misgivings  due  to  bad
relations in the past between individuals or groups. * /There's a  lot
of bad blood between Max and Jack; I bet they'll never  talk  to  each
other again./ Compare: BAD SHIT.

   [bad egg]  {n.},  {slang}  A  ne'er-do-well;  good-for  nothing;  a
habitual offender. * /The judge sent the bad egg to prison  at  last./
Contrast: GOOD EGG.

   [bad mouth (someone)]  {v.},  {slang}  To  say  uncomplimentary  or
libelous  things  about  someone;  deliberately  to  damage  another's
reputation. * /It's not nice to had mouth people./

   [bad news] {n.}, {slang}  An  event,  thing,  or  person  which  is
disagreeable or an unpleasant surprise. * /What's  the  new  professor
like? - He's all bad news to me./

   [bad paper] {n.}, {slang} 1. A check for which there are  no  funds
in the bank. 2. Counterfeit paper money. * /Why are you so  mad?  -  I
was paid with some bad paper./

   [bad shit] {n.},  {vulgar},  {avoidable}  An  unpleasant  event  or
situation, such as a long lasting and unsettled quarrel  or  recurring
acts of vengeance preventing two people or two  groups  from  reaching
any kind of reconciliation. * /There is so much had shit  between  the
two gangs that I bet there will he more killings this year./  Compare:
BAD BLOOD.

   [bad trip] {n.}, {slang}, {also used colloquially} A disturbing  or
frightening experience, such as terrifying hallucinations, while under
the influence  of  drugs;  hence,  by  colloquial  extension  any  bad
experience in general. * /Why's John's face so distorted? - He  had  a
bad trip./ * /How was your math exam? - Don't mention it; it was a bad
trip./

   [bag] See: GRAB BAG, IN THE BAG, LEAVE HOLDING THE BAG, LET THE CAT
OUT OF THE BAG.

   [bag and baggage] {adv.}, {informal}  With  all  your  clothes  and
other personal belongings, especially movable possessions; completely.
* /If they don't pay their hotel bill they will be  put  out  bag  and
baggage./

   [baggage] See: BAG AND BAGGAGE.

   [bail] See: JUMP BAIL or SKIP BAIL.

   [bail out(1)] {v.} 1. To secure release from prison until trial  by
leaving or promising money or property for a while.  *  /When  college
students got into trouble with the police, the college president would
always bail them out./ 2. {informal} To free from trouble by giving or
lending money. * /He started a small business, which  prospered  after
his father had to bail him out a couple of times./

   [bail out(2)] {v.} To  jump  from  an  airplane  and  drop  with  a
parachute. * /When the second engine failed, the pilot  told  everyone
to bail out./

   [bail out(3)] {v.} To dip water from a  filling  or  leaking  boat;
throw water out of a boat to prevent its sinking.  *  /Both  men  were
kept busy bailing out the rowboat after it began to leak./

   [bait] See: FISH OR CUT BAIT.

   [bake] See: HALF-BAKED.

   [baker's dozen] {n.}, {informal} Thirteen.  *  /"How  many  of  the
jelly doughnuts, Sir? " the salesclerk asked. "Oh, make it  a  baker's
dozen."/

   [balance] See: HANG IN THE BALANCE, OFF BALANCE.

   [ball] See: BASE ON BALLS, CARRY THE BALL, FLY BALL, FOUL BALL, GET
THE BALL ROLLING, SET THE BALL ROLLING, START THE BALL ROLLING, GOPHER
BALL, GROUND BALL, HAVE A HALL, HAVE SOMETHING ON THE BALL, JUMP BALL,
KEEP THE BALL. ROLLING, LONG BALL, ON  THE  BALL,  PASSED  BALL,  PLAY
BALL.

   [ball game] {n.}, {slang}, also {informal}  The  entire  matter  at
hand; the whole situation; the entire contest. * /You said we can  get
a second mortgage for the house?! Wow! That's a whole new ball game./

   [ball of fire] {n.}, {informal} A  person  with  great  energy  and
ability; a person who can do something very well. * /He did poorly  in
school but as a salesman he is a ball of fire./ * /The  new  shortstop
is a good fielder but certainly no ball of fire in batting./  Compare:
HOT NUMBER, HOT ONE.

   [balloon] See: TRIAL BALLOON, LEAD BALLOON.

   [ballot stuffing] See: STUFF THE BALLOT BOX.

   [ball up] {v.}, {slang} To make a mess of; confuse. *  /Don't  ball
me up./ * /Hal balled up the business with his errors./ -  Often  used
in the passive. * /He was so balled up that he did not know if he  was
coming or going./ Compare: MIXED UP.

   [baloney]  {n.},  {informal}  Nonsense,  unbelievable,  trite,   or
trivial. * /John brags that he's won the $10 million  lottery,  and  I
think it's just a lot of baloney./ * /"Will  you  marry  Joe?"  mother
asked. "Baloney," Susie answered with a disgusted  look./  *  /Do  you
still  believe  all  that  baloney  about  socialism  excluding   free
enterprise? Look at China and Hungary./

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

   [band] See: BEAT THE BAND.

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

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

   [bandwagon] See: JUMP ON THE BANDWAGON.

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

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

   [bank] See: PIGGY BANK.

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

   [bar] See: BEHIND BARS, PARALLEL BARS.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

   [bar the door] See: CLOSE THE DOOR.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

   [bat the breeze] See: SHOOT THE BREEZE.

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

   [battle] See: HALF THE BATTLE.

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

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

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

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

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

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

   [bead] See: DRAW A BEAD ON.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

   [bear a hand] See: LEND A HAND.

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

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

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

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

   [bear in mind] See: IN MIND.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

   [beat hollow] See: BEAT ALL HOLLOW.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

   [beat the gun] See: JUMP THE GUN.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

   [beck] See: AT ONE'S BECK AND CALL.

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

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

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

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

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

   [bee] See: BIRDS AND THE BEES.

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

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

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

   [beeline] See: MAKE A BEELINE FOR.

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

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

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

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

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

   [beg] See: BEGGING.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

   [being] See: FOR THE TIME BEING.

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

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

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

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

   [be it so] See: SO BE IT.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

   [bench warmer] See: WARM THE BENCH.

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

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

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

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

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

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

   [be one's age] See: ACT ONE'S AGE.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

   [berth] See: GIVE A WIDE BERTH.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

   [bib] See: BEST BIB AND TUCKER.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

   [bitch] See: SON OF A BITCH.

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

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

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

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

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

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

   [bitter] See: TO THE BITTER END.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

   [blame] See: TO BLAME.

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

   [blanket] See: WET BLANKET.

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

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

   [bleep out] See: BLIP OUT.

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

   [blessing] See: MIXED BLESSING.

   [blind] See: FLY BLIND.

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

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

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

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

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

   [blink] See: ON THE BLINK.

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

   [blitz] See: SAFETY BLITZ.

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

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

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

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

   [blood freezes] See: BLOOD RUNS COLD.

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

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

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

   [bloody] See: SCREAM BLOODY MURDER.

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

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

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

   [blow great guns] See: GREAT GUNS.

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

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

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

   [blow off steam] See: LET OFF STEAM.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

   [bluff] See: CALL ONE'S BLUFF.

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

   [blush] See: AT FIRST BLUSH.

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

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

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

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

   [body] See: KEEP BODY AND SOUL TOGETHER.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

   [bombshell] See: EXPLODE A BOMBSHELL.

   [bond] See: SAVINGS BOND.

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

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

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

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

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

   [bonnet] See: BEE IN ONE'S BONNET.

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

   [boom] See: LOWER THE BOOM.

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

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

   [boot out] See: KICK OUT.

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

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

   [bore to death] See: TO DEATH.

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

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

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

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

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

   [borrow] See: LIVE ON BORROWED TIME.

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

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

   [boss] See: STRAW BOSS.

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

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

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

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

   [bothered] See: HOT AND BOTHERED.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

   [bow] See: TAKE A BOW.

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

   [bowl of cherries] See: BED OF ROSES.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

   [brake] See: RIDE THE BRAKE.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

   [break] See: COFFEE BREAK.

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

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

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

   [breakdown] See: NERVOUS BREAKDOWN.

   [breaker] See: JAW-BREAKER.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

   [break the record] {v. phr.} To set or to establish a new  mark  or
record. * /Algernon broke the re