... a wall, etc.
ᮀ We’ll put a garage up
next month.
T The city put up a fence next
to our house.
6. [with something] to pro-
vide the money for something.
ᮀ The
government put the money up for ... is a sacred cow in
the Smith family. Fred is regarded as a fail-
ure because he quit school at 16.
ᮀ Don’t
talk about eating meat to Pam. Vegetari-
anism is one of her sacred cows.
sadder but ......
... We struggled to bring
about a meeting of minds on the issues.
mean for someone to do something
268
from under you, but the bank is foreclos-
ing on your mortgage.
know (all) the tricks of the ... heart.
ᮀ I went over and over it until
I knew it by heart.
know (all) the tricks of the trade
2 36
let
someone
down to disappoint someone;
to fail someone. (Also literal.)
ᮀ I’m sorry
I let yo...
... after he went to the toilet.
ᮀ Ex-
cuse me, I have to go to the toilet.
go to bed (with someone)
166
I didn’t catch your name. No one told me
your name [or I have forgotten it]. (A
carrying on of ... rate for your account is 10
percent.
ᮀ Our babysitter charges us the
going rate.
the going rate
167
a gold mine of information someone or
something that is full of information.
ᮀ
Grandfat...
... shouting distance
within within
someone’s
grasp
within within
someone’s
reach
NTC’s American Idioms Dictionary
61 6
scene come on the scene
scene create a scene
scene make a scene
scene make the ... up to
something
to burned to a cinder
to burn
someone or something
to a crisp
NTC’s American Idioms Dictionary
5 96
shot (all) shot to hell
shot give
something
a shot
shot g...
... rein on
someone or something
Keep Keep at it!
keep keep at
someone or something
NTC’s American Idioms Dictionary
5 26
It It never rains but it pours.
It It (only) stands to reason.
It It sucks.
It ... back of
one’s
hand
hand know
someone or something
like the palm of
one’s
hand
NTC’s American Idioms Dictionary
5 06
nature second nature to
someone
naught come to naught...
... of the hour
bottom at the bottom of the ladder
bottom bet
one’s
bottom dollar
NTC’s American Idioms Dictionary
466
work like a horse to work very hard. ᮀ
I’ve been working like a horse all day, ...
one’s
tongue
bite bite
someone’s
head off
bite bite the bullet
bite bite the dust
NTC’s American Idioms Dictionary
464
bite bite the hand that feeds
one
bite grab a bite (to e...
... to
sleep with their brothers.
2. to copulate
with someone. (Euphemistic.)
ᮀ I hear
skin and bones
366
think
something
out to think through some-
thing; to prepare a plan or scheme.
ᮀ
This is an ... my teeth.
ᮀ If
you want to get something done, you’ve got
take something home (with oneself)
3 96
skin and bones Go to nothing but skin and
bones.
skin
someone
alive to be very angry with...
... the world
through birth.
ᮀ Mary gave birth to a
lovely baby girl.
ᮀ The raccoon gave birth
to 6 little raccoons.
give birth to
something
to give rise to or
start something.
ᮀ The composer ... rolling to get started. (Informal.) ᮀ
Come on. It’s time to leave. Let’s get rolling!
ᮀ Bill, it’s 6: 30. Time to get up and get
rolling!
get second thoughts about
someone or
something
to have ne...
... [to be] unable to sing
a simple melody; lacking musical ability.
call someone or something off
60
hair. ᮀ The horror film made my hair
curl.
curl up and die to retreat and die. ᮀ When
I heard ... captain
take turns choosing players.
ᮀ Let’s
choose up sides and play baseball.
ᮀ When
chew the fat
68
mond in the rough. Someday it will be
valuable.
die a natural death 1. [for someone] to
di...
... and Clichés, NTC’s Dictionary of
Euphemisms, and NTC’s Dictionary of Folksy, Regional, and Rural Sayings and Eliza-
beth Kirkpatrick in NTC’s English Idioms Dictionary.
About This Dictionary
xiii
amount ... page 62 1, and those that require
explanation are cross-referenced to entries in the dictionary.
The compiler has included idiomatic phrases drawn from or suggested by A...