April Flashcards
hand over fist
energetically and rapidly
e. g. He completed his assignments hand over fist.
e. g. What a busy day. We took in money hand over fist.
e. g. They were buying things hand over fist.
lace curtain
An often insulting term for Italian-Americans and/or Irish-Americans to describe Irish or Italians who abandon their working class/blue collar roots to pursue a more upper class/white collar career - such as, for example, a lawyer, doctor or, in some situations, a cop.
Mikey: What about Dominic’s son? How’s he doing?
Paul: That lace curtain motherfucker? He’s going to law school!
break the back of
Fig. to end the domination of something; to reduce the power of something.
e. g. The government has worked for years to break the back of organized crime.
e. g. This new medicine should break the back of the epidemic.
drop in the bucket
(idiomatic) An effort or action having very little overall influence, especially as compared to a huge problem.
e. g. A $100 donation from an individual is generous, but it is a drop in the bucket compared to the $100,000 fundraising goal.
jawbone
v. attempt to persuade or pressure by the force of one’s position of authority.
e. g. “the Federal Reserve Board Vice Chairman jawboned the dollar higher by calling its recent steep decline a purely speculative phenomenon”
drive/ride a desk
Pejorative term for administrative work done by a military officer from the comfort and safety of headquarters, rather than out in the field where the real danger lies.
peanut
A cute person, used as a nickname to show affection
e.g. “oooh my lil brother is such a peanut.’
nose out
To defeat someone or something by a narrow margin.
e. g. We nosed out the opposing team for the win.
e. g. In the last inning, we took the lead and nosed them out.
blowing smoke
to say things that are not true in order to make yourself or something you are involved with seem better than it is; or to conceal the truth.
e.g. The team put on an unbelievable performance. I’m not just blowing smoke - they were great.
Come clean about someone/something
Fig. to be honest with somebody about something.
I want you to come clean with me about your financial status. Sam will come clean with me. I know he will.
straight from the horse’s mouth
Directly from the source; firsthand.
e.g. If you don’t believe me, go talk to him and hear it straight from the horse’s mouth. It’s true.
ring the cash register
Investments: A phrase used to signify the time to take profits by selling securities with gains. See also Profit taking.
e.g. Security Analysts’ goal is to ring as many cash register as possible, and the fullest is in the investment banking div.
the whole nine yards
The whole nine yards or full nine yards is a colloquial American phrase meaning “everything, the whole lot” or, when used as an adjective, “all the way”
e.g. “The Army came out and gave us the whole nine yards on how they use space systems.”
have/get the drop on someone
To point one’s firearm at another person, thereby gaining dominance over a situation.
e.g. He got the drop on them and took three of them out before they could fire a shot.
kick oneself
to regret doing something.
e.g. I could just kick myself for going off and not locking the car door. Now the car has been stolen.
Zinger
a striking or amusing remark.
“open a speech with a zinger”
synonyms: witticism, quip, joke; More
an outstanding person or thing.
“a zinger of a shot”
sporting house
brothel
dead presidents
U.S. currency, preferably in bill form
e.g. Yo man these oakleys are gonna cost ya 56 dead presidents.
blue stockings
educated, intellectual woman
you can say that again
(idiomatic, in response to another person) That is very true.
e.g. What a relief that Brian didn’t get hurt.
You can say that again!
e.g. This is a huge house.
You said it.
you don’t say
Really?
- Hey, did you hear? Jack got aids!
- You don’t say?
pull up one’s socks
(idiomatic) To start making an effort; to renew or redouble one’s efforts.
e. g. He’s going to have to pull his socks up if he wants to stay in the team.
be taken in
be tricked/deceived
Hell, I gave up my time for a no good affair
You’d think I’d learned by now
To be taken in by a perfect stranger
That I had the know how
have/throw a fit
to be very angry; to show great anger.
e. g. The teacher had a fit when the dog ran through the classroom.
e. g. John threw a fit when he found his car had been damaged.
busboy
a young man who clears tables in a restaurant or cafeteria.
eleventh hour
at the last possible moment. (Just before the last clock hour, 12)
e. g. She always turned her term papers in at the eleventh hour.
e. g. We don’t worry about death until the eleventh hour.
horse sense
common sense
e.g. He credits his success to good old-fashioned horse sense.
dry goods
textile; linen; or dry groceries
pull one’s leg
to kid someone
e.g. Mike: I swear, last weekend I went fishing and caught a 25 pound bass!
James: Are you for real, or are you just pulling my leg?
e.g. When you told Harold that he won, you were just pulling his leg, right?
bring the house down
to excite the audience into making a great clamor of approval.
e. g. Karen’s act brought the house down.
e. g. She really brought down the house with her comedy.
indian summer
a successful or pleasant period in someone’s life, especially towards the end of their life.
e.g. The book describes the last 20 years of Churchill’s life, including his Indian summer as prime minister between 1951 and 1955.
in one’s birthday suit
as naked as at birth
e. g. I’ve heard that John sleeps in his birthday suit.
e. g. We used to go down to the river and swim in our birthday suits.
writing on the wall
“The writing on the wall”, or “the hand writing on the wall”, or “the writing is on the wall” or “Mene Mene”, is an idiom implying that a (usually) negative event is easily predictable based on the current situation. Often, the event is seen as hard to avert. A direness similar to an “impending doom” can be implied.
to beat the bands
very briskly; very fast.
He’s selling computers to beat the band since he started
advertising.
She worked to beat the band to get ready for this.
powder room
(US, euphemistic) A women’s toilet, especially in a public venue such as a restaurant, boutique, or hotel lobby.
