Phrases

Question 1

Hold down the fort

Answer 1

to be in charge of a place while the person who is usually in charge is away

It’s because my co-star Ariana Grande is a burgeoning pop star who misses work regularly to go sing at award shows, record new songs, and do press for her upcoming album while I stay back and angrily hold down the fort.

Question 2

Give a wide berth

Answer 2

stay away from (someone or something)

A man handing out fliers, another advertising some kind of girly show, and a gaggle of sluttish high school girls — they all gave Satake a wide berth.

Question 3

Long in the tooth

Answer 3

to be old, often too old to do something

I must have seemed a prime candidate for their mission: a lone local woman a bit long in the tooth and almost certainly too dim to care what they were doing.