flack out and flake out

Sl. to collapse with exhaustion; to lie down because of exhaustion. All the hikers flacked out when they reached the campsite. After a few hours, the hikers all flaked out.

bull in a china shop

Prov. a very clumsy creature in a delicate situation. (*Typically: as awkward as ~; like ~.) I never know what to say at a funeral. I feel like a bull in a china shop, trampling on feelings without even meaning to. Lester felt like a bull in a china shop; reaching for an orange, he made several elaborate pyramids of fruit tumble down.

crick in one's neck

Fig. a twisted place or a cramp in the neck that causes pain. I got a crick in my neck from sleeping in a draft. When I read on the plane, I get a crick in my neck.

trade down
to exchange something expensive for something that costs less The family traded down to a smaller house, cutting their mortgage payments in half.

selling point
a feature of a product or idea that is worth mentioning when trying to sell the product or idea. The fact that the book had large type is an important selling point.

*at a good clip and *at a fast clip

rapidly. (*Typically: go ~; move ~; run ~; travel ~.) We were moving along at a good clip when a state trooper stopped us

Whatever turns you on. (humorous)

something that you say when you are surprised at something that someone likes to do So you stuff animals in your spare time? Oh well, whatever turns you on.

fat as a pig
exceptionally fat; grotesquely fat. (*Also: as ~.) If I don't stop eating this cake, I'll be fat as a pig! You really ought to go on a diet; you're as fat as a pig

get free of someone or something and get free from someone or something
1. to rid oneself of the burden of someone or something. Can't I get free of this problem? I can't seem to get free of Randy. 2. to liberate oneself from someone or something. I tried to get free of Mr. Franklin, but he kept talking and wouldn't let me interrupt. Is there any way that somebody can get free of Tom? I couldn't get free of the nail that had snagged my sleeve.

no love lost

no feelings of respect, admiration, or affection They had a curious relationship there was no love lost there. Usage notes: often used with between: There's no love lost between Morris and his publisher.

nothing upstairs
Fig. no brains; stupid. Tom is sort of stupid. You knownothing upstairs. I know what's wrong with you. Nothing upstairs.

show something to good advantage

to display the best features of something; to display something so that its best features are apparent. Put the vase in the center of the table and show it to good advantage. Having and using a large vocabulary shows your intelligence to good advantage.

tag along (after someone) and tag along (behind someone)

to follow along after someone; to go along with someone. The family dog tagged along after the children wherever they went. Can I tag along? Do you mind if I tag along behind you? See also: along, tag

the party is over also the party's over

something successful has ended The party is over for the Raiders, who were eliminated from the playoffs today

read between the lines

Fig. to infer something (from something else); to try to understand what is meant by something that is not written explicitly or openly. After listening to what she said, if you read between the lines, you can begin to see what she really means. Don't believe every thing you read literally. Learn to read between the lines.

abstract something from someone or something

to steal something from someone or something. (Formal.) The officer was found guilty of abstracting a rather large amount of money from the company.

abstract something from something

to take the important information from a longer document; to extract the essentials or the gist from a piece of complicated writing. Can you abstract a shorter article from this material?

quite a change
something very different Claudia's new school is quite a change from her old one

a paper trail (American & Australian)

documents which show what someone has been doing He was easy to find, he left a paper trail a mile wide.

in a cold sweat
in a state of fear. He stood there in a cold sweat, waiting for something bad to happen. I was in a cold sweat while they counted the ballots.

blimp out
to overeat; to eat too much and gain weight. I blimp out almost every weekend. If I could stop blimping out, I could lose some weight.

a nip and (a) tuck

1. a medical operation to improve the appearance of your face I don't think you could look like that at her age without a little nip and tuck. 2. (American) small changes or reductions made in order to improve something A nip and a tuck in their household budget would give them the extra money they need

put somebody in the picture

to explain to someone what is happening Jim had no idea what was going on until I put him in the picture.

on the rebound
unhappy and confused because a close, romantic relationship of yours has recently finished She was on the rebound when she met Jack. Six months after Julia left him, he married someone else on the rebound.

rub off on(to) someone or something

[for something, such as a coating] to become transferred to someone or something through the contact of rubbing. Look what rubbed off on me! The wet paint rubbed off onto my pants leg.

unfold something into something

to spread something out into something. The child unfolded the page into a model village. I unfolded the brochure into a large colorful sheet of advertising.

unfold into something

1. [for something folded up] to unfold into something. The greeting card unfolded into a little paper house. It unfolded into a cute scene. 2. Fig.[for a story] to develop into something interesting. (Fig. on {2}.) The story unfolded into a real mystery. The tale unfolded into a farce.

hit the books and pound the books

Inf. Fig. to study hard. I spent the weekend pounding the books. I gotta go home and hit the books. I have finals next w

under the skin

as part of your basic character They look like two people who would have nothing to do with each other, but under the skin, they have some things in common that surprise even them.

pull oneself together

1. Fig. to compose oneself; to gather one's wits about one. I have to pull myself together and try it again. Now try to pull yourself together and get through this crisis. 2. Fig. to gather up one's things; to pull one's things together. I'll be ready to leave as soon as I pull myself together. I want to pull myself together and leave.

trade something off

1. Lit. to get rid of something in an exchange. I traded my car off. I traded off my old car for a new one. 2. Fig. to sacrifice something in an exchange. You may end up trading job security off for more money. Don't trade off your job security.

catch as catch can

achieved any way that is possible and not in a planned way Without a school to go to, her education was catch as catch can.

rough something in
to construct or draw something initially, temporarily, or crudely. The carpenter roughed the doorways in without consulting the plans. The carpenter roughed in the doorways without consulting the plans

rough something in also rough in something

to begin the first work on something First the plumber roughed in the drain pipe and water pipes. Make a sketch, rough it in, and then add the details.

discourse (up)on
someone or something to lecture about someone or something. (Upon is formal and less commonly used than on.) I would like to discourse upon this matter awhile. The committee chose to discourse on Tom and his latest fiasco rather than deal with the budgetary problems it fa

signal for someone

to make a sign for someone to come. I signaled for the waiter and got the check. Ted signaled for the parking lot attendant. See also: signal

signal for something

to make a sign that something should be done. I caught the waiter's eye and signaled for the check. The director signaled for applause.

stand over someone or something

to hover over someone or something; to monitor or keep close watch on someone or something. Please don't stand over me while I work! Dave stood over the machine, making sure it did what it was supposed to do

go with (someone or something)

to depart in the company of someone or a group. Jim's not here. He went with the last busload. I'm leaving now. Do you want to go with?

go with someone and go steady with someone

to have a romantic relationship with someone. (Go steady is dated.) Sally has been going with Mark for two months now. He wants to go steady with her. He doesn't want her to see other guys.

go with something
1. Lit. to accompany something agreeably. Milk doesn't go with grapefruit.Pink doesn't go with orange. 2. Fig. to choose something (over something else). I think I'll go with the yellow one. We decided to go with the oak table rather than the walnut one.

out like a light

in a deep sleep or unconscious Stu was out like a light, so I threw a blanket on him and turned out the light.

traipse over and traipse in

to go or arrive carelessly or thoughtlessly. He traipsed over and invited himself in.She came traipsing in at about midnight.

prove/show your mettle (slightly formal)

to prove that you are good at doing something by succeeding in a difficult situation A relative newcomer to the game, he's certainly proved his mettle in the last two games.

leap down (from something)

to hop down from something or some place. The performer leapt down from the stage and ran up the aisle. She leapt down and ran away.

guarantee something against something (for something)

to certify that something will not fail, break, or wear out, usually for a period of time. We guarantee this radio against defects for one year. I bought a service contract to guarantee my car against defects. See also: against

guarantee against something

to certify that something bad will not happen. No one can guarantee against that happening. I can't guarantee against something going wrong

list someone or something among something

to include someone or something in a particular category. I list George among the all-time greats. I have to list the budget committee as the most efficient ever.

quite a while (spoken)

a long time I hadn't seen Rebecca in quite a while, but she hadn't changed much.

by yourselves
1. with no one else present; alone (of two or more people). Are you two going to stand here by yourselves all evening? Don't sit home by yourselves. Come to the party. 2. with the help of no one else. Can you three do this by yourselves? I expect you guys to get there by yourselves.

let up
1. to diminish. I hope this rain lets up a little soon. When the snow lets up so I can see, I will drive to the store. 2. to stop [doing something] altogether. The rain let up about noon, and the sun came out. See also: let, up

let up (on someone or something)

Fig. to reduce the pressure or demands on someone or something. You had better let up on Tom. He can't handle any more work. Please let up on the committee. It can only do so much. Do let up. You are getting too upset.