Webster's New World American Idioms Handbook (71 page)

play hooky

play it cool

play it safe

play on

play second fiddle

play something by ear

pleased as punch

point out

point the finger at

poke around

poke fun of

poke one’s nose in someone’s business

pooped out

pop quiz/test

pop the question

poster couple

Post-War Generation

pot belly

pothead

pounding the pavement

pouring down rain

practical joke

prefer one’s own company

preposition as connector

preposition as part of a phrasal verb

preposition of location

prepositions

prepositions, American versus British use

press on

prick up one’s ears

primary school, British

private school

probably

probably not

proposal

propose

pub/club crawling

public school, British

puddle jumper

puff

pull down

pull no punches

pull on/off

pull out all the stops

pull over

pull someone’s leg

pull something off

pull the wool over someone’s eyes

pull through

pulled over

pulling an all-nighter

pulling in six figures

pulls over (someone)

punch line

punched out

puppy love

push down

push off

push on

put a cork in it

put away

put down

put in a good mood

put in good spirits

put in/on

put off

put on clothes

put on make-up

put on my face

put on pounds

put on the back burner

put on/take off

put one’s best foot forward

put one’s cards on the table

put one’s feet up/down

put one’s finger on something

put one’s foot in one’s mouth

put ones’ heads together

put one’s life in someone’s hands

put (have/keep) one’s nose to the grindstone

put others first

put our hands together

put out/on

put through

put through hell

put through one’s paces

put through the test

put through the wringer

put two and two together

put up with

put words in someone’s mouth

putting away money

putting someone to shame

putting things off

queue up, British

quick once over

quick to anger

quiet down

quit it

racial joke

rake it in

rake up

rally around

ran into

randy, British

raw deal

razz

reach one’s limit

read on

read through

ready for bed

ready-made family

real deal

real thing

really (and truly)

Really?

rear-end

recovering alcoholic

red

red carpet

red tape

red, white, and blue

red-eye flight

reduce stress

relies

rest stop/rest area

reversing lights, British

ride someone’s bumper/tail/tailgate

right

right away

right on

right-hand man

ring off, British

ring someone up, British

rinse off

riot

rip someone off

ripe old age

rip-off

rise and shine

risk one’s neck

road trip

roaring drunk

roll in the aisles

roll in the hay

roll their own

rolling in dough/money

romp

roof over one’s head

round of applause

roundabout, British

round-trip

rub shoulders with someone

rub someone’s nose in something

rubber, American versus British use

rug-rat

rules of the road

run a light/stop sign

run a red light

run around

run around in circles

run away

run circles around

run down

run for

run in the family

run into

run off at the mouth

run off with

run on

run out

run out of money

run over

run through

run up

run up the bills/credit cards

run with

run/drive someone off the road

running away from it all

runny nose

rush hour

said a mouthful

salt mines

same old same old

same old thing

save for a rainy day

save one’s neck

saving face

saving money

sawing logs

Say (that) again?

say I do

say over

say the L word

Say what?

say when

saying, defined

says a mouthful

scalper

scam

scammer

scare the crap out of someone

scared out of one’s wits

scoring

scram

scratch

scratch one’s head

scratch someone’s back

scream

screw up

screw up one’s face

Scrooge

search me

second

second base

second helping

second nature

second rate

second thought

second to none

second wind

second-class citizen

secondhand

secondhand clothes

secondhand smoke

secure a loan

see

see eye-to-eye

See my point?

see red

see the glass half full/empty

see through

See what I mean?

see ya

see you later alligator

See?

seeing someone

self

self-centered

selfless act

self-serving

sell off

sell someone down the river

senior

senior citizen

senior citizen age

separable phrasal verbs

serious

set

set a date

set foot somewhere

set off

set one’s sight on

set the table

set/put one’s mind to

settle down

seventh heaven

sex

sexist joke

shade

shady deal

shake a leg

shake in one’s boots

shake like a leaf

Shame on you!

shame-faced

share one’s life with someone

shed pounds

shell out

shifts

shoe is on the other foot

shoo

shoot

shoot daggers at someone

shoot off one’s mouth

shoot oneself in the foot

shop around

shopping cart

shopping trolley, British

short on money

short-tempered

shoulder

shoulder to cry on

show one’s age

show one’s face (around here)

show one’s true colors

show one’s true face

show one’s/your face

show up

showing

shows on his/your face

showtime

shrinking violet

shut down

shut one’s mouth

shut up

shut-eye

sick as a dog

sick in bed

sick joke

sick to one’s stomach

side with

sideswipe

sign in/out

sign on

sign on/off

sign up

silver anniversary

silver lining

Since when?

sing the blues

single-parent family

singles

single’s bars

sit down

sit on

sit through

sit twiddling one’s thumbs

sit up

sit up (late)

sit up with

sit-down show

sitting on top of the world

sitting pretty

six feet under

six of one, half a dozen of the other

sixes and sevens

sixth sense

skin and bones

skinflint

skip class

slam on one’s brakes

slang, defined

slap in the face

slave labor

slave over a hot stove (all day)

sleep in

sleep on

sleep over

sleep through

sleep together/with

sleeper

sleep-in

sleeping like a baby

sleeping soundly

sleepyhead

slept late

slice up

slip away

slip through one’s fingers

slow down

small-town boy/girl makes good

smashed

smell up

smoke

smoke like a chimney

smokers

smoker’s breath

smoker’s cough

smooch

smooth over

sneak away

snoop around

snow job

so long

So?

So what?

soap up

soccer mom

social butterfly

social drinker

social scene

social smoker

sock away

soft drink

soft in the head

soft-hearted

softy

sorry

Sorry?

soul mate

soundtrack

sourpuss

souse

soused

space out

spare tire

speak falsely

speak for

speak for yourself

speak out

speak the truth

speak up

special effects

speed it up

spend foolishly

spend it as fast as one can make it

spend like there is/was no tomorrow

spend wisely

spice up

spill the beans

spitting image

split

split a gut

split shift

split up

spoof

sports bars

spotless

spots, British

spring cleaning

sprung

squares

squirrel away

stab someone in the back

stand for

stand in

stand on one’s own

stand on one’s own two feet

stand out

stand up

stand up to

standby

standing joke

standing ovation

stand-up comedy

staring one in the face

start off

start on the right/wrong foot

start out/off on the right foot

start up

starting to drop off/nod off

starting to get better

stash away

stay active

stay around

stay awake

stay fit

stay in shape

stay over

stay positive

stay up

stay-at-home mom

staying up

steal away

steal someone’s heart

steamed (up)

step on it

step on someone’s toes

stepdad

stepfather

stepmom

stick around

stick one’s neck out

stick one’s nose in someone’s business

stick out like a sore thumb

stick-in-the-mud

stick-thin

stink up

stomach

stomach something

stop at nothing

stop it

stop over

stopover

straight (heterosexual) clients

straight away

straight man/woman

straight up

straight with someone

straight-A student

straighten up

straightforward

straights

strapped

stretch the truth

strike out

strike up

stud

submit

such is life

sucking face

Sugar

sugar daddy

summer cold

S’up?

supermom

sure

Sure, why not?

swapping spit

sweat blood (over something)

sweat shop

sweating bullets

sweet nothings

sweet nothings (in one’s ear)

sweet on

Sweetheart

sweethearts

Sweetie

Sweetie Pie

swept off one’s feet

switch on/off

switch shift

tack on

take

take a bath

take a bath/shower

take a bow

take a break

take a breather

take a call

take a day/week off

take a decision, British

take a deep breath

take a drag

take a few minutes

take a joke

take a load off (one’s feet)

take a meal

take a nap

take a nosedive

take a puff

take a shower

take a shower (bath)

take a test

take a time out

take a turn

take a turn for the worse

take a vacation

take advice

take an order

take away

take away, British

take care

take care of

take clothes off

take courage

take dinner

take down

take effect

take five

take for

take heart

take heed

take in

take it easy

take lunch

take note

take off

take off clothes

take off pounds

take off/put on

take on

take one’s bow

take one’s hand

take one’s pulse

take one’s temperature

take one’s (own sweet) time

take one’s vital signs

take one’s vow

take out

take out a loan

take out of

take over

take part

take place

take precautions

take something at face value

take the stage

take the words right out of someone’s mouth

take their eyes off the road

take time

take time off

take to one’s bed

take turns

take up

take up with

take vacation

take your life in your hands

take/grab it