Cat got your tongue?

[Sweet Bliss]

Idioms. We use them throughout the day whether joking, serious, or making a point.

Where did they start? Who said it first?

What does it mean today?

What does it mean to YOU?

Let's find out together!!

Here is a help center: http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/

[Sweet Bliss]

First let's do the title.

Cat got your tongue?

"Cat got your tongue?" is a nonsense question that you ask when someone is being unusually quiet and not talking. You often see this used by an adult to try to get a child to tell them what they are thinking about. It started around the 18th century according to sources.

[puddin']

"it ain't over until the fat lady sings."

"It ain't over till (or until) the fat lady sings" is a colloquialism. It means that one should not presume to know the outcome of an event which is still in progress. More specifically, the phrase is used when a situation is (or appears to be) nearing its conclusion. It cautions against assuming that the current state of an event is irreversible and clearly determines how or when the event will end. The phrase is most commonly used in association with organized competitions, particularly sports.

The first recorded use appeared in the Dallas Morning News on 10 March 1976:

Despite his obvious allegiance to the Red Raiders, Texas Tech sports information director Ralph Carpenter was the picture of professional objectivity when the Aggies rallied for a 72–72 tie late in the SWC tournament finals. "Hey, Ralph," said Bill Morgan, "this... is going to be a tight one after all." "Right", said Ralph, "the opera ain’t over until the fat lady sings."

[Sweet Bliss]

Thanks for your contribution Puddin!! I never knew that! I use this line a lot, it's great to know more about what that saying means. Only 1976? I thought it was as old as the opera!

I like your choice. What kind of sayings do you have in New Zealand? I bet you know lots.

[Teddybear]

yesterday while Ms Cinn and I were doing my run from Mass to Maine and back we were talking and we were talking about ppl who had kids and someone would say "they spit and had that kid"

To us down south it means that the kid is a spitting image of the parent. That no one else was involved in the production of the kid

Ms Cinn told me she never knew what it meant but had been told it before by others I was glad to help out

[Sweet Bliss]

yesterday while Ms Cinn and I were doing my run from Mass to Maine and back we were talking and we were talking about ppl who had kids and someone would say "they spit and had that kid"

To us down south it means that the kid is a spitting image of the parent. That no one else was involved in the production of the kid

Ms Cinn told me she never knew what it meant but had been told it before by others I was glad to help out

Nifty!! I've never heard that one before. OH!! I learned something new today!

[Semantics]

I tend to be overly serious, which irritated my coworkers to the point that they nicknamed me Lilith (as in Cheers). I'm not traditionally funny, but I can deadpan an idiom like nobody's business.

My favorite is more than you can shake a stick at.

My second favorite, which I use regularly at my job where I'm dealing with non-custodial parents who don't pay their child support, is in the pudding club.

Idioms, if utilized in a proper droll tone, can really throw people off-balance.

[femm_cb]

Don't bite your nose to spite your face.

[Sparkle]

Some of my favorites:

All Talk, No Trousers

(UK) Someone who is "all talk and no trousers" talks about doing big, important things, but doesn't take any action.

A corruption of the phrases:

"All mouth and trousers"

Blustering and boastful, showing off without having the qualities to justify it. There is a suggestion that this is a corruption of a more logical, but rarely heard expression, 'all mouth and no trousers'. meaning full of talk but deficient in the sexual area. The phrase originated in northern England." The definition is "superficial, engaging in empty, boastful talk, but not of real substance".

A less racy version is "all talk and no action"

It also has a female analogy "all fur coat and no knickers", which is defined as "of a woman, all superficial appearance and no real substance beneath".


The pot calling the kettle black

Or as I prefer: "Hello Pot, this is Kettle calling..."

(UK) Is usually used in the sense of accusing someone of hypocrisy.

The origins of the phrase date back to at least the 1600s, when several writers published books or plays which included wordplays on this theme. Despite suggestions that the phrase is racist or nonsensical, the meaning is actually quite obvious when one considers the conditions of a medieval kitchen.

Typically, pots and kettles were made from heavy materials like cast iron to ensure that they would last and hold up to heat. Cast iron tends to turn black with use, as it collects oil, food residue, and smoke from the kitchen. Both pots and kettles would also have been heated over an open fire in a kitchen. As a result, they would have become streaked with black smoke despite the best cleaning efforts.

Since both are black, the pot calling the kettle black would clearly be an act of hypocrisy. The act could also be described by “it takes one to know one,” and it suggests a certain blindness to one's personal characteristics.

[The_Lady_Snow]

"It Takes Two To Tango"

if there is a conflict, issue, indescrepancy both parties are culpable.

Origin:

A long standing cliché asserts that Tango originated in the brothels of Argentina. According to this cliché, men had to wait in line at the brothels, so madams employed Tango musicians to keep the men entertained while they waited. Alas, Tango historians have refuted this version and instead say that the dance originated in the lower class districts of Argentina but was first encountered by the wealthier classes in brothels. The brothels were one of the few places where the rich and poor rubbed elbows.

[Teddybear]

Don't bite your nose to spite your face.

I have never heard it said this way before I was taught it was dont cut ur nose off in spite of your face

[Sweet Bliss]

A wonderful neighbor said to her misbehaving daughter, "God don't like UGLY."

I had never heard that before, she regaled me with more, I have forgotten most of them, but she was a fountain of funny sayings. Needless to say, her embarrassed daughter straightened right up.

I love the South, warm wonderful funny peeps are everywhere!!

:rrose:

Read about it here: http://bloggingtothechoir.com/2009/11/12/god-dont-like-ugly/

[puddin']

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob's_your_uncle

[SoSousMe]

Here are some Southern Euphemisms

The cheese done slid off her cracker ~ she's not all there

Yer jumpier than a cat in a room full o' rockin chairs ~ nervous type

I don't trust you any further than I can throw ya

Gimme some sugar ~ give me a kiss

Yer wastin' daylight ~ more or less quit going so slow

Sweatin' like a hooker in church ~ nervous as hell or worried as hell

you look like you've been rode hard and put up wet ~ you look like you've had a rough day

[puddin']

frock tart: without the persistance of Laura Straub the meaning of this phrase would have remained a mystery. Quote: Its TV/Movie industry slang (and it is Kiwi!) for someone who works on/designs/sews the costumes. The term came from a disclaimer at the end of a rather costume intense version of 'Xena: Warrior Princess'. It read: "No frock tarts were killed during the production of this motion picture, however, many wished they had been"

[Mopsie]

I have a coworker who is famous for some her sayings ...

"I am busier than a one armed paper hanger"

"The clock is running faster than I am" (came in late)

[Venus007]

I have used this at work before

"Make hay while the sun shines"

Meaning get on it before the opportunity is gone

[DJ Bear]

Many decades ago in the Army I was stationed in the south and often heard these 2 sayings.....

"Well blow up my dress." Meaning to satisfy, make happy or excite

"Tired as a one legged man in a butt kicking contest"

[Sweet Bliss]

Thank you DJ Bear, Mopsie, Venus 007, Sparkle, Puddin', So Sous Me, The Lady Snow, Semantics, Femm_CB, you have all contributed great and unforgetable expressions!!

I will have to start making note cards so I can start using them!

Colder than a witch's tits in a brass bra (more colorful than the word "freezing")

Useless as tits on a Boar Hog (pretty useless)

F**k me Buffy (think this is from watching too many episodes of Vampire Slayer)

[MysticOceansFL]

Here's a few more phrases 1. Thick as mud , meaning your hard headed, 2. Cat on a hot tin roof. *guess what that means?*

[Sweet Bliss]

Here's a few more phrases 1. Thick as mud , meaning your hard headed, 2. Cat on a hot tin roof. *guess what that means?*

The expression "cat on a hot tin roof" means: Being very nervous and unable to sit still for a long period of time.

Today's version is "ADD" or "ADHD"

[Sweet Bliss]

Between a rock and a hard placeMeaning:

In difficulty, faced with a choice between two unsatisfactory options.

Full story: http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place.html

[Sweet Bliss]

get the lead out

Also, get the lead out of one's feet or pants. Hurry up, move faster. For example, Get the lead out of your pants, kids, or we'll be late, or, even more figuratively, Arthur is the slowest talker--he can't seem to get the lead out and make his point. This expression implies that lead, the heaviest of the base metals, is preventing one from moving. [Slang; first half of 1900s]

Funny, I thought it had to do with buck shot or lead bullets, or some type of military theme. Humm. Gotta be more involved than this...

[Duchess]

LONG IN THE TOOTH

When a horse grows old its gums recede and if you examine its mouth it looks 'long in the tooth'.

[Glenn]

"Putting some lead in your pencil." - from the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine.": "To insert a foreign object into ones Urethra for the enhancement of sexual pleasure, especially during masterbation." On pg. 510 of "The Complete Kama Sutra", Lead dildos were preferably used more than wood or bone because of their "soft, yet pleasant roughness."

[stargazingboi]

Happy Horseshit

A term used by the elder generation to denote frivolous activity which they find annoying.

I grew up hearing this term by my father and grandfather

"I'm tired of dealing with this happy horseshit"
"I'm not listening to your happy horseshit anymore"

I have no idea where this phrase started...I just know it was very common where I grew up.

I also grew up hearing "It's way out in east bunny f**k"....term used to describe a location that is considered to far away and not really worth it

[SoSousMe]

Happy Horseshit

A term used by the elder generation to denote frivolous activity which they find annoying.

I grew up hearing this term by my father and grandfather

"I'm tired of dealing with this happy horseshit"
"I'm not listening to your happy horseshit anymore"

I have no idea where this phrase started...I just know it was very common where I grew up.

I also grew up hearing "It's way out in east bunny f**k"....term used to describe a location that is considered to far away and not really worth it







We called that Bum Fucked Egypt... No idea why

[Gemme]

I also grew up hearing "It's way out in east bunny f**k"....term used to describe a location that is considered to far away and not really worth it




We called that Bum Fucked Egypt... No idea why

I heard it as BFE. I guess it took too long to say it all.

Interesting how both descriptors use the same letters.

[Gráinne]

"For the Love of Pete" and "Honest to Pete"-probably from when using the word "God" in an expletive was considered blasphemy. "Pete" probably refers to St. Peter.

[puddin']

she'll be right = everything will work out fine

pack a sad = to become moody, to break

[puddin']

cackhanded = left handed, southpaw

knackered = stuffed, fagged out, rooted

[snow white]

A few from the north of England...

"Well, I'll go to the foot of our stairs!"

"He was standing there, like piffy on a rock bun"

"He's all there with his lemon drops"

: )

[Sweet Bliss]

Fabulous Snow White, thanks! I really enjoy learning more about how folks express themselves.

[snow white]

You're very welcome : )

[puddin']

"well, slap my head and call me silly!" (well, i'll be damned!)

"me-n-you are gonna mix." (get into a ruckus.)

“s/he don't got all what belongs to him/her.” (a bit crazy)

"it happened faster than a knife fight in a phone booth."

"you went around your elbow to get to your thumb!" (used for describing how one could have taken a shortcut but took the long way instead)

[Mopsie]

A few from the north of England...

"Well, I'll go to the foot of our stairs!"

"He was standing there, like piffy on a rock bun"

"He's all there with his lemon drops"

: )

What do these mean? :blink:

[Mopsie]

LONG IN THE TOOTH

When a horse grows old its gums recede and if you examine its mouth it looks 'long in the tooth'.

I have heard this happens to people also. :|

[Sweet Bliss]

Actually the human ear continues to grow until death. And apparently so does the hair inside them ..... ewwwwww!
:phonegab:

[cinnamongrrl]

Ohhhh I love this thread!! I am extremely interested in words, word origins and phraseology in general. There is a wonderful show on H2 called "America's Secret Slang" It even explains the origins of Y'all...and it's NOT what you think!

The Scot/Irish settled the south in a time when YE was the word for YOU. When they would talk about a group they would say Ye all....abbreviated to y'all! Fascinating stuff :)

They explain Trail blazing...so many things. I'm so enamored with that show!

[Sweet Bliss]

Ohhhh I love this thread!! I am extremely interested in words, word origins and phraseology in general. There is a wonderful show on H2 called "America's Secret Slang" It even explains the origins of Y'all...and it's NOT what you think!

The Scot/Irish settled the south in a time when YE was the word for YOU. When they would talk about a group they would say Ye all....abbreviated to y'all! Fascinating stuff :)

They explain Trail blazing...so many things. I'm so enamored with that show!

Holy moley, so it's not Texas folks talking funny? Hee, hee, I say it. All the time. ;)

[Gemme]

Actually the human ear continues to grow until death. And apparently so does the hair inside them ..... ewwwwww!
:phonegab:

The nose as well.

[puddin']

sheep's wool grows forever... jus' sayin

[Sweet Bliss]

"Bone to pick," dates back to the 16th century, simply refers to a dog chewing endlessly on, and "picking clean," a large bone. A "bone to pick" is thus a subject or issue that is expected to require considerable discussion or argument. A similar phrase, "bone of contention," meaning an issue over which two people argue, also dates back to the 1500s and refers, appropriately, to two dogs fighting over an especially choice bone.

i was thinking it was about zombies. vampires, and ggrave robbers. darn.

[ksrainbow]

*Lack of planning on your part does not constitute and emergency on mine*

As it relates to my work: "last minute need of what you want that I can get you, required you to get your paper work to me weeks ago!"

BTW: my boss will not allow me to post that on my door LOL!!

[tiggs]

"that's really skookum"

It has a range of positive meanings. The word can mean 'good,' 'strong,'[2] 'best,' 'powerful,' 'ultimate,' or 'brave.' Something can be skookum meaning 'really good' or 'right on! 'excellent!', or it can be skookum meaning 'tough' or 'durable.' A skookum burger is either a big[3] or a really tasty hamburger, or both.

[tiggs]

"dry as a popcorn fart" :blush:

something that is very dry. a peice of bread without butter or water can be drier than a popcorn fart.

[tiggs]

'whistling dixie'

To engage in unrealistically rosy fantasizing: "If you think mass transportation is going to replace the automobile I think you're whistling Dixie" (Henry Ford II).

[Venus007]

Growing up my great grandmother used "Bufflehead" to describe someone stupid, clumsy, but without malicious intent, as in

"That buffleheaded cousinah yours tripped feeding the hogs and they all got loose. Took your uncle Max n' Sterling 3 hours to catch em all."

It is the name of this rather handsome bird:
https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRRaGq6vRdGFp-kQVQLc_qfoinVKM9bOj2LvPLakdNmo2Zd1T5p


Also in the freekin 1600s it meant "simpleton". Where did she LEARN this word?! I want to know how she picked it up, who gave it to her.

[puddin']

Taken aback

Meaning: Surprised or startled by a sudden turn of events.

Origin: 'Aback' means in a backward direction - toward the rear. It is a word that has fallen almost into disuse, apart from in the phrase 'taken aback'. Originally 'aback' was two words: 'a' and 'back', but these became merged into a single word in the 15th century. The word 'around' and the now archaic 'adown' were formed in the same way.

'Taken aback' is an allusion to something that is startling enough to make us jump back in surprise. The first to be 'taken aback' were not people though but ships. The sails of a ship are said to be 'aback' when the wind blows them flat against the masts and spars that support them. A use of this was recorded in the London Gazette in 1697: "I braced my main topsails aback."

If the wind were to turn suddenly so that a sailing ship was facing unexpectedly into the wind, the ship was said to be 'taken aback'. An early example of that in print comes from an author called Eeles in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, 1754:

"If they luff up, they will be taken aback, and run the hazard of being dismasted."

Note: 'to luff' is to bring the head of a ship nearer to the wind.

The figurative use of the phrase, meaning surprised rather than physically pushed back, came in the 19th century. It appeared in The Times in March 1831:

"Whigs, Tories, and Radicals, were all taken aback with astonishment, that the Ministers had not come forward with some moderate plan of reform."

Charles Dickens also used it in his American Notes in 1842:

"I don't think I was ever so taken aback in all my life."

[tiggs]

'doing the beast with two backs'

Meaning

Partners engaged in sexual intercourse.

Origin

This modern-sounding phrase is in fact at least as early as Shakespeare. He used it in Othello, 1604:


Iago:
"I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs."

Shakespeare may have been the first to use it in English, although a version of it appears in Rabelais' Gargantua and Pantagruel, circa 1532. This was translated into English by Thomas Urquhart and published posthumously around 1693:


"In the vigour of his age he married Gargamelle, daughter to the King of the Parpaillons, a jolly pug, and well-mouthed wench. These two did oftentimes do the two-backed beast together, joyfully rubbing and frotting their bacon 'gainst one another."

[Gemme]

"In the vigour of his age he married Gargamelle, daughter to the King of the Parpaillons, a jolly pug, and well-mouthed wench. These two did oftentimes do the two-backed beast together, joyfully rubbing and frotting their bacon 'gainst one another."

I love this.

I rather enjoy frotting my bacon against Jar and am going to tell him so.

:sunglass:

[*Anya*]

muckety-muck

I was going to write in another thread that my GF was home from another business trip. I was going to write that she was a muckety-muck in her company and then thought: where the heck did muckety-muck come from?

high muckamuck also high muckety-muck
n. Slang

An important, often overbearing person.

[From Chinook Jargon hayo makamak, plenty to eat.]

Word History: One might not immediately associate the word high muckamuck with fur traders and Native Americans, but it seems that English borrowed the term from Chinook Jargon, a pidgin language combining words from English, French, Nootka, Chinook, and the Salishan languages that was formerly used by them in the Pacific Northwest. In this language hayo makamak meant "plenty to eat" and is recorded in that sense in English contexts, the first one dated 1853, in which the phrase is spelled Hiou Muckamuck.

In 1856 we find the first recorded instance of the word meaning "pompous person, person of importance," in the Democratic State Journal published in Sacramento: "The professors the high 'Muck-a-Mucks' tried fusion, and produced confusion."

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

[Sweet Bliss]

frotting??? omg i need to look that up.:glasses:

[C0LLETTE]

beyond the pale

The phrase "beyond the pale" dates back to the 14th century, when the part of Ireland that was under English rule was delineated by a boundary made of such stakes or fences, and known as the English Pale. To travel outside of that boundary, beyond the pale, was to leave behind all the rules and institutions of English society, which the English modestly considered synonymous with civilization itself.

Do I need to confess that I copy/pasted this? I just couldn't have explained it better lol

[Sweet Bliss]

beyond the pale

The phrase "beyond the pale" dates back to the 14th century, when the part of Ireland that was under English rule was delineated by a boundary made of such stakes or fences, and known as the English Pale. To travel outside of that boundary, beyond the pale, was to leave behind all the rules and institutions of English society, which the English modestly considered synonymous with civilization itself.

Do I need to confess that I copy/pasted this? I just couldn't have explained it better lol

No of course. But I think the TOS asks that we also acknowledge our source to give credit where credit is due. So I guess if you just add your source it's okay.

I will check and make sure. (f)

[C0LLETTE]

No of course. But I think the TOS asks that we also acknowledge our source to give credit where credit is due. So I guess if you just add your source it's okay.

I will check and make sure. (f)

It was the Urban Dictionary though I'm ashamed to admit it cause so much of their stuff is just so icky.

[Sweet Bliss]

beyond the pale

The phrase "beyond the pale" dates back to the 14th century, when the part of Ireland that was under English rule was delineated by a boundary made of such stakes or fences, and known as the English Pale. To travel outside of that boundary, beyond the pale, was to leave behind all the rules and institutions of English society, which the English modestly considered synonymous with civilization itself.

Do I need to confess that I copy/pasted this? I just couldn't have explained it better lol

Forgot to mention that this is a wonderful bit of history. Thank you for sharing it with us.

[Sweet Bliss]

It was the Urban Dictionary though I'm ashamed to admit it cause so much of their stuff is just so icky.

No Love it's fine.... I found it fascinating! !

No harm no foul. :bunchflowers:

[homoe]

OMG a idiom thread..........

I've found a new home to "hang my hat!"


To take up residence somewhere.

[homoe]

"Revenge Is A Dish Best Served Cold...........



It is very satisfying to achieve revenge a long time after some upsetting event occurred. Vengeance is often more satisfying if it is not exacted immediately.

Sidebar: I still laugh when I see the episode of The Sopranos where Tony mis-quotes this as "Revenge Is A Dish Best Served With Cold Cuts"...:giggle:

[homoe]

"A Watched Pot Never Boils"


Something we wait for with impatient attention seems to take forever.

[homoe]

"One Hand Washes The Other"/" You Scratch My Back I'll Scratch Yours"


Meaning mutual favors exchanged help both parties achieve favorable outcomes.

[homoe]

"Curiosity Killed The Cat"


Being inquisitive about other people's comings and goings. Inquisitiveness can lead one into dangerous situations before finding the results one is seeking.

[homoe]

"Familiarity Breeds Contempt"...


Repeated exposure to someone or something often creates a contentious relationship. Things that didn't necessarily irritate you about someone or something begin to the longer you are exposed to them.

[homoe]

"What Goes Around Comes Around"....


The results of things that one has done will someday have an effect on the person who started the events.

[homoe]

"A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two In The Bush"



Having something for certain is better than the possibility of getting something maybe.

[homoe]

"The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions"/"No Good Deed Goes Unpunished"


One's good deeds or good intentions will often result in more trouble than they are worth.

[homoe]

"Be Careful What You Wish For, You Might Just get It"


If you get things that you "wished for", there may be unexpected and unpleasant consequences.

[homoe]

"Bend Over Backwards"


To work very hard to accomplish something for someone; to go out of one's way.

[homoe]

"Head Over Heels"


Completely enamored of someone, typically a new romantic partner.

[homoe]

"Where There's Smoke There's Fire"


Used to say that if people are saying that someone has done something wrong there is usually a good reason for what is being said.

[homoe]

muckety-muck

I was going to write in another thread that my GF was home from another business trip. I was going to write that she was a muckety-muck in her company and then thought: where the heck did muckety-muck come from?

high muckamuck also high muckety-muck
n. Slang

An important, often overbearing person.

[From Chinook Jargon hayo makamak, plenty to eat.]

Word History: One might not immediately associate the word high muckamuck with fur traders and Native Americans, but it seems that English borrowed the term from Chinook Jargon, a pidgin language combining words from English, French, Nootka, Chinook, and the Salishan languages that was formerly used by them in the Pacific Northwest. In this language hayo makamak meant "plenty to eat" and is recorded in that sense in English contexts, the first one dated 1853, in which the phrase is spelled Hiou Muckamuck.

In 1856 we find the first recorded instance of the word meaning "pompous person, person of importance," in the Democratic State Journal published in Sacramento: "The professors the high 'Muck-a-Mucks' tried fusion, and produced confusion."

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

I had always thought it was mucky muck, but perhaps again it could be regional as many idioms tend to be!

[homoe]

"Lined Up Like Cord-wood"/Stacked Up Like Cord-wood



A vast amount of something!

Origin: In fall people who use primary wood stoves for heat will chop or buy cords of wood and then pile it neatly up for easy access. They tend to buy or chop vast amounts to carry them thru the cold weather season!

[homoe]

"Can Count On The Fingers Of One Hand & Have Plenty Of Fingers Left Over....



A phrase used to emphasize that something happens rarely. Something or some event that exists in very small numbers.

[homoe]

Tighten/ Loosen The Purse Strings......


To restrict (or increase) the amount of money available to be spent.

[homoe]

"Know Which Side Of One's Bread Is Buttered"...


To be aware of where your money comes from; to be loyal to the person or thing that will benefit you the most. To know who to be nice to or what to do in order to gain advantages for yourself.

[charley]

"Know Which Side Of One's Bread Is Buttered"...

To be aware of where your money comes from; to be loyal to the person or thing that will benefit you the most. To know who to be nice to or what to do in order to gain advantages for yourself.

My cousin used to say that one must treat everyone the same; for myself, have always been the same with everyone (I think I may have gotten that understanding from my mom, not sure, don't remember). I distrust people who take sides... big red flag for me. :redcard:

:runforhills:

[homoe]

"To Bite One's Tongue"



To forcibly prevent oneself from speaking, especially in order to avoid saying something inappropriate or likely to cause a dispute.

[homoe]

"All's Well That Ends Well".........

An event that has a good ending is good even if some things went wrong along the way.

Although this phrase is the title of a Shakespeare play, it likely predates it.

[homoe]

There's Never A Road So Long Without A Curve...

Things may be flowing smoothly now, but in time problems arise so be prepared.

[homoe]

"Hit Or Miss"


Sometimes good or successful, sometimes not; having mixed or unpredictable results; random, aimless, careless, or haphazard.

[homoe]

"Off One's Rocker".......





Crazy, demented, out of one's mind, in a confused or befuddled state of mind, senile.

[homoe]

"Let The Chips Fall Where They May":.....





To let something happen, no matter if it's good or bad.

[homoe]

"A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss."


Meaning that if a person keeps moving from one place to another, they will not get many friends or possessions. A person, who keeps changing from place to place has no roots and hence no responsibilities.

[homoe]

"Slower Than Molasses In January"...........

Exceptionally slow or sluggish; not fast at all. Someone or something that is painfully slow.

[homoe]

"One Man's Meat Is Another Man's Poison/ One Man's Trash Is Another Man's Treasure.


What one person may consider good, enjoyable, or beneficial may be disliked by someone else.

[homoe]

"Jumping Out Of The Frying Pan Into The Fire"...........


Going from a bad situation to one that is even worse.

[homoe]

"Don't Cut Off Your Nose To Spite Your Face"



Meaning acting out of pique, or against pursuing revenge in a way that would damage oneself more than the object of one's anger.

[homoe]

Don't Burn Your House To Smoke Out A Rat!


It advises us to use solutions that are appropriate to the magnitude of the problem.

[homoe]

"Walking On Eggshells"...........



To act with great care and consideration so as not to upset someone.

[homoe]

"Woke Up On The Wrong Side Of The Bed".......



To be in a particularly and persistently irritable, unhappy, or grouchy mood or state, especially when it is not in line with one's normal disposition.

[homoe]

"Bet Your Bottom Dollar"...

Be certain that something will happen so much so that one would hypothetically risk one's last dollar betting on it.

[homoe]

"Open Secret" .............

Something that is supposed to be secret but is actually something that many people know about

[homoe]

“Have A Heart” ..............



Show some pity; try and be sympathetic.

[homoe]

"Have Egg On Your Face"



To have egg on your face is to feel foolish.

[homoe]

"Sugarcoat"


To “sugarcoat” something is to put it into a deceptively or inaccurately positive light.

[homoe]

“That’s The Way The Cookie Crumbles” ..



Means that what is referred to is an expected or typical outcome.

[homoe]

"Calm Before The Storm"..............



A quiet or peaceful period before a period during which there is great activity, argument, or difficulty

[Esme nha Maire]

"Let The Chips Fall Where They May":.....

To let something happen, no matter if it's good or bad.

Now, that phrase (or one very similar) has a history that goes back to 49BC! The Senate of Rome had ordered a young successful general returning from campaigning in southern Gaul to disband his army before crossing the Rubicon river, which was then regarded as the border of Italy. The general ignored it, and crossed the river with one of his legions, uttering the phrase "Alea iacta est!" as he did so.

This of course was regarded as treason by the Senate, and the incident sparked a civil war which resulted in the general - Julius Caesar - taking sole charge of the Roman state, turning the Senate into little more than a bureaucratic rubber-stamping body. And so Rome gained its first emperor.

The phrase Alea iacta est means that the dice (alea) have been thrown, but have not yet landed, so the outcome of the throw is unknown. It's often translated into English as "the die is cast" but in modern English that appears to mean that things are set, whereas the original meant that all is in a state of flux. Some prefer "Throw the dice high!" as capturing the spirit of the original better.

And from this same incident, we get "crossing the Rubicon", meaning that a point of no return has been reached.

[homoe]

Brown-Nose............


Sucking up to someone to ingratiate oneself. Bring oneself into favor with someone by flattering or trying to please them.

[homoe]

Butter Someone Up"............




Get one someone's good side so they'll do what you want them to do. To flatter someone; to treat someone especially nicely in hopes of receiving special favors.

[homoe]

"Come Clean"........




Expression means to confess one's actions, reveal the truth.

[homoe]

"Loose Lips Sink Ships".........



An reference to people sharing secret information that ruins everything. Keep your mouth shut, don't share a secret with anyone as it can come back to damage you in the end.

[homoe]

"To Be A Fly On The Wall"...............


Wishing you could be an unnoticed observer of a particular situation.
If you would like to be a fly on the wall when a particular thing happens, you would like to secretly hear what is said or see what happens.

[homoe]

"If Push Comes To Shove'............


When a situation deteriorates or becomes desperate; when drastic measures are needed.

When the pressure is on; when the situation is critical or urgent; when the time has come for action, even if it is difficult.

[homoe]

"A Whole Other Kettle Of Fish"..............


A different thing altogether. To be entirely different in scope or description from someone or something that was just being discussed.

[homoe]

This rhetorical question is derived from the title of a song that became popular after World War I, in which it was wondered whether American soldiers returning from the war to their homes in the countryside would become dissatisfied with their old way of life after being exposed to the supposedly richer culture that prevailed in urban centers in Europe, like Paris.

[homoe]

"A Word To The Wise".........


A phrase that emphasizes a statement as advice. It is a shortening of the phrase "a word to the wise is sufficient," meaning that a wise or intelligent person can take a hint and does not need a long explanation.

[homoe]

"Apple Of My Eye"...................


A cherished or favored person.

[homoe]

"Back Seat Driver".............

People who criticize from the sidelines, much like someone giving unwanted advice from the back seat of a vehicle to the driver.

[homoe]

"A Real Doozy"...........



Something or someone outstanding.

[homoe]

"Feeding Frenzy"............



An aggressive attack on someone by a group.

[homoe]

"A Humdinger"................


An remarkable or outstanding person or thing of its kind.

[Gemme]

"A Real Doozy"...........


Something or someone outstanding.

Regional dialogue strikes again!

In the South, you'll hear 'doozy' in terms of things like...

"Watch that first step, it's a doozy!" or "That tornado was a doozy and tore everything up!"

...so it has a negative connotation for me, as in a lot to handle if it's a person or something that does or has the potential to hurt people or things.

I'm going to try to see it from your perspective and see if that changes things. :)

[homoe]

"Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained"..............


In order to achieve, you need to act and take risks. Just sitting and wishing for something doesn't make it happen!

[homoe]

"Rome Wasn't Built In A Day"..........



A complex task or great achievement takes time and effort. Also an warning
against rashness and impatiences.

[homoe]

"Where There Is A Will There Is A Way...........



If you want to do or get something bad enough you'll find a way to do it or get it.

[homoe]

"No News Is Good News"............



Without any news/information to the contrary, you can assume that all is well.

[homoe]

"Lie Like A Trooper.........




To lie often and barefacedly.

[homoe]

"Have Bats In The Belfry".................





To be crazy; to act, think, or behave in a foolish or nonsensical manner. Be crazy or at least very eccentric.

[homoe]

"What's Cooking".........."What's Shaking"



What's going on: What's happening.

[homoe]

"Telling Tales Out Of School"...........


To share secrets. To talk about the private affairs or share info about another.

[homoe]

"Sour Grapes"............




Acting meanly after a disappointment. Sour grapes is when one criticizes or otherwise disparages something that they cannot have.

[homoe]

"Right Hand Doesn't Know What the Left Hand Is Doing".........


In a situation or setting in which people are working together, certain people in the organization are ignorant of the actions of certain other people in the organization, leading to dysfunction.

Count on this occurring when dealing with any bureaucratic system!

[homoe]

"Waiting For The Other Shoe To Drop"........



To await a seemingly inevitable event, especially one which is not desirable.

[homoe]

"Walking On Eggshells".........




To be overly careful in dealing with a person or situation; to be careful and sensitive, in handling very sensitive matters.

[homoe]

"Bite The Bullet"



To accept something you'd just as soon not and try to live with it.

[homoe]

"Clam Up"


To refuse to talk or reply; refrain from talking or divulging information. To suddenly stop talking or refuse to speak, typically due to a particular reason.

[homoe]

"Getting Into The Swing of Things"..........


Become active, make progress in some en devour. To become comfortable with something and begin to do it more efficiently and/or enjoy it.

[homoe]

"When It Rains It Pours"..........


When something good or bad happens, similarly good or bad things tend to follow.

[~ocean]

c'est la vie

That's life !

[~ocean]

com si. com sa

adequate or so, so; also means a little bit of this a little bit of that

[homoe]

"For love nor money".............


This idiom means that a person won’t do something no matter what is offered to them!

[homoe]

"Blinded by love"...........



When a person is so madly in love with somebody that they can’t see the persons faults or negative characteristics.

[homoe]

"No love lost"...............


A mutual animosity between two people.

[~ocean]

A Penny For Your Thoughts

Used to inquire into the thoughts and feelings of another, especially when the person appears pensive or conflicted

[homoe]

"Revenge Is A Dish Best Served Cold"...............


Vengeance is more satisfying when exacted some time after the harm that instigated it.

[homoe]

"An Ounce Of Prevention Is Worth A Pound Of Cure"


Working to stop something from happening is easier and better than having to try to resolve it later.

[homoe]

"Fit As A Fiddle"..................

Being in good health; in sound condition. This common idiom is used by people to describe their health, or to say that they are in good shape.


This phrase's origin is not clear. However, it may have something to do with the maintenance involved in keeping a musical instrument in good condition. Indeed, instruments like guitars, flutes, drums and others require a level of care to keep them in good shape and functioning properly.

[homoe]

"Be Careful What You Wish For"...................




If you get things that you desire, there may be unforeseen and unpleasant consequences.

[homoe]

''Full Of Piss And Vinegar''.............



To have an abundance or excessive amount of boisterous, youthful energy, enthusiasm, or rowdiness.

[homoe]

"Put The Cart Before The Horse".........



The expression cart before the horse is an idiom or proverb used to suggest something is done contrary to a conventional or culturally expected order or relationship.

[homoe]

"Right Off The Bat"



Instantly, immediately, first thing.

Sidebar: The origins of this phrase are likely to be from baseball, where, after a successful hit, the batter will take immediate action and run to first base. From what I've found, this idiom goes back to at least the 1880s. Anyways, during the 1880s, this expression was used in newspapers both in relation to baseball, but also in the figurative sense of 'doing something fast.'

[homoe]

"Just A Hunch".....




To have an feeling about something or someone. Without proof or concrete evidence.

[homoe]

"To The Letter".......



Follow something exactly as written or instructed. Precisely

[homoe]

"All's Well That Ends Well"............


An event that has a good ending is good even if some things went wrong along the way. A positive ending can overshadow any problems that may have preceded it.

Sidebar: Although this phrase is the title of a Shakespeare play, it likely predates it.

[homoe]

"Ignorance Is Bliss"........


It is better to remain unaware or ignorant of things that may otherwise cause one stress; if you don't know about something, you don't need to worry about it.

[homoe]

"Forewarned Is For Armed"....................



Knowledge in advance enables one to be prepared. Prior knowledge of possible dangers or problems gives one a tactical advantage.

[homoe]

"Everyone And Their Brother"......



A large number or a majority of people. Used hyperbolically.

[homoe]

"Like Looking For A Needle In A Haystack"............


Something that is impossible or extremely difficult to find, especially because the area you have to search is too large.

[~ocean]

tit for tat equivalent retaliation

[homoe]

"No Flies On You".......................




If you say there are no flies on someone, you mean that they are quick to understand a situation and are not easily deceived.

[homoe]

"Nose To The Grindstone"..............


To work hard, or focus heavily on the task at hand. To work diligently on something. Stick with a task until completed.

[homoe]

"Weak In The Knees".............


Affected by a strong emotional reaction to someone or something. To be overcome by a strong feeling, usually desire. To be caught off guard by something that upsets you.

[homoe]

"Get Off Your High Horse"..................



Meaning to stop acting as if one is better than other people; to stop being arrogant or haughty.

[cathexis]

Who died and made you chief?

[homoe]

"Rattle Someone's Cage"........................


If you rattle someone's cage, you do or say something that upsets or annoys them.

To purposefully anger, upset, or unnerve one, especially to affect their performance or undermine their credibility.

[cathexis]

Colder than a witch"s left tit.

[homoe]

"Out In Left Field"..............



Uncommon, unpopular, or otherwise strange. Offbeat; unusual and eccentric.

[kittygrrl]

"Out In Left Field"..............



Uncommon, unpopular, or otherwise strange. Offbeat; unusual and eccentric.

homoe:blush:how did you know???:alieninjar:

[homoe]

"Chickens Come Home To Roost"........


The consequences of doing wrong always catch up with the wrongdoer.

After a long time you experience the unpleasant effects of something bad or stupid that you have done in the past.

[homoe]

"Paper Over Cracks"..................



To say that someone is papering over the cracks means that they are concealing a problem rather than dealing with it effectively.

[WheatToast]

"Like Looking For A Needle In A Haystack"............


Something that is impossible or extremely difficult to find, especially because the area you have to search is too large.

"Here, hold my beer."

A warning that someone is going to do something really dangerous and stupid because they are drunk.

[WheatToast]

"Be Careful What You Wish For"...................




If you get things that you desire, there may be unforeseen and unpleasant consequences.

"She is mutton dressed as lamb."

An older woman who dresses inappropriately young--like an 80-year-old wearing a tube top and daisy dukes.
:|

[WheatToast]

tit for tat equivalent retaliation


"crazier than a rat in a coffee can"

A level of insanity that causes the person to panic and make mad moves to get out of whatever jam he/she is in.

[~ocean]

"crazier than a rat in a coffee can"

A level of insanity that causes the person to panic and make mad moves to get out of whatever jam he/she is in.


from your lips to God's ears

[homoe]

"Not Born Yesterday"............"I Was Born At Night But Not Last Night"



Experienced, not naive or easily fooled.

[homoe]

"Curiosity Killed The Cat"...................


Inquisitiveness can be dangerous, especially when it extends to things one does not need to know about. Used to warn of the dangers of unnecessary investigation or experimentation.

[cathexis]

Haste makes waste.

Refers to actions that are hurried causing one to perform extra work to correct the rushed and erroneously done activity.

(an axiom that today's multi-tasker might remember)

[homoe]

"Opening Up A Can Of Worms".................


A situation that, once started, is likely to become problematic or have a negative outcome. A situation or subject that is very complicated, difficult or unpleasant to deal with or discuss.

[homoe]

"A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two In The Bush"............



A sure thing is always better than a "maybe"!

[homoe]

"Rome Wasn't Built In A Day".................


Meaning that it takes a long time to do a task properly, and you should not rush it or expect to do it quickly. This expression functions as an injunction or plea for someone to be patient.

[homoe]

"Testing The Waters"


To informally or casually attempt to gauge the reaction of a potential audience or recipient of something, or to try to get an idea of what something will be like before actually doing it. Try something in order to see if you like it or it is suitable.

[WheatToast]

"Opening Up A Can Of Worms".................


A situation that, once started, is likely to become problematic or have a negative outcome. A situation or subject that is very complicated, difficult or unpleasant to deal with or discuss.

Open up a can of whoop-ass.

When someone is fixin' to kick someone's ass.

[homoe]

"Off The Wall".............

The phrase off the wall, meaning wild, crazy, or eccentric. Strange, wacky, or unusual. Odd,,, silly....

[homoe]

"When Life Gives You Lemons Make Lemonade"...........


To make lemonade out of lemons is to take something that is not so great and turn it into something good. To take a situation that is negative and turn it into a positive.

[homoe]

"Variety Is The Spice Of Life"...................



Having many different experiences is what makes life interesting, exciting, enjoyable, and worthwhile. You should try many different kinds of experiences, because trying different things keeps life interesting.

[kittygrrl]

"Variety Is The Spice Of Life"...................



Having many different experiences is what makes life interesting, exciting, enjoyable, and worthwhile. You should try many different kinds of experiences, because trying different things keeps life interesting. well............i agree:phonegab: as long as you can deal w the burnt fingers:|

[homoe]

"Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket"................



Not to invest, devote, or commit all of one's energy or resources into a single venture, opportunity, or goal, generally at the risk of losing everything in the event that that thing fails. Not to make everything dependent on only one thing; to place all one's resources in one place, account, etc.

[C0LLETTE]

"pies chi lisaw morde..."

Polish ( basically ) : dog lick your face...to hell with you

[homoe]

"Come To Light"


Be clearly revealed or exposed.

[homoe]

"Hold One's Feet to The Fire"................


To put pressure on one to do, say, or consent to something. To maintain personal, social, political, or legal pressure on someone in order to induce him or her to comply with one's desires; to hold someone accountable for his or her actions.

[homoe]

"From Your Lips To God's Ears"............


When you say this to someone, it means that you hope what they are saying will come true

[kittygrrl]

"whistling into the wind"

done it...wasn't fun

[homoe]

"whistling into the wind"

done it...wasn't fun

tis better to whistle into the wind than spit....:|

[homoe]

“Hit The Ceiling/Roof” .....


To react with extreme anger.

[homoe]

"Shaking Like A Leaf"...................



To tremble violently with fear or nervousness.

[homoe]

"Floored"......................




To be “floored” means surprised and/or overwhelmed (usually in a good way).

[homoe]

"A Burr in (One's) My Saddle"................



A source or cause of intense and persistent annoyance or irritation.

[homoe]

"Not Have A Snowball's Chance In Hell"............



To be completely impossible or incredibly unlikely; to have no chance whatsoever.

[homoe]

"None So Blind As Those Who Will Not See"........



The most deluded people are those who choose to ignore what they already know.

[homoe]

"A Sight For Sore Eyes"...........





A way of saying that you are happy to see someone. A way of expressing that you think someone is good looking. Something that you are happy to look at.

[homoe]

"Blow A Fuse"/ " Blow A Gasket"


To lose your temper; cannot control your anger.

[homoe]

"Blow A Fuse"/ " Blow A Gasket"


To lose your temper; cannot control your anger.

Also........Hit The Roof

[homoe]

"Go Bananas".................


To become irrational or crazy.To become extremely excited or jubilant.

Sidebar: The colloquial use of bananas for 'mad, crazy' is a surprisingly recent development. There is an isolated record of it from the US in the 1930s meaning 'sexually perverted, degenerate', but the current usage seems to have originated in US college slang of the mid to late 1960s. It is not clear how it arose.

[homoe]

"Let Sleeping Dogs Lie"




Meaning not to disturb a situation as it is - since it could result in trouble or complications.

[homoe]

"Blow A Fuse"/ " Blow A Gasket"


To lose your temper; cannot control your anger.

"Go Ballistic" ..............

[homoe]

"Better To Be Safe Than Sorry".........


It's wiser to be cautious and careful than to be hasty or rash and to do something that you may later regret. It is better to expend the time or effort to be cautious with one's actions than to feel regret about one's carelessness later.

[homoe]

"According To Hoyle"..................



According to the rules; in keeping with the way something is normally done. When wishing something goes According To Hoyle you're hope it goes off without a hitch!

[homoe]

"And The Rest As They Say, Is History".....



COMMON If you are telling someone about an event and you say the rest is history, you mean that you do not need to say any more because you are sure that everyone is familiar with what happened next.

[homoe]

"Like It Is Going Out Of Style"............




This idiom means that you are doing, eating, buying or using, something a lot.

[homoe]

"One Man's Meat Is Another Man's Poison"....


What one person may consider good, enjoyable, or beneficial may be disliked by someone else. Something that one person likes may be distasteful to someone else.

[homoe]

"Smooth Sailing"..............




Progress or advancement that is free from hassle and easy to achieve.

[homoe]

"All's Fair In Love And War".................




Nothing is out of bounds when it comes to love and war. Otherwise questionable actions are acceptable under extenuating circumstances. A phrase used to justify behavior that could be considered unsavory, unethical, or unfair.

[homoe]

"Bury The Hatchet"............



Bury the hatchet is an idiom meaning "to make peace": make peace; end a quarrel, settle one’s differences to become friends again.To agree to forget past transgressions.

[homoe]

"Bury The Hatchet"............



Bury the hatchet is an idiom meaning "to make peace": make peace; end a quarrel, settle one’s differences to become friends again.To agree to forget past transgressions.

Oh BTW, I don't believe this has any association with bushcrafting.........:giggle:

[homoe]

Lock, Stock, And Barrel"......



Entirely or completely; all of something.

[homoe]

"Some Days It Just Doesn't Pay To Get Out Of Bed".............


Some days will be a complete disaster no matter what you do or try to do!

[homoe]

"Feel It In Your Bones"........



An expression meaning you know something intuitively to be true.

[homoe]

"Full Of Piss And Vinegar"........




An expression meaning general perkiness and energy; to feel devilish.

[homoe]

"Fussbudget"................


A fussy, nervous person, a worrier, perfectionist, often a stickler for things to be carried out exactly as he/she dictates.

[homoe]

"Get On The Stick".............




Meaning to get motivated or begin something.

[homoe]

"Highway Robbery"...................



A situation in which one is charged an exorbitant price. The feeling of being overcharged for something!

[homoe]

"Fork In The Road"..............


A way to show that there is a large decision to be made and you have to chose between two obstacles.

[homoe]

"Fork Over"/"Fork Out".............




To physically give someone something, often reluctantly.

[homoe]

"White Glove Test"...........


As I understand this, it refers to an inspection of a room for cleanliness. The idea is that, if the room is sufficiently clean, the inspector would be unable to find a speck of dust, even if he/she were to don white cotton gloves and run a gloved finger along every surface.

[homoe]

"Take A Shine To".......................


To have or develop a fondness or preference for someone or something; to be attracted to or desire someone or something. To act in a way that will let someone know you like them.

[homoe]

"Become Smitten With"............


Suddenly start to like someone very much. To become infatuated with someone.

[kittygrrl]

"White Glove Test"...........


As I understand this, it refers to an inspection of a room for cleanliness. :|....do not bring those to my house..lol

[homoe]

"Cleanliness Is Next To Godliness"...............



This is an idiom or proverb that just doesn't make a lick of sense IMHO!

[homoe]

"That's All She Wrote".........................





Used to convey that there is or was nothing more to be said about a matter.

[homoe]

"Spick And Span".................



Describing something that's clean, tidy, or orderly.

[homoe]

"Slippery Slope".....................




An idea or course of action which will lead to something unacceptable or disastrous.

[homoe]

Six Ways From Sunday"................



Meaning thoroughly, every possible way, exhausted all alternatives.

[homoe]

"Take The Plunge"................


To commit oneself to a course of action that is momentous or challenging. Venture something.

[homoe]

"Hook Line And Sinker"...........



Completely and unquestioningly;totally. Used to emphasize that someone has been completely deceived or tricked.

[homoe]

"If The Shoe Fits".............


If something (typically negative) applies to one, one should acknowledge it or accept responsibility or blame for it.

[homoe]

"In Good Company".................



Among or having the same standing or status as respected people who have a lot of accomplishments and/or experience. If you say that somebody is in good company, you mean that they should not worry about a mistake, etc. because somebody else, especially somebody more important, has done the same thing.

[homoe]

"Carpe Diem"..........



Latin translated as "seize the day" means to make the most of one's experiences or opportunities.

[homoe]

"Don't Fix What Isn't Broken"......



If something is going or working well, there's no need to change it.

[homoe]

"Give Someone The Bum's Rush"..................



To hastily and forcefully remove someone from a place. Likened to the ejection of a vagrant.

[homoe]

"Here's Your Hat, What's Your Hurry"........



A nicer way of saying you've overstayed your welcome!

[homoe]

"Attack Someone's Achilles Heel"..............


An Achilles heel is a person’s (organization, country, etc.) weakness or vulnerability. Although it can refer to a physical weakness or limitation, this idiom can refer to any perceived weakness. It may also refer to someone who is successful, strong, or otherwise doing well, but which has on ‘fatal flaw’ or weakness which could bring about their failure or downfall. The weakness or flaw doesn’t necessarily have to negative, in general.

[cathexis]

"mad as a hatter"

The definition of mad nowadays is crazy or insane. Back in the 17th and 18th centuries, Mercury Nitrate was used in the hat making industry. Mercury is a neurological poison which may result in insanity. The origin is thought to be of that era in the S. England area.

[homoe]

"The Jig Is Up"....................


The plan or scheme has been discovered and/or thwarted; the game, trick, or deception is at an end.

[homoe]

"What's Good For The Goose Is Good For The Gander"....



If something is good, acceptable, or beneficial for one person, it is or should be equally so for another person or persons as well!

[homoe]

"Push Someone's Buttons".................



To do things that create a very strong emotional reaction in one, especially anger, irritation, or exasperation!

[homoe]

"Cut A Rug"...............


If you cut a rug or cut the rug, you dance in a lively and energetic way.

[homoe]

"Don't Be A Killjoy"............


A person who takes the fun out of things for other people. Someone who can't be happy for others good luck or happiness!

[cathexis]

More X "than you could shake a stick at."
Origin thought to be in the US Deep South approx.: 1800

Often refers to having an over abundance of an item. Ex: Their garden has more tomatoes than I could shake a stick at.
For historians, there is a reference in literature 1835 Mary Beecher Stowe in Uncle Tom's Cabin, Chapter 16.

[cathexis]

"I'd give my eye teeth for that."


This a fairly new expression (last Century) meaning that the person would be wiling to give up an important item such as the teeth needed for meat, the canines, to acquire a perceived valuable skill or item.

[homoe]

"Diamond In The Rough"...........



A person or thing with exceptional qualities or characteristics that cannot be seen from the surface

[homoe]

'Nothing To Write Home About".............


To be not especially remarkable or noteworthy; to be rather dull, mediocre, uninteresting, or unimportant.


Sidebar: I saw this in one of Gemme's post and it jogged my memory.....

[homoe]

"Green Eyed Monster" ..............


Jealousy; envy.


Sidebar: The phrase 'green-eyed jealousy' was used by, and possibly coined by, Shakespeare to denote jealousy, in The Merchant of Venice, 1596

[homoe]

"A Backhanded Compliment".............



A backhanded compliment is a remark which seems to be praising someone or something but which could also be understood as criticism. Ambiguous statement – one that can be taken as a compliment, but which might also be seen as an insult.

[homoe]

"Throw Cold Water On Something"............



To discourage or deter someone from doing something; to make something seem less appealing or reduce someone's enthusiasm for something.

[homoe]

"A Load Of Hogwash"..............


Worthless, false, or ridiculous speech or writing; nonsense.

[homoe]

"Be Worth Its/One's Weight In Gold"........


To be very valuable, important, or useful.

[homoe]

"Doesn't Have Two Pennies To Rub Together"..........



These expressions refer to being impoverished, destitute, or without resources, similar to "poor as a church mouse."

[homoe]

"Up In The Air".......




An expression meaning something or a situation is unclear or undefined"