The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms Read online

  blow off steam Also, let off steam. Air or relieve one’s pent-up feelings by loud talk or vigorous activity. For example, Joan’s shouting did not mean she was angry at you; she was just blowing off steam, or After spending the day on very exacting work, Tom blew off steam by going for a long run. This metaphoric term refers to easing the pressure in a steam engine. [Early 1800s]

  blow one’s brains out Shoot oneself in the head, as in Blowing one’s brains out is more a man’s type of suicide; women lean toward poison. [Early 1800s]

  blow one’s cool → See under KEEP ONE’S COOL.

  blow one’s cover Inadvertently give away one’s secret identity, as in Mary came to the annual meeting pretending to be a shareholder and hoped no one would blow her cover. This expression uses blow in the sense of “expose or betray,” a usage dating from Shakespeare’s day.

  blow one’s mind 1. Surprise, shock, or amaze one, as in This jazz group blows my mind, or Joe served a jail sentence? That blows my mind. This term is used rather loosely, as seen in the examples; the first signifies amazement and pleasure, the second shock and dismay. [Slang; 1960s] 2. Alter one’s perceptions, especially through drug use, as in Taking LSD really blows one’s mind. [Slang; 1960s] 3. Make insane, drive crazy, as in Was it his wife’s death that blew his mind? or Losing her savings blew her mind. [1960s]

  blow one’s own horn Also, blow one’s trumpet. Brag about oneself, as in Within two minutes of meeting someone new, Bill was blowing his own horn. [Late 1500s]

  blow one’s top 1. Also, blow one’s stack. Fly into a rage; lose one’s composure. For example, If she calls about this one more time I’m going to blow my top, or Warren is generally very easy-going, but today he blew his stack. The top here has been likened to the top of an erupting volcano; the stack alludes to a smokestack. [Slang; first half of 1900s] 2. Go crazy, become insane, as in When she regains consciousness, she just may blow her top. [Slang; first half of 1900s] Also see FLIP ONE’S LID.

  blow someone to Treat someone to something, as in Let me blow you to dinner. [Slang; late 1800s]

  blow out 1. Extinguish, especially a flame. For example, The wind blew out the candles very quickly. [1300s] 2. Lose force or cease entirely, as in The storm will soon blow itself out and move out to sea. Also see BLOW OVER. 3. Burst or rupture suddenly, as in This tire is about to blow out. This usage alludes to the escape of air under pressure. [Early 1900s] 4. Also, blow out of the water. Defeat decisively, as in With a great new product and excellent publicity, we could blow the competition out of the water. This term originally was used in mid-19th-century naval warfare, where it meant to blast or shoot another vessel to pieces. It later was transferred to athletic and other kinds of defeat. [Slang; mid-1900s]

  blow over Pass away, subside. For example, The storm will blow over by afternoon, or After a couple of years the scandal will blow over. This term, with its analogy to storm clouds passing over an area, dates from about 1600.

  blow sky-high 1. Destroy by explosion, explode, as in Once the charge is set, get away fast or you’ll be blown sky-high. [Early 1800s] Also see under BLOW UP. 2. Refute completely, as in The lab report has blown your theory sky-high. [Mid-1800s]

  blow the lid off Also, blow wide open. Expose, especially a scandal or illegal activity. For example, The newspaper’s investigation blew the lid off the governor’s awarding state contracts to his friends. [First half of 1900s]

  blow the whistle on 1. Expose corruption or other wrongdoing, as in The President’s speech blew the whistle on the opposition’s leaking information. [Colloquial; 1930s] 2. Put a stop to, as in The registry decided to blow the whistle on new vanity plates. The term originally alluded to ending an activity (such as factory work) with the blast of a whistle. [Late 1800s]

  blow up 1. Explode or cause to explode. For example, The squadron was told to blow up the bridge, or Jim was afraid his experiment would blow up the lab. The term is sometimes amplified, as in blow up in one’s face. [Late 1500s] 2. Lose one’s temper, as in I’m sorry I blew up at you. Mark Twain used this metaphor for an actual explosion in one of his letters (1871): “Redpath tells me to blow up. Here goes!” [Colloquial; second half of 1800s] 3. Inflate, fill with air, as in If you don’t blow up those tires you’re sure to have a flat. [Early 1400s] 4. Enlarge, especially a photograph, as in If we blow up this picture, you’ll be able to make out the expressions on their faces. [c. 1930] 5. Exaggerate the importance of something or someone, as in Tom has a tendency to blow up his own role in the affair. This term applies the “inflate” of def. 3 to importance. It was used in this sense in England from the early 1500s to the 1700s, but then became obsolete there although it remains current in America. 6. Collapse, fail, as in Graduate-student marriages often blow up soon after the couple earn their degrees. [Slang; mid-1800s]

  blue → In addition to the idioms beginning with BLUE, also see BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE (DEVIL AND DEEP BLUE SEA); BLACK AND BLUE; BOLT FROM THE BLUE; HAVE THE BLUES; INTO THIN AIR (THE BLUE); LIKE GREASED LIGHTNING (A BLUE STREAK); ONCE IN A BLUE MOON; OUT OF A CLEAR BLUE SKY; TALK SOMEONE’S ARM OFF (A BLUE STREAK; UNTIL ONE IS BLUE IN THE FACE).

  blue blood Describing someone of high or noble birth. The term is a translation of the Spanish sangre azul, applied to Spanish aristocrats who were not descended from those who had intermarried with the invading Moors and were light-skinned enough so that their veins showed blue through their skin. The expression entered English in the early 1800s and was satirized by W.S. Gilbert in Iolanthe, when Lord Tolloler complains that Phyllis is not impressed by his title: “Blue blood! Blue blood! When virtuous love is sought thy power is naught, though dating from the Flood, blue blood!”

  blue funk, in a 1. In a state of panic or terror. For example, Just because the bride’s mother is late, you needn’t get in a blue funk. This term originated in the mid-1700s as in a funk, the adjective blue, meaning “affected with fear or anxiety,” being added a century later. 2. In a state of dejection, sad. For example, Anne has been in a blue funk since her dog died. This usage employs blue in the sense of “sad”—a meaning that first emerged in the late 1300s. Also see HAVE THE BLUES.

  blue in the face Exhausted from anger, strain, or other great effort. For example, You can argue until you’re blue in the face, but I refuse to go. This expression alludes to the bluish skin color resulting from lack of oxygen, which presumably might result from talking until one was breathless. See also under TALK SOMEONE’S ARM OFF.

  blues → See HAVE THE BLUES.

  bluff → See CALL SOMEONE’S BLUFF.

  blurt out Say abruptly or inadvertently, utter without thinking. For example, Unfortunately he blurted out how much he hated formal dinners just as his hostess walked in. [Late 1500s]

  blush → See AT FIRST BLUSH.

  board → See ACROSS THE BOARD; BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD; BED AND BOARD; BULLETIN BOARD; BY THE BOARD; GO OVERBOARD; ON BOARD; OPEN AND ABOVEBOARD; ROOM AND BOARD; STIFF AS A BOARD; TREAD THE BOARDS.

  boardinghouse reach Reaching across fellow diners for food instead of asking them to pass it. For example, At holiday meals when the whole family is gathered, Dad always scolds at least one child for his boardinghouse reach. This term alludes to the formerly common boardinghouse practice of seating all the residents at one large table and to the rudeness of those who simply reached across others to help themselves. Heard less often today, it is not quite obsolete. [c. 1900]

  boat → See BURN ONE’S BRIDGES (BOATS); IN THE SAME BOAT; MISS THE BOAT; ROCK THE BOAT.

  bob up Appear suddenly or unexpectedly. For example, I didn’t know anyone in the group until Harry bobbed up. This term uses the verb bob in the sense of “to bounce,” a usage dating from Chaucer’s day. [Late 1800s]

  body → In addition to the idioms beginning with BODY, also see KEEP BODY AND SOUL TOGETHER; OVER MY DEAD BODY.

  body blow An action that causes severe damage, as in This last recession dealt a body blow to our whole industry. This term comes fr
om boxing, where since the 1700s it has been used to refer to a punch that is landing between the opponent’s chest and navel. [c. 1900]

  body English Movements of the body that express a person’s feelings, as in His body English tells us just how tired he is. This expression originated about 1900 in such sports as bowling and ice hockey, where a player tries to influence the path of a ball or puck by moving his body in a particular direction. (It was based on the earlier use of English to mean “spin imparted to a ball.”)

  bog down Become stuck, be unable to progress, as in Their research bogged down because they lacked the laboratory expertise. This expression transfers sinking into the mud of a swamp to being hampered or halted. [First half of 1900s]

  boggle the mind Bewilder or astonish with complexity, novelty, or the like, as in The very magnitude of the Milky Way boggles the mind. The source of this usage is unclear, as the verb to boggle has several other seemingly unrelated meanings—to shy away, to hesitate, to bungle. [Second half of 1900s]

  boil → In addition to the idioms beginning with BOIL, also see MAKE ONE’S BLOOD BOIL; WATCHED POT NEVER BOILS.

  boil down 1. Simplify, summarize, or shorten, as in John finally managed to boil his thesis down to 200 pages. 2. boil down to. Be reducible to basic elements, be equivalent to. For example, What this issue boils down to is that the council doesn’t want to spend more money. These metaphoric usages allude to reducing and concentrating a substance by boiling off liquid. [Late 1800s]

  boiling point A climax or crisis; a high degree of fury, excitement, or outrage. For example, The union’s disgust with management has reached the boiling point. This metaphoric term alludes to the temperature at which water boils. [Second half of 1700s] 2. have a low boiling point. Become angry quite readily, as in Don’t tease her anymore—she has a low boiling point. This phrase means that it takes less heat than usual for a boiling point to be reached. [First half of 1800s] Also see BOIL OVER; MAKE ONE’S BLOOD BOIL.

  boil over Erupt in anger, excitement, or other strong emotion. For example, The mere mention of a tax increase will make Kevin boil over. This phrase alludes to overflowing while boiling. [Second half of 1800s]

  bold → In addition to the idiom beginning with BOLD, also see BIG AND BOLD; MAKE BOLD.

  bold as brass Shameless, audacious, impudent. For example, No one had invited her to the wedding, but she showed up at the church, bold as brass. This alliterative simile plays on brass meaning “shamelessness.” [c. 1700]

  bolt → In addition to the idioms beginning with BOLT, also see NUTS AND BOLTS; SHOOT ONE’S BOLT.

  bolt from the blue, a Also, a bolt out of the blue. A sudden, unexpected event. For example, Bill’s dropping his life insurance was a bolt from the blue for his wife. This metaphoric term alludes to totally unforeseen lightning or thunder from a cloudless (blue) sky. [First half of 1800s]

  bolt upright Precisely perpendicular, erect in carriage, as in She sat bolt upright in her pew. This expression was used in slightly different form by Chaucer in the late 1300s: “She was... long as a mast and upright as a bolt” (The Miller’s Tale).

  bomb → See TIME BOMB.

  bombshell → See DROP A BOMBSHELL.

  bone → In addition to the idioms beginning with BONE, also see BARE BONES; CHILLED TO THE BONE; CUT TO THE BONE; FEEL IN ONE’S BONES; FUNNY BONE; MAKE NO BONES ABOUT; PULL A BONER; ROLL THE BONES; SKIN AND BONES; WORK ONE’S FINGERS TO THE BONE.

  bone of contention Main issue of a disagreement; something to quarrel about. For example, Grandfather’s will was a bone of contention for the whole family. This expression alludes to two dogs fighting (contending) over a single bone. In slightly different guise, bone of dissension, it was used figuratively in the 1500s and took its present form in the early 1700s.

  bone to pick, have a An unpleasant issue or grievance that needs discussion. For example, Concerning the room assignments, I have a bone to pick with you. This metaphoric term alludes to a dog worrying a bone. [Early 1500s]

  bone up Study intensely, as in I’ll have to bone up on my Spanish if I’m to pass the language requirement. The verb bone alone was used in this sense from the mid-1800s on, up being added later. [Slang; late 1800s]

  bonnet → See BEE IN ONE’S BONNET.

  boob tube → See under COUCH POTATO.

  book → See BALANCE THE BOOKS; BLACK BOOK; BRING TO BOOK; BY THE BOOK; CLOSED BOOK; CLOSE THE BOOKS; COOK THE BOOKS; CRACK A BOOK; HIT THE BOOKS; IN ONE’S BOOK; IN SOMEONE’S BAD GRACES (BOOKS); JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER; KEEP THE BOOKS; KNOW LIKE A BOOK; MAKE BOOK; NOSE IN A BOOK; ONE FOR THE BOOKS; OPEN BOOK; TAKE A LEAF OUT OF SOMEONE’S BOOK; THROW THE BOOK AT; WROTE THE BOOK ON.

  boom → See LOWER THE BOOM ON.

  boot → In addition to the idioms beginning with BOOT, also see DIE WITH ONE’S BOOTS ON; GET THE AX (BOOT); KICK (BOOT) OUT; LICK SOMEONE’S BOOTS; PULL ONESELF UP BY THE BOOTSTRAPS; QUAKE IN ONE’S BOOTS; TO BOOT; TOO BIG FOR ONE’S BRITCHES (BOOTS). Also see under SHOE.

  boot out → See KICK OUT.

  boot up Start a computer, as in When you’ve booted up, it’s best not to turn off the computer until you’re done for the day. The term, dating from the late 1970s, was a shortening of bootstrap, another computer idiom referring to using one set of instructions to load another set of instructions. Also see LOG IN.

  bore to death Also, bore to tears or bore stiff or bore the pants off. Weary someone through extremely dull talk or uninteresting action. For example, Sam was bored stiff by the opera but didn’t dare to admit it, or Carol bores the pants off me with her constant talk of remodeling, or His books bore me to death. All four expressions convey the idea of such exasperation that one dies, weeps, stiffens with annoyance, or has one’s trousers removed. The verb bore has been used in this sense only since about 1750, and its etymology is unknown. The amplifications were added between about 1850 and 1950. Also see under DO TO DEATH; PANTS OFF; TALK SOMEONE’S ARM OFF.

  born → In addition to the idioms beginning with BORN, also see IN ALL ONE’S BORN DAYS; NOT BORN YESTERDAY; TO THE MANNER BORN.

  born and bred Born and educated in a single locale or social class. For example, Adam was a Bostonian, born and bred. Although the two words were paired earlier, the precise locution dates from the mid-1800s.

  born under a lucky star Very fortunate, as in Peter comes out ahead no matter what he tries; he was born under a lucky star. That stars influence human lives is an ancient idea, and lucky star was used by writers from Shakespeare to the present. The precise phrase appears in a compendium of English idioms compiled by J. Burvenich in 1905. Also see THANK ONE’S LUCKY STARS.

  born with a silver spoon Born wealthy, or fortunate, or both, as in Paul can afford to go to medical school; he was born with a silver spoon. Although some authorities believe this phrase alludes to the custom of godparents giving their godchild a silver spoon, affordable only by rich persons, it is more likely that the spoon has come to symbolize wealth. [c. 1700]

  born yesterday → See NOT BORN YESTERDAY.

  borrow → In addition to the idiom beginning with BORROW, also see BEG, BORROW, OR STEAL; ON BORROWED TIME.

  borrow trouble Go out of one’s way to do something that may be harmful, as in Just sign the will—telling her about it ahead of time is borrowing trouble. [Mid-1800s] Also see ASK FOR, def. 2.

  boss around Tell someone what to do, give orders. For example, David complained that his older sister was always bossing him around. The use of boss in the sense of “to dominate” dates from the mid-1800s, and around was added a few decades later.

  both → In addition to the idioms beginning with BOTH, also see BEST OF BOTH WORLDS; BURN THE CANDLE AT BOTH ENDS; CUT BOTH WAYS; FOOT IN BOTH CAMPS; HAVE IT BOTH WAYS; PLAY BOTH ENDS AGAINST THE MIDDLE; WORK BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET.

  both barrels, with With full force, as in When I scolded her for stealing, I let her have it with both barrels. This term alludes to firing with both barrels of a double-barreled shotgun. [Colloqui
al; mid-1900s]

  bother, bothered → See GO TO THE TROUBLE (BOTHER); HOT AND BOTHERED.

  both feet on the ground A sensible, realistic, or practical outlook. For example, You can count on Tom not to get cheated in that deal; he has both feet on the ground, or Jean is a dreamer; but her husband is a man with both feet on the ground. [Mid-1900s]

  bottle → In addition to the idiom beginning with BOTTLE, also see CHIEF COOK AND BOTTLE WASHER; CRACK A BOTTLE; HIT THE BOTTLE.

  bottle up Repress, contain, hold back; also, confine or trap. For example, The psychiatrist said Eve had been bottling up her anger for years, or The accident bottled up traffic for miles. This idiom likens other kinds of restraint to liquid being contained in a bottle. [Mid-1800s]

  bottom → In addition to the idioms beginning with BOTTOM, also see AT BOTTOM; FROM HEAD TO TOE (TOP TO BOTTOM); FROM THE BOTTOM OF ONE’S HEART; GET TO THE BOTTOM OF; HIT BOTTOM; KNOCK THE BOTTOM OUT OF; ROCK BOTTOM; TOUCH BOTTOM; YOU BET YOUR ASS (BOTTOM DOLLAR).

  bottom drops out, the Also, the bottom falls out. A collapse occurs, as in The bottom dropped out of the steel market, or When they lost the game, the bottom fell out of their hopes to make the playoffs. This term alludes to collapsing deeper than the very lowest point, or bottom. [First half of 1600s]

  bottom line The ultimate result, the upshot; also, the main point or crucial factor. For example, The bottom line is that the chairman wants to dictate all of the board’s decisions, or Whether or not he obeyed the law is the bottom line. This is an accounting term that refers to the earnings figures that appear on the bottom (last) line of a statement. It began to be transferred to other contexts in the mid-1900s.

  bottom of the barrel The least desirable, the dregs, as in The nominating committee had trouble finding candidates; they were settling for the bottom of the barrel. The phrase often occurs in scrape the bottom of the barrel, meaning “to use the least desirable elements” (because one has no choice), as in Bringing up that minor legal point proves that you’re scraping the bottom of the barrel. This metaphor for the sediment left by wine in a barrel was already used by Cicero to describe the lowest elements of Roman society. [First half of 1900s]