The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms Page 3

  aleck → See SMART ALECK.

  alert → See ON THE ALERT.

  a little 1. A small amount, as in Will you have some more meat? Yes, just a little. [Early 1400s] 2. Somewhat or rather, slightly, as in I am a little annoyed with Harry. [Late 1300s] For a synonym, see A BIT.

  a little bird → See LITTLE BIRD TOLD ONE.

  a little knowledge → See LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS A DANGEROUS THING.

  alive → In addition to the idioms beginning with ALIVE, also see COME ALIVE; EAT SOMEONE ALIVE; LOOK ALIVE; MORE DEAD THAN ALIVE; SKIN ALIVE.

  alive and kicking Also, alive and well. Alive and alert; living and healthy. For example, John’s completely recovered; he’s alive and kicking, or You’re quite mistaken; our lawyer is alive and well. The first expression, sometimes shortened to live and kicking, originally was used by fishmongers hawking their wares to convince customers of their freshness and has been considered a cliché since about 1850. The variant originated in the 1960s as a denial of someone’s reported death.

  alive to Aware of, conscious of, as in The social worker was alive to all of the mother’s worries. [Mid-1700s]

  alive with Teeming with, full of, as in After the annual stocking, the pond was alive with trout. [Late 1700s]

  all → In addition to the idioms beginning with ALL, also see ABOVE ALL; AFTER ALL; AGAINST ALL ODDS; AS ALL GETOUT; AT ALL; AT ALL COSTS; BE-ALL AND END-ALL; BEAT ALL; BY ALL ACCOUNTS; BY ALL MEANS; BY ALL ODDS; CAP IT ALL; FALL ALL OVER ONESELF; FIRE ON ALL CYLINDERS; FIRST OF ALL; FOR ALL; FOR ALL ONE CARES; FOR ALL ONE KNOWS; FOR ALL ONE’S WORTH; FOR ALL THAT; GET AWAY (FROM IT ALL); GET ONE’S ACT (IT ALL) TOGETHER; GO ALL THE WAY; HAVE ALL ONE’S BUTTONS; HAVE IT (ALL OVER SOMEONE); HAVE IT BOTH WAYS (ALL); HIT ON ALL CYLINDERS; HOLD ALL THE ACES; IN A (ALL OF A) DITHER; IN ALL; IN (ALL GOOD) CONSCIENCE; IN ALL ONE’S BORN DAYS; IN ALL PROBABILITY; (ALL) IN THE SAME BOAT; IT’S ALL DOWNHILL; IT’S ALL OVER WITH; IT TAKES ALL SORTS; JUMP ALL OVER SOMEONE; KNOW ALL THE ANSWERS; KNOW IT ALL; LAUGH ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK; LEAST OF ALL; LET IT ALL HANG OUT; NOT ALL IT’S CRACKED UP TO BE; NOT AT ALL; NOT FOR ALL THE TEA IN CHINA; NO TIME AT ALL; OF ALL THINGS; ONCE AND FOR ALL; ONE AND ALL; PULL OUT ALL THE STOPS; PUT ALL ONE’S EGGS IN ONE BASKET; SEEN ONE, SEEN THEM ALL; TILL ALL HOURS; TO ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES; (ALL) TO THE GOOD; TURN OUT ALL RIGHT; WALK ALL OVER; WARTS AND ALL; WHEN ALL’S SAID AND DONE; WITH ALL DUE RESPECT; WITH ALL ONE’S HEART; YOU CAN’T WIN ‘EM ALL.

  all along From the start, throughout, from end to end, as in I’ve known he was innocent all along. [c. 1600] Also see ALL ALONG THE LINE.

  all along the line Also, all the way down the line. At every point, stage, or moment. For example, We’ve had problems with this supplier all along the line, or He’s been very helpful all the way down the line. The line originally referred to a row of troops, but the expression has been used figuratively since the late 1800s. Also see SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE.

  all and sundry One and all, as in The salesman gave samples to all and sundry. [Late 1400s]

  all at once 1. All at the same time, as in We can’t get inside all at once, so please wait your turn. [Late 1300s] 2. Suddenly, unexpectedly, as in All at once the sky darkened. For a synonym, see ALL OF A SUDDEN.

  all at sea → See AT SEA.

  all bets are off All agreements or deals are canceled; the usual expectations no longer apply. This 20th-century term comes from gambling. For example, Don had expected a promotion but with the company shutting its Boston office all bets are off.

  all better Completely healed or cured, as in Once we’ve bandaged it up, you’ll be all better. This term is often used to comfort a child who has been hurt. It uses all in the sense of “entirely” and better in the sense of “cured.” The usage has been in the language since A.D. 1000.

  all but Almost, nearly, as in I’ve all but finished the book. This expression was used by Andrew Marvell in “Thoughts in a Garden”: “Society is all but rude, To this delicious solitude.” [Late 1500s]

  all cylinders → See FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS.

  all ears Eager to hear something, listening attentively, as in Tell me, who else was invited? I’m all ears. [Colloquial; late 1700s] Also see ALL EYES.

  all else being equal → See OTHER THINGS BEING EQUAL.

  alley → In addition to the idiom beginning with ­ALLEY, also see BLIND ALLEY; RIGHT UP ONE’S ALLEY.

  alley cat A promiscuous woman; also, a person of loose morals. For example, She’s constantly picking up men in bars—a real alley cat. This idiom transfers a stray cat that frequents alleys in search of food to a woman of easy virtue, especially a prostitute seeking customers. [Slang; early 1900s]

  all eyes Watching very closely, as in The buyers at the fashion show were all eyes. Worded slightly differently (with all one’s eyes), this idiom dates from the mid-1500s. Also see its counterpart, ALL EARS.

  all for Completely in favor of something or someone, as in I’m all for eating before we leave, or The players are all for the new soccer coach. This colloquial phrase was first recorded in 1864.

  all for the best Also, for the best. Best in the long run, despite appearances to the contrary. It is often a response to an unhappy outcome, as in They had to sell their business, but since they weren’t making money it’s probably for the best, or The dress had been sold when she went back, but since it was a little too tight it’s all for the best. [Late 1300s]

  all gone Completely finished or used up, as in There’s no milk left; it’s all gone.

  all hours Irregular times, as in You can’t come home at all hours and expect your supper to be ready. The expression can also mean “late at night,” as in College students like to stay up talking until all hours. It is sometimes amplified into all hours of the day and night. [c. 1930]

  all in, be 1. Be tired out, exhausted, as in I can’t walk another step; I’m all in. [Slang; second half of 1800s] 2. In card games, especially poker, be out of money, as in I’m finished for the night; I’m all in. It refers to having put all of one’s money in the pot. In his historical dictionary of slang, J.E. Lighter suggests that the gambling usage, first recorded in 1907, may be the source of the first sense.

  all in a day’s work Also, all in the day’s work. Expected and normal, as in He said I had to finish these reports by five o’clock—all in the day’s work. This phrase is sometimes used as an ironic comment on an unpleasant but not abnormal situation. The expression possibly alludes to the nautical term day’s work, defined in 1789 as the reckoning of a ship’s course during the 24 hours from noon to noon. [c. 1800]

  all in all Taking everything into account, as in All in all our trip to Europe was a success. [First half of 1500s]

  all in good time → See IN GOOD TIME.

  all in one piece Also, in one piece. Entirely undamaged or unharmed, as in Given all the airport delays and bad weather, we were glad to arrive all in one piece, or She was relieved when he returned from Nepal in one piece. [Early 1800s]

  all joking aside Also, all kidding aside. Seriously, as in I know I said I’d quit, but all joking aside this job is too much for one person, or All kidding aside, I hate to lose at croquet. This phrase often accompanies a joking statement.

  all kinds of 1. Also, all manner or sorts of. All or many varieties of something, as in Before the banquet, they served all kinds of drinks, or He sold ­exotic fruit of all sorts, or The museum featured all manner of artifacts. [Early 1300s] 2. A large amount of something, as in She has all kinds of money. This hyperbolic usage is colloquial.

  all of 1. The entire amount of something, as in The baby ate all of his cereal. This usage is relatively new, the word of being included only from about 1800 on. 2. No less than, at least, as in Although she looked much younger, she was all of seventy. [First half of 1800s]

  all of a sudden Entirely without warning, abruptly, as in All of a sudden the lights went out. In Shakespeare’s day the common phrase was of a sudden, the word all being added in the late 1600s. Also see ALL AT ONCE,
def. 2.

  all of the above Also, none of the above. Each one (not any) of the above-named alternatives. For example, Have you decided to quit and announced your decision, or do you want to find another job first?—None of the above. These phrases originated as answers to a multiple-choice question on a test but are now also used colloquially, often as a form of avoiding a direct answer. They use above in the sense of “preceding,” a usage dating from the second half of the 1700s.

  all one → See ALL THE SAME, def. 1.

  all out With all one’s strength, ability, or resources; not holding back. For example, They are going all out to make the fund-raiser a success. This seemingly modern term dates from about 1300, when it meant “completely” or “wholly.” It now refers to making a great effort and is also used adjectivally, as in an all-out effort. This usage became current in America in the late 1800s, with reference to races and other kinds of athletic exertion. In the mid-1900s it gave rise to the phrase to go all out and was transferred to just about any energetic undertaking. Also see GO WHOLE HOG.

  all outdoors, big as → See BIG AS LIFE, def. 2.

  all over 1. Everywhere. The phrase may be used alone, as in I’ve looked all over for that book, or The very thought of poison ivy makes me itch all over. In addition it can be used as a preposition, meaning “throughout,” as in The news spread all over town. [Early 1600s] Also see FAR AND WIDE. 2. In all respects, as in He is his Aunt Mary all over. Charles Lamb had this usage in a letter (1799) about a poem: “The last lines... are Burns all over.” [Early 1700s] 3. Also, all over again. Again from the beginning. For example, They’re going to play the piece all over, or Do you mean you’re starting all over again? [Mid-1500s] 4. Also, all over with. Quite finished, completed, as in By the time I arrived the game was all over, or Now that she passed the test, her problems are all over with. This phrase uses over in the sense of “finished,” a usage dating from the 1300s. Also see ALL OVER BUT THE SHOUTING; HAVE IT (ALL OVER SOMEONE), def. 4.

  all over but the shouting The outcome is a certainty, as in When Jim hit the ball over the fence, it was all over but the shouting. The term’s first use in print, in 1842, was by Welsh sportswriter Charles James Apperley, but some authorities believe it originated even earlier in the United States for a close political race. Today it is applied to any contest. A common British version is all over bar the shouting.

  all over one In close physical contact. For example, Whenever I visit, that dog of Jane’s is all over me. [Early 1900s] Also see FALL ALL OVER ONESELF; HAVE IT ALL OVER SOMEONE.

  all over the place Also, all over town or the world. → See under ALL OVER, def. 1.

  all over with → See ALL OVER, def. 4; IT’S ALL OVER WITH.

  allowance → See MAKE ALLOWANCE FOR.

  allow for Leave room for, permit, as in We have enough chairs to allow for forty extra guests, or Our denomination allows for a large variety of beliefs. [Early 1700s] Also see MAKE ALLOWANCE FOR.

  all present and accounted for All members or items of a group are here or their whereabouts are known, as in Is everyone ready to board the bus?—All present and accounted for. This expression almost certainly originated in the armed forces as a response to roll call. By proper logic, the and should be or. Nevertheless, the expression is used colloquially to offer assurance that no person or thing is missing.

  all right 1. Completely correct, as in You have a perfect score—your answers are all right. (It could just as well be put as “all your answers are right.”) 2. In proper or working order, in a satisfactory way, as in The engine is running all right now. [Late 1800s] Also see TURN OUT ALL RIGHT. 3. In good health, as in John had the flu, but he’s all right now. [Early 1900s] 4. Not injured, safe, as in It was just a minor accident and everyone is all right. [Early 1900s] 5. Very well, yes, as in Do you want to leave now?—All right, or All right, we’ll stay home. [First half of 1800s] Also see ALL RIGHT WITH ONE. 6. Certainly, without a doubt, as in It’s late all right, but it will probably come today. [Mid-1800s] 7. Hurrah! Good for you, as in All right! your team has done it again! [Slang; mid-1900s] 8. Also, all-right. Good, satisfactory. For example, This restaurant is all-right, or Harry is an all-right guy. [Slang; mid-1900s]

  all right for you I’m angry with you. This interjection usually accompanies a threat of revenge, as in All right for you—I won’t go out with you again. [Early 1900s]

  all right with one Also, all right by one. Agreeable to someone. For example, If you want to practice now, that’s all right with me. Although all right alone has signified acquiescence much longer (see ALL RIGHT, def. 5), the addition of with someone (or, sometimes, by someone) dates from the mid-1900s.

  all roads lead to Rome Many different methods will produce the same result. For example, So long as you meet the deadline, I don’t care how much help you get—all roads lead to Rome. Based on the fact that the Roman Empire’s excellent road system radiated from the capital like the spokes of a wheel, this metaphor was already being used in the 1100s.

  all set Ready, in position for some action, as in I’m all set to leave the country. This colloquial term uses set in the sense of “put in proper position or order.” The same meaning appears in the traditional Ready, get set, go for starting a race; here set means “in position to start.”

  all sewed up → See SEW UP.

  all’s fair in love and war Any conduct is permissible in certain circumstances, as in Of course he called her—all’s fair in love and war. This maxim, stated in various forms from 1579 on, today sometimes appears altered by an addition or substitution, as in All’s fair in love and the World Series, or All’s fair in love and war and an election year.

  all shook up Greatly disturbed or upset, as in His letter left her all shook up. This slangy idiom uses shook instead of the grammatically correct “shaken” (for “agitated”) and adds all for emphasis. [Second half of 1900s]

  all sorts → See ALL KINDS OF.

  all’s well that ends well Everything has turned out satisfactorily, even though the outcome has been uncertain. For example, His lawyer persuaded Jack to plead guilty, but the court merely put him on probation—all’s well that ends well. This proverb, dating from about 1250, gained even more currency as the title of a Shakespeare comedy.

  all systems go Everything is ready for proceeding, as in They’ve rented a hall and lined up the speakers, so it’s all systems go for the rally. Originating in the late 1960s with reference to launching space missiles and vehicles, this expression has been transferred to general use.

  all talk (and no action) Much discussion but no action or results, as in Don’t count on Mary’s help—she’s all talk, or Dave has been saying for months that he’ll get a summer job, but he’s all talk and no action. This idiom may have begun life as all talk and no cider, which Washington Irving cited as an American proverb in Salmagundi (1807). However, similar sayings antedate it by many years—for example, “The greatest talkers are always the least doers” (John Ray, English Proverbs, 1670).

  all that 1. Too, very, usually employed in a negative context meaning not too, not very. For example, The new house is not all that different from your old one. [Mid-1900s] Also see NONE TOO. 2. That and everything else of the kind. For example, She enjoys wearing nice clothes and perfume and all that. [c. 1700] Also see AND ALL. 3. See FOR ALL (THAT).

  all that glitters is not gold Something attractive is not always what it seems, as in This house is really beautiful, but a close look will show dry rot near the foundation—all that glitters is not gold. Aesop stated the same idea in two of his fables (c. 600 B.C.), and a version close to the current wording appeared in 1175.

  all the 1. Even, more so, as in Painting the room white will make it all the lighter, or They liked her all the better for not pretending, or You don’t care for dessert? Good, all the more for us. Used to ­underscore a comparison, this idiom was used by Shakespeare in As You Like It (1:2): “All the better; we shall be the more marketable.” [Late 1500s] For a syn
onym, see SO MUCH THE. 2. The entire amount of, as in These cousins were all the family he had. In this usage all the is short for all of the. [Ninth century A.D.]

  all the best 1. Also, all of the best. The entire number or amount of the highest quality of something, as in All of the best fruit was on display, or All the best students competed for the award. 2. Best wishes, as in I’ve got to go now—all the best to you and the family. This idiom, first recorded in 1937, is used as an oral farewell or to close an ­informal letter or note.

  all the better → See ALL THE, def. 1.

  all the rage Also, all the thing. The current or latest fashion, with the implication that it will be short-lived, as in In the 1940s the lindy-hop was all the rage. The use of rage reflects the transfer of an angry passion to an enthusiastic one; thing is vaguer. [Late 1700s] These terms are heard less ­often today than the synonym THE THING.

  all there Having one’s wits about one, mentally competent, as in John may seem absent-minded, but believe me, he’s all there. This phrase is often used negatively, as not all there, for being without one’s full faculties. For example, I wonder about Justin; sometimes it seems as if he’s not all there. [Mid-1800s]

  all the same 1. Also, all one. Equally acceptable, making no difference. For example, If it’s all the same to you I’d prefer the blue car, or Hot or cold, it’s all one to me. [Late 1700s] 2. Also, just the same. Nevertheless, still. For example, John wants to stay another week, but I’m going home all the same, or Even if you vote against it, this measure will pass just the same. [c. 1800]

  all the thing → See ALL THE RAGE.

  all the time 1. Also, all the while. Throughout a specific period, as in All the time the music was playing she tapped her foot, or The baby slept all the while the fire was being put out. [Late 1400s] 2. Continuously, without interruption, as in That old refrigerator is running all the time. 3. Frequently, repeatedly, as in He goes to that store all the time.