Read Webster's New World American Idioms Handbook Online
Authors: Gail Brenner
Webster's New World American Idioms Handbook (28 page)
Little White Lie
and Related Idioms
The following idioms are commonly used to describe different types of lies and deceptions:
(little) white lie
a lie told to avoid hurting someone ♦
I had to tell a
little white lie
when she asked if I liked her painting. Actually I don’t like it, but I wouldn’t hurt her feelings by saying so.
bare-faced lie
a bold, shameless lie ♦
Saying that he supports education was a
bare-faced lie.
Everyone knows that he voted to cut school funds.
vicious lie
a lie intended to injure someone ♦
The tabloid was sued for printing
vicious lies
about my favorite actress.
pack of lies
a lot of lies ♦
He says his book is the true account, but some people say it’s just a
pack of lies. ♦
She told everyone a sad story about why she had no money, but it was
just a pack of lies.
In truth, she was a drug user.
A less-serious type of deception is the following:
hidden agenda
(n)
hidden motives or interests; typically, more selfish or self-serving motives than those publicly acknowledged. Also put as the opposite,
have no hidden agenda.
♦
I have a
hidden agenda
in helping Emily with her homework: I have a crush on her!
♦
We have no
hidden agenda.
Our intentions are simply to help build the community.
The following idioms generally refer to false stories and excuses that are told to deceive someone. All are nouns:
a cock-and-bull story:
an unbelievable tale intended to deceive; may allude to the two animals that often appeared in folk tales
a fish tale (
or
story):
an exaggerated or false story; alludes to exaggerating about the size of the fish that one caught
a tall tale:
usually said of legends, but also can be said of any unbelievable story
Scam
and Related Idioms
Business dealings that are dishonest and deceptive are often called one of the following idioms:
a scam
a dirty deal
a shady deal
a snow job
a rip-off
Acting secretly in order to deceive or cheat someone (or sometimes to give a nice surprise to someone) can be described with one of these idioms:
on the sly
♦
She was stealing drugs from the pharmacy
on the sly.
on the down low (
or
D.L.)
also said as
keep it on the down low
♦
His business was all
on the down low
and totally illegal.
♦
Danny is going to be promoted to manager soon, but
keep it on the D.L.
We want to surprise him.
The following idioms describe deliberately injuring someone with deception, especially in business dealings:
sell someone down the river
to betray someone. Alludes to the days of slavery when slaves were sold and sent down the Mississippi River to work. ♦ He was
really
sold down the river
when the company laid him off right before his retirement. They made it impossible for him to collect a pension.
rip someone off
to steal from or cheat someone ♦
Don’t buy anything from that used electronics dealer. He’ll
rip you off
with his products that look good, but they break down after you buy them.
[See
stab someone in the back
in Chapter 13.]
Be Snowed
and Related Idioms
If you’ve
been snowed
someone was successful in fooling or deceiving you. For example:
We
were
really
snowed
by that insurance representative. The policy does not cover many of the things he said it would!
Following are other idioms that mean to be deceived, tricked, or cheated.
Grammar Note:
The idioms
be snowed, be had, be taken,
and
be ripped off
are presented in passive voice, as they are commonly said in this form. The idiom
be ripped off
is also often put in active voice: to
rip someone off
.
be had
(v)
to be fooled, tricked, or cheated in financial dealings ♦
Dave
was had
by his own financial manager, who lied about his accounts and stole money from him.
be taken
(v)
to be tricked and cheated, especially in financial dealings ♦
We’ve
been taken!
We paid for the roof repair, and now the workers have disappeared without finishing the job.
be ripped off
(v)
to be deceived, typically in the sense of not getting a fair price for something ♦
Hey, this stereo I bought at the yard sale doesn’t work. I’ve
been ripped off.
fall for something
(v)
to accept a dishonest person’s words as true ♦
Don’t
fall for
his sales talk about what a great deal it is. Believe me, there are a lot of hidden costs.
[See idioms for expressing belief and disbelief in Chapter 9; see
pull someone’s leg
and
pull the wool over someone’s eyes
in Chapter 13.]
Idioms That Express Independence and Self-Sufficiency
Independence and self-sufficiency are valued traits in American society. The idioms in this section refer to leaving the security of one’s parents’ or guardians’ home and becoming an independent adult. The idiom to
leave home
means to move away from one’s family home and become independent.
The following two idioms allude to a bird learning to fly:
leave the nest
to move out of one’s parents’ house ♦
She wants to get her own apartment, but I think she’s too young to
leave the nest. ♦
American kids are
leaving the nest
a little later than they did in the past.
try (
or
test) one’s wings
to experience for the first time independence from one’s family ♦
Some young people
test their wings
out in the world, and then come home to live with their family again.
♦
Once I had
tried my wings,
I never went back to the nest.
The following two expressions are metaphors for ending one’s dependence on family. These expressions are generally used to describe young people:
cut the apron strings
to end one’s financial dependence or childish emotional dependence on family, especially the emotional dependence on one’s mother. Alludes to the habit of little children holding on to their mother’s apron strings or ties for security. ♦
At some point everyone has to
cut the apron strings
and become independent.
cut the umbilical cord
to end the dependence on one’s family, especially financial dependence. Alludes to cutting the cord that attaches an infant to his or her mother’s womb. Sometimes used in reference to any source of financial or emotional support. ♦
He’s 27 years old and still living at home. His parents should
cut the umbilical cord!
Note
: In both expressions above, either the parent or the child can do the cutting of the apron strings or umbilical cord.
The following idioms mean to be independent and able to support one’s self financially:
be (
or
live) on one’s own
to live independently without the financial support of parents or others; also put as
out on one’s own
♦
All of our children are grown up and out
on their own
now.
stand on one’s own
to be financially and emotionally independent; also put as
stand on one’s own two feet
♦
His emotional problems made it impossible for him to
stand on his own.
[See other idioms for financial independence in Chapter 6.]
Idioms That Express Dependency
No one can live without the help of others, but some people never learn to be responsible and independent. They expect others to take care of them, and they don’t give anything back in repayment. A person who tries to live off the charity of others and gives nothing back in return is sometimes called one of these names:
a mooch
a leech
a parasite
The following idioms are also used to describe living selfishly off the charity of others.
mooch off of someone
to expect someone else to pay one’s way; to borrow or use other people’s possessions; also can be said
be a mooch
♦
He
mooches
as much as he can
off of you
and never pays you back.
♦
I can’t stand Tim;
he’s a mooch.
leech off of someone
to let others pay all your expenses and provide all one’s needs; to cling to the support of others like a parasite (a leech).
Leeching off of someone
is a more serious form of
mooching off of someone.
Also can be said
be a leech.
♦
He’ll
leech off of them
as long as they allow it.
♦
She
leeched off her family
for years until they finally stopped giving her money.
lean on someone
to rely heavily on the support of another person ♦
Her brother was always
leaning on her
for something, either money, a place to stay, or help with his problems.
♦
It’s great to have
friends to lean on
when you need it, but if you
lean on them
too much and too often, they may get tired of you.
look (
or
ask) for a handout
to expect others to pay one’s way; to ask for money or other things with no intention of repaying ♦
He never has a job for very long, so he’s always
looking for a handout
from someone.
♦
If you’re
asking for a handout,
forget it! I’ve already helped you plenty of times.
Idioms That Express Sociability
People who are very sociable and who are comfortable talking with others are said to be
outgoing.
Here are some other idioms to describe such people:
a people person
a person who likes people ♦
Social work is a perfect job for her; she’s really
a people person.
a social butterfly
a person who loves social gatherings and socializing; alludes to the way a butterfly flits from flower to flower. Usually said of women but can be said of men too. ♦
Jane is such
a social butterfly.
Whenever an event is happening, she’s there chatting with people.
Someone who makes other people laugh and enjoy themselves in a social setting might be called one of these idioms:
a ham
a person who likes to perform and have people’s attention ♦
What
a ham!
He loves to be the center of attention.
a character
a person who is eccentric but lovable ♦
You’re
a character.
It’s fun to be around you.
the life of the party
a person who makes the party fun and energetic ♦
We have to invite her. She’s always
the life of the party.
Idioms That Express Shyness and Introversion
Someone who is introverted and prefers to spend time alone is sometimes called
a loner
. Here are some other expressions that mean to be introverted.
Note:
These idioms are fairly polite and imply that a person is not sociable by choice:
keep to oneself
to not socialize; to prefer or tend to be alone ♦
We rarely see Ross. He likes to
keep to himself. ♦
I’ve been
keeping to myself
lately just enjoying my own company.
like one’s privacy
to prefer to be alone and have private space ♦
We don’t invite people over to our house very often. We
like our privacy. ♦
I
like my privacy,
but I don’t always want to be alone.
prefer one’s own company
to prefer to be with oneself rather than with other people ♦
He has a few friends, but he seems to
prefer his own company. ♦
She probably won’t come to the party. She
prefers her own company.
The following idioms are somewhat impolite or rude and are used to describe people who are shy or socially awkward:
a wallflower
a person who remains quiet at social gatherings; often said of women. Alludes to sitting against the wall at a social gathering, refusing to dance or socialize. ♦
Come on, don’t be
a wallflower.
Get up and socialize.
a shrinking violet
a person who reacts nervously to social contact; often said of women. Alludes to a flower receding when touched or approached. ♦
My sister was such
a shrinking violet.
I tried to get her to talk to people and be less shy.
mousy
timid and shy, with mouselike qualities ♦
He’s kind of
mousy,
so don’t expect him to say much at the meeting.