Meaning: abandoned ship

n.
a ship abandoned on the high seas

D s Idiom, Proverb

a double-edged sword

a device that can help you and hurt you Truth is a double-edged sword. It can imprison me or set me free.

a good sport

a person who is fair and friendly What a good sport! You never complain, even when you lose.

a head start

a chance to start ahead of the other runners etc. Give the smallest runner a head start. He can't run very fast.

a sad sack

well-meaning, but unable to accomplish """If you assign this task to Andy, it won't be done. He's a sad sack."""

afraid so

"sorry, but it is true; believe me, yeppers" """Did he spend all of our money?"" ""Yes, 'fraid so."""

and stuff

and other things or activities, et cetera We were watchin' TV an' stuff, just hangin' out.

as slow as a dead snail

unbeatable in slowness He writes as slow as a dead snail, only a word or two per day!

at sixes and sevens

in a state of confusion Everyone was at sixes and sevens after the announcement that the company was going out of business.

between sixes and sevens

(See at sixes and sevens)

brand new/ brand spanking new

not used at all, just off the assembly line Imagine a brand new Mercedes in an accident. What a shame!

by fits and starts

irregularly, with many stops and starts By fits and starts the company was finally able to begin business.

carrot and stick

promising to reward or punish someone at the same time The government took a carrot and stick approach to the people who were illegally protesting against the construction of the dam.

change horses in mid stream

change plans/methods after you have begun a competition or business We're in the furniture business, not clothing. We can't change horses in mid stream.

cold shoulder

(See give you the cold shoulder)

dead set against

strongly opposed to, down with She's dead set against abortion as a means of birth control.

dead set against something

determined not to do something They are dead set against their son going to Europe for a year.

double-edged sword

(See a double-edged sword)

fair and square

honestly, just, straightforward The British team won the game fair and square but still the other team complained.

feed someone a line

deceive He was feeding me a line about his plans to open a new restaurant downtown.

fits and starts

moving unevenly, stop and go The new crew worked in fits and starts, not at a steady pace.

get off to a good start

begin with success, start with confidence In Math 201, it's important to get off to a good start.

get on my good side

(See on my good side)

give someone the cold shoulder

be unfriendly to someone He gave her the cold shoulder at the party.

give you the cold shoulder

be unfriendly toward you, turn away from you, stand away If you forget her birthday she

good show

that is good, you performed well Good show, I say. Jolly good show! Let's see another trick.

good sport

person who loses well He is a very good sport and never complains about losing.

grand slam

a home run with runners on all bases, a major score It was 5-1. Then Carter hit a grand slam and tied the game, 5-5.

hand something to someone on a silver platter

give a person something that has not been earned He was handed a great job on a silver platter and never had to make any effort at all.

hard sell

selling something very aggressively and with great eagerness I didn

hard stuff

(See hard liquor)

head and shoulders

superior, better, a cut above Her work is superior - head and shoulders above the others.

head shrinker

a psychiatrist The man was told to go and see a head shrinker after he threatened the woman in the store several times.

head start

to leave or start something before others They left early in order to get a head start on the trip.

heart stand still

be very frightened or worried My heart stood still when the truck on the highway almost hit our car.

hold something back

keep information or something to or for oneself He is holding back the information about the new computer system.

hold still

not move Please hold still while I fix your jacket zipper.

hook, line and sinker

without question or doubt, completely She fell in love with her new boyfriend hook, line and sinker.

I'm afraid so

(See afraid so)

in bad shape

not feeling well, out of it The day after the party I was in bad shape. How my head ached!

keep body and soul together

keep alive, survive He has been working very hard to try and keep body and soul together after his illness.

keep in good shape

care for your body, be fit, keep fit You keep your body in good shape. You look fit.

lend someone a hand

help someone.

make your head spin

confuse you, amaze you, boggle your mind All the numbers on this sheet will make your head spin.

movers and shakers

owners, investors, wheeler-dealer We invited all the big investors: the movers and shakers.

off to a bad start

not a good start, a poor beginning The class got off to a bad start because the teacher was sick.

off to a good start

a successful beginning, away to the races Jim's off to a good start in math. He has the basic skills.

on my good side

to become my friend, in my good books He says nice things to me, hoping to get on my good side.

open and shut

easy to judge, not complex If either spouse admits adultery, divorce is an open and shut case.

read someone's mind

know what someone is thinking.

rise and shine

wake up and be happy, get out of bed smiling """Rise and shine,"" he called to us each morning - at 6 a.m.!"

D

verbSee GR&

Dictionary

More Idioms/Phrases

ring leader ring me ring off the hook ring up RIP rip-off rip-snorting mad ripped off rise and shine rise to the occasion risky business road apple road hog road to hell is paved... Roaring Twenties rob Peter to pay Paul rob the cradle cute as a button cute hoor cuter than a June bug cutie cutie pie cutoff cut-off point cut-rate cuts cutter cutthroat cutthroat competition cutthroat prices cutting cutting edge cutting edge, at the cutting edge, at/on the cutting remark cuz CYA Cyber Monday cycle cylinder cylinder head D D d/b/a/ Da da bomb dab dab (something) off of (something) dab (something) onto (something) dab at dab at (something) dab off dab on dab on them folks dabble dabble at dabble at (something) dabble in dabble in (something) dad dad bod dad fetch my buttons Dad fetch my buttons! daddy daddy needs (new) shoes daddy needs a new pair of shoes daddy of them all DADT

English Vocalbulary

abandonment abandonments abandons abarticulation abas abase abased abasement abasements abases abash abashed abashes abashing abashment abashments abasia abasia trepidans