1975
1- To sow one’s wild oats
Behave foolishly, immoderately or promiscuously when young
Brad has spent the last couple of years sowing his wild oats, but now he seems ready to settle down.
This expression alludes to sowing inferior wild oats instead of good cultivated grain, the verb sowing—that is, “planting seed”—in particular suggesting sexual promiscuity. [Mid-1500s]
2- Storm in a tea cup
If someone exaggerates a problem or makes a small problem seem far greater than it really is, then they are making a storm in a teacup
3- To keep late hours
Stay awake until late at night
Never call Ethel before noon; she keeps late hours and sleeps all morning.
4- To throw cold water on
to discourage, to remove hope, deter
Steve wanted to expand the business into China, but his boss threw cold water on the idea, and
told him to focus on the domestic business.
Cutting my year-end bonus poured cold water on my loyalty to the company. Hearing about the outbreak of cholera threw cold water on our plans to visit Bolivia.
This term, with its image of putting out a fire with water, at one time meant “defame” or “slander”; the modern meaning dates from about 1800.
5- A cock and bull story
An unbelievable tale that is intended to deceive; a tall tale
Jack told us some cock and bull story about getting lost.
This expression may come from a folk tale involving these two animals, or from the name of an English inn where travellers told such tales.
W.S. Gilbert used it in The Yeomen of the Guard (1888), where Jack Point and Wilfred the Jailer make up a story about the hero’s fictitious death: “Tell a tale of cock and bull, of convincing detail full.” [c. 1600]
6- To bear the brunt of
Put up with the worst of some bad circumstance
It was the secretary who had to bear the brunt of the doctor’s anger.
This idiom uses brunt in the sense of “the main force of an enemy’s attack,” which was sustained by the front lines of the defenders. [Second half of 1700s]
7- Tied to apron-strings of
Wholly dependent on or controlled by a woman, especially one’s mother or wife.
At 25, he was still too tied to her apron strings to get an apartment of his own.
This expression, dating from the early 1800s, probably alluded to apron-string tenure, a 17th- century law that allowed a husband to control his wife’s and her family’s property during her lifetime.
8- To move heaven and earth
Exert the utmost effort
I’d move heaven and earth to get an apartment here. This hyperbolic expression was first recorded in 1792.
9- To blow one’s own trumpet / blow one’s trumpet
Within two minutes of meeting someone new, Bill was blowing his own horn. [Late 1500s]
10- To rest on one’s laurels
Rely on one’s past achievements, especially as a way of avoiding the work needed to advance one’s status.
Now that Julian’s in his eighties, he’s decided to rest on his laurels and let some of the younger agents do the work.
This term alludes to the crown of laurels awarded in ancient times for a spectacular achievement. [Late 1800s]
1974
1- When all is said and done / After all is said and done
In the end, nevertheless
When all’s said and done, the doctors did what they could for Gordon, but he was too ill to survive.
This term was first recorded in 1560.
2- An axe to grind
A selfish aim or motive
The article criticized the new software, but the author had an axe to grind, as its manufacturer had fired his son.
This frequently used idiom comes from a story by Charles Miner, published in 1811, about a boy who was flattered into turning the grindstone for a man sharpening his axe. He worked hard until the school bell rang, whereupon the man, instead of thanking the boy, began to scold him for being late and told him to hurry to school.
“Having an axe to grind” then came into figurative use for having a personal motive for some action. [Mid-1800s]
3- Turn a new leaf
Make a fresh start, change one’s conduct or attitude for the better
He promised the teacher he would turn over a new leaf and behave himself in class. This expression alludes to turning the page of a book to a new page. [Early 1500s]
4- Burn the candle at both ends
Exhaust one’s energies or resources by leading a hectic life
Joseph’s been burning the candle at both ends for weeks, working two jobs during the week and a third on weekends.
This metaphor originated in France and was translated into English in Randle Cotgrave’s Dictionary (1611), where it referred to dissipating one’s wealth. It soon acquired its present broader meaning.
5- Leave in the lurch
Desert or leave alone and in trouble, refuse to help or support someone
He left me in the lurch when he didn’t come over to help me although he had promised to earlier in the day.
6- Goes without saying
Be self-evident, a matter of course
It goes without saying that success is the product of hard work.
This expression is a translation of the French cela va sans dire. [Second half of 1800s]
7- Like a red rag to a bull
If something is a red rag to a bull, it is something that will inevitably make somebody angry or cross.
8- Not a leg to stand on
With no chance of success
He tried to get the town to change the street lights, but because there was no money in the budget he found himself without a leg to stand on.
A related idiom is not having a leg to stand on
Once the detective exposed his false alibi, he didn’t have a leg to stand on.
This metaphoric idiom transfers lack of physical support to arguments or theories. [Late 1500s]
9- Under the thumb of
Controlled or dominated by someone
He’s been under his mother’s thumb for years.
The allusion in this metaphoric idiom is unclear, that is, why a thumb rather than a fist or some other anatomic part should symbolize control. [Mid-1700s]
10- The writing on the wall / handwriting on the wall
If the writing’s on the wall for something, it is doomed to fail. A warning or presentiment of danger
The Company was losing money, and seeing the handwriting on the wall, she started to look for another job.
This expression comes from the Bible (Daniel 5:5-31), in which the prophet interprets some mysterious writing that a disembodied hand has inscribed on the palace wall, telling King Belshazzar that he will be overthrown
1973
1- Turn to account
Use for one’s benefit
He turned the delay to good account, using the time to finish correspondence. This idiom, first recorded in 1878, uses account in the sense of “a reckoning.”
2- To beat the air / beat the wind
Continue to make futile attempts, fight to no purpose
The candidates for office were so much alike that we thought our vote amounted to beating the air.
These phrases call up a vivid image of someone flailing away at nothing. [Late 1300s]
3. To break a lance with
To engage in a tilt or contest
4- To foul of, (foul play)
Unfair or treacherous action, especially involving violence
The police suspected he had met with foul play.
This term originally was and still is applied to unfair conduct in a sport or game and was being used figuratively by the late 1500s.
Shakespeare used it in The Tempest (1:2):
“What foul play had we that we came from thence?”
5- To keep open house
To entertain friends at all times, to be hospitable
6- To put out of countenance 7- Got up to kill
To have a finger in the pie
Have an interest in or meddle in something
When they nominated me for the board, I’m sure Bill had a finger in the pie.
Another form of this idiom is have a finger in every pie
to have an interest in or be involved in everything
She does a great deal for the town; she has a finger in every pie.
The precise origin of this metaphor, which presumably eludes either to tasting every pie or being involved in their concoction, has been lost. [Late 1500s]
1972
1- To fall back on something / fall back upon
Rely on, have recourse to
I fall back on old friends in time of need.
When he lost his job he had to fall back upon his savings
2- To fall through
Fail, miscarry
The proposed amendment fell through.
I hope our plans won’t fall through. [Late 1700s]
3- On right earnest 4- Vested interests
A personal stake in something
She has a vested interest in keeping the house in her name.
This term, first recorded in 1818, uses vested in the sense of “established” or “secured.”
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