The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

by Christine Ammer

  bald as a coot Extremely bald, usually applied to a person. The coot is a water bird with a white bill that extends to its forehead, making it appear to be bald. The simile was first recorded in 1430.

  ball → In addition to the idioms beginning with BALL, also see BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL; BREAK ONE’S BALLS; BY THE BALLS; CARRY THE BALL; CRYSTAL BALL; DROP THE BALL; EYEBALL TO EYEBALL; GET THE BALL ROLLING; HAVE A BALL; HAVE SOMEONE BY THE BALLS; KEEP ONE’S EYE ON THE BALL; ON THE BALL; PLAY BALL; PUT IN MOTHBALLS; SNOWBALL’S CHANCE IN HELL; THAT’S HOW THE BALL BOUNCES; WHOLE BALL OF WAX.

  ball and chain A burden and restraint, as in Karen regarded her job as a ball and chain, but she needed the money. The term, dating from the early 1800s, alludes to chaining a heavy iron ball to a prisoner’s leg. Later it was transferred to other kinds of restraining burden. In slang the term has been used for a person’s spouse or partner, implying a burdensome connection. [Slang, c. 1920]”

  ballgame → See WHOLE NEW BALLGAME.

  ballistic → See GO BALLISTIC.

  ball of fire A dynamic, energetic, and successful individual, as in I hope Pat joins us; she’s a real ball of fire. [Slang; early 1800s]

  balloon → In addition to the idiom beginning with BALLOON, also see GO OVER (LIKE A LEAD BALLOON); TRIAL BALLOON.

  balloon goes up, the The undertaking begins, as in He’s going to announce his candidacy for mayor—the balloon goes up on Monday. This expression comes from World War I, when British artillery sent up a balloon to notify gunners to open fire, this visual signal being more reliable than courier or telephone. It was soon transferred to signal other kinds of beginning. [1915]

  ballot → See STUFF THE BALLOT BOX.

  ballpark figure An acceptable, roughly accurate approximation, as in I know you can’t tell me the exact cost; just give me a ballpark figure. This term alludes to a baseball field, which is always an enclosed space. The expression is basically an extension of the somewhat earlier in the ballpark, meaning within a reasonable range, and out of the ballpark, beyond a reasonable range. [Slang; late 1960s]

  ball’s in your court, the It’s your responsibility now; it’s up to you. For example, I’ve done all I can; now the ball’s in your court. This term comes from tennis, where it means it is the opponent’s turn to serve or return the ball, and has been transferred to other activities. [Second half of 1900s]

  ball up 1. Roll something into a ball, as in She loved to knit and was always balling up her yarn. [Early 1800s] 2. Confuse or bungle, as in Jane got all balled up at the beginning of her speech, or Henry really balled up that exam. This term may come from the fact that when a horse is driven over soft or partly thawed snow, the snow becomes packed into icy balls on its hoofs, making it stumble. Another theory is that it alludes to the vulgar term balls for testicles. [First half of 1900s]

  banana → In addition to the idiom beginning with BANANA, also see DRIVE SOMEONE CRAZY (BANANAS); GO BANANAS; TOP BANANA.

  banana oil Nonsense, exaggerated flattery, as in I should be on television? Cut out the banana oil! The precise analogy in this idiom is not clear, unless it is to the fact that banana oil, a paint solvent and artificial flavoring agent, has no relation to the fruit other than that it smells like it. [1920s] Also see SNAKE OIL.

  band → See ON THE BANDWAGON; TO BEAT THE BAND.

  bane of one’s existence, the The source of one’s irritation or misery. The noun bane originally meant “poison,” but the current slightly milder sense dates from the late 1500s. It is generally used hyperbolically, as in The neighbor’s cat is the bane of my existence. Also see THORN IN ONE’S FLESH.

  bang → In addition to the idioms beginning with BANG, also see BEAT (BANG) ONE’S HEAD AGAINST THE WALL; GET A BANG OUT OF; GO OVER (WITH A BANG); MORE BANG FOR THE BUCK.

  bang away 1. Strike repeatedly, as in Mary is always banging away on the piano, or The doorbell must be broken; see who is banging away at the door. [First half of 1800s] Also see BANG OUT. 2. Go ahead; begin or continue. This slangy imperative usually calls merely for energetic action, as in You can start without me—bang away. Also see GO TO (IT), def. 3.

  bang for the buck → See MORE BANG FOR THE BUCK.

  bang into 1. Crash noisily into, collide with, as in A clumsy fellow, Bill was always banging into furniture. [Early 1700s] 2. Strike heavily so as to drive in; also, persuade. For example, I’ve been banging nails into the siding all day, or I can’t seem to bang it into his head that time is precious. The literal usage dates from the mid-1500s, the figurative from the second half of the 1800s. Also see BUMP INTO.

  bang one’s head against → See BEAT ONE’S HEAD AGAINST THE WALL.

  bang out Produce something loudly or hastily by striking, either a musical instrument or a typing keyboard. For example, The accompanist banged out the melody on the piano, or John planned to bang out his presentation in a couple of hours. [Late 1800s]

  bang up Damage, injure, as in Banging up the car a second time will make Dad very unhappy, or Mother fell down the stairs and was all banged up. The verb to bang alone had this meaning from the 1500s on, up being added in the late 1800s. In the early 1800s it gave rise to the colloquial adjective bang-up, for excellent or very successful, as in David did a bang-up job baking the birthday cake.

  bank → In addition to the idiom beginning with BANK, also see BREAK THE BANK; LAUGH ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK.

  bank on Rely on, count on. For example, You can bank on Molly’s caterer to do a good job. This expression alludes to bank as a reliable storage place for money. [Late 1800s]

  baptism of fire A severe ordeal or test, especially an initial one, as in This audition would be Robert’s baptism of fire. This term transfers the original religious rite of baptism, whereby holiness is imparted, to various kinds of ordeal. At first it signified the death of martyrs at the stake, and in 19th-century France it was used for a soldier’s first experience of combat. Currently it is used more loosely for any difficult first encounter.

  bar → In addition to the idiom beginning with BAR, also see BEHIND BARS; NO HOLDS BARRED.

  bare bones The mere essentials or plain, unadorned framework of something, as in This outline gives just the bare bones of the story; details will come later. This phrase transfers the naked skeleton of a body to figurative use. [c. 1900]

  barefaced lie A shameless falsehood. For example, Bill could tell a barefaced lie with a straight face. The adjective barefaced means “beardless,” and one theory is that in the 1500s this condition was considered brazen in all but the youngest males. By the late 1600s barefaced also meant “brazen” or “bold,” the meaning alluded to in this phrase.

  bare hands, with one’s With one’s hands but without tools, weapons, or other implements. For example, Jean assembled the new stove with her bare hands. This phrase, first recorded in 1604, extends the literal meaning, “with uncovered (that is, without gloves) and hence unprotected hands,” to “unaided by implements.”

  bare necessities Just sufficient resources, with nothing to spare. For example, The room was furnished with just the bare necessities—bed, table, chair. This idiom uses bare in the sense of “mere, and nothing else,” a usage dating from about 1200.

  bare one’s soul Reveal one’s most private thoughts and feelings. For example, Teenagers rarely bare their souls to their parents; they prefer their peers. This figurative use of the verb bare, which literally means “make bare” or “uncover,” dates from A.D. 1000.

  bare one’s teeth Also, show one’s teeth. Indicate hostility and readiness to fight, as in His refusal to accept my offer made it clear I’d have to bare my teeth, or In this instance, calling in a lawyer is showing one’s teeth. This figurative term transfers the snarl of a dog to human anger. It first was recorded as show one’s teeth in 1615.

  bargain → In addition to the idiom beginning with BARGAIN, also see DRIVE A HARD BARGAIN; INTO THE BARGAIN; MAKE THE BEST OF IT (A BAD BARGAIN); MORE THAN ONE BARGAINED FOR; STRIKE A BARGAIN.

&n
bsp; bargain for 1. Also, bargain over. Negotiate about something, usually a price. For example, In open-air markets it is standard practice to bargain for the best price. [Late 1300s] 2. Also, bargain on. Expect, be prepared for, as in In planning the picnic, we hadn’t bargained for bad weather, or I hadn’t bargained on John’s coming along. [c. 1800] For a synonym, see COUNT ON.

  barge in Enter rudely or abruptly, intrude. For example, Her mother never knocks but just barges in. The term is also put as barge into or barge in on to mean interrupt, as in Who asked you to barge into our conversation? These phrases use to barge in the sense of “bump into” or “knock against,” which may allude to the propensity of these clumsy vessels to collide with other craft. [Late 1800s]

  bark → In addition to the idioms beginning with BARK, also see TALK SOMEONE’S ARM OFF (THE BARK OFF A TREE).

  bark is worse than one’s bite, one’s A person seems more hostile or aggressive than is the case, as in Dad sounds very grouchy in the morning, but his bark’s worse than his bite. This phrase was a proverb by the mid-1600s.

  bark up the wrong tree Waste one’s efforts by pursuing the wrong thing or path, as in If you think I can come up with more money, you’re barking up the wrong tree. This term comes from the nocturnal pursuit of raccoon-hunting with the aid of dogs. Occasionally a raccoon fools the dogs, which crowd around a tree, barking loudly, not realizing their quarry has taken a different route. [Early 1800s]

  barn → See CAN’T HIT THE BROAD SIDE OF A BARN; LOCK THE BARN DOOR AFTER THE HORSE HAS BOLTED.

  bar none Also, barring none. Without exception, as in This is the best book I’ve read all year, bar none. [Mid-1800s]

  barrel → See BOTH BARRELS; BOTTOM OF THE BARREL; CASH ON THE BARRELHEAD; LIKE SHOOTING FISH IN A BARREL; LOCK, STOCK, AND BARREL; MORE FUN THAN A BARREL OF MONKEYS; OVER A BARREL; PORK BARREL; ROTTEN APPLE (SPOILS THE BARREL).

  barrel of laughs → See under MORE FUN THAN A BARREL OF MONKEYS.

  base → See GET TO FIRST BASE; OFF BASE; TOUCH BASE WITH.

  basis → See ON A FIRST-NAME BASIS.

  basket → In addition to the idiom beginning with BASKET, also see PUT ALL ONE’S EGGS IN ONE BASKET.

  basket case A person or thing too impaired to function. For example, The stress of moving twice in one year left her a basket case, or The republics of the former Soviet Union are economic basket cases. Originating in World War I for a soldier who had lost all four limbs in combat and consequently had to be carried in a litter (“basket”), this term was then transferred to an emotionally or mentally unstable person and later to anything that failed to function. [Slang; second half of 1900s]

  bat → In addition to the idioms beginning with BAT, also see AT BAT; BLIND AS A BAT; BATS IN ONE’S BELFRY; GO TO BAT FOR; LIKE A BAT OUT OF HELL; RIGHT OFF THE BAT.

  bat an eye → See WITHOUT BATTING AN EYE.

  bat around 1. Hit something around, often with a baseball bat or other object, as in We batted the tennis ball around this morning. Originating in baseball, this term came to be applied to more violent action as well, as in Jerry left after being batted around by his father. [Slang; first half of 1900s] 2. Discuss or debate something, as in We batted the various plans around for at least an hour before we came to a decision. This usage transfers batting a ball to a back-and-forth exchange of ideas. [Slang; late 1800s] 3. Drift aimlessly, roam, as in After graduating, they batted around Europe for a year. [Slang; c. 1900]

  bath → See TAKE A BATH; THROW OUT THE BABY WITH THE BATH WATER.

  bat one thousand Have a perfect record, as in In meeting deadlines, she’s batting one thousand. The term comes from baseball statistics, where it signifies getting a hit for every turn at bat. It was transferred to other activities in the 1920s.

  bats in one’s belfry, have Be crazy or at least very eccentric, as in Sally thought her aunt’s belief in ghosts indicated she had bats in her belfry. This term in effect likens the bat’s seemingly erratic flight in the dark to ideas flying around in a person’s head. [Early 1900s]

  batten down the hatches Prepare for trouble, as in Here comes the boss—batten down the hatches. This term originated in the navy, where it signified preparing for a storm by fastening down canvas over doorways and hatches (openings) with strips of wood called battens. [Late 1800s]

  bat the breeze → See SHOOT THE BREEZE.

  battle → See HALF THE BATTLE; LOSING BATTLE; PITCHED BATTLE.

  bawl out 1. Call out loudly, announce, as in Some of the players were quite hard of hearing, so the ­rector bawled out the bingo numbers. [1500s] 2. Scold or reprimand loudly, as in Her teacher was always bawling out the class for not paying attention. [c. 1900]

  bay → See AT BAY.

  be → In addition to the idioms beginning with BE, also see LET BE.

  be a credit to → See under DO CREDIT TO.

  bead → See DRAW A BEAD ON.

  be-all and end-all, the The most important element or purpose, as in Buying a house became the be-all and end-all for the newlyweds. Shakespeare used this idiom in Macbeth (1:6), where Macbeth muses that “this blow might be the be-all and the end-all” for his replacing Duncan as king. [Late 1500s]

  be along Will come, will arrive, as in John said he’d be along in a few minutes, or The doctor’s report will be along by the end of the week. This phrase always indicates a future event. [Colloquial; early 1800s]

  beam → See BROAD IN THE BEAM; OFF THE BEAM.

  bean → See FULL OF BEANS; NOT HAVE A BEAN; NOT KNOW BEANS; NOT WORTH A DAMN (BEAN); SPILL THE BEANS; TOUGH BREAK (BEANS).

  bear → In addition to the idioms beginning with BEAR, also see BRING TO BEAR; CROSS AS A BEAR; CROSS TO BEAR; GRIN AND BEAR IT; LOADED FOR BEAR.

  bear a grudge Also, have or hold a grudge. Maintain resentment or anger against someone for a past offense. For example, They held up my claim for months, but I won’t bear a grudge against them, or His grandfather was always one to hold a grudge. [c. 1600]

  bear down 1. Press or weigh down on someone or something. For example, This pen doesn’t write unless you bear down hard on it. [Late 1600s] 2. Try hard, intensify one’s efforts, as in If you’ll just bear down, you’ll pass the test. 3. Move forward in a pressing or threatening way, as in The ferry bore down on our little skiff. This usage was originally nautical. [Early 1700s]

  beard the lion Confront a danger, take a risk, as in I went straight to my boss, bearding the lion. This term was originally a Latin proverb based on a Bible story (I Samuel 17:35) about the shepherd David, who pursued a lion that had stolen a lamb, caught it by its beard, and killed it. By Shakespeare’s time it was being used figuratively, as it is today. Sometimes the term is amplified to beard the lion in his den, which may combine the allusion with another Bible story, that of Daniel being shut in a lions’ den for the night (Daniel 6:16–24).

  bear fruit Yield results, have a favorable outcome, as in This new idea of his is bound to bear fruit. This metaphoric term, first recorded in 1879, transfers the production of fruit by a tree or plant to other kinds of useful yield.

  bearings → See GET ONE’S BEARINGS.

  bear in mind Also, keep in mind. Remember, as in Bear in mind that I can’t walk as fast as you, or Keep your constituency in mind when you speak. [First half of 1500s]

  bear one’s cross → See CROSS TO BEAR.

  bear out Back up or confirm, as in The results bear out what he predicted, or His story bears me out ­exactly. [Late 1400s]

  bear the brunt Put up with the worst of some bad circumstance, as in 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]

  bear up Endure, face a hardship, as in Jane found it hard to bear up under the strain of her father’s illness. This term is also used as an imperative, as in Bear up—the trip’s almost over. [c. 1600]

  bear with Put up with, make all
owance for, as in He’ll just have to bear with them until they decide. Nicholas Udall used this term in Ralph Roister Doister (c. 1553): “The heart of a man should more honour win by bearing with a woman.” It may also be used as an imperative, as in Bear with me—I’m getting to the point.

  beat → In addition to the idioms beginning with BEAT, also see DEAD BEAT; HEART MISSES A BEAT; IF YOU CAN’T BEAT ‘EM, JOIN ‘EM; MARCH TO A DIFFERENT BEAT; MISS A BEAT; OFF THE BEATEN TRACK; POUND THE PAVEMENT (A BEAT); TO BEAT THE BAND.

  beat a dead horse Also, flog a dead horse. Try to revive interest in a hopeless issue. For example, Politicians who favor the old single-tax idea are beating a dead horse. From the 1600s on the term dead horse was used figuratively to mean “something of no current value,” specifically an advance in pay or other debt that had to be worked (“flogged”) off. [Second half of 1800s]

  beat all Surpass anything, especially in a strange or amazing way, as in Adam and his cousin Eve eloped—doesn’t that beat all! This phrase appears to have replaced beat the Dutch. It is often used in a negative construction, as in the example. [Slang; first half of 1800s] Also see TO BEAT THE BAND.

  beat a path to someone’s door Come to someone in great numbers, as in Ever since she appeared on television, agents have been beating a path to her door. The term beat a path alludes to the trampling action of many feet. [Late 1500s]

  beat a retreat Also, beat a hasty retreat. Reverse course or withdraw, usually quickly. For example, I really don’t want to run into Jeff—let’s beat a retreat. This term originally (1300s) referred to the military practice of sounding drums to call back troops. Today it is used only figuratively, as in the example above.

  beat around the bush Also, beat about the bush. Approach indirectly, in a roundabout way, or too cautiously. For example, Stop beating around the bush—get to the point. This term, first recorded in 1572, originally may have alluded to beating the bushes for game.