The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

by Christine Ammer

  by inches Also, inch by inch. Gradually, bit by bit, as in We found ourselves in rush hour traffic, moving by inches. Shakespeare used this term in Coriolanus (5:4): “They’ll give him death by inches.” Despite the increasing use of metric measurements, it survives, often as an exaggeration of the actual circumstance. The phrase to inch along, first recorded in 1812, means “to move bit by bit,” as in There was a long line at the theater, just inching along.

  by Jove Also, by cracky. Used to express surprise or emphasis. For example, By Jove, I was glad to see her, or It was a great day, by cracky. These mild oaths are euphemisms, the first for “by Jesus” or “by God” (Jove is another name for Jupiter, the principal Roman god), and the folksy variant by cracky for “by Christ.” Both idioms may be dying out.

  by leaps and bounds Rapidly, or in fast progress, as in The corn is growing by leaps and bounds, or School enrollment is increasing by leaps and bounds. This term is a redundancy, since leap and bound both mean “spring” or “jump,” but the two words have been paired since Shakespeare’s time and are still so used.

  by means of Through the use of, owing to, as in We plan to pay for medical school by means of a second mortgage, or He’ll succeed by means of sheer persistence. [Early 1400s] Also see BY DINT OF.

  by mistake Erroneously, as in He took my coat by mistake. [c. 1700]

  by no means Also, not by any means. In no way, certainly not. For example, He is by no means a weak opponent, or Not by any means will I go along with that decision. [Late 1400s]

  by no stretch → See BY ANY STRETCH.

  by one’s bootstraps → See PULL ONESELF UP BY THE BOOTSTRAPS.

  by oneself Alone, unaccompanied; also, unassisted. For example, She enjoyed being by herself much of the time, or Brian can pick up his toys by himself. [c. A.D. 1000]

  by one’s wits → See LIVE BY ONE’S WITS.

  by reason of Because of, owing to, as in By reason of a crop failure, the price of coffee is bound to rise. This expression is considered quite formal today. [c. 1300]

  by request Also, on or upon request. In response to being asked to do something. For example, The band is playing our favorite song by request. This usage replaced at request. [Late 1600s]

  by rights Justly, in fairness, as in By rights he should have been chosen first. Originally put as by right, this term was first recorded about 1315.

  by storm → See TAKE BY STORM.

  by surprise → See TAKE BY SURPRISE.

  by the balls → See HAVE SOMEONE BY THE BALLS.

  by the board Fallen out of use, discarded. This expression usually is put as go by the board, as in With all the crime around here, the practice of leaving the house unlocked has gone by the board. The board here is the board of a ship, and the expression has been used since about 1630 to signify something that has fallen overboard and been carried away. [Mid-1800s]

  by the book Strictly according to the rules, as in Our trip leader is going by the book, allowing us to wander off only for short periods. Shakespeare already used the term figuratively in Romeo and Juliet (1:5): “You kiss by the book.” Also see BY THE NUMBERS.

  by the bye Also, by the by. Incidentally, in passing, as in By the bye, my wife is coming too, or Exactly where do you live, by the by? The bye or second by in this term originally meant “a side path,” whence the current sense of “off the track” or “of secondary importance.” [Early 1500s] Also see BY THE WAY.

  by the day Also, by the hour or week or month or year. According to a specific time period, as in I’m renting this car by the day, or He’s being paid by the hour. This usage generally describes some kind of rate. [1400s]

  by the dozen Also, by the hundred or thousand. According to a definite quantity, as in She’s buying tapes by the dozen. This usage is generally employed for some kind of rate. A 1950 film about efficiency expert Frank Gilbreth and his family was entitled Cheaper by the Dozen. [c. 1300]

  by the numbers In a strict sequence, step-by-step; also, mechanically. For example, The only way to assemble this computer is to do it by the numbers, or Writing a novel is not something one can do by the numbers. This expression has nothing to do with actual numerical figures (like BY THE DOZEN) but uses numbers in the sense of a strict order or sequence.

  by the same token 1. In the same way, for the same reason. For example, He has a good ear for music, and by the same token he finds it easy to pronounce foreign words. This phrase today is used in a general way to connect statements that have some logical association with one another. [Mid-1400s] 2. As a concomitant circumstance, as in Boston’s population has grown very fast, and by the same token its urban problems have also increased. [Late 1800s]

  by the seat of the pants → See SEAT OF THE PANTS.

  by the short hairs Under one’s complete control. This expression is often used with get or have, as in She had her husband by the short hairs. It is in effect a euphemism for HAVE SOMEONE BY THE BALLS, the hairs in question being pubic hair. [Colloquial; second half of 1800s]

  by the skin of one’s teeth Just barely, very narrowly, as in Doug passed the exam by the skin of his teeth. A related term appears in the Bible (Job 19:20), where Job says, “I am escaped with the skin of my teeth,” presumably meaning he got away with nothing at all. Today the phrase using by is used most often to describe a narrow escape. [c. 1600] Also see SQUEAK BY.

  by the sweat of one’s brow By hard work, as in The only way he’ll succeed is by the sweat of his brow. This figurative usage appears in the Bible (Genesis 31:9), where Adam’s punishment for eating fruit in Eden is “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread”—that is, he will have to work for his bread, or living. [c. 1600]

  by the way 1. In passing, incidentally, as in She’s my wife’s cousin, and by the way, a good friend. [Mid-1500s] 2. Parenthetically, in addition, as in We saw Mary last week, and by the way, did Tom call you? [Early 1600s]

  by turns Alternately, one after another, as in She is by turns cheerful, serious, and sad. [First half of 1500s]

  by virtue of Also in virtue of. On the grounds of, by reason of, as in By virtue of a large inheritance she could easily afford not to work. [Early 1300s]

  by way of 1. Through, via, as in I’m flying to Australia by way of Hawaii. [Mid-1400s] 2. As a means of, as in He paid our fares by way of apology. [Late 1300s]

  by weight According to weight rather than height, volume, or some other measure. For example, In Europe bread often is sold by weight rather than by the loaf. [c. A.D. 1000]

  by word of mouth → See WORD OF MOUTH.

  c

  cabin fever Distress or anxiety caused by prolonged confinement in a small or remote place, as in We’ve been snowed in for a week and everyone has cabin fever. Originating in the West, this term at first alluded to being penned up in a remote cabin during a long winter but has since been ­applied more broadly. [Late 1800s]

  caboodle → See WHOLE KIT AND CABOODLE.

  cahoots → See under IN LEAGUE WITH.

  Cain → See RAISE CAIN.

  cake → See EAT ONE’S CAKE AND HAVE IT, TOO; FLAT AS A PANCAKE; ICING ON THE CAKE; NUTTY AS A FRUITCAKE; PIECE OF CAKE; SELL LIKE HOT CAKES; SLICE OF THE PIE (CAKE); TAKE THE CAKE.

  calculated risk A chance taken after careful estimation of the probable outcome, as in Taking their dispute to arbitration was definitely a calculated risk. This term uses calculated in the sense of “planned with forethought,” a usage from the mid-1800s. Its pairing with risk dates from World War II, when the chances for losing bombers were taken into account before a bombing mission was sent out. After the war the term was transferred to other undertakings where taking a chance to succeed had to be weighed against the costs of failure.

  calf → See KILL THE FATTED CALF; PUPPY (CALF) LOVE.

  call → In addition to the idioms beginning with CALL, also see ABOVE AND BEYOND (THE CALL OF DUTY); AT SOMEONE’S BECK AND CALL; CLOSE CALL; CRANK CALL; DON’T CALL US, WE’LL CALL YOU; NO CALL FOR; ON CALL; PAY A CALL; POT
CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK; TOO CLOSE TO CALL; UNCALLED FOR; WAKE-UP CALL; WITHIN CALL.

  call a halt Order something stopped, as in It was getting too dark to see the ball, so the referee called a halt to the match, or They’d played the march four times, so the conductor called a halt to the rehearsal. [Late 1800s]

  call a spade a spade Speak frankly and bluntly, be explicit, as in You can always trust Mary to call a spade a spade. This term comes from a Greek saying, call a bowl a bowl, that was mistranslated into Latin by Erasmus and came into English in the 1500s. Also see TELL IT LIKE IT IS.

  call back 1. Ask someone to return; also, ask that something be returned, as in He passed the first audition and was waiting to be called back, or These screws are defective; the manufacturer has called them back. [Late 1500s] 2. call someone back. Telephone someone in return, as in May I call you back next week? [Early 1900s]

  call down 1. Invoke, as from heaven; for example, He called down the wrath of God. [Early 1800s] 2. call someone down. Scold or reprimand, as in The conductor called her down for playing out of tune. [Mid-1800s] For a synonym, see DRESS DOWN, def. 1.

  call for 1. Go to get someone or something, as in John said he’d call for Mary at eight, or Someone’s at the door, calling for the package. [First half of 1600s] 2. Summon someone or something. For example, The audience called for the playwright, or The judge called for the verdict. [First half of 1500s] 3. Require, demand, as in This job calls for a lot of patience. [First half of 1700s] Also see NO CALL FOR; UNCALLED FOR.

  call in 1. Summon for help or consultation, as in We’ve decided to call in a specialist to look at Father. [Second half of 1600s] 2. Withdraw from circulation, as in We’re calling in all the old models. [Late 1500s] 3. Communicate by telephone, as in In this office salesmen must call in once a day. [Mid-1900s]

  call in question Also, call into question. Dispute, challenge; also, cast doubt on. For example, How can you call her honesty into question? This usage was first recorded in John Lyly’s Euphues (1579): “That... I should call in question the demeanour of all.”

  call in sick Telephone one’s employer or school that one is ill and cannot come to work or attend. For example, Ben called in sick and told his boss he would miss the meeting. [Mid-1900s]

  call it a day Stop a particular activity for the rest of the day, as in It’s past five o’clock so let’s call it a day. Similarly, call it a night means “to stop something for the rest of the night,” as in One more hand of bridge and then let’s call it a night. The original phrase was call it half a day, first recorded in 1838, which referred to leaving one’s place of employment before the work day was over. The first recorded use of call it a day was in 1919, and of call it a night in 1938. Also see CALL IT QUITS.

  call it quits Stop working, abandon something, give up, as in John is calling it quits for now or This ground is far too stony for a garden so I’m calling it quits. This idiom comes from cry quits, dating from the 1600s and meaning “declare even” or “get even.” The verb call was substituted in the late 1800s. Also see CALL IT A DAY.

  call names Verbally abuse someone, use offensive epithets, as in The teacher told the children to stop calling names. This idiom was first recorded in the late 1600s but Shakespeare used a similar expression earlier in Richard III (1:3): “That thou hadst called me all these bitter names.”

  call of duty → See under ABOVE AND BEYOND.

  call off 1. Summon away, restrain, as in Please call off your dog. [Early 1600s] 2. Cancel some plan or undertaking, as in She decided to call off their engagement, or In case of rain the picnic will be called off. [Late 1800s]

  call of nature Need to urinate or defecate, as in He left to answer the call of nature. This euphemism may be dying out. [Mid-1800s]

  call on Also, call upon. 1. Make a request, ask for, choose, as in We are calling upon you to run for chairman, or The teacher called on Joe to answer. [c. 1400] 2. Pay a brief visit, as in The salesman said he’d call on me in the morning. Shakespeare had this usage in Hamlet (3:3): “I’ll call upon you ere you go to bed.” [Late 1500s]

  call one’s own Claim or regard something as one’s possession or under one’s control, as in Victorian wives had almost nothing to call their own. This expression, dating from about 1600, today is often used in a negative context, as in the example. It also appears in can’t call one’s time one’s own, which dates from the 18th century and means one spends much of one’s time in someone else’s service, as in The hours in this job are terrible; I can’t call my time my own.

  call on the carpet Summon for a scolding or rebuke, as in Suspecting a leak to the press, the governor called his press secretary on the carpet. This term began as on the carpet, which in the early 1700s referred to a cloth (carpet) covering a conference table and therefore came to mean “under consideration or discussion.” In 19th-century America, however, carpet meant “floor covering,” and the expression, first recorded in 1902, alluded to being called before or reprimanded by a person rich or powerful enough to have a carpet.

  call out 1. Summon into action or service, as in The governor called out the militia. [Mid-1400s] 2. Challenge to a fight, as in To avenge the insult, Arthur called him out. This term originated with dueling and is dying out. [Early 1800s]

  call someone’s bluff Expose someone’s deception, invite a showdown, as in I don’t believe they have enough capital; I’m going to call their bluff. This term comes from poker, where bluffing (pretending) that one has better cards than one’s opponents is an intrinsic part of the game, and calling someone’s bluff means forcing them to show their cards. By the late 1800s it was being applied to other enterprises. Also see SHOW ONE’S HAND.

  call the shots Exercise authority, be in charge, as in It’s up to the boss to call the shots. This term probably alludes to determining accuracy in target practice. [Mid-1900s] Also see CALL THE TUNE.

  call the tune Make important decisions, exercise authority, as in Nancy said that it’s her turn to call the tune. The full term is Who pays the piper calls the tune, meaning whoever bears the cost of an enterprise should have authority over it. [Late 1800s] Also see the synonym CALL THE SHOTS.

  call to account 1. Hold answerable, as in One day soon we’ll be called to account for the child’s behavior. [Mid-1500s] 2. Challenge or contest, as in The IRS is bound to call us to account on these deductions. [First half of 1800s]

  call to mind Remember, recall, as in I’ve tried but I can’t call his name to mind. This idiom was first recorded in 1472.

  call to order Formally open a meeting; also, bid people to obey the rules. For example, The chairman used his gavel to call everyone to order, or The judge called the spectators to order and threatened to make them leave. [Early 1800s]

  call up 1. Summon to military service, as in He was called up for active duty. [Late 1600s]. 2. Cause to remember, bring to mind, as in These stories call up old times. [c. 1700] Also see CALL TO MIND. 3. Telephone someone, as in I’ll call up the theater and find out about tickets. [Late 1800s] 4. Retrieve data from a computer memory, as in I asked him to call up the last quarter’s sales figures. [Second half of 1900s]

  call upon → See CALL ON.

  calm before the storm A feeling of foreboding during a quiet period, sensing that violence of some kind is on the way. Alluding to changing weather since ancient times, the term has been used figuratively for human affairs since about 1600, particularly to a period of peace before the outbreak of war. For example, Historians point to the 1938 Munich Pact as the calm before the storm, that is, the outbreak of World War II.

  camel → See under LAST STRAW.

  camp → In addition to the idioms beginning with CAMP, also see BREAK CAMP; FOOT IN BOTH CAMPS; HAPPY CAMPER.

  camp follower 1. A civilian who follows or settles near a military camp, especially a prostitute who does so. For example, The recruits were told not to associate with camp followers. [Early 1800s] 2. A person who sympathizes with a cause or group but does not join it. For
example, She’s only a camp follower so we can’t count on her for a contribution.

  camp it up Make an extravagant, affected, or vulgar display, as in Amateur actors often camp it up, trying to be more dramatic. Originating in the 1950s as slang for flamboyant behavior stereotypically associated with gay men, this term began to be used more loosely by about 1970. Also see HAM UP.

  camp out Sleep outdoors; also, stay somewhere for an unusually long time. For example, “We camped out in a field this night” (George Washington, Journal, March 18, 1748). In the early 1900s, the expression was extended to figurative uses, meaning simply “to stay somewhere for an unusually long time,” as in She camped out at the stage door, hoping for an autograph.

  can → In addition to the idioms beginning with CAN, also see AS BEST ONE CAN; BEFORE YOU CAN SAY JACK ROBINSON; BITE OFF MORE THAN ONE CAN CHEW; CARRY THE CAN; CATCH AS CATCH CAN; GAME THAT TWO CAN PLAY; GET THE AX (CAN); IN THE CAN; MORE THAN ONE CAN SHAKE A STICK AT; NO CAN DO; YOU (CAN) BET YOUR ASS; YOU CAN LEAD A HORSE TO WATER BUT YOU CAN’T MAKE IT DRINK; YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN; YOU NEVER CAN TELL. Also see under CAN’T.

  canary → See LOOK LIKE THE CAT THAT ATE THE ­CANARY.

  cancel out Neutralize the effect of, offset, render void. For example, Anne’s kindness to her neighbor could not cancel out her irritability. The verb cancel was used in this way by itself from the late 1400s; out was added in the early 1900s.

  candle → See BURN THE CANDLE AT BOTH ENDS; GAME IS NOT WORTH THE CANDLE; HOLD A CANDLE TO.

  can do with Also, could do with. Might profit from, needs, as in This room can do with a good cleaning, or Harry could do with a new suit. [Colloquial; late 1700s] Also see DO WITH.

  canned laughter Also, canned music. Pre-recorded sound effects or music that can be played repeatedly, as in That canned laughter doesn’t make his jokes any funnier, or Canned music is greatly reducing the number of musical jobs available. O. Henry had the term in his story, Cabbages and Kings (1903): “We’ll export canned music to the Latins.” Canned laughter today is often used in broadcasting to simulate the reaction of a nonexistent live audience. [c. 1900]