The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

by Christine Ammer

  day after day Also, day in, day out. For many days, continuously; also, every day. For example, Day after day the rain spoiled our vacation, or Day in, day out, all I ever do is work. [First half of 1800s]

  day and night → See under NIGHT AND DAY.

  day by day On each successive day, daily, as in Day by day he’s getting better. Percy Bysshe Shelley used this expression, first recorded in 1362, in Adonais (1821): “fear and grief... consume us day by day.”

  day in, day out → See DAY AFTER DAY.

  day in court, have one’s Have an opportunity to be heard, as in By asking Rob for an explanation the professor showed he was willing to let him have his day in court. This expression transfers the idea of a hearing in a court of law to more general use.

  daylight → See BEAT THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF; BEGIN TO SEE DAYLIGHT; BROAD DAYLIGHT; HIGHWAY (DAYLIGHT) ROBBERY; LET DAYLIGHT THROUGH; SCARE OUT OF ONE’S WITS (THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF).

  day off A day away from work, school, or a similar obligation; a free day. For example, Sophie always used her day off to do errands. [Late 1800s]

  days are numbered, one’s Also, its days are numbered. The usefulness or life of someone or something is nearly ended. For example, When they announced the layoffs, she knew her days at the company were numbered, or My car’s days are numbered—the transmission is shot. A version of this expression appears in the Bible (Daniel 5:26): “God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it.” It came into common use in the late 1800s.

  day to day Also, from day to day. 1. Continuously, without interruption, on a daily basis. For example, Running this office day to day is not an easy task. [Late 1800s] 2. live from day to day. Be interested only in immediate concerns, without thought for the future. For example, Jean lives from day to day, planning nothing in advance. Also see LIVE FOR THE MOMENT.

  dead → In addition to the idioms beginning with DEAD, also see BEAT A DEAD HORSE; CAUGHT DEAD; CUT SOMEONE DEAD; DROP DEAD; KNOCK DEAD; MORE DEAD THAN ALIVE; OVER MY DEAD BODY; QUICK AND THE DEAD; STOP COLD (DEAD); TO WAKE THE DEAD. Also see under DEATH.

  dead ahead Directly or straight in front of one, as in There’s the house, dead ahead. The use of dead in the sense of “straight” dates from the last quarter of the 1800s.

  dead and buried Also, dead and gone. Long forgotten, no longer in use, as in That argument is dead and buried, or No point in worrying about regulations that are long dead and gone. This figurative use of “having died” is usually applied to some issue. [Late 1800s]

  dead as a doornail Also, dead as a dodo or herring. Totally or assuredly dead; also finished. For example, The cop announced that the body in the dumpster was dead as a doornail, or The radicalism she professed in her adolescence is now dead as a dodo, or The Equal Rights Amendment appears to be dead as a herring. The first, oldest, and most common of these similes, all of which can be applied literally to persons or, more often today, to issues, involves doornail, dating from about 1350. Its meaning is disputed but most likely it referred to the costly metal nails hammered into the outer doors of the wealthy (most people used the much cheaper wooden pegs), which were clinched on the inside of the door and therefore were “dead,” that is, could not be used again. Dead as a herring dates from the 16th century and no doubt alludes to the bad smell this dead fish gives off, making its death quite obvious. Dead as a dodo, referring to the extinct bird, dates from the early 1900s.

  dead beat 1. Defeated; also exhausted. For example, That horse was dead beat before the race even began, or, as Charles Dickens put it in Martin Chuzzlewit (1843): “Pull off my boots for me... I am quite knocked up. Dead beat.” [Slang; first half of 1800s] 2. Also, deadbeat. A lazy person or loafer; also, one who does not pay debts. For example, Her housemate knew she was a deadbeat, shirking her share of the chores, or He’s a deadbeat; don’t count on getting that money back. [Slang; second half of 1800s]

  dead cat bounce A surprisingly quick but short-lived recovery from adversity. The term originated in the 1980s and referred to a suddenly improved price in a stock that lasted only until speculators quickly resold it at the higher price. It alludes to throwing a dead cat against a wall, from which it will bounce but will remain dead. The term has been extended to similar phenomena, as in The home team has won the last two games but don’t count on more victories; that was a dead cat bounce.

  dead drunk Completely intoxicated, as in I can’t remember a thing about last night; I was dead drunk. This phrase, first recorded in 1599, alludes to the immobility and insensibility of actual death.

  dead duck 1. A person doomed to failure or death; a hopeless case. For example, If they can’t find a heart to transplant soon, he’s a dead duck. [1940s] 2. A useless, worthless, or outmoded person or thing. For example, They didn’t interview the outgoing senator; to the press he’s a dead duck. Some speculate that this slangy term comes from an old saying, “Never waste powder on a dead duck,” first recorded in 1829.

  dead end 1. A passage that has no exit, as in This street’s a dead end, so turn back. [Late 1800s] 2. An impasse or blind alley, allowing no progress to be made. For example, This job is a dead end; I’ll never be able to advance. [c. 1920]

  dead from the neck up Extremely stupid, as in That news commentator sounds dead from the neck up. This expression alludes to being “brain-dead.” [Early 1900s]

  dead heat A contest in which the competitors are equally matched and neither is ahead. For example, The two companies are in a dead heat to get a new personal computer on the market. This term comes from 18th-century British horse racing and is still part of racing terminology. It later was transferred to other kinds of competition.

  dead horse → See BEAT A DEAD HORSE.

  dead in one’s tracks → See under STOP COLD.

  dead in the water Unable to function or move; inoperable. For example, Without an effective leader, our plans for expansion are dead in the water. Originally referring to a crippled ship, this colloquialism was soon applied more broadly.

  dead letter 1. An unclaimed or undelivered letter that is eventually destroyed or returned to the sender. For example, She moved without leaving a forwarding address, so her mail ended up in the dead letter office. [c. 1700] 2. A statute or directive that is still valid but in practice is not enforced. For example, The blue laws here are a dead letter; all the stores open on Sundays and holidays. [Second half of 1600s]

  dead loss 1. A total loss, as in They’ve changed the currency, so these old coins are a dead loss. [Early 1700s] 2. A worthless person or thing; also, an utter waste of time. For example, With an injured knee he’s a dead loss to the team, or It rained every day, so our week at the beach was a dead loss. [1920s]

  dead man → See DEAD SOLDIER.

  dead meat, you’re You’re in serious trouble. Originally, from the mid-1800s, the term referred to being literally dead, usually having been killed. From the second half of the 1900s it has been used hyperbolically, as in If you don’t hand in those applications on time you’re dead meat. See also BE TOAST.

  dead of The period of greatest intensity of something, such as darkness or cold. For example, I love looking at seed catalogs in the dead of winter, when it’s below zero outside. The earliest recorded use of dead of night, for “darkest time of night,” was in Edward Hall’s Chronicle of 1548: “In the dead of the night... he broke up his camp and fled.” Dead of winter, for the coldest part of winter, dates from the early 1600s.

  dead on one’s feet Also, dead tired or dog tired. Extremely weary, as in Mom was in the kitchen all day and was dead on her feet, or I’d love to go, but I’m dead tired. The use of dead for “tired to exhaustion” dates from the early 1800s, and dead on one’s feet, conjuring up the image of a dead person still standing up, dates from the late 1800s. The last variant appeared in slightly different form, as dog-weary, in Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. The precise current wording was first recorded in 1770.

  dead ringer A person or thing that closely resembles an
other; an exact counterpart. For example, Brian’s a dead ringer for his Dad, or That red bike is a dead ringer for Mary’s. [Late 1800s]

  dead set against Completely opposed to, as in His parents were dead set against John’s taking a year off from college. Set against has been used to mean “opposed to” since the 1400s. Dead acquired the meaning “utterly” in the 16th century.

  dead soldier Also, dead man. An empty liquor, wine, or beer bottle, as in Their trash barrel’s full of dead soldiers; they must drink a lot, or That dead man sticking out of your pocket alerted the officer to the fact that you’d been drinking. Dead man has been slang for “empty bottle” since the late 1600s but has been largely replaced by dead soldier, dating from the late 1800s.

  dead tired → See DEAD ON ONE’S FEET.

  dead to rights In the act of committing an error or crime, red-handed. For example, They caught the burglars dead to rights with the Oriental rugs. This phrase uses to rights in the sense of “at once.” [Slang; mid-1800s]

  dead to the world Sound asleep or unconscious, as in The alarm clock went off but Joseph was dead to the world. [Late 1800s]

  dead weight A heavy or oppressive burden, as in That police record will be a dead weight on his career. This term alludes to the unrelieved weight of an inert mass. [Early 1700s]

  deaf → In addition to the idiom beginning with DEAF, also see FALL ON DEAF EARS; STONE DEAF; TURN A DEAF EAR.

  deaf as a post Also, deaf as an adder. Unable to hear or to listen, as in Speak louder, Grandpa’s deaf as a post. The first simile has its origin in John Palsgrave’s Acolastus (1540): “How deaf an ear I intended to give him... he were as good to tell his tale to a post.” It has largely replaced deaf as an adder, alluding to an ancient belief that adders cannot hear; it is recorded in the Bible (Psalms 58:3–5).

  deal → In addition to the idioms beginning with DEAL, also see BIG DEAL; CLOSE THE SALE (DEAL); CUT A DEAL; DONE DEAL; FAIR SHAKE (DEAL); GOOD DEAL; MAKE A FEDERAL CASE (BIG DEAL) OF; RAW DEAL; SQUARE DEAL; SWEETEN THE KITTY (DEAL); WHEEL AND DEAL.

  deal in 1. Also, deal with. Be occupied or concerned with, as in Jim deals in generalities, or This book deals with idioms. The first term dates from the late 1500s, the variant from about 1300. 2. Do business or trade in something, as in They deal in diamonds. [Late 1500s] Also see DEAL WITH. 3. deal someone in. Also, deal one a hand. Include someone, give someone a share, as in I hope they’ll deal me in on this new enterprise. This usage comes from card games, where to deal has meant “to distribute cards” since the 16th century. [Early 1900s]

  deal out 1. Distribute, as in He dealt out more and more work. [Late 1300s] Also see DEAL IN, def. 3. 2. deal someone out. Exclude someone, as in I don’t have time for this project, so deal me out. This usage is the opposite of DEAL IN, def. 3.

  deal with 1. See DEAL IN, def. 1. 2. Do business with someone, as in I like dealing with this company. [Late 1600s] Also see DEAL IN, def. 2. 3. Take action in, handle, administer, dispose of, as in The committee will deal with this matter. [Second half of 1400s] 4. Act in a specified way toward someone, as in He dealt extremely fairly with his competitors. [c. 1300]

  dear → In addition to the idiom beginning with DEAR, also see FOR DEAR LIFE; NEAREST AND DEAREST.

  dear me Also, oh dear. A polite exclamation expressing surprise, distress, sympathy, etc. For example, Dear me, I forgot to mail it, or Oh dear, what a bad time you’ve been having. These usages may originally have invoked God, as in dear God or oh God, which also continue to be so used. [Late 1600s]

  death → In addition to the idioms beginning with DEATH, also see AT DEATH’S DOOR; BE THE DEATH OF; BORE TO DEATH; CATCH COLD (ONE’S DEATH); DO TO DEATH; FATE WORSE THAN DEATH; IN AT THE DEATH; KISS OF DEATH; LOOK LIKE DEATH (WARMED OVER); MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH; PUT TO DEATH; SCARE OUT OF ONE’S WITS (TO DEATH); SIGN ONE’S OWN DEATH WARRANT; THRILL TO PIECES (TO DEATH); TICKLED PINK (TO DEATH); TO DEATH. Also see under DEAD.

  death and taxes, certain as Also, sure as death and taxes. Bound to occur, inevitable, as in His business is going to fail, certain as death and taxes. This phrase was invented by Benjamin Franklin in a letter (1789) and has been repeated ever since, the government’s recurring need for revenue probably assuring its continued popularity.

  death knell Something that indicates impending failure, as in His low scores sounded the death knell for his ambitions. The noun knell, used for the ringing of a bell since at least A.D. 1000, is rarely heard today except in this figurative phrase.

  death of → See BE THE DEATH OF.

  death on Very effective against; also, very fond of. For example, “He is a wonderful fielder and sure death on bunts” (Christy Mathewson, Pitching, 1912), or The boss is death on tardiness, or She’s death on the latest fashions. [Slang; early 1800s]

  deck → In addition to the idiom beginning with DECK, also see CLEAR THE DECKS; HIT THE DECK; ON DECK.

  deck out Decorate, dress up, as in They were all decked out in their best clothes. [Mid-1700s]

  declare war on Also, declare war against. Announce one’s intent to suppress or eradicate something or someone. For example, The police have declared war on drug dealing in the neighborhood, or Several gangs have declared war against each other. This usage transfers the literal sense of the term, “to state formally one’s intention to carry on hostilities against another power,” to a somewhat smaller scale.

  deep → In addition to the idioms beginning with DEEP, also see BEAUTY IS ONLY SKIN DEEP; BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE (THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA); GO OFF THE DEEP END; IN DEEP; STILL WATERS RUN DEEP.

  deep down At bottom, basically. For example, Deep down she was a rebel, or Although he would never admit it, deep down he was very fond of her. [c. 1900]

  deep end → See GO OFF THE DEEP END.

  deep pocket Also, deep pockets. A source of substantial wealth or financial support, as in The college relies on the deep pocket of one particular alumna. This term alludes to money-filled pockets. [Slang; 1970s]

  deep six 1. Also, give or get the deep six. Burial at sea. For example, When the torpedo hit our boat, I was sure we’d get the deep six. This expression alludes to the customary six-foot depth of most graves. [Early 1900s] 2. Disposal or rejection of something, as in They gave the new plan the deep six. This usage comes from nautical slang of the 1920s for tossing something overboard (to its watery grave; see def. 1). It was transferred to more general kinds of disposal in the 1940s and gave rise to the verb to deep-six, for “toss overboard” or “discard.”

  deep water → See IN DEEP, def. 2.

  default → See IN DEFAULT OF.

  defensive → See ON THE DEFENSIVE.

  defiance → See IN DEFIANCE OF.

  degree → See BY DEGREES; THIRD DEGREE; TO SOME DEGREE; TO THE NTH DEGREE.

  deliver → In addition to the idiom beginning with DELIVER, also see SIGNED, SEALED, AND DELIVERED.

  deliver the goods Do what is required, come up to expectations. For example, Kate delivered the goods and got us the five votes we needed. This phrase alludes to delivering an order of groceries or other items. [Colloquial; second half of 1800s]

  delusions of grandeur A false belief that one is more important than one actually is. For example, He thinks he’s bound to be up for the presidency—he’s suffering from delusions of grandeur [Early 1900s]

  demand → See IN DEMAND; MAKE DEMANDS ON; ON DEMAND.

  dent → See MAKE A DENT IN.

  depth → See IN DEPTH; OUT OF ONE’S DEPTH.

  description → See BEGGAR DESCRIPTION.

  desert → In addition to the idiom beginning with DESERT, also see JUST DESERTS.

  desert a sinking ship Also, abandon a sinking ship. Abandon a failing enterprise before it is too late. For example, After seeing the company’s financial statement, he knew it was time to desert a sinking ship. This metaphoric expression alludes to rats, which leave a vessel when it founders in a storm or runs aground so as to escape drowning. It was transfe
rred to human behavior by about 1600.

  deserve → See ONE GOOD TURN DESERVES ANOTHER.

  design → See BY DESIGN; HAVE DESIGNS ON.

  desire → See LEAVE A LOT TO BE DESIRED.

  desist → See CEASE AND DESIST.

  detail → See GORY DETAILS; IN DETAIL.

  determine → See BOUND AND DETERMINED.

  device → See LEAVE TO SOMEONE’S OWN DEVICES.

  devil → In addition to the idioms beginning with DEVIL, also see BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW; BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE (THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA); FULL OF IT (THE DEVIL); GIVE SOMEONE HELL (THE DEVIL); GIVE THE DEVIL HIS DUE; GO TO HELL (THE DEVIL); LUCK OF THE DEVIL; PLAY THE DEVIL WITH; RAISE CAIN (THE DEVIL); SPEAK OF THE DEVIL.

  devil and deep blue sea → see under BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE.

  devil of a Also, one devil or the devil of a; hell of a. Infernally annoying or difficult, as in This is a devil of an assembly job, or She had one devil of a time getting through the traffic, or I had a hell of a morning sitting in that doctor’s office. The first expression dates from the mid-1700s. The variant is a couple of decades newer and its precise meaning depends on the context. For example, We had a hell of a time getting here invariably means we had a very difficult or annoying time, but He is one hell of a driver could mean that he is either very good or very bad (see HELL OF A, def. 2).