The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

by Christine Ammer

  eye → In addition to the idioms beginning with EYE, also see ALL EYES; APPLE OF ONE’S EYE; BELIEVE ONE’S EARS (EYES); BIRD’S-EYE VIEW; BLACK EYE; BRIGHT-EYED AND BUSHY-TAILED; CATCH SOMEONE’S EYE; CLOSE ONE’S EYES TO; CRY ONE’S EYES OUT; EAGLE EYE; EASY ON THE EYES; EVIL EYE; FEAST ONE’S EYES ON; GIVE SOMEONE THE ONCE-OVER (EYE); GREEN-EYED MONSTER; HAVE AN EYE FOR; HAVE ONE’S EYE ON; HIT BETWEEN THE EYES; HIT THE BULL’S-EYE; IN A PIG’S EYE; IN ONE’S MIND’S EYE; IN THE EYE OF; IN THE PUBLIC EYE; IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE; KEEP AN EYE ON; KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR; KEEP A WEATHER EYE OUT; KEEP ONE’S EYE ON THE BALL; KEEP ONE’S EYES OPEN; LAY EYES ON; LOOK SOMEONE IN THE FACE (EYE); MAKE EYES AT; MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE; MY EYE; NAKED EYE; ONE EYE ON; OPEN ONE’S EYES; OUT OF THE CORNER OF ONE’S EYE; PRIVATE EYE; PULL THE WOOL OVER SOMEONE’S EYES; RUN ONE’S EYES OVER; SEE EYE TO EYE; SEE WITH HALF AN EYE; SIGHT FOR SORE EYES; STARS IN ONE’S EYES; THROW DUST IN SOMEONE’S EYES; TURN A BLIND EYE TO; UP TO ONE’S EARS (EYES); WITH AN EYE TO; WITH ONE’S EYES OPEN; WITHOUT BATTING AN EYE.

  eyeball to eyeball Face to face; especially, about to begin a conflict. For example, We are eyeball to eyeball with the enemy, or In the playoffs we go eyeball to eyeball with the Yankees, or In the first debate our candidate’s going eyeball to eyeball with his opponent. This term was originally used only in a military context but later entered civilian language, particularly in political or sports confrontations. [Colloquial; c. 1950]

  eyebrow → See CAUSE RAISED EYEBROWS.

  eye candy Also, arm candy. An extremely attractive person, often with the implication that good looks are his or her only notable feature. The “arm” in the variant refers to the person accompanying a companion on his/her arm. For example, For the awards ceremony, Paul made sure he was accompanied by eye candy. [Slang, c. 1980] See also EAR CANDY.

  eye for an eye, an Punishment in which the offender suffers what the victim has suffered, exact retribution, as in Joe believed in an eye for an eye; stealing his client would have to be avenged. This idiom is a quotation from the Bible, which has “Life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth” (Deuteronomy 19:21); the idea is contradicted in the New Testament (see TURN THE OTHER CHEEK).

  eye opener, an 1. A startling or shocking revelation, as in The first sentence of his speech was a real eye opener. This expression alludes to widening one’s eyes with surprise. [Mid-1800s] 2. A strong alcoholic drink taken early in the morning, as in After a late night and little sleep, he generally needed an eye opener to jolt him awake. This usage alludes to the alleged wakening effect of such a beverage. [Early 1800s]

  eyes are bigger than one’s stomach, one’s Someone wants more than he or she can handle, as in He’s thinking of acquiring a third business, but we think his eyes are bigger than his stomach. This expression alludes to someone taking more food than he or she can digest. [Late 1500s]

  eyes in the back of one’s head, have Be more aware of what is happening than is generally realized. For example, Even when he’s away he always knows what the staff are doing—he has eyes in the back of his head, or With such hostile colleagues she needs to have eyes in the back of her head. [Mid-1500s]

  eyes open, with → See KEEP ONE’S EYES OPEN; OPEN ONE’S EYES.

  eyeteeth → See GIVE ONE’S EYETEETH.

  eye to, with an With a view of, with a plan for. For example, With an eye to expansion, we’ll have to be careful with expenses, or She always operates with an eye to the future. [Late 1300s]

  eye to eye → See SEE EYE TO EYE.

  eye to the main chance, have an Look out for one’s own best interest. For example, Tom is watching the company’s progress very closely; he always has an eye to the main chance. [c. 1600]

  f

  face → In addition to the idioms beginning with FACE, also see AT FACE VALUE; BLUE IN THE FACE; BRAVE FACE; DO AN ABOUT-FACE; EGG ON ONE’S FACE; FEED ONE’S FACE; FLY IN THE FACE OF; HIDE ONE’S FACE; IN SOMEONE’S FACE; IN THE FACE OF; IN YOUR FACE; KEEP A STRAIGHT FACE; LAUGH OUT OF THE OTHER SIDE OF ONE’S MOUTH (FACE); LONG FACE; LOOK SOMEONE IN THE FACE; LOSE FACE; MAKE A FACE; NOT JUST A PRETTY FACE; ON THE FACE OF IT; PLAIN AS DAY (THE NOSE ON YOUR FACE); POKER FACE; PUT ONE’S FACE ON; RED IN THE FACE; SAVE FACE; SET ONE’S FACE AGAINST; SHOW ONE’S FACE; SLAP IN THE FACE; STARE IN THE FACE; STUFF ONE’S FACE; TALK SOMEONE’S ARM OFF (UNTIL ONE IS BLUE IN THE FACE); THROW IN SOMEONE’S FACE; TO ONE’S FACE.

  face down 1. With the upper surface put down, as in Please put these papers face down. This usage appears to come from card-playing. [First half of 1600s] The antonym, “with the upper surface uppermost,” is face up. 2. Overcome, intimidate, or browbeat someone in a bold confrontation. This verbal expression dates from the 16th century. Shakespeare used it in The Comedy of Errors (3:1): “Here’s a villain that would face me down.”

  face it → See FACE UP TO.

  face the music Confront unpleasantness, especially the consequences of one’s errors. For example, When the check bounced, he had to face the music. The precise allusion in this expression has been lost. Most authorities believe it refers to a theater’s pit orchestra, which an actor must face when he faces what can be a hostile audience, but some hold it comes from the military, where a formal dismissal in disgrace would be accompanied by band music. [Second half of 1800s] Also see FACE UP TO.

  face to face 1. In each other’s presence, opposite one another; in direct communication. For example, The two chairmen sat face to face, or It’s time his parents met the teacher face to face. [Mid-1300s] 2. Confronting each other, as in We were face to face with death during the avalanche. [Late 1800s]

  face up → See under FACE DOWN.

  face up to Also, face it. Confront or accept an unpleasant or difficult situation. For example, Jane had to face up to the possibility of being fired, or Face it—you were wrong. [Late 1700s] Another version from the first half of the 1800s is let’s face it. Also see FACE THE MUSIC.

  face value → See AT FACE VALUE.

  face with Confront, as in When he was faced with the evidence, he admitted it. [Late 1500s]

  fact → In addition to the idiom beginning with FACTS, also see AFTER THE FACT; IN FACT; IS THAT A FACT; MATTER OF FACT.

  factor in Figure in, include as a basic element. For example, In preparing the schedule we factored in vacation and sick days. This term comes from mathematics. [Mid-1900s]

  facts of life Knowledge of sexual reproduction, as in Some people feel that the facts of life should not be taught in school. [Late 1800s] Also see BIRDS AND THE BEES.

  fade away → See FADE OUT, def. 2.

  fade out 1. Gradually disappear or become inaudible; also, cause to disappear or become inaudible gradually. For example, He let the final chord fade out completely before he played the next movement. The antonym is fade in, “to appear gradually or become audible,” as in The images on the screen faded in until they could be seen clearly. These terms originated in the motion-picture and broadcasting industries, where they apply to images and sounds. [c. 1915] 2. Also, fade away. Quietly depart, as in “Florence Scape, Fanny Scape and their mother faded away to Boulogne” (William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair, 1848). [Mid-1800s] A variant is to do a fade, as in Instead of telling her straight out that their engagement is off, he quietly did a fade. [Slang, mid-1900s]

  fail → See WITHOUT FAIL; WORDS FAIL ME.

  faint → See DAMN WITH FAINT PRAISE.

  fair → In addition to the idioms beginning with FAIR, also see ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR; PLAY FAIR; TURNABOUT IS FAIR PLAY.

  fair and square Just and honest, as in He won the race fair and square. This redundant expression—fair and square mean essentially the same thing—probably owes its long life to its rhyme. [Early 1600s]

  fair deal → See under FAIR SHAKE.

  fair enough That’s reasonable; I agree. For example, I’ll wait just one more day.—Fair enough, you’ve been very patient. [Colloquial; early 1900s]

  fair game A legitimate target for attack or ridic
ule. For example, On his talk show, authors are considered fair game. This expression alludes to hunting. [Early 1800s]

  fair-haired boy A favorite, a person who is given special treatment. For example, Today the attorney general is the governor’s fair-haired boy. This term alludes to the preference for blond (“fair”) hair over dark hair. [Late 1800s] A more recent synonym is golden boy, dating from the first half of the 1900s and alluding to gold as an item of value. For example, Holding the directorship of both the Metropolitan Opera and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, James Levine was the golden boy of classical music. Clifford Odets entitled his 1937 play Golden Boy.

  fair play Conformity to established rules; upright conduct and equitable conditions. For example, The coach insists on fair play. Shakespeare used this idiom in King John (5:2): “According to the fair play of the world, let me have audience.” [Late 1500s] Also see TURNABOUT IS FAIR PLAY.

  fair sex Girls or women, as in Many women would object to being called the fair sex nowadays. This euphemism uses fair in the sense of “physically beautiful” and is probably dying out. [Mid-1600s]

  fair shake, a An equitable bargain or opportunity, as in You can always count on the boss to give his crew a fair shake. This expression probably alludes to the shaking of dice. [Colloquial; early 1800s] Variants of this term are fair deal and square deal, dating from the same period. However, the former also is the name of a policy of social improvement advocated by U.S. President Harry S. Truman (1945-49). It is often capitalized. See also GOOD DEAL, def. 2.

  fair to middling Mediocre, pretty good, so-so, as in I asked them how they liked their new home and John answered, “Fair to middling.” This phrase, often a replay to an inquiry about one’s health, business, or the like, is redundant, since fair and middling both mean “moderately good.” [Mid-1800s] Also see CAN’T COMPLAIN.

  fair-weather friend A person who is dependable in good times but is not in times of trouble. For example, You can’t rely on Sarah—she’s strictly a fair-weather friend. This expression likens fair weather to good times. [Early 1700s]

  fairy → In addition to the idiom beginning with FAIRY, also see TOOTH FAIRY.

  fairy godmother A generous benefactor, as in An anonymous fairy godmother donated the money for the new organ. This expression alludes to a stock character in fairy tales such as Cinderella, who gives unexpected and much needed assistance. [Late 1800s]

  faith → See ACT OF FAITH; IN BAD (GOOD) FAITH; LEAP OF FAITH; ON FAITH; PIN ONE’S HOPES (FAITH) ON.

  fall → In addition to the idioms beginning with FALL, also see BOTTOM DROPS (FALLS) OUT; BREAK ONE’S FALL; EASY AS PIE (FALLING OFF A LOG); LET DROP (FALL); LET THE CHIPS FALL WHERE THEY MAY; RIDE FOR A FALL; TAKE THE FALL.

  fall all over oneself Also, fall over backwards. Make an inordinate effort to do something, try very hard or eagerly. For example, They fell all over themselves to be helpful, but only got in the way, or She fell over backwards trying to please her boss, but it got her nowhere. The first of these hyperbolic expressions dates from the late 1800s, the second from the mid-1900s.

  fall apart Collapse, break down, either physically or mentally and emotionally. For example, This chair is about to fall apart, or After his wife died, he fell apart. For synonyms for the latter usage, see COME APART AT THE SEAMS; GO TO PIECES.

  fall asleep Go to sleep; also, cease paying attention. For example, As soon as the lights were dimmed he fell asleep, or His lectures are so dull that I fall asleep. The literal usage, which uses the verb fall in the sense of “succumb,” dates from about 1300; the figurative is several centuries newer. Also see ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH.

  fall away 1. Also, fall off. Withdraw one’s friendship, support, or allegiance. For example, After the divorce, her friends slowly fell away. [Early 1500s] 2. Also, fall off. Gradually decline in size or strength, as in The breeze slowly fell away, or, as Shakespeare put it (King Lear, 1:2): “Love cools, friendship falls off, brothers divide.” [Early 1500s] 3. Drift from an established faith, cause, or principles. For example, I fell away from the Catholic Church when I was a teenager. [Early 1500s]

  fall back 1. Give ground, retreat, as in The troops fell back before the relentless enemy assault, or He stuck to his argument, refusing to fall back. [c. 1600] 2. Recede, as in The waves fell back from the shore. [c. 1800]

  fall back on Also, fall back upon. Rely on, have recourse to, as in I fall back on old friends in time of need, or When he lost his job he had to fall back upon his savings. [Mid-1800s]

  fall behind Also, get behind. 1. Lag, fail to keep up, as in You really must keep up with the others; if you fall behind you could get lost. [First half of 1500s] 2. Be financially in arrears, as in He fell behind in his payments. [Mid-1800s]

  fall between the cracks Also, fall through the cracks or between two stools. Be neglected or overlooked; also, not fit either of two alternatives. For example, Please make sure that either our department or yours deals with this account, lest it fall between the cracks, or Trying to be both teacher and parent, she fell between two stools. The variant using stools, with its image of a person falling to the ground between two chairs instead of sitting down on one or the other, was already a proverb in ancient times; in English it was first recorded about 1390.

  fall by the wayside Fail to continue, drop out, as in At first she did well on the tour, but with all the pressure she soon fell by the wayside. This phrase appeared in William Tyndale’s 1526 translation of the New Testament (Luke 8:5).

  fall down Fail to meet expectations; lag in performance. For example, It was disappointing to see him fall down on the job. This expression transfers a literal drop to a figurative one. [Second half of 1800s]

  fall flat Fail, prove to be ineffective, as in His jokes nearly always fell flat—no one ever laughed at them. [First half of 1800s]

  fall for 1. Become attracted to, as in I was sure he’d fall for her. [Slang; early 1900s] 2. Be deceived or swindled by, as in He fell for the con artist’s scheme and lost a great deal of money. [Slang; early 1900s]

  fall from grace Experience reduced status or prestige, cease to be held in favor, as in The whole department has fallen from grace and may well be dissolved entirely. This expression originally alluded to losing the favor of God. Today it is also used more loosely, as in the example. [Late 1300s]

  fall guy 1. A scapegoat, one who is blamed for the actions of others. For example, He refused to be the fall guy for his colleagues. This expression uses fall in the sense of “consequences” or “blame,” which originated in prison slang. [Slang; early 1900s] Also see TAKE THE FALL. 2. An easy victim, one who is readily duped. For example, His friends had marked him as the fall guy—they knew he would believe their ruse. [Slang; early 1900s]

  fall in 1. Take one’s place in formation or in the ranks, as in The sergeant ordered the troops to fall in. A related expression is fall into, as in They all fell into their places. [Early 1600s] Also see FALL INTO. 2. Sink inward, cave in, as in The snow was so heavy that we feared the roof would fall in. [Early 1700s] Also see the subsequent idioms beginning with FALL IN; FALL INTO.

  falling-down drunk → See under DRUNK AS A LORD.

  fall in line Also, fall into line. Adhere to established rules or predetermined courses of action. For example, This idea falls in line with the entire agenda, or It wasn’t easy to get all the tenants to fall into line concerning the rent hike. A related term is bring into line, meaning “to make someone or something fit established rules,” as in It was her job to bring her class into line with the others. These terms employ line in the sense of “alignment,” a usage dating from about 1500.

  fall in love Become enamored. This expression may be used either literally, as in John and Mary fell in love on their first date, or hyperbolically, as in I fell in love with that antique chest. [First half of 1500s]

  fall in place Also, fall into place. Fit well; also, become organized. For example, With the last witness’s testimony, the entire sequence of events fell in plac
e, or When the architect’s plans were complete, the construction schedule fell into place. This idiom uses place in the sense of “proper position,” a usage dating from the mid-1500s.

  fall into 1. Enter or engage in, be drawn into, as in I told Dad not to fall into conversation with them. [Late 1400s] 2. See FALL IN, def. 1. 3. Be naturally divisible into, as in These students fall into three categories. [First half of 1600s] 4. fall into error or sin. Be drawn into bad behavior, as in I fell into error when I started spending time with the wrong crowd. This usage, like FALL FROM GRACE, originally alluded to religious concerns. It is now used less often and more loosely. [Late 1100s] 5. fall into a trap. Be deceived, unknowingly become involved in something. For example, By admitting I had free time, I fell into the trap of having to help him with his work. Also see under FALL IN; FALL IN LINE; FALL IN PLACE.

  fall in with 1. Agree with, be in harmony with, as in We happily fell in with his plans. [First half of 1600s] 2. Associate with, become acquainted with (especially by chance), as in On the cruise we fell in with a couple from Boston. [Late 1500s]

  fall off → See FALL AWAY.

  fall off the wagon → See OFF THE WAGON.

  fall on Also, fall upon. 1. Attack suddenly and viciously, as in They fell on the guards and overpowered them. [c. 1400] 2. Meet with, encounter, as in They fell on hard times. [Late 1500s] 3. Find by chance, discover, as in We fell upon the idea last Saturday night. [Mid-1600s] 4. Be the responsibility or duty of someone, as in It fell on Clara to support the entire family. [Mid-1800s] Also see the subsequent idioms beginning with FALL ON.

  fall on deaf ears Be ignored or disregarded, as in Any advice we give them about remodeling seems to fall on deaf ears. This expression transfers physical inability to hear to someone who does not want to listen. [1400s] Also see TURN A DEAF EAR.

  fall on one’s face Also, fall flat on one’s face. Make a blunder or error of judgment, as in Holly fell on her face whenever she forecast earnings, or That weatherman keeps falling flat on his face with his predictions. This term, first recorded in 1614, originally had the literal meaning of “prostrate oneself in reverence.” The present colloquial usage, however, transfers a physical fall to various kinds of bungling.