The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

by Christine Ammer

  look a gift horse in the mouth Be critical or suspicious of something received at no cost. For example, Dad’s old car is full of dents, but we shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. This term, generally expressed as a cautionary proverb (Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth), has been traced to the writings of the 4th-century cleric, St. Jerome, and has appeared in English since about 1500. It alludes to determining the age of a horse by looking at its teeth.

  look as if butter wouldn’t melt → See BUTTER WOULDN’T MELT IN ONE’S MOUTH.

  look askance View with mistrust, as in They looked askance at him when he said he’d just made a million in the stock market. The precise feeling conveyed by this expression has varied since it was first used in the 1500s, from envy to contempt to suspicion, although the literal meaning was “look obliquely, with a side glance.” The present sense dates from about 1800. Also see LOOK SIDEWAYS AT.

  look back 1. Remember or think about the past, as in When Mom looked back on the early days of their marriage, she wondered how they’d managed with so little money [Late 1500s] 2. not look back; never look back. Never show signs of interrupted progress, never return to past circumstances. For example, Once he’d won the Pulitzer Prize, he never looked back. [Late 1800s]

  look before you leap Think of the consequences before you act, as in You’d better check out all the costs before you buy a cellular phone—look before you leap. This expression alludes to Aesop’s fable about the fox who is unable to climb out of a well and persuades a goat to jump in. The fox then climbs on the goat’s horns to get out, while the goat remains trapped. [c. 1350]

  look black Appear threatening or unfavorable, as in The future looked black for Henry after he dropped out of school. This expression employs black in the sense of “boding ill,” a usage dating from about 1700. Also see under DIRTY LOOK.

  look blank Be expressionless, appear dumbstruck or overwhelmed. For example, When I asked her how to get to the hospital, she looked blank. [c. 1700]

  look daggers Glare, stare fiercely, as in When she started to discuss their finances, he looked daggers at her. This metaphoric term, likening an angry expression to a dagger’s thrust, dates from ancient times and has appeared in English since about 1600.

  look down on Also, look down one’s nose at. Regard with contempt or condescension, consider oneself superior to. For example, When it comes to baking, Beth is a purist—she looks down on anyone who uses a mix, or Seniors have a way of looking down their noses at juniors. The first expression dates from about 1700, the second from about 1900.

  look for 1. Search for; also, seek out. For example, A search party was sent to look for the lost fliers, or Those kids are just looking for trouble. [Late 1500s] 2. Expect, anticipate, as in Look for a change of weather in March. [Early 1500s]

  look forward to Eagerly anticipate, as in I’m looking forward to their visit, or Jim looked forward to the day when he could retire. [First half of 1700s]

  looking → See LOOK (LOOKING) UP.

  look in on Pay a brief visit, as in I’m just going to look in on Gail and the new baby; I won’t stay long. [c. 1600] Also see LOOK SOMEONE IN THE FACE.

  look into Also, see into. Investigate, as in He promised to look into the new law, or We must see into the matter of the missing checks. The first term dates from the late 1500s, the variant from the mid-1800s.

  look like 1. Have the appearance of, as in This letter looks like an acceptance. [c. 1400] 2. it looks like. It seems likely that, as in It looks like they’ll ­invite us to dinner. [Colloquial; c. 1900] Also see the subsequent idioms beginning with LOOK LIKE.

  look like a million dollars Appear attractive or prosperous. For example, The painter did a good job—the house looks like a million dollars. The ­related feel like a million dollars means “feel healthy,” as in Helen came back from her winter ­vacation feeling like a million dollars. [c. 1920]

  look like death Also, look or feel like death warmed over. Look or feel very ill or exhausted. For example, After two nights without sleep, Bill looked like death warmed over, or This cold makes me feel like death. [Colloquial; 1930s]

  look like something the cat dragged in Appear completely bedraggled, as in After running around in the rain for hours, I looked like something the cat dragged in. This expression alludes to a cat’s bringing home birds or mice it has killed or savaged. [c. 1920]

  look like the cat that ate the canary Also, look like the cat that swallowed the canary. Appear smug and self-satisfied. For example, After she hit her third winning shot, Jeannie looked like the cat that ate the canary. [Second half of 1800s]

  look lively Act lively, hurry up, as in Look lively! This job has to be finished today. This phrase, often used as an imperative, today is more common in Britain than in America. [Mid-1800s]

  look on 1. Also, look upon. Regard in a certain way, as in I looked on him as a second father, or We looked upon her as a worthy successor. [Early 1600s] 2. Be a spectator, watch, as in She rode the horse around the ring as her parents looked on. [Late 1500s] 3. Also, look on with. Read from someone’s book, paper, or music at the same time, as in I forgot my score; can I look on with you? [Late 1800s]

  look on the bright side → See BRIGHT SIDE.

  lookout → See KEEP AN EYE OUT (SHARP LOOKOUT) FOR; ON THE LOOKOUT. Also see entries beginning with LOOK OUT.

  look out Also, watch out. Be careful, be watchful, as in Look out that you don’t slip and fall on the ice, or Watch out! There’s a car coming. [c. 1600] Also see LOOK OUT FOR.

  look out for 1. See to the welfare of, as in Mary was assigned to look out for the youngsters on the playground. Similar to LOOK AFTER, this expression appears in such terms as look out for number one, meaning “see to one’s own best interests,” as in Looking out for number one is Barbara’s first priority. Versions of this expression, such as take care of number one, date from 1700. 2. Be careful of or watchful for something or someone, as in Look out for broken glass on the floor, or Look out for Mary—she’ll be coming any minute. [Second half of 1600s] Also see LOOK OUT.

  look over Also, look up and down. Examine or ­inspect something or someone. For example, Jerry was looking over the books when he found an error, or They looked the new boy up and down. The first expression dates from the mid-1400s, the variant from the late 1800s.

  look sharp Get moving, be alert, as in The coach told the team they would have to look sharp if they wanted to win. This colloquial expression, dating from the early 1700s, originally meant “to keep a strict watch” but acquired its present sense in the early 1800s.

  look sideways at Glance at suspiciously or amo­rously, as in I’m sure the detective was looking sideways at me, and it made me very nervous, or They were looking sideways at each other, and I don’t think it was innocent. [Mid-1800s] Also see LOOK ASKANCE.

  look someone in the face Also, look someone in the eye. Face someone directly and forthrightly. These expressions imply honesty—or at least the appearance of honesty—in what is said, as in Can you look me in the face and tell me you don’t want that prize? or John looked me in the eye and told me he didn’t break the window. The first term was first recorded in 1566, the variant in 1931. Also see STARE IN THE FACE.

  look the other way Deliberately overlook something, especially something of an illicit nature. For example, They’re not really entitled to a discount but the sales manager decided to look the other way. This expression uses the other way in the sense of “away from what is normal or expected.”

  look through rose-colored glasses → See SEE THROUGH ROSE-COLORED GLASSES.

  look to 1. Pay attention to, take care of, as in You’d best look to your own affairs. [c. 1300] 2. Anticipate or expect, as in We look to hear from her soon. [c. 1600] 3. look to be. Seem to be, promise to be, as in This looks to be a very difficult assignment. [Mid-1700s]

  look to one’s laurels Protect one’s preeminent reputation or position, especially against a threat of being surpassed. For example, Your op
ponent’s done very well in the practice, so you’d better look to your laurels in the actual game. This idiom alludes to laurels as the traditional material for making a victor’s crown. [Late 1800s]

  look up 1. Search for in a book or other source, as in I told her to look up the word in the dictionary. [Late 1600s] 2. Call on or visit, as in I’m going to look up my friend in Chicago. [Mid-1800s] 3. Become better, improve, as in Business is finally looking up. [c. 1800] 4. look up to. Admire, respect, as in The students really looked up to Mr. Jones. [Early 1700s]

  look up and down → See under LOOK OVER.

  look up to → See LOOK UP, def. 4.

  look who’s talking You’re in no position to criticize, as in I wish Kate would be on time for once.—You do? Look who’s talking! This colloquial idiom dates from the mid-1900s, although another version, you can’t talk, is a century or so older.

  loom large Appear imminent in a threatening, magnified form. For example, The possibility of civil war loomed large on the horizon, or Martha wanted to take it easy for a week, but the bar exam loomed large. This term employs loom in the sense of “come into view,” a usage dating from the late 1500s.

  loop → See IN THE LOOP; KNOCK FOR A LOOP.

  loose → In addition to the idioms beginning with LOOSE, also see AT LOOSE ENDS; BREAK LOOSE; CAST LOOSE; CUT LOOSE; FOOTLOOSE AND FANCY-FREE; HANG LOOSE; HAVE A SCREW LOOSE; ON THE LOOSE; PLAY FAST AND LOOSE.

  loose cannon One who is uncontrolled and therefore a serious and unpredictable danger. For example, We can’t trust her to talk to the press—she’s a loose cannon. This metaphoric expression alludes to cannon mounted on the deck of a sailing ship, which if dislodged during combat or a storm could cause serious damage to both vessel and crew by sliding about. Its figurative use dates from the first half of the 1900s.

  loose ends Unfinished details, incomplete business. For example, We’ve not quite finished the project; there are still some loose ends. This expression alludes to the ends of a rope or cable that should be fastened. [Mid-1800s] Also see AT LOOSE ENDS.

  lord → In addition to the idiom beginning with LORD, also see DRUNK AS A LORD.

  lord it over Domineer over, act arrogantly toward, as in After Mary was elected president, she tried to lord it over the other girls. [Late 1500s] Also see QUEEN IT.

  lose → In addition to the idioms beginning with LOSE, also see GET (LOSE) ONE’S BEARINGS; KEEP (LOSE) ONE’S COOL; KEEP (LOSE) ONE’S HEAD; KEEP (LOSE) TRACK; WIN SOME, LOSE SOME. Also see under LOSING; LOST.

  lose face Be embarrassed or humiliated, especially publicly. For example, Terry lost face when his ­assistant was promoted and became his boss. Both this expression and the underlying concept come from Asia; the term itself is a translation of the Chinese tiu lien and has been used in English since the late 1800s. Also see SAVE FACE.

  lose ground Fail to hold one’s position; fall behind, deteriorate. For example, The Democrats were losing ground in this district, or We thought Grandma was getting better, but now she’s quickly losing ground. This expression originally referred to territory lost by a retreating army. [Second half of 1700s]

  lose heart Become discouraged, as in The rescuers worked hard for the first few hours, but then they lost heart. This term uses heart in the sense of “courage” or “spirit.” [Mid-1800s] Also see LOSE ONE’S HEART TO.

  lose it → See LOSE ONE’S GRIP; LOSE ONE’S TEMPER.

  lose no time → See LOSE TIME, def. 2.

  lose one’s bearings → See under GET ONE’S BEARINGS.

  lose one’s buttons → See under HAVE ALL ONE’S BUTTONS.

  lose one’s cool → See under KEEP ONE’S COOL.

  lose oneself in Become deeply absorbed or involved in, as in Doctors are notorious for losing themselves in their work. This expression alludes to becoming so absorbed as to forget oneself. [c. 1600]

  lose one’s grip Also lose it. 1. Fail to maintain control or one’s ability to function, as in Ted wasn’t running things the way he used to, and his boss thought he might be losing his grip, or I thought I was losing it when I couldn’t remember the words to that old song. The first term dates from the mid-1800s, the slangy variant from the mid-1900s. 2. Fail to keep one’s composure, as in When Billy broke the window, Dad just lost his grip and let him have it, or I just can’t deal with this many visitors—I must be losing it. [Slang; first half of 1900s] Also see LOSE ONE’S TEMPER.

  lose one’s head → See under KEEP ONE’S HEAD, def. 1.

  lose one’s heart to Fall in love with, as in I totally lost my heart to the new puppy. This expression uses heart in the sense of “the seat of love or affection.” [First half of 1600s]

  lose one’s lunch Vomit, as in When Anne saw the wound, she thought she’d lose her lunch. This expression does not usually refer to a specific meal and probably survives because of alliteration. [Colloquial; c. 1940]

  lose one’s marbles → See under HAVE ALL ONE’S ­BUTTONS.

  lose one’s mind Also, lose one’s reason. Go crazy, lose one’s sanity, as in I thought she’d lost her mind when she said she was going ice-fishing, or That assignment is enough to make me lose my reason. The first expression dates from the late 1500s; the second employs reason in the sense of “unimpaired mental faculties,” a usage dating from the late 1300s. Also see under GO OUT OF ONE’S MIND; HAVE ALL ONE’S BUTTONS.

  lose one’s nerve Become frightened or timid, lose courage. For example, I wanted to ski down the expert slope but then I lost my nerve. This expression employs nerve in the sense of “courage or boldness.” [Early 1900s]

  lose one’s shirt Face financial ruin, go bankrupt, as in He lost his shirt in the last recession. This expression implies one has lost even one’s shirt. [Early 1900s]

  lose one’s temper Also, lose it. Give way to violent anger, lose self-control. For example, When she found out what Ann had done, she lost her temper, or He arrived without that important check, and then I just lost it completely. The first term dates from the early 1800s; the second slangy locution dates from the mid-1900s.

  lose one’s touch No longer be able to do or handle something skillfully. For example, I used to make beautiful cakes but I seem to have lost my touch, or Dad had a real knack for letting someone down gently, but he’s lost his touch. This expression alludes to the older sense of touch as a musician’s skill on an instrument or an artist’s skill in using a brush or chisel. [First half of 1900s] Also see LOSE TOUCH.

  lose out 1. Fail to succeed, be defeated, as in The election’s over, and you’ve lost out. [Mid-1800s] 2. Also, lose out on or in. Miss an opportunity to participate, as in We came so late that we lost out on our chance to see her dance, or The Republicans lost out in last fall’s elections. [Colloquial; mid-1900s] Also see MISS OUT ON.

  loser → See under FINDERS KEEPERS.

  lose sight of Overlook, fail to take into account, as in We must not lose sight of our main objective, or Beverly never lost sight of her humble beginnings. This metaphoric expression alludes to physical sight. [Early 1700s] For an antonym, see BEAR IN MIND.

  lose sleep over Worry about, as in It’s too bad the experiment failed, but I’m not going to lose sleep over it. This expression, often put negatively, alludes to actual insomnia caused by anxiety. [First half of 1900s]

  lose the thread Cease to follow the sense of what is said. For example, It was such a long story that I soon lost the thread. This expression uses thread in the sense of “something that connects the various points of a narrative.” [Mid-1900s]

  lose time 1. Operate too slowly. For example, My watch loses time, or This clock loses five minutes a day. This usage is always applied to a timepiece. [Mid-1800s] 2. Waste time, delay, as in We wanted to paint the entire porch today, but we lost time trying to find a color that matched the house. This expression is sometimes put negatively as lose no time, meaning “act immediately” or “not delay,” as in We must lose no time in getting him to the hospital. [Late 1500s] Also see MAKE UP FOR LOST TIME. />
  lose touch Fail to keep in contact or communication, as in The two sisters lost touch years ago, or Please don’t lose touch with me after you move away. [Late 1800s] For an antonym, see IN TOUCH.

  lose track → See under KEEP TRACK.

  losing battle, a Also, a losing game. A failing effort or activity. For example, He’s fighting a losing battle against putting on weight, or We think his candidacy is a losing game. These expressions, ­alluding to actual unsuccessful battles or games, have been used figuratively since the early 1600s. Also see LOST CAUSE.

  loss → See AT A LOSS; CUT ONE’S LOSSES; DEAD LOSS.

  lost → In addition to the idioms beginning with LOST, also see GET LOST; HE WHO HESITATES IS LOST; MAKE UP FOR LOST TIME; NO LOVE LOST; YOU’VE LOST ME. Also see LOSE.

  lost cause A hopeless undertaking, as in Trying to get him to quit smoking is a lost cause. In the 1860s this expression was widely used to describe the Confederacy. [Mid-1800s] Also see LOSING BATTLE.

  lost in the shuffle Failing to stand out among others, as in In that huge economics class Jane’s afraid she’ll get lost in the shuffie. This metaphoric term alludes to mixing playing cards before dealing them. [c. 1900]

  lost in thought Concentrating on or pondering over something. For example, Gwen didn’t hear a word you said; she was lost in thought.

  lost on one Having no effect or influence on one, as in Ned’s attempts at humor were lost on Meg, or David’s kindness was not lost on his aunt. This expressions uses lost in the sense of “wasted.” [c. 1600] Also see YOU’VE LOST ME.

  lot → See A LOT; CAST ONE’S LOT WITH; FAT CHANCE (LOT); HAVE (A LOT) GOING FOR ONE; HAVE A LOT ON ONE’S PLATE; LEAVE A LOT TO BE DESIRED; QUITE A BIT (LOT); THINK A LOT OF.

  loud → In addition to the idioms beginning with LOUD, also see ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS; BIG (LOUD) MOUTH; FOR CRYING OUT LOUD; OUT LOUD; THINK ALOUD; (LOUD ENOUGH) TO WAKE THE DEAD.

  loud and clear Easily audible and understandable. For example, They told us, loud and clear, what to do in an emergency, or You needn’t repeat it—I hear you loud and clear. This expression gained currency in the military during World War II to acknowledge radio messages (I read you loud and clear) although it originated in the late 1800s.