need like a hole in the head Have neither a need nor a desire for something, as in I needed that extra work like I need a hole in the head. This expression has such ancestors as “As much need of it as he has of the pip [a disease] or of a cough,” from John Ray’s English Proverbs (1678), and “As much need of it as a toad of a side pocket,” from Francis Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1785). [Slang; c. 1940]
need to have one’s head examined → See GET ONE’S HEAD EXAMINED.
neither fish nor fowl Also, neither fish nor flesh; neither fish, flesh, nor fowl. Not one or the other, not something fitting any category under discussion. For example, They felt he was neither fish nor fowl—not qualified to lead the department, yet not appropriate to work as a staff member either. This expression appeared in slightly different form in John Heywood’s 1546 proverb collection (“Neither fish, nor flesh, nor good red herring”) and is thought to allude to food for monks (fish, because they abstained from meat), for the people (flesh, or meat), and for the poor (red herring, a very cheap fish).
neither here nor there Unimportant, irrelevant, as in You pay for the movie and I’ll get the dinner check, or vice versa—it’s neither here nor there. This expression was first recorded in 1583. Also see BESIDE THE POINT.
neither hide nor hair → See HIDE NOR HAIR.
neither rhyme nor reason → See RHYME OR REASON.
Nellie → See NERVOUS NELLIE.
nerve → See BUNDLE OF NERVES; GET ON SOMEONE’S NERVES; GET UP ONE’S NERVE; HAVE A NERVE; LOSE ONE’S NERVE; WAR OF NERVES.
nervous Nellie An unduly timid or anxious person, as in He’s a real nervous Nellie calling the doctor about every little symptom. This term does not allude to a particular person named Nellie; rather, the name was probably chosen for the sake of alliteration. [Colloquial; c. 1920]
nervous wreck An individual suffering from extreme agitation or worry, as in Pat was a nervous wreck until her mother arrived at the wedding. This expression is nearly always used hyperbolically. [Colloquial; c. 1900] Also see BASKET CASE.
nest → See EMPTY NEST; FEATHER ONE’S NEST; FOUL ONE’S NEST; STIR UP A HORNETS’ NEST.
net-surfing → See SURF THE NET.
never → In addition to the idioms beginning with NEVER, also see BETTER LATE THAN NEVER; IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS; LIGHTNING NEVER STRIKES TWICE IN THE SAME PLACE; NOW OR NEVER; WATCHED POT NEVER BOILS; WONDERS WILL NEVER CEASE; YOU NEVER CAN TELL.
never a dull moment Something is always changing or happening, as in First Lauren spits up, then she coughs, then she sneezes—never a dull moment with this baby! This expression was first recorded in 1889.
never fear Don’t worry that a thing will or won’t occur, be confident, as in I’ll get there, never fear. This phrase was used by Christopher Marlowe in Doctor Faustus (c. 1590): “’Tis but a surfeit; never fear, man.”
never give a sucker an even break Don’t allow a person who’s easily duped a fair chance, as in He’s always trying to give out expired coupons for his store, firmly believing in never giving a sucker an even break. Probably a direct quotation, it has been attributed to showman P. T. Barnum (responsible for the oft-quoted “There’s a sucker born every minute”); and comedian W. C. Fields (who popularized it in one of his films); and theater manager Edward Francis Albee, the most probable of the three. [Slang; early 1900s]
never had it so good, one One is better off now than one has ever been before, as in She keeps complaining about her new job, but the truth is that she’s never had it so good. [Colloquial; first half of 1900s]
never hear the end of Be incessantly reminded of, as in If you do not send a wedding present to them you will never hear the end of it from your mother.
never mind 1. Don’t worry about something, don’t trouble yourself, it doesn’t matter. For example, Never mind what I said, it wasn’t important, or Never mind, you can always take the driver’s test again. This expression employs mind in the sense of “care about something,” a usage dating from the late 1700s. 2. Also, never you mind. Don’t concern yourself with that, it’s none of your business, as in Never you mind where I plan to buy the new TV. [Early 1800s]
never miss a trick → See NOT MISS A TRICK.
never-never land A fantasy land, an imaginary place, as in I don’t know what’s gotten into Marge—she’s way off in never-never land. This expression gained currency when James Barrie used it in Peter Pan (1904) for the place where Peter and the Lost Boys live. However, in the second half of the 1800s Australians already were using it for vast unsettled areas of their continent (the outback), and there the term became popular through Mrs. Aeneas Gunn’s We of the Never Never (1908). In Australia it still refers to north-west Queensland or northern Australia in general. Elsewhere it simply signifies a fantasy or daydream.
never put off until tomorrow → See under PUT OFF.
never say die Don’t ever give up, do not despair, as in This stage set doesn’t look too promising, but never say die, it may still work out. This maxim today is often used ironically and deprecatingly, for something that has already failed. [Early 1800s]
never say never Nothing is impossible, anything can happen, as in Mary said Tom would never call her again, but I told her, “Never say never.” This expression was first recorded in Charles Dickens’s Pickwick Papers (1837).
new → In addition to the idioms beginning with NEW, also see BREAK (NEW) GROUND; BREATHE (NEW) LIFE INTO; FEEL LIKE ONESELF (NEW); NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN; TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS; TURN OVER A NEW LEAF; WHAT’S COOKING (NEW); WHOLE NEW BALLGAME.
new ballgame → See WHOLE NEW BALLGAME.
new blood Additional, fresh individuals regarded as an invigorating force, as in an organization. For example, The board could really use some new blood next year. This metaphoric expression, first recorded in 1853, alludes to a blood transfusion and employs new in the sense of “fresh.”
new broom sweeps clean, a A fresh leader or administration gets rid of the old and brings in New ideas and personnel. For example, Once he takes office, you can be sure the President will replace most of the people on the staff—a new broom sweeps clean. This term was already in John Heywood’s 1546 proverb collection, was used figuratively by Shakespeare, and exists in many other languages as well.
Newcastle → See CARRY COALS TO NEWCASTLE.
new leaf → See TURN OVER A NEW LEAF.
new lease on life A fresh start; renewed vigor and good health, as in Since they bought his store Dad has had a new lease on life. This term with its allusion to a rental agreement dates from the early 1800s and originally referred only to recovery from illness. By the mid-1800s it was applied to any kind of fresh beginning.
new man → See under FEEL LIKE ONESELF.
new one → See under THAT’S ONE ON ME.
new person → See under FEEL LIKE ONESELF.
news → See BAD NEWS; BREAK THE NEWS; NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS.
new woman → See under FEEL LIKE ONESELF.
new wrinkle A clever device or expedient, a novelty, as in The players added a new wrinkle to victory celebrations by tossing their shirts to the crowd after the game. In the form of simply a wrinkle, this expression dates from the mid-1700s, new being added two centuries later.
next → In addition to the idioms beginning with NEXT, also see CLEANLINESS IS NEXT TO GODLINESS.
next door to Very close to, as in The old dog was next door to death. This metaphoric expression, alluding to an adjacent house, was first recorded in 1529.
next to 1. Adjacent to, as in The car next to mine has a flat tire. [Late 1300s] 2. Following in order or degree, as in Next to skiing, she likes hiking. [Early 1500s] 3. Almost, practically, as in It’s next to impossible to predict the outcome, or I earned next to nothing last year. [Second half of 1600s]
nick → See IN THE NICK OF TIME.
nickel → In addition to the idiom beginning with NICKEL, also see NOT WORTH A DAMN (PLUGGED NICKEL).
nickel and di
me, to 1. To manage with or work for small amounts of money, as in He’s planning to nickel and dime with part-time jobs until a good full-time position turns up. [Slang, mid-1900s] 2. To behave in a miserly way or treat someone stingily, as in Some people just nickel and dime you to death. [Colloquial, second half of 1900s] 3. nickel-and-dime. Insignificant, petty, cheap, as in They run a nickel-and-dime operation. [Colloquial, first half of 1900s]
night → In addition to the idioms beginning with NIGHT, also see BLACK AS NIGHT; CALL IT A DAY (NIGHT); DEAD OF (NIGHT); DIFFERENT AS NIGHT AND DAY; GOOD NIGHT; MAKE A DAY (NIGHT) OF IT; SHIPS THAT PASS IN THE NIGHT.
night and day Also day and night. Continually, without stopping. This phrase is used either literally, as in The alarm is on night and day, or hyperbolically, as in We were working day and night on these drawings. Shakespeare put it by night and day in The Comedy of Errors (4:2): “Time comes stealing on by night and day.”
night owl A person who habitually stays up late and is active at night, as in You can call her after midnight, for she’s a night owl. This colloquial term, originally used in the late 1500s for an owl that is active at night, was transferred to nocturnal human beings in the mid-1800s.
NIMBY → See NOT IN MY BACKYARD.
nine → See DRESSED TO KILL (TO THE NINES); ON CLOUD NINE; POSSESSION IS NINE POINTS OF THE LAW; WHOLE NINE YARDS.
nip and tuck Very close so that the advantage or lead of competitors keeps shifting, as in It was nip and tuck whether they would deal with the bill before Congress adjourned. The precise allusion in this term has been lost. [Early 1800s] Also see NECK AND NECK.
nip in the bud Halt something at an early stage, or thoroughly check something. For example, By arresting all the leaders, they nipped the rebellion in the bud. This metaphoric expression, alluding to a spring frost that kills flower buds, was first recorded in a Beaumont and Fletcher play of 1606–1607.
nitty gritty The essence of something, the basic aspects of a situation. For example, The decorator said that after throwing out much of the furniture, we’d get to the nitty gritty of preparing the place for sale. The term is believed to have originated in Black English of the 1940s.
no → In addition to the idioms beginning with NO, also see ALL TALK (AND NO ACTION); ALL WORK AND NO PLAY (MAKES JACK A DULL BOY); BY NO MEANS; CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR; COME TO AN END (TO NO GOOD); CUT NO ICE; DO ANY (NO) GOOD; FEEL NO PAIN; HELL HAS NO FURY LIKE A WOMAN SCORNED; HOLD NO BRIEF FOR; IN NO CASE; IN NO TIME; IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS; LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED; LESS THAN (NO TIME); LONG TIME NO SEE; LOSE (NO) TIME; MAKE NO BONES ABOUT; MAKE NO DIFFERENCE; MAKE NO MISTAKE; MONEY IS NO OBJECT; NONE OF ONE’S (HAVE NO) BUSINESS; POINT OF NO RETURN; PULL NO PUNCHES; ROLLING STONE (GATHERS NO MOSS); TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER; THERE’S NO TELLING; TO LITTLE (NO) PURPOSE; TO NO AVAIL; UNDER ANY (NO) CIRCUMSTANCES; UP TO NO GOOD; YES AND NO.
no accounting for tastes, there’s Individual likes and dislikes defy explanation, as in They painted their house purple—there’s really no accounting for tastes. This expression, first put as no disputing about tastes, a literal translation of the Latin de gustibus non est disputandum, dates from the mid-1600s; the present wording was first recorded in 1794. A mid-20th-century synonym that originated in the American South is different strokes for different folks. For a far older synonym, see ONE MAN’S MEAT.
nobody → In addition to the idioms beginning with NOBODY, also see LIKE CRAZY (NOBODY’S BUSINESS).
nobody home 1. No one is paying attention, as in She threw the ball right past him, yelling “Nobody home!” 2. The person being discussed is mentally impaired and so cannot understand, as in When the woman did not answer, he concluded it was a case of nobody home. Both usages transfer the absence of someone in a dwelling to absent-mindedness or mental deficiency, and are thought to have been invented by cartoonist and journalist Thomas Aloysius Dorgan (“TAD”) around 1900. He often embellished his column with such punning amplifications as “Nobody home but the telephone and that’s in the hands of the receiver,” or “Nobody home but the oyster and that’s in the stew.”
nobody’s fool A person who cannot be duped or taken advantage of, as in You can’t put anything over on Ryan—he’s nobody’s fool. [Early 1900s]
no buts → See NO IFS OR BUTS.
no call for Also, no call to. No requirement or reason for doing something, as in There was no call for your condescending suggestions; she knew quite well what to do. This idiom, first recorded in 1779, uses call in the sense of “duty” or “need.” The variant is always used with a verb, as in There was no call to get the police involved because it’s a simple dispute between neighbors.
no can do It’s impossible; I can’t do this. For example, When Bill asked me to write a speech, I told him bluntly no can do. This colloquial phrase was first recorded in 1914.
no contest 1. In boxing, a referee’s declaration that a fight is invalid because neither opponent has made an effort to win. 2. A translation of the Latin legal term nolo contendere (I do not wish to contend) whereby the conviction of a crime is accepted but guilt is not admitted. 3. In general, there is no real competition because one party is obviously the winner. For example, Between an original Dior design and a copy sold by your local discounter, there’s no contest. The first two meanings date from the first half of the 1900s, the last from the second half.
nod → In addition to the idiom beginning with NOD, also see GET THE NOD.
nodding acquaintance Superficial knowledge of someone or something, as in I have a nodding acquaintance with the company president, or She has a nodding acquaintance with that software program. This expression alludes to knowing someone just well enough to nod or bow upon meeting him or her. [Early 1800s]
no dice Also, no go; no soap. No, certainly not; also, impossible. For example, Anthony wanted to borrow my new coat, but Mom said no dice, or We tried to rent the church for the wedding, but it’s no go for the date you picked, or Jim asked Dad to help pay for the repairs, but Dad said no soap. All of these slangy expressions indicate refusal or an unsuccessful attempt. No dice, from the 1920s, alludes to an unlucky throw in gambling; no go, alluding to lack of progress, dates from about 1820; and no soap dates from about 1920 and possibly alludes to the phrase it won’t wash, meaning “it won’t find acceptance.” Also see NOTHING DOING; WON’T WASH.
nod off Fall asleep momentarily, doze, as in Grandma spends a lot of time in her rocking chair, nodding off now and then. This expression alludes to the quick involuntary dropping of one’s head from an upright position when drowsy or napping. The verb nod alone was so used from the mid-1500s. Also see DROP OFF, def. 1.
no doubt 1. Probably, most likely, as in No doubt you’ve heard the news about Mother. [Early 1300s] 2. Also, without doubt or a doubt. Certainly, without question, as in He’s guilty, no doubt, but he doesn’t deserve such a long sentence, or That basketball player is without doubt the tallest man I’ve ever seen. [Early 1300s] Also see BEYOND A DOUBT.
no end 1. A large number, a great deal, as in He made no end of campaign promises. This expression sometimes is put as no end to or no end of, meaning “no limit to” or “an incalculable amount of,” as in There is no end to the junk mail we get, or There are no end of books in this house. [c. 1600] 2. Immensely, exceedingly, as in This situation puzzles us no end. [c. 1900]
no flies on one One is wide awake; there is nothing slow or dull about one. For example, She may be new to this field, but there are no flies on her. This slangy expression, which alludes to flies settling on a sluggish animal, was being used in Australia in the 1840s but did not appear in America until the last decades of the 1800s.
no fool like an old fool, there’s An old fool is the worst kind of fool, as in He’s marrying a woman fifty years his junior—there’s no fool like an old fool. This adage, now considered somewhat offensive for stereotyping old people, appeared in John Heywood’s 1546 proverb collection and has been repeated ever since.
no go → See NO DICE.
no great shakes Nothing out of the ordinary, mediocre, as in I’m afraid the new pitcher is no great shakes, or What I did with this decorating project was no great shakes. This term possibly alludes to the shaking of dice, which most often yields a mediocre result, but there is no evidence to support this theory. [Early 1800s]
no hard feelings No resentment or anger, as in I hope there are no hard feelings about excluding your group. This idiom uses hard in the sense of “severe” or “harsh,” a usage dating from about A.D. 1000.
no holds barred Without any restrictions, as in Telephone companies are entering the market for Internet users with no holds barred. This expression comes from wrestling, where certain holds are illegal, or barred, and has been used figuratively since about 1940.
no ifs or buts Also, no ifs, ands, or buts. No reservations, restrictions, or excuses, as in You’d better be there tomorrow, and no ifs, ands, or buts about it. This expression uses the conjunctions to stand for the conditions and objections that they introduce. The earliest phrase to appear was ifs and ands in the 1600s. This phrase is actually an emphatic redundancy, for and often meant “if.” But was tacked on to this pair soon afterward.
no joke Also, no laughing matter. A serious issue, as in Missing the last flight out was no joke, or This outbreak of flu is no laughing matter. The first term dates from about 1800, and the variant from the second half of the 1500s.
no kidding Truly, seriously, as in No kidding, I really did lose my wallet. [Colloquial; first half of 1900s]
The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms Page 81
