The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

by Christine Ammer

  of the kind → See NOTHING OF THE KIND.

  of the moment Of importance at this time, as in The issue of the moment is dealing with our budget deficit. This expression gave rise in succeeding decades to the man of the moment, meaning “the most important person at this time,” as in When Alan hit a home run and broke the tie, he was the man of the moment. [c. 1930]

  of two minds, be Be undecided, vacillate between two alternatives, as in She’s of two minds about her new job—it’s much closer to home but also less challenging. Put as in two minds, this idiom was first recorded in 1853, but variants such as diverse minds and twenty minds date back to the early 1500s.

  oil → See BANANA OIL; BURN THE MIDNIGHT OIL; GREASE (OIL) SOMEONE’S PALM; GREASE (OIL) THE WHEELS; POUR OIL ON TROUBLED WATERS; STRIKE IT RICH (OIL).

  ointment → See FLY IN THE OINTMENT.

  old → In addition to the idioms beginning with OLD, also see ANY OLD; CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK; COMFORTABLE AS AN OLD SHOE; DIRTY JOKE (OLD MAN); GIVE SOMEONE THE AIR (OLD HEAVE-HO); NO FOOL LIKE AN OLD FOOL; OF OLD; RIPE OLD AGE; SAME OLD STORY; SETTLE A SCORE (OLD SCORES); STAMPING GROUND, OLD; TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS; UP TO ONE’S OLD TRICKS.

  old as Adam Also, old as the hills. Ancient, as in He must be as old as Adam by now, or That joke is as old as the hills. The first term, alluding to the first human created by God, according to the Bible, was first recorded only in 1867. The variant, referring to geological time (when mountains were created), dates from about 1800.

  old-boy network A system of mutual assistance. The term “old boy” originated in British schools, referring to former students at a public school. “Network” was added in the later 1950s and the term began to be used figuratively for any group of insiders who help each other advance. The Spectator (March 20, 1959) had “The old-boy network in the Ruhr has tightened and Krupp’s position is central to it” (cited by OED). Beginning about 1970 women have objected to the system because it long was an exclusively male province.

  old chestnut A stale joke, story, or saying, as in Dad keeps on telling that old chestnut about how many psychiatrists it takes to change a light bulb. This expression comes from William Dimond’s play, The Broken Sword (1816), in which one character keeps repeating the same stories, one of them about a cork tree, and is interrupted each time by another character who says “Chestnut, you mean... I have heard you tell the joke twenty-seven times and I am sure it was a chestnut.”

  old college try, the One’s best effort, as in Come on, if we give it the old college try we just might be able to cut down this tree. This slangy expression, originally a cheer to urge a team on, dates from the 1930s when college football films were very popular.

  old flame A former love interest. This seemingly modern colloquialism was first recorded in 1651 and remains current. For example, His parents were surprised to learn that John had gone to Europe with not one but two of his old flames.

  old hat Outmoded, no longer interesting. This term may allude to the fact that hats go out of style before they are worn out. It began to be used figuratively in the late 1800s. For example, Someone criticized the English teacher for assigning so many 19th-century novels, saying they are mostly old hat. Earlier this term was vulgar slang for the female vulva, a usage now obsolete.

  old saw A proverb or maxim, as in Mom’s always repeating the old saw, “Haste makes waste.” This term uses saw in the sense of “saying,” and old in the sense of “wise” rather than old-fashioned. [Second half of 1400s]

  old school A group known for its conservative views. In the United States it is mostly used adjectivally to mean traditional or old-fashioned. For example, Mom felt the Girl Scouts adhered to old school values, like loyalty. [Mid-1700s]

  old shoe → See COMFORTABLE AS AN OLD SHOE.

  old stamping ground → See STAMPING GROUND.

  old story, an A common occurrence or excuse. For example, Karen’s mood swings are an old story. [c. 1700] Also see SAME OLD STORY.

  old wives’ tale A superstition, as in Toads cause warts? That’s an old wives’ tale. This expression was already known in ancient Greece, and a version in English was recorded in 1387. Despite invoking bigoted stereotypes of women and old people, it survives.

  olive branch A symbol of peace, an offering of good will, as in They feuded for years, but finally the Hatfields came over bearing an olive branch. This term is alluded to in the Bible (Genesis 8:11), where the dove comes to Noah after the flood with an olive leaf in its mouth. [c. 1600]

  omega → See ALPHA AND OMEGA.

  on, be → See BE ON.

  on account In part payment of a debt, as in He paid half the amount on account. [Early 1600s]

  on account of Owing to, because of the fact that, as in We canceled the beach picnic on account of the bad weather forecast. This idiom was first recorded in 1936.

  on a dime In a very small space, suddenly, as in That horse is so well trained it can turn on a dime. This expression alludes to the fact that the dime is the smallest-size U.S. coin. [Early 1900s]

  on a first-name basis Quite familiar and friendly, as in Practically all the guests were on a first-name basis. This idiom alludes to the fact that using a person’s given name betokens familiarity. [Second half of 1900s]

  on again → See under OFF AND ON.

  on a high In a state of elation or high spirits, induced either by happy circumstances or by activity. For example, Bill was on a high after they won the playoffs, or I’m sure that driver who is running red lights is on a high. [Mid-1900s]

  on a limb → See OUT ON A LIMB.

  on all fours On one’s hands and knees, as in Seven of us were on all fours, looking for the lost earring in the sand. In this idiom fours refers to the four limbs. [1300s]

  on and off → See OFF AND ON.

  on and on Continuously, persistently, without stopping, as in On and on they rode for three whole days. Also see GO ON AND ON.

  on an even keel Stable, balanced, as in She had the knack of keeping us on an even keel in any emergency. This term, used figuratively since the mid-1800s, alludes to keeping a vessel’s keel in a level position, assuring smooth sailing.

  on a par with As good as, equal to, as in This violinist may be an amateur but he’s on a par with professional orchestral players. The noun par has meant “that which is equal” since the mid-1600s; the idiom here was first recorded in 1832.

  on a pedestal, put Also, set on a pedestal. Greatly admire, magnify in importance, as in Youngsters tend to put rock stars on a pedestal, forgetting that they’re human. This expression alludes to the raised position of a statue on a pedestal. [Mid-1800s]

  on approval To be returned if not satisfactory, as in They’re offering custom-made shoes, manufactured from a computer design, on approval. This expression, applied nearly always to the purchase of goods, was first recorded in 1870.

  on a rampage Behaving violently, as in There was a near riot after the game, when some of the spectators went on a rampage. This term comes from the Old Scots verb ramp, meaning “to storm and rage.” [Mid-1800s]

  on a roll On a streak of success or intense activity, as in The team’s scored three runs in the last inning and they’re really on a roll, or Once the experiment succeeded, Tim was on a roll. This slangy term, alluding to the momentum in the act of rolling, dates from the second half of the 1900s, but roll alone has been used in this sense since the early 1800s.

  on a shoestring With very limited financial means, as in The newlyweds were living on a shoestring. The precise allusion in this term is unclear. One fanciful theory is that debtors in British prisons would lower a shoe by its laces from a window so as to collect funds from visitors or passers-by. A more likely theory is that it alludes to the slender shape of a shoelace, likening it to slender resources. [Late 1800s]

  on a string Under someone’s control, as in She’ll drop everything whenever Sam asks for something—he’s got her on a string. This expression, alluding to pulling an animal on a leas
h, dates from the late 1500s, when it was put as in a string.

  on a tangent On a sudden digression or change of course, as in The professor’s hard to follow; he’s ­always off on a tangent. This phrase often occurs in the idioms fly off or go off on a tangent, as in The witness was convincing until he went off on a tangent. This expression alludes to the geometric tangent—a line or curve that touches but does not intersect with another line or curve. [Second half of 1700s]

  on balance Taking everything into consideration, as in On balance I think we’ve had a very good year. This expression, which in effect means “balancing all the factors involved,” was first recorded in 1719.

  on behalf of → See IN BEHALF OF.

  on bended knee Humbly, pleading, as in They’re desperate for funds; they’re asking for contributions on bended knee. This expression alludes to a traditional attitude of supplication. Bended, the past tense of bend, survives only in this idiom, elsewhere having been replaced by bent. [Mid-1600s]

  on board Joining in or participating; as in The department head addressed the new employees, saying “Welcome on board,” or The opera company has a new vocal coach on board to help the soloists. This expression alludes to being on or in a vessel, airplane, or other vehicle. [Colloquial; second half of 1900s]

  on borrowed time, live Outlive reasonable expectations, as in Our twenty-year-old car is living on borrowed time, or The vet said our dog is living on borrowed time. This expression alludes to time borrowed from death. [Late 1800s]

  on call Available if summoned, as in Medical residents are required to be on call at least three nights a week. This expression originated as at call in the late 1500s. Also see AT SOMEONE’S BECK AND CALL.

  on camera Being filmed, as in When the talk-show host began, I wasn’t sure if we were on camera. This usage dates from the first half of the 1900s, soon after the birth of motion-picture and television filming. The same is true of the antonym off camera, meaning “outside the view of a movie or TV camera,” as in Go ahead and scratch—we’re off camera now.

  once → In addition to the idioms beginning with ONCE, also see ALL AT ONCE; AT ONCE; EVERY NOW AND THEN (ONCE IN A WHILE); GIVE SOMEONE THE ONCE-OVER.

  once and for all As a settled matter, finally, permanently, as in Once and for all, we’re not hiring that organist again, or We’ve settled that question once and for all. This expression is in effect an abbreviation for “one time and for all time.” [Late 1400s]

  once bitten, twice shy Once hurt, one is doubly cautious in the future, as in He was two days late last time, so she’s not hiring him again—once bitten, twice shy. This seemingly old observation, presumably alluding to an animal biting someone, was first recorded in 1894.

  once in a blue moon Rarely, once in a very long time, as in We only see our daughter once in a blue moon. This term is something of a misnomer, because an actual blue moon—that is, the appearance of a second full moon in the same calendar month—occurs every 32 months or so. Further, the moon can appear blue in color at any time, depending on weather conditions. [Early 1800s]

  once in a lifetime As an extremely rare occurrence. For example, An offer like that will come just once in a lifetime. This phrase, often used hyperbolically, was first recorded in 1854.

  once in a while Occasionally, not very often, as in Once in a while I enjoy going fishing. [Mid-1800s] Also see EVERY NOW AND THEN; FROM TIME TO TIME.

  once over lightly Cursorily, quickly, as in I did go over the program once over lightly, but perhaps I should read it more carefully. [Colloquial; mid-1900s]

  once upon a time On some past occasion, as in I may have sung this piece once upon a time, but I don’t really remember it. This phrase, first recorded in 1595, is frequently used as the opening line of fairy tales and stories told to children, as in Once upon a time there was a king who had three beautiful daughters.

  on cloud nine Blissfully happy, as in Ever since he proposed to her, her parents have been on cloud nine. The exact allusion of nine in this term is unclear, and different figures, especially seven (perhaps ­alluding to SEVENTH HEAVEN), are sometimes substituted. [Colloquial; mid-1900s]

  on commission Making money based on sales or services rendered, as in Real estate agents rarely get a salary; they work largely on commission. This use of the noun commission, which generally refers to a percentage of the total price, dates from the early 1700s.

  on condition that Provided that, with the restriction that, as in She said she’d help with the costumes on condition that she would get ten free tickets to the play. The use of the noun condition in the sense of “stipulation” dates from the late 1300s, and the precise phrase from the early 1500s.

  on consignment Turning over goods for an agent to sell, with the provision that payment is made only on completed sales and that unsold goods may be returned to the consignor. For example, This secondhand shop accepts items of clothing on consignment. [c. 1700]

  on deck 1. Available, ready for action, as in We had ten kids on deck to clean up after the dance. [Slang; second half of 1800s] 2. In baseball, scheduled to bat next, waiting near home plate to bat, as in Joe was on deck next. [1860s] Both usages allude to crew members being on the deck of a ship, in readiness to perform their duties.

  on demand When needed or asked for, as in She’s always ready to sing on demand, or Nowadays ­infants are generally fed on demand. This usage is a broadening of this phrase’s meaning in finance, that is, “payable on being requested or presented,” as in This note is payable on demand. [Late 1600s]

  on draft Drawn from a large container, such as a keg (as opposed to bottles). For example, We much prefer the taste of beer on draft. [Mid-1800s]

  on duty At one’s post, at work, as in The new nurse was on duty that evening, or The watchman was fired because he was drunk on duty. [Mid-1600s] The antonym, off duty, means “not engaged in one’s work,” as in Captain Smith was much more amiable when he was off duty. [Mid-1800s]

  one → In addition to the idioms beginning with ONE, also see ALL IN ONE PIECE; ALL THE SAME (ONE); A-ONE; AS ONE; AT ONE; AT ONE STROKE; AT ONE TIME; AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER; BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD (SQUARE ONE); EACH AND EVERY ONE; EACH OTHER (ONE ANOTHER); FOR ONE; GO ONE BETTER; HANG (ONE) ON; HOLE IN ONE; IN ONE EAR AND OUT THE OTHER; IN THE SAME (IN ONE) BREATH; IT TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE; JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS; LOOK OUT FOR (NUMBER ONE); MORE THAN ONE WAY TO SKIN A CAT; NOT ONE IOTA; NUMBER ONE; ON THE ONE HAND; (ONE) PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS; PULL A FAST ONE; PUT ALL ONE’S EGGS IN ONE BASKET; QUICK ONE; SEEN ONE, SEEN THEM ALL; SIX OF ONE, HALF A DOZEN OF THE OTHER; THAT’S ONE ON ME; TIE ONE ON; WEAR ANOTHER (MORE THAN ONE) HAT; WITH ONE ARM TIED BEHIND ONE’S BACK; WITH ONE VOICE; WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE. (Note that this listing does not include those idioms where ONE is a personal pronoun meaning “someone” or “oneself.”)

  one and all Everyone, as in She’s told one and all about their quarrel. [c. 1375]

  one and only One’s only love; one’s only sweetheart. For example, He swore she was his one and only, but the detective following him knew better. [c. 1900]

  one and the same Identical, as in Gloria’s grand­father had been, at one and the same time, a physician at the court and a general in the army. This expression is an emphatic form of “the same.” [Mid-1800s]

  one another → See EACH OTHER.

  one-armed bandit A slot machine, as in It’s amazing how many people think they can make money playing a one-armed bandit. This term refers to both appearance and function: the operating lever looks like an arm, and the machine in effect robs players, since it “wins” and keeps the player’s money in an overwhelming majority of instances. [c. 1930]

  on earth 1. Also, in creation; in the world. Ever, anywhere, of all possible things. These phrases are all used for emphasis in questions or, less often, in a negative context. For example, What on earth is he doing with a spade? or Where in creation did that child go? or How in the world do you expect me to carry all those bags? [Late 1700s] 2. lik
e nothing on earth. Incomparable. For example, That perfume smells like nothing on earth, or Her new hair color is like nothing on earth. [c. 1900]

  on easy street → See EASY STREET.

  one by one Also, one at a time. Individually in succession, as in The ducklings jumped into the pond one by one, or One at a time they went into the office. Formerly also put as one and one and one after one, this idiom dates from about A.D. 1000.

  on edge Tense, nervous, irritable, as in We were all on edge as we waited for the surgeon’s report. This expression transfers the edge of a cutting instrument to one’s feelings. [Late 1800s] Also see ON THE EDGE; SET ONE’S TEETH ON EDGE.

  one eye on Paying some but not full attention to, as in He ran the rehearsal with one eye on the clock. Also see HAVE ONE’S EYE ON; OUT OF THE CORNER OF ONE’S EYE; SEE WITH HALF AN EYE.

  one fell swoop, in Also at one fell swoop. All at once, in a single action, as in This law has lifted all the controls on cable TV in one fell swoop. This term was used and probably invented by Shakespeare in Macbeth (4:3), where the playwright likens the murder of Macduff’s wife and children to a hawk swooping down on defenseless prey. Although fell here means “cruel” or “ruthless,” this meaning has been lost in the current idiom, where it now signifies “sudden.”

  one foot in the grave, have Be close to death or in terrible condition, as in Jane looks as though she has one foot in the grave. This picturesque hyperbolic phrase was first recorded in 1566.

  one for the books Also, one for the book. An outstanding or unusual achievement or event, as in All of the main awards went to one picture—that’s one for the books. This expression originally alluded to record books kept for sports but soon was ­applied to other endeavors. [Colloquial; c. 1900]

  one for the road A final drink before leaving, as in Won’t you have just one for the road? This term ­always alludes to an alcoholic drink and a practice that, if the person is going to drive away, is not only frowned on but in many places illegal. [First half of 1900s]