The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

by Christine Ammer

  pay one’s dues Earn something through hard work, long experience, or suffering. For example, She’d paid her dues in small-town shows before she finally got a Broadway part. This expression transfers the cost of being a paid-up member in an organization to that of gaining experience in an endeavor. [Mid-1900s]

  pay one’s respects → See PAY A CALL.

  pay one’s way 1. Also, pay one’s own way. Pay in full for one’s expenses, as in She paid her way through college by working in the library. 2. pay someone’s way. Pay someone’s expenses, as in Dad offered to pay my way if I went to Spain with him.

  pay out 1. Distribute money, disburse, as in He paid out the full amount. [Mid-1800s] 2. Let out a rope by slackening, as in She paid out the rope ­until it was long enough to tie the canoe onto the car. This nautical expression dates from the late 1700s.

  pay the piper → See under CALL THE TUNE.

  pay through the nose Pay an excessive amount for something, as in We paid through the nose for that vacation. The origin of this term has been lost. Possibly it alludes to the Danish nose tax, ­imposed in Ireland in the 9th century, whereby delinquent taxpayers were punished by having their noses slit. [Second half of 1600s]

  pay up Pay in full, discharge all that is owing, as in, It’s late—let’s pay up and go home. [c. 1800] Also see PAY OFF, def. 1.

  pay your money and take your choice Also, you pays your money and takes your choice. Since you’re paying, it’s your decision, as in We can take the train or the bus—you pays your money and takes your choice. This term first appeared in the English humor magazine Punch in the mid-1800s and has been repeated ever since.

  PC Also, p.c. An abbreviation for POLITICALLY CORRECT.

  pea → See LIKE AS TWO PEAS IN A POD.

  peace → In addition to the idiom beginning with PEACE, also see AT PEACE; HOLD ONE’S TONGUE (PEACE); KEEP THE PEACE; LEAVE SOMEONE IN PEACE; MAKE ONE’S PEACE WITH; MAKE PEACE.

  peace and quiet Tranquility and freedom from disturbance. This phrase’s redundancy—quiet here does not mean “lack of sound” but “peaceful­­­­ness”­ — gives added emphasis. It often is used in wishes for this condition, as in All I want is a little peace and quiet. [Mid-1800s]

  peacock → See PROUD AS A PEACOCK.

  pearls → See CAST PEARLS BEFORE SWINE.

  pebble → See NOT THE ONLY FISH IN THE SEA (PEBBLE ON THE BEACH).

  pecking order The hierarchy of authority in a group, as in On a space mission, the astronauts have a definite pecking order. This expression, invented in the 1920s by biologists who discovered that domestic poultry maintain such a hierarchy with one bird pecking another of lower status, was transferred to human behavior in the 1950s.

  pedal → See SOFT PEDAL.

  pedestal → See ON A PEDESTAL.

  peel → In addition to the idiom beginning with PEEL, also see KEEP ONE’S EYES OPEN (PEELED).

  peel off 1. Remove an outer layer of skin, bark, paint, or the like; also, come off in thin strips or pieces. For example, Peeling off birch bark can kill the tree, or Paint was peeling off the walls. [Late 1500s] 2. Remove or separate, as in Helen peeled off her gloves and got to work, or Al peeled off a ten-dollar bill and gave it to the driver. [First half of 1900s] 3. Also, peel away. Depart from a group, as in Ruth peeled off from the pack of runners and went down a back road. This expression originated in air force jargon during World War II and was used for an airplane or pilot that left flight formation, a sight that suggested the peeling of skin from a banana.

  peep → See HEAR A PEEP OUT OF.

  peeping Tom A person who secretly watches others, especially for sexual gratification; a voyeur. For example, The police caught a peeping Tom right outside their house. This expression, first recorded in 1796, alludes to the legend of the ­tailor Tom, the only person to watch the naked Lady Godiva as she rode by and who was struck blind for this sin.

  peg → In addition to the idiom beginning with PEG, also see SQUARE PEG IN A ROUND HOLE; TAKE DOWN A NOTCH (PEG).

  peg away at Also, plug away at. Work steadily, persist, as in She pegged away at the tax return until she’d finished, or If we keep plugging away at it, the painting will soon be done. These idioms allude to the persistence required to fasten something by driving pegs or seal something by driving a plug. Peg away dates from the early 1800s, plug away from the mid-1900s.

  pen → In addition to the idiom beginning with PEN, also see SLIP OF THE LIP (PEN).

  penchant → See HAVE A PENCHANT FOR.

  pencil → See PUT LEAD IN ONE’S PENCIL.

  pen is mightier than the sword, the The written word is more effective than a battle. This proverb was originally recorded in slightly different form in 1571 and has been quoted ever since, although it is heard less often today.

  pennies from heaven Unexpected good fortune, a windfall, as in They sent back our check—pennies from heaven. This expression may have originated with a song and motion picture so named (1936), popularized by Bing Crosby.

  penny → In addition to the idioms beginning with PENNY, also see IN FOR A PENNY, IN FOR A POUND; PINCH PENNIES; PRETTY PENNY; TURN UP (LIKE A BAD PENNY).

  penny for your thoughts, a What are you thinking about? For example, You’ve been awfully quiet—a penny for your thoughts. This expression dates from the 1500s and was in John Heywood’s 1546 collection of proverbs.

  penny pincher → See PINCH PENNIES.

  penny saved is a penny earned, a What one does not spend, one will have. This maxim for thrift is so familiar that it often appears in shortened form, as in Although they can afford to buy a house right now, they’re putting if off, on the principle of “a penny saved.” It appeared in slightly different form in George Herbert’s Outlandish Proverbs (1640). Whether or not it originally suggested that savings earn interest is not known.

  penny wise and pound foolish Stingy about small expenditures and extravagant with large ones, as in Dean clips all the coupons for supermarket bargains but insists on going to the best restaurants—penny wise and pound foolish. This phrase alludes to British currency, in which a pound was once worth 240 pennies, or pence, and is now worth 100 pence. The phrase is also occasionally used for being very careful about unimportant matters and careless about important ones. It was used in this way by Joseph Addison in The Spectator (1712): “A woman who will give up herself to a man in marriage where there is the least Room for such an apprehension... may very properly be accused... of being penny wise and pound foolish.” [c. 1600]

  people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones One who is open to criticism should not criticize others, as in It’s stupid of Mike to mention his opponent’s accepting donations from lobbyists—people who live in glass houses! This proverb is so well known that it is often shortened. [Late 1300s] Also see POT CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK.

  pep someone up Invigorate someone or cheer someone up, as in This drink will pep you up, or The good news about his recovery pepped us up. [1920s] Both the verb pep and the noun pep, denoting vigor and energy since about 1910, are ­abbreviations for pepper, a spice with a pungent, biting quality. They also have given rise to pep rally, a meeting to inspire enthusiasm [c. 1940], and pep talk, a speech meant to instill enthusiasm or bolster morale [1920s].

  perish → In addition to the idiom beginning with PERISH, also see PUBLISH OR PERISH.

  perish the thought Don’t even think of it. This ­expression is used as a wish that what was just mentioned will never happen. For example, He’s going to give another speech? Perish the thought! This phrase appeared in Handel’s oratorio Joshua (1748; text by Thomas Morell): “It never shall be said that our allies in vain implor’d our aid. Perish the thought!” Also see GOD FORBID.

  perk up Restore to good spirits, liveliness, or good appearance, as in You’re exhausted, but a cup of tea will perk you up, or The flowers perked up the whole room. [Mid-1600s]

  person → In addition to the idiom beginning with PERSON, also see FEEL LIKE ONESELF (A
NEW PERSON); IN PERSON; OWN PERSON.

  person of color A nonwhite person, such as someone of African or Native American descent. For example, They have made a genuine effort to promote persons of color to executive positions. This seemingly modern euphemism actually dates from the late 1700s and was revived in the late 1900s.

  pet → In addition to the idiom beginning with PET, also see TEACHER’S PET.

  Pete Also, Peter. → See FOR THE SAKE OF (PETE’S SAKE); HONEST TO GOD (PETE); ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL.

  peter out Dwindle or diminish and come to an end, as in Their enthusiasm soon petered out. The origin of this usage is unknown, but one authority suggests it may refer to the apostle Peter, whose enthusiastic support of Jesus quickly diminished so that he denied knowing him three times during the night after Jesus’s arrest. [Mid-1800s]

  pet peeve A particular or recurring source of irritation, as in My pet peeve is that neighbor’s cat running through my herb garden. [Early 1900s]

  physical → See GET PHYSICAL.

  phase in Introduce one stage at a time. For example, New technology must be phased in or the office will be overwhelmed. The antonym is phase out, meaning “to bring or come to an end, one stage at a time,” as in The department is phasing out all the older computers. [Mid-1900s]

  Philadelphia lawyer A shrewd attorney, adept at dealing with legal technicalities, as in It would take a Philadelphia lawyer to get him off. This expression dates from the late 1700s and, as lexicographer Richard H. Thornton observed: “Why members of the Philadelphia bar should be credited with superhuman sagacity has never been satisfactorily explained.”

  pick → In addition to the idioms beginning with PICK, also see BONE TO PICK; SLIM PICKINGS.

  pick a bone with → See BONE TO PICK.

  pick and choose Select with great care, as in John and Kate loved to go to the pastry shop, especially if they had time to pick and choose. Despite its redundancy (pick and choose are synonyms), this phrase has survived since the 1400s.

  pick apart Also, pick holes in or pick to pieces. Find flaws in something by close examination, criticize sharply, as in The lawyer picked apart the testimony, or He found it easy to pick holes in their argument, or The new editor picked her manuscript to pieces. These expressions use pick in the sense of “pierce” or “poke,” a usage dating from the 1300s; pick holes in dates from the mid-1600s, pick to pieces from the mid-1800s.

  pick a quarrel Also, pick an argument or fight. Seek an opportunity to quarrel or argue with someone. For example, I don’t want to pick a quarrel with you, or Jason was always in trouble for picking fights. These terms use pick in the sense of “select.” [Mid-1400s]

  pick at 1. Pluck or pull at, especially with the fingers, as in She was always picking at her skirt with her nails. [1600s] 2. Eat sparingly and without appetite, as in He was just picking at his dinner. [Late 1500s] 3. Nag, badger, as in He’s picking at me all day long. [Colloquial; second half of 1600s]

  picked over → See PICK OVER.

  pick holes in → See under PICK APART.

  pickle → See IN A FIX (PICKLE).

  pick off Shoot after singling out, as in The hunter picked off the ducks one by one. [Early 1800s]

  pick of the litter The best of a group, as in He was first in the ticket line so he had the pick of the litter. This term, alluding to the most desirable one from a litter of puppies or kittens, supplanted such earlier variants as pick of the market, pick of the parish, and pick of the basket. [Early 1900s]

  pick on Tease, bully, victimize, as in She told Mom the boys were always picking on her. [Second half of 1800s] This expression is sometimes put as pick on someone your own size, meaning “don’t badger someone who is younger, smaller, or weaker than yourself but do so only to an equal.”

  pick one’s way Find and move through a passage carefully, as in She picked her way through the crowd outside the theater, or, more figuratively, He picked his way through the mass of 19th-century journals, looking for references to his subject. [Early 1700s]

  pick out 1. Choose, select, as in She picked out the best piece of fabric. [Early 1500s] 2. Distinguish, discern from one’s surroundings, as in They managed to pick out their mother from the crowd. [Mid-1500s] 3. Identify the notes of a tune and play it on an instrument, as in When she was four she could pick out folk songs on the piano. [Late 1800s]

  pick over Sort out, examine item by item, as in Dad hates to pick over the beans one by one. This term is sometimes put as picked over, describing something that has already been selected from (as in They have almost nothing left; the stock of bathing suits has been picked over). [First half of 1800s]

  pick someone’s brain Obtain ideas or information from another person, as in I’m out of ideas for decorating—let me pick your brain. This term ­alludes to picking clean a carcass. [Mid-1800s]

  pick to pieces → See PICK APART.

  pick up 1. Lift, take up by hand, as in Please pick up that book from the floor. [Early 1300s] 2. Collect or gather, as in First they had to pick up the pieces of broken glass. 3. Tidy, put in order, as in Let’s pick up the bedroom, or I’m always picking up after Pat. [Mid-1800s] 4. Take on passengers or freight, as in The bus picks up commuters at three stops. 5. Acquire casually, get without great effort or by accident. For example, I picked up a nice coat at the sale, or She had no trouble picking up French. This usage is even extended to contracting diseases, as in I think I picked up the baby’s cold. [Early 1500s] 6. Claim, as in He picked up his laundry every Friday. 7. Buy, as in Please pick up some wine at the store on your way home. 8. pick up the bill or check or tab. Accept a charge in order to pay it, as in They always wait for us to pick up the tab. [Colloquial; mid-1900s] 9. Increase speed or rate, as in The plane picked up speed, or The conductor told the strings to pick up the tempo. 10. Gain, as in They picked up five yards on that pass play. 11. Take into custody, apprehend, as in The police picked him up for burglary. [Colloquial; second half of 1800s] 12. Make a casual acquaintance with, especially in anticipation of sexual relations, as in A stranger tried to pick her up at the bus station. [Slang; late 1800s] 13. Come upon, find, detect, as in The dog picked up the scent, or They picked up two submarines on sonar, or I can’t pick up that station on the car radio. 14. Resume, as in Let’s pick up the conversation after lunch. 15. Improve or cause to improve in condition or activity, as in Sales picked up last fall, or He picked up quickly after he got home from the hospital, or A cup of coffee will pick you up. [1700s] 16. Gather one’s belongings, as in She just picked up and left him. 17. pick oneself up. Recover from a fall or other mishap, as in Jim picked himself up and stood there waiting. [Mid-1800s] Also see the subsequent entries beginning with PICK UP.

  pick up on Become aware of, notice, as in The teacher picked up on her nervousness right away. [Colloquial; mid-1900s]

  pick up the pieces Redeem a bad situation, restore matters to normal, as in Once fighting ended, the task force picked up the pieces and restored democracy. [Late 1800s]

  picnic → See NO PICNIC.

  picture → In addition to the idiom beginning with PICTURE, also see GET THE MESSAGE (PICTURE); IN THE PICTURE; PRETTY AS A PICTURE; TAKE A PICTURE; THE PICTURE.

  picture is worth a thousand words, one A graphic illustration conveys a stronger message than words, as in The book jacket is a big selling point—one picture is worth a thousand words. This saying was invented by an advertising executive, Fred R. Barnard. To promote his agency’s ads he took out an ad in Printer’s Ink in 1921 with the headline “One Look Is Worth a Thousand Words” and attributed it to an ancient Japanese philosopher. Six years later he changed it to “Chinese Proverb: One Picture Is Worth Ten Thousand Words,” ­illustrated with some Chinese characters. The attribution in both was invented; Barnard simply believed an Asian origin would give it more credibility.

  pie → In addition to the idiom beginning with PIE, also see APPLE-PIE ORDER; EASY AS PIE; EAT CROW (HUMBLE PIE); FINGER IN THE PIE; SLICE OF THE PIE.

&nb
sp; piece → In addition to the idioms beginning with PIECE, also see ALL IN ONE PIECE; CONVERSATION PIECE; GO TO PIECES; MUSEUM PIECE; OF A PIECE; PICK APART (TO PIECES); PICK UP THE PIECES; PUFF PIECE; SPEAK ONE’S PIECE; THINK PIECE; THRILL TO PIECES; TO PIECES; VILLAIN OF THE PIECE.

  piece by piece In stages, gradually, as in He took the clock apart piece by piece, or Let’s go over your exam paper, piece by piece. Also see BIT BY BIT.

  piece of ass Also, piece of tail. Sexual intercourse, as in He was out for a piece of ass. [Vulgar slang; mid-1900s]

  piece of cake Something easily accomplished, as in I had no trouble finding your house—a piece of cake. This expression originated in the Royal Air Force in the late 1930s for an easy mission, and the precise reference is as mysterious as that of the simile EASY AS PIE. Possibly it evokes the easy accomplishment of swallowing a slice of sweet dessert.

  piece of change A sum of money, especially a considerable amount, as in That car is worth a piece of change. [Slang; early 1900s]

  piece of one’s mind Frank and severe criticism, censure, as in Chuck was furious and gave him a piece of his mind. The word piece here is used in the sense of “portion,” but the portion of the mind alluded to always has a negative opinion. [Second half of 1500s]

  piece of the action A share in an activity or in the profits, as in They wanted a piece of the action in this land deal. [Slang; mid-1900s]

  piece together Join or combine parts into a whole, as in With information from several observers, she pieced together an account of what had actually taken place. [Late 1500s]

  pie in the sky An empty wish or promise, as in His dream of being hired as a sports editor proved to be pie in the sky. This expression was first recorded in 1911 in a rallying song of a union, the International Workers of the World (or “Wobblies”): “Work and pray, live on hay, you’ll get pie in the sky when you die.”

  pig → In addition to the idioms beginning with PIG, also see IN A PIG’S EYE; LIKE PIGS IN CLOVER; MAKE A PIG OF ONESELF; WHEN PIGS FLY.