The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

by Christine Ammer

  roll in the aisles Laugh very hard, as in The comedian’s new book had them rolling in the aisles. This hyperbolic idiom alludes to a performance that causes an audience to laugh so hard that they might well roll about in the theater’s aisles. [First half of 1900s]

  roll in the hay Sexual intercourse, as in The main character in the movie was always looking for a roll in the hay. This phrase alludes to secret lovemaking in a hayloft. [Slang; mid-1900s]

  roll out 1. Get out of bed, as in I rolled out around six o’clock this morning. [Colloquial; late 1800s] 2. Introduce, disclose, as in They rolled out the new washing machine with great fanfare. Also see RED CARPET.

  roll over Reinvest profits from one investment back into that investment or into another, as in Our broker advised us to roll over the proceeds into a tax shelter. It is also used more widely for carrying an accrued or remaining amount, such as unused cell-phone minutes, into a new term. [Mid-1900s]

  roll the bones Cast dice, especially in the game of craps, as in Let’s go to the casino and roll the bones tonight. This slangy term was first recorded in 1897, but the noun bones has referred to dice since the late 1300s (Chaucer used it in The Pardoner’s Tale).

  roll up 1. Accumulate, as in He rolled up a fortune in commodity trading, or She rolled up a huge number of votes in this district. [Mid-1800s] 2. Arrive in a vehicle, as in They rolled up in a taxi at ­exactly eight o’clock.

  roll up one’s sleeves Prepare to work, as in When he saw how much snow had fallen he simply rolled up his sleeves and went to find the shovel. This ­expression, alluding to turning one’s sleeves upward to avoid getting them wet or dirty, is used both literally and more loosely, as in the example here.

  roll with the punches Cope with and withstand adversity, especially by being flexible. For example, She’d had three different editors for her book, each with a different style, but she’d learned to roll with the punches. This term alludes to the boxer’s ability to deflect the full force of an opponent’s blow by adroitly moving his body. [Mid-1900s]

  Roman → See WHEN IN ROME DO AS THE ROMANS DO.

  Rome → In addition to the idiom beginning with ROME, also see ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME; FIDDLE WHILE ROME BURNS; WHEN IN ROME DO AS THE ­ROMANS DO.

  Rome wasn’t built in a day Important work takes time. This expression functions as an injunction or plea for someone to be patient. For example, You can’t expect her to finish this project in the time allotted; Rome wasn’t built in a day. This phrase was a French proverb in the late 1100s but was not recorded in English until 1545.

  roof → In addition to the idiom beginning with ROOF, also see GO THROUGH THE ROOF; HIT THE CEILING (ROOF); LIKE A CAT ON HOT BRICKS (A HOT TIN ROOF); RAISE THE ROOF.

  roof over one’s head, a A shelter, especially a home, as in I can barely afford to put a roof over my head, my salary is so low.

  rooftop → See SHOUT FROM THE ROOFTOPS.

  room → In addition to the idiom beginning with ROOM, also see NOT ENOUGH ROOM TO SWING A CAT; TAKE UP SPACE (ROOM).

  room and board Lodging and meals, as in The university’s price for room and board has increased by another 10 percent. [Mid-1900s]

  roost → See CHICKENS COME HOME TO ROOST; RULE THE ROOST.

  root → In addition to the idioms beginning with ROOT, also see PUT DOWN ROOTS; TAKE ROOT.

  root and branch Utterly, completely, as in The company has been transformed root and branch by the new management. Alluding to both the underground and aboveground parts of a tree, this idiom was first recorded in 1640.

  rooted to the spot Not moving, especially owing to some strong emotion. For example, When the truck bore down on the dog, he was terrified and stood rooted to the spot. This idiom likens the roots of a plant to a strong feeling that keeps one from moving.

  root for Cheer on, give moral support to, as in The fans were out rooting for their team, or I’ve been rooting for you to get that promotion. This expression may come from the British verb rout, which is used of cattle and means “bellow.” [Late 1800s]

  root of the matter The essential part or cause of something, as in We still don’t understand what happened; we must get to the root of the matter. This expression was first recorded in the Bible (Job 19:28).

  root out Search for, seek to discover, as in He was trying to root out the reason for her long absence. This idiom alludes to the way hogs dig by using their snouts. [Mid-1800s]

  rope → In addition to the idiom beginning with ROPE, also see END OF ONE’S ROPE; ENOUGH ROPE; KNOW THE ROPES; ON THE ROPES.

  rope in Also, rope into. Lure or entice someone into doing something, as in We didn’t want to spend the night there, but we got roped in by my lonely aunt, or The salesman tried to rope us into buying some worthless real estate. These expressions allude to catching an animal by throwing a rope around it. [Mid-1800s]

  rose → See BED OF ROSES; COME UP ROSES; SEE THROUGH ROSE-COLORED GLASSES.

  rote → See BY HEART (ROTE).

  rotten apple A bad individual among many good ones, especially one that spoils the group. For example, The roommates are having problems with Edith—she’s the one rotten apple of the bunch. This expression is a shortening of the proverb a rotten apple spoils the barrel, coming from a 14th-century Latin proverb translated as “The rotten apple injures its neighbors.” The allusion in this idiom is to the spread of mold or other diseases from one apple to the rest. In English the first recorded use was in Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanack (1736). A later variant is bad apple.

  rotten egg → See under BAD EGG.

  rotten to the core Thoroughly bad, as in It seems that this police unit is rotten to the core, involved in numerous extortion schemes. The noun core here denotes the central part or heart of anything or anyone. The idiom was first recorded in 1804.

  rough → In addition to the idioms beginning with ROUGH, also see DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH; RIDE ROUGHSHOD OVER; TAKE THE ROUGH WITH THE SMOOTH.

  rough and ready Unrefined or makeshift but available for use or action, as in The agenda is somewhat rough and ready, but it covers the main issues. [First half of 1800s]

  rough and tumble Disorderly scuffling or infighting, as in She had some reservations about entering the rough and tumble of local politics. This expression originated in the late 1700s in boxing, where it referred to a fight without rules. [Mid-1800s]

  rough it Do without the usual comforts and conveniences, as in We spent our vacation roughing it in a log cabin. This idiom was first recorded in 1768. Mark Twain used it as the title of an account of his experiences in Nevada (Roughing It, 1872).

  rough on, be 1. Be harmful to or difficult for, as in The harsh winter has been rough on the highways, or Their divorce was rough on the whole family. 2. Treat harshly, be severe with, as in The police have been very rough on housebreakers, or Don’t be too rough on Sam; he’s only a child. Both colloquial usages date from the second half of the 1800s.

  rough out Also, rough in. Prepare or indicate in unfinished form, as in He roughed out several different plans for a merger, or They roughed in where the doors and windows would go without checking with the architect. [Second half of 1700s]

  rough up Manhandle, subject to physical abuse, as in The gang was about to rough him up when the police arrived. [First half of 1900s]

  round → In addition to the idioms beginning with ROUND, also see ALL YEAR ROUND; BRING AROUND (ROUND); COME AROUND (ROUND); GET AROUND (ROUND); IN ROUND NUMBERS; IN THE ROUND; MAKE THE ROUNDS; OTHER WAY ROUND; PULL ROUND; RALLY AROUND (ROUND). Also see under AROUND.

  round and round Also, around and around. In circles, as in You’ve gone round and round with the same argument and we still have no solution. This idiom transfers moving in a circle to mental or verbal activities. [Second half of 1800s]

  round figures → See IN ROUND NUMBERS.

  round off 1. Change a number to the closest whole number or the closest multiple of 10. For example, Rounding it off, I expect the new school addit
ion will cost a million dollars. 2. Also, round out. Finish, complete, especially in a neat or perfect way. For example, They rounded off the dinner with a magnificent liqueur, or That stamp rounded out his collection. [Mid-1700s; variant, mid-1800s] Also see ROUND OUT.

  round on Turn on, assail, especially verbally. For example, They all rounded on Jake for not upholding the party line. [Mid-1800s]

  round out 1. See ROUND OFF, def. 2. 2. Grow or ­develop to a round form, as in The tree was spindly when first planted, but it has since rounded out nicely. [c. 1900]

  round peg in a square hole → See SQUARE PEG IN A ROUND HOLE.

  round robin 1. A petition or other document signed by several persons in sequence, so that no one can tell who was the first to sign it. For example, We decided to send a round robin to management to protest the new rules about work hours. This term originally referred to a grievance presented by seamen to their captain, called round because of the circular sequence of names, but the source of robin has been lost. [Early 1700s] 2. In sports, a tournament in which each player or team plays against all of the others in turn. For example, The club always holds a tennis round robin on the weekend before the Fourth of July. [Late 1800s]

  round the bend → See AROUND THE BEND, def. 2.

  round trip A journey to a given place and back again, usually over the same route; also, a ticket for such a trip. For example, The fare for a round trip is generally lower than for two one-way journeys. [Mid-1800s]

  roundup → See HEAD FOR (THE LAST ROUNDUP). Also see ROUND UP.

  round up Collect or gather in a body, as in We’ll have to round up some more volunteers for the food drive, or The police rounded up all the suspects. This term comes from the West, where since the mid-1800s it has been used for collecting livestock by riding around the herd and driving the animals together. By about 1875 it was extended to other kinds of gathering together.

  row → See GET ONE’S DUCKS IN A ROW; KICK UP A FUSS (ROW); SKID ROW; TOUGH ROW TO HOE.

  rub → In addition to the idioms beginning with RUB, also see THE RUB.

  rubber check A check drawn on an account without the funds to pay it, as in He’s been handing out rubber checks right and left, but the police have caught up with him. The rubber alludes to the fact that, like rubber, the check “bounces,” in this case back from the bank. [Slang; c. 1920]

  rubber stamp A person or organization that automatically approves or endorses a policy without assessing its merit; also, such an approval or endorsement. For example, The nominating committee is merely a rubber stamp; they approve anyone the chairman names, or The dean gave his rubber stamp to the recommendations of the tenure committee. This metaphoric term alludes to the rubber printing device used to imprint the same words over and over. [Early 1900s]

  rubbish → See GOOD RIDDANCE (TO BAD RUBBISH).

  rub down Briskly rub the body, as in a massage. For example, The trainer rubs down marathon runners, or That horse needs rubbing down. This expression was first used (and still is) for rubbing away dust and sweat from a horse. [Late 1600s]

  rub elbows with Also, rub shoulders with. Mix or socialize with, as in There’s nothing like rubbing ­elbows with the rich and famous, or At the reception diplomats were rubbing shoulders with heads of state. Both of these terms allude to being in close contact with someone. [Mid-1800s]

  Rubicon → See CROSS THE RUBICON.

  rub in Also, rub it in. Harp on something, especially an unpleasant matter, as in She always rubs in the fact that she graduated with honors and I didn’t, or I know I forgot your birthday, but don’t keep rubbing it in. This idiom alludes to the expression rub salt into a wound, an action that makes the wound more painful; it dates from ­medieval times and remains current. [Mid-1800s] Also see RUB SOMEONE’S NOSE IN IT.

  rub off on Become transferred to another, influence through close contact, as in We hoped some of their good manners would rub off on our children. This idiom alludes to transferring something like paint to another substance by rubbing against it. [Mid-1900s]

  rub one’s hands Experience or exhibit pleased ­anticipation or self-satisfaction, as in The owner rubbed his hands as the customer picked out item after item. This metaphoric term alludes to the actual rubbing together of one’s hands to express pleasure.

  rub out 1. Obliterate or erase by, or as if by, rubbing. For example, Bill was so busy rubbing out the old markings that he forgot to put in new ones. [Mid-1600s] 2. Murder, kill, as in They threatened to rub him out if he didn’t pay up. [Slang; mid-1800s]

  rub someone’s nose in it Bring something, especially an error or fault, repeatedly and forcefully to someone’s attention. For example, I know I was wrong, but don’t rub my nose in it. This expression alludes to the unkind practice of housebreaking a dog by rubbing its nose in its feces. [Mid-1900s]

  rub the wrong way Irritate, annoy, as in His remarks about welfare rubbed a great many people the wrong way. This idiom alludes to rubbing an animal’s fur in the wrong direction. [Mid-1800s] Also see RUFFLE SOMEONE’S FEATHERS.

  rub up on Refresh one’s knowledge, as in I must rub up on my French before we leave for Paris. [Second half of 1700s] Also see BRUSH UP, def. 2.

  ruffle someone’s feathers Annoy or offend someone, as in Calling him a tightwad really ruffled his feathers. This term alludes to the stiffened, upright feathers of an angry bird. [Mid-1800s]

  rug → See PULL THE RUG OUT FROM UNDER; SWEEP UNDER THE RUG. Also see under CARPET.

  ruin → See RACK AND RUIN.

  rule → In addition to the idioms beginning with RULE, also see AS A RULE; EXCEPTION PROVES THE RULE; GROUND RULES.

  rule of thumb A rough and useful principle or method, based on experience rather than precisely accurate measures. For example, His work with the youth group is largely by rule of thumb. This ­expression alludes to making rough estimates of measurements by using one’s thumb. [Second half of 1600s]

  rule out 1. Eliminate from consideration, exclude, as in The option of starting over again has been ruled out. [Second half of 1800s] 2. Prevent, make impossible, as in The snowstorm ruled out our weekly rehearsal. [First half of 1900s]

  rule the roost Be in charge, boss others, as in In our division the chairman’s son rules the roost. This expression originated in the 15th century as rule the roast, which was either a corruption of rooster or alluded to the person who was in charge of the roast and thus ran the kitchen. In the barnyard a rooster decides which hen should roost near him. Both interpretations persisted for 200 years. Thomas Heywood (c. 1630) put it as “Her that ruled the roast in the kitchen,” but Shakespeare had it in 2 Henry VI (1:1): “The new-made duke that rules the roast,” which is more ambiguous. In the mid-1700s roost began to compete with roast, and in the 1900s roost displaced roast altogether. Also see RUN THE SHOW.

  rule with an iron hand → See IRON HAND.

  run → In addition to the idioms beginning with RUN, also see BEAT (RUN) ONE’S HEAD AGAINST THE WALL; CUT AND RUN; DRY RUN; EAT AND RUN; END RUN; GO (RUN) AROUND IN CIRCLES; GREAT MINDS RUN IN THE SAME CHANNEL; HOME RUN; IN THE LONG RUN; LIKE CLOCKWORK, RUN; MAKE A BREAK (RUN) FOR; MAKE ONE’S BLOOD RUN COLD; (RUN) OFF SOMEONE’S FEET; ON THE RUN; STILL WATERS RUN DEEP; TIGHT SHIP, RUN A; WELL’S RUN DRY. Also see under RUNNING.

  run across → See COME ACROSS, def. 1.

  run a fever Also, run a temperature. Suffer from a body temperature higher than normal, as in She was running a fever so I kept her home from school. These idioms use run in the sense of “cause to move,” in this case upward. [Early 1900s]

  run afoul of Also, run foul of. Come into conflict with, as in If you keep parking illegally you’ll run afoul of the police. This expression originated in the late 1600s, when it was applied to a vessel colliding or becoming entangled with another vessel, but at the same time it was transferred to non-nautical usage. Both senses remain current.

  run after Also, chase after. 1. Follow, pursue with haste, as in Our dog loves to run after the mail truck, or
The children were chasing after the geese in the park. [c. 1300] 2. Seek the company or ­attention of, especially aggressively. For example, He’s run after her for a year, but she just ignores him. [Early 1500s]

  run against 1. Also, run up against or run into. ­Encounter something, especially a difficulty, unexpectedly. For example, We didn’t know we’d run up against so much opposition, or He ran into trouble with his taxes. [Late 1300s] 2. Work against, as in Public sentiment ran against her. [Late 1300s] 3. Oppose for elective office, as in Susan decided to run against a very popular incumbent. This usage is a figurative application of running in a footrace. [First half of 1800s]

  run along Go away, leave, as in I’ll be running along now; I’m already late. This expression is also used as an imperative to tell someone to go away, as in Run along, children, I have work to do. [Early 1800s]

  run amok Also, run riot or wild. Behave in a frenzied, out-of-control, or unrestrained manner. For example, I was afraid that if I left the toddler alone she would run amok and have a hard time calming down, or The weeds are running riot in the lawn, or The children were running wild in the playground. Amok comes from a Malay word for “frenzied” and was adopted into English, and at first spelled amuck, in the second half of the 1600s. Run riot dates from the early 1500s and derives from an earlier sense, that is, a hound’s following an animal scent. Run wild alludes to an animal reverting to its natural, uncultivated state; its figurative use dates from the late 1700s.

  run an errand Go to perform a commission, as in I spent the morning running household errands—to the cleaners, the supermarket, the hardware store. [c. 1500]

  run a risk Also, run the risk. Be subjected to danger, as in Hiding anything from customs means running a risk that you’ll be caught, or Without the right postage and address, this package runs the risk of being lost. [Mid-1600s]