The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms
Page 109
skate → In addition to the idiom beginning with SKATE, also see CHEAP SKATE; ON THIN ICE, SKATE.
skate over Treat superficially or hurriedly, avoid mentioning, as in He concentrated on the main points of the contract and skated over the details. This idiom transfers the gliding motion of skating to dealing with something in a cursory way. [Mid-1900s]
skeleton in the closet A shameful secret, as in Both her parents were alcoholics; that was the skeleton in her closet. This metaphoric term alludes to a murder victim long concealed in a closet, possibly based on some true incident that is now forgotten. [Early 1800s]
skid → In addition to the idiom beginning with SKID, also see ON THE SKIDS; PUT THE SKIDS ON; PUT THE SKIDS UNDER.
skid row A squalid district inhabited by derelicts and vagrants; also, a life of impoverished dissipation. For example, That part of town is our skid row, or His drinking was getting so bad we thought he was headed for skid row. This expression originated in the lumber industry, where a skid road was a road or track made of logs laid crosswise over which logs were slid. Around 1900 the name Skid Road was used for the part of a town frequented by loggers, which had many bars and brothels, and by the 1930s the variant skid row, with its current meaning, came into use.
skin → In addition to the idioms beginning with SKIN, also see BEAUTY IS ONLY SKIN DEEP; BY THE SKIN OF ONE’S TEETH; GET UNDER SOMEONE’S SKIN; JUMP OUT OF ONE’S SKIN; MAKE ONE’S FLESH CREEP (SKIN CRAWL); MORE THAN ONE WAY TO SKIN A CAT; NO SKIN OFF ONE’S NOSE; SAVE ONE’S BACON (SKIN); SOAKED TO THE SKIN; THICK SKIN.
skin alive Punish severely, as in If I find the guy who slashed my tire I’ll skin him alive. This hyperbolic expression transfers the barbaric practice of flaying a live prisoner to other forms of punishment. [Colloquial; mid-1800s]
skin and bones Painfully thin, emaciated. This phrase often is expanded to nothing but skin and bones, as in She came home from her trip nothing but skin and bones. This hyperbolic expression—one could hardly be alive without some flesh—dates from the early 1400s.
skin deep → See BEAUTY IS ONLY SKIN DEEP.
skin off one’s nose → See NO SKIN OFF ONE’S NOSE.
skin of one’s teeth → See BY THE SKIN OF ONE’S TEETH.
skip → In addition to the idioms beginning with SKIP, also see HEART MISSES (SKIPS) A BEAT; HOP, SKIP, AND A JUMP.
skip bail Also, jump bail. Fail to appear in court for trial and thereby give up the bail bond (paid to secure one’s appearance). For example, I can’t afford to skip bail—I’d lose half a million, or We were sure he’d jump bail but he finally showed up. This idiom uses skip and jump in the sense of “evade.” The first dates from about 1900, the variant from the mid-1800s. Also see MAKE BAIL.
skip it Drop the subject, ignore the matter, as in I don’t understand what you mean.—Oh, skip it for now. This interjection uses skip in the sense of “pass over.” [Colloquial; c. 1930]
skip out Leave hastily, abscond, as in They just skipped out of town. It is also put as skip out on, meaning “desert, abandon” as in He skipped out on his wife, leaving her with the four children. [Colloquial; second half of 1800s]
sky → In addition to the idiom beginning with SKY, also see BLOW SKY-HIGH; OUT OF A CLEAR BLUE SKY; PIE IN THE SKY; REACH FOR THE SKY.
sky’s the limit, the There is no limit (to ambition, aspirations, expense, or the like). For example, Order anything you like on the menu—the sky’s the limit tonight, or He’s so brilliant he can do anything—the sky’s the limit. This metaphoric idiom was first recorded in 1920.
slack off Decrease in activity or intensity, as in If business ever slacks off we can go on vacation, or When the project fell behind schedule again, she thought we were slacking off. [Second half of 1800s]
slam dunk A forceful, dramatic move, as in That indictment was a slam dunk if ever there was one. This expression is also often put as a verb, slam-dunk, meaning “make a forceful move against someone,” as in This is a great chance for us to slam-dunk the opposition. The idiom comes from basketball, where it refers to a dramatic shot in which the ball is thrust into the basket from above the rim. It was transferred to other activities from about 1980 on.
slap down Restrain or correct emphatically, as in They thought he was getting far too arrogant and needed to be slapped down. This idiom, which literally means “inflict a physical blow,” began to be used figuratively in the first half of the 1900s.
slap in the face A sharp rebuke or rebuff, as in Being criticized in front of my staff was a real slap in the face, or We thought it quite a slap in the face when they returned our letter unopened. The figurative use of this term, which can also refer to a literal blow, dates from the late 1800s.
slap on the back A gesture of congratulation, as in The coach gave him a slap on the back for coming in first. [Early 1800s]
slap on the wrist A mild reproof, as in We were fined heavily, and all she got from the judge was a slap on the wrist. [Early 1900s]
slate → In addition to the idiom beginning with SLATE, also see CLEAN SLATE.
slated for, be Be planned or scheduled, as in The history test is slated for Thursday, or He’s slated for a second round of auditions. [Late 1800s]
slaughter → See LIKE A LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER.
sleaze factor The element in a political party, administration, or other organization that is corrupt, controversial, or tainted by scandal. For example, I can’t see myself making a campaign contribution to them—there’s too much of a sleaze factor. This slangy expression derives from the adjective sleazy, which means “vulgar” or “tawdry.” The idiom was first used in politics in the 1980s.
sledding → See EASY SLEDDING; TOUGH SLEDDING.
sleep → In addition to the idioms beginning with SLEEP, also see LET SLEEPING DOGS LIE; LOSE SLEEP OVER; PUT TO SLEEP. Also see under ASLEEP.
sleep around Engage in sex promiscuously, as in Fortunately, no one mentioned that both of them had slept around in their younger days. [Colloquial; 1920s]
sleep a wink, not Not sleep at all, as in I couldn’t sleep a wink last night. This expression, in which wink alludes to closing the eyes for sleep, was first recorded about 1325.
sleep in 1. Sleep at one’s place of employment, as in They have a butler and maid who both sleep in. [First half of 1800s] 2. Sleep late, either accidentally or deliberately. For example, I slept in and missed my usual train, or On weekends we like to sleep in. [Late 1800s]
sleep like a log Also, sleep like a top. Sleep very soundly, as in I slept like a log, or She said she slept like a top. Both of these similes transfer the immobility of an object to that of a person who is sound asleep (since a top spinning quickly looks immobile). The first dates from the late 1600s; the variant is newer.
sleep on something Consider something overnight before deciding, as in I don’t know if I want to go on such a long hike; let me sleep on it. This usage was first recorded in 1519 in the state papers of King Henry VIII: “His Grace... said that he would sleep and dream upon the matter.”
sleep out 1. Sleep at home, as opposed to one’s place of employment, as in We have a full-time nurse for her, but she sleeps out. [Mid-1800s] 2. Sleep away from one’s own home, as in She’s not here; she’s sleeping out.
sleep over Spend the night as a guest in another’s home, as in Karen’s friend Wilma is going to sleep over tonight. [Second half of 1800s]
sleep through 1. Sleep without waking for a period of time, usually the night, as in At three months many babies have learned to sleep through. [Mid-1900s] 2. sleep through something. Fail to pay attention, as in We all slept through the explanation and then had trouble getting the machines started.
sleep with Be sexually intimate with, as in The playwright had made several attempts to sleep with the maid. The related phrase sleep together means “have sexual relations,” as in We wondered if they were sleeping together but didn’t dare to ask them. The verb sleep has been associated with sex since the 10th ce
ntury. Sleep with dates from the 1300s; sleep together was first recorded a century later.
sleeve → See CARD UP ONE’S SLEEVE; LAUGH UP ONE’S SLEEVE; ROLL UP ONE’S SLEEVES; WEAR ONE’S HEART ON ONE’S SLEEVE.
sleight of hand Trickery, deviousness, as in By some sleight of hand they managed to overlook all bonuses. This term alludes to the performance of magic tricks with the hands. Its figurative use dates from about 1700.
slice → In addition to the subsequent idiom beginning with SLICE, also see GREATEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD; NO MATTER HOW YOU SLICE IT.
slice of the pie Also, slice of the cake. A share of the proceeds or benefits, as in It’s reasonable for a heavy contributor to ask for a big slice of the pie. This metaphor for a division of the spoils dates from the late 1800s. Also see the synonym PIECE OF THE ACTION.
slick as a whistle Very smooth and neat; also, smoothly, quickly, easily. For example, That salesman is as slick as a whistle, or The fence post went in place slick as a whistle. The allusion in this simile, first recorded in 1830, is not totally clear, but presumably it refers either to the ease of producing a whistle or to its clear tone.
slide → See LET RIDE (SLIDE); LET SLIP (SLIDE).
slight → See IN THE LEAST (SLIGHTEST).
slim pickings A small amount left after others have taken a share. For example, After each of the children took what they wanted of Mother’s things, it was slim pickings for the rest of the family. This expression alludes to animals devouring a carcass. [Early 1600s]
sling → In addition to the idioms beginning with SLING, also see ASS IN A SLING.
sling hash Serve food in a restaurant, especially a cheap establishment. For example, The only job she could find was slinging hash in the neighborhood diner. This term alludes to the inelegant presentation and nature of the food, in effect, tossing hash before a customer. [Slang; mid-1800s]
sling mud at Insult or discredit someone, as in The paper became famous for slinging mud at movie stars. This term replaced throw mud at, which dates from the second half of the 1700s.
slink away Also, slink off. Depart furtively, as in The shoplifter slipped an item into his coat pocket and slunk away, or After that severe scolding, she slunk off. This term employs slink in the sense of “move stealthily,” a usage dating from the late 1300s.
slip → In addition to the idioms beginning with SLIP, also see GIVE THE SLIP; LET SLIP.
slip a cog Also, slip a gear or one’s gears. Lose one’s ability to reason soundly or make correct judgments, as in She must have slipped a cog or she would never have gone out barefoot in December, or What’s the matter with him? Has he slipped his gears? These slangy usages allude to a mechanical failure owing to the cog of a gear or a gear failing to mesh. The first dates from about 1930, the variant from the 1960s.
slip of the lip Also, slip of the tongue or pen. An inadvertent mistake in speaking (or writing), as in It was just a slip of the lip that made me say the wrong name, or She didn’t mean it; it was a slip of the tongue, or He intended to write “the honorable” but a slip of the pen turned it into “reverend.” The usage with pen dates from the mid-1600s; the others are a century or so younger.
slip one’s mind Be overlooked or forgotten, as in I meant to pick up the wine but it slipped my mind. This idiom was first recorded about 1340.
slip out 1. See LET SLIP, def. 2. 2. Also, slip away or off. Leave quietly and unobtrusively, as in She slipped out without telling a soul, or Let’s slip away before the sermon, or Jason and Sheila slipped off to Bermuda. The use of slip with away dates from about 1450; out from the first half of the 1500s; off from the mid-1800s.
slippery as an eel Elusive, devious, as in When it comes to talking about his investments, Jim’s slippery as an eel. This simile, first recorded about 1412, alludes to the eel’s skin, which has tiny scales and is quite slippery when wet.
slippery slope A dangerous course or a seemingly innocuous one, one that leads easily to catastrophe, as in He’s on a slippery slope, compromising his values to please both the bosses and the union. This metaphoric expression alludes to traversing a slick hillside, in constant danger of falling. [Mid-1900s]
slip something over on Hoodwink, trick, as in Her lawyer tried to slip one over on him, but his lawyer wouldn’t let him get away with it, or Don’t trust Dan—he’s always slipping something over on his customers. [c. 1900]
slip through one’s fingers → See LET SLIP, def. 3.
slip up Make a mistake, blunder, as in I slipped up and gave the invitations to the wrong people. [Mid-1800s]
slow → In addition to the idioms beginning with SLOW, also see MILLS OF THE GODS GRIND SLOWLY; ON THE UPTAKE, SLOW.
slow burn Slowly increasing anger. It is often put as do a slow burn, meaning “gradually grow angrier,” as in I did a slow burn when he kept me waiting for three hours. The burn in this idiom comes from burn up in the sense of “make furious.” The term was first cited in 1938 and was closely associated with comedian Edgar Kennedy.
slow but sure Gradual or plodding but certain to finish, as in Slow but sure this book’s getting written. This idiom was first recorded in 1562, although the idea is much older. A related phrase appears in the proverb slow and steady wins the race, which is the moral of Aesop’s fable about the race between a tortoise and a hare, which stopped to nap during the race and therefore lost.
slow down 1. Delay, retard, reduce speed, as in She slowed down the sled by dragging her foot, or Slow down, Bill; you’re driving much too fast. [First half of 1800s] Also see SLOW UP. 2. Become less active or vigorous, as in Now that I’m in my seventies I find I’ve slowed down quite a bit. [Second half of 1800s]
slow off the mark → See under QUICK OFF THE MARK.
slow on the uptake → See ON THE UPTAKE.
slow up Slacken or cause to slacken in speed, as in The train slowed up as it approached the curve, or Come on, you’re slowing me up. [Late 1800s] Also see SLOW DOWN, def. 1.
slush pile Unsolicited material that is submitted to a publisher. It alludes to the pile of half-melted snow left after a storm. The slush pile is usually assigned to less important editorial assistants, who often discard most of it. Occasionally, however, a manuscript is “rescued” from the slush pile and is successfully published. [1940]
sly → See ON THE SLY.
small → In addition to the idioms beginning with SMALL, also see BIG FISH IN A SMALL POND; (SMALL) COG IN THE WHEEL; GIVE THANKS FOR SMALL BLESSINGS; IT’S A SMALL WORLD; LITTLE (SMALL) FROG IN A BIG POND; MAKE A (SMALL) FORTUNE; NO (SMALL) WONDER; STILL SMALL VOICE.
small beer Also, small potatoes. Of little importance, as in Don’t listen to Henry; he’s small beer, or It’s silly to worry about that bill; it’s small potatoes. The first term alludes to a beer of low alcoholic content (also called light beer today) and was used metaphorically by Shakespeare in several plays. The variant may have been invented by frontiersman Davy Crockett; it was first recorded in 1836. Also see SMALL FRY, def. 2.
small cog in a large wheel → See COG IN THE WHEEL.
small fortune A large amount of money. This hyperbole appeared in Theodore Dreiser’s 1912 novel, The Financier. It is still current, as in With all the additions, their house must be worth a small fortune.
small frog in a big pond → See LITTLE FROG IN A BIG POND.
small fry 1. Young children, as in This show is not suitable for small fry. 2. Persons of little importance or influence, as in She wasn’t about to invite the Washington small fry to the reception. Both usages allude to fry in the sense of “young or small fish.” [Late 1800s]
small hours Also, wee hours. The hours following midnight, as in I stayed up working through the small hours, or The parents didn’t come home until the wee hours. The adjectives small and wee both refer to the low numbers of those hours (one o’clock, two o’clock, etc.). [c. 1830]
small print Also, fine print. The details in a contract or other document, often indicating restrictions o
r other disadvantages. For example, Be sure you read the small print before you sign your name to it, or They had the warranty terms in fine print, so you’d overlook the fact that it was only good for a month. This idiom alludes to the fact that such material is often printed in smaller type than the rest of the document. [Mid-1900s]
small talk Casual or trivial conversation, chitchat, as in We stood around making small talk until the guest of honor arrived. The small in this expression alludes to unimportant subjects of conversation, as opposed to serious or weighty ones. [Mid-1700s]
small time A modest or minor level of achievement, as in Her success took her out of the small time to prime-time television. This expression was originally used in vaudeville for second-rate theaters and productions. [Early 1900s] Also see BIG TIME, def. 2.
small wonder → See NO WONDER.
smart aleck An impudent or obnoxiously self-assertive individual, a wise guy, as in New teachers often have a hard time coping with the smart alecks in their classes. This expression, dating from the mid-1800s, probably alluded to a person of this description who was named Alec or Alexander, but his identity has been lost.
smart as a whip Very intelligent or clever, as in Little Brian is smart as a whip; he’s only three and already learning to read. This simile alludes to the sharp crack of a whip. [Mid-1900s] Also see MIND LIKE A STEEL TRAP.
smart set A fashionable social group, as in This restaurant has been discovered by the smart set. This idiom may be obsolescent. [Late 1800s]
smash hit An outstanding success, as in She was a smash hit in the role of the governess, or His first book was a smash hit but this one isn’t doing well. [c. 1920]
smear campaign An attempt to ruin a reputation by slander or vilification, as in This press agent is well known for starting smear campaigns against her clients’ major competitors. This phrase was first recorded in 1938 and uses smear in the sense of “an attempt to discredit” or “slander.”
smell → In addition to the idioms beginning with SMELL, also see COME UP (SMELLING LIKE) ROSES; STINK (SMELL) TO HIGH HEAVEN.