The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

by Christine Ammer

  throw one’s weight around Wield power or authority, especially in a heavyhanded way. For example, One doesn’t make oneself popular by throwing one’s weight around. [Colloquial; early 1900s]

  throw open Make more accessible, especially suddenly or dramatically, as in His withdrawal threw open the nomination to all comers. [Mid-1800s]

  throw out 1. Give off, emit, as in That flashlight throws out a powerful beam. [Mid-1700s] Also see THROW OFF, def. 2. 2. Reject, as in We threw out her proposal. [Early 1600s] 3. Get rid of, discard; see THROW AWAY, def. 1. 4. Offer a suggestion or plan, as in The nominating committee threw out names for our consideration. [Early 1600s] Also see THROW AWAY, def. 3. 5. Forcibly eject, force the departure of, as in The bartender threw out the drunk, or He was thrown out of the country club for failing to pay his dues. [Early 1500] 6. Put out of alignment, as in Lifting that sofa threw out my back. 7. In baseball or cricket, put a player out by throwing the ball. In baseball, the throw is to a base before the batter reaches it; in cricket, the throw must hit the batsman’s wicket. [Second half of 1800s]

  throw out the baby with the bath water Discard something valuable along with something not wanted. For example, I know you don’t approve of that one item in the bill but we shouldn’t throw out the baby with the bath water by voting the bill down. This expression, with its vivid image of a baby being tossed out with a stream of dirty ­water, is probably translated from a German proverb, Das Kind mit dem Bade ausschütten (“Pour the baby out with the bath”). It was first recorded in English in 1853 by Thomas Carlyle, who translated many works from German.

  throw over Reject, abandon, as in They’d lived together for a year when she suddenly threw him over and moved out. This idiom, possibly alluding to throwing something or someone overboard, was first recorded in 1835.

  throw someone Cause someone to be confused or perplexed, disconcert someone, as in We didn’t let our worries throw us, or That unfavorable review threw her. [Colloquial; mid-1800s] Also see KNOCK FOR A LOOP.

  throw the book at Punish or reprimand severely, as in I just knew the professor would throw the book at me for being late with my paper. This expression originally meant “sentence a convicted person to the maximum penalties allowed,” the book being the roster of applicable laws. Its figurative use dates from the mid-1900s.

  throw together 1. Assemble hurriedly, as in I just threw together some salad and took it along. [Early 1700s] 2. Cause to associate, as in Their parents were always throwing the young couple together hoping they would like each other. [Early 1800s]

  throw to the wolves Also, throw to the dogs or lions. Send to a terrible fate; sacrifice someone, especially so as to save oneself. For example, Leaving him with hostile reporters was throwing him to the wolves, or If Bob doesn’t perform as they expect, they’ll throw him to the lions. All three hyperbolic terms allude to the ravenous appetite of these animals, which presumably will devour the victim. The first term comes from Aesop’s fable about a nurse who threatens to throw her charge to the wolves if the child does not behave. [First half of 1900s]

  throw up 1. Vomit, as in The new drug makes many patients throw up. [First half of 1700s] 2. Abandon, relinquish, as in After the results of the poll came in, she threw up her campaign for the Senate. 3. Construct hurriedly, as in The builder threw up three houses in a matter of a few months. [Late 1500s] 4. throw it up to. Criticize, upbraid, as in Dad was always throwing it up to the boys that they were careless and messy. [Early 1800s]

  throw up one’s hands Indicate or express utter hopelessness. For example, Jim was getting nowhere so he threw up his hands and abandoned the argument. This idiom alludes to a traditional gesture for giving up.

  throw up to → See THROW UP, def. 4.

  thumb → In addition to the idioms beginning with THUMB, also see ALL THUMBS; GREEN THUMB; RULE OF THUMB; STICK OUT (LIKE A SORE THUMB); TWIDDLE ONE’S THUMBS; UNDER SOMEONE’S THUMB.

  thumb a ride → See HITCH A RIDE.

  thumbnail sketch A brief outline or cursory description, as in Let me give you a thumbnail sketch of the situation. This idiom alludes to drawing a picture no larger than a thumbnail. [Mid-1800s]

  thumb one’s nose Express scorn or ridicule. For example, I’m sure the members of the school committee thumb their noses at any suggestion we make. This expression alludes to the traditional gesture of contempt, that is, placing the thumb under the nose and wiggling the fingers. [c. 1900]

  thumbs up An expression of approval or hope­fulness, as in The town said thumbs up on building the elderly housing project. The antonym thumbs down indicates disapproval or rejection, as in Mother gave us thumbs down on serving beer at our party. Alluding to crowd signals used in Roman amphitheaters, these idioms were first recorded in English about 1600. In ancient times the meaning of the gestures was opposite that of today. Thumbs down indicated approval; thumbs up, rejection. Exactly when the reveral occurred is not known, but the present conventions were established by the early 1900s.

  thunder → See under STEAL SOMEONE’S THUNDER.

  thus far → See under so FAR.

  tick → In addition to the idiom beginning with TICK, also see CLOCK IS TICKING; TIGHT AS A TICK; WHAT MAKES ONE TICK.

  ticket → See JUST THE TICKET; MEAL TICKET; SPLIT TICKET; STRAIGHT TICKET; WRITE ONE’S OWN TICKET.

  tickled pink Also, tickled to death. Delighted, as in I was tickled pink when I got his autograph, or His parents were tickled to death when he decided to marry her. The first term, first recorded in 1922, alludes to one’s face turning pink with laughter when one is being tickled. The variant, clearly a hyperbole, dates form about 1800.

  tickle one’s fancy Appeal to one, be to one’s liking, as in That joke tickled my fancy. This term uses fancy in the sense of “liking” of “taste.” [Second half of 1700s]

  tickle one’s funny bone → See FUNNY BONE.

  tickle the ivories Play the piano. This colloquial expression may have its roots in a 16th-century tract by Thomas Nashe, which included “to tickle a citterne” (an old stringed instrument). It has been used for the piano since the first half of the 1900s, and continues to be so used, even though more piano keys today are made of plastic than expensive ivory. [Slang, c.1900]

  tick off Infuriate, make angry. For example, That article ticked me off. [Colloquial; second half of 1900s] For a vulgar synonym, see PISS OFF.

  tide → In addition to the idiom beginning with TIDE, also see STEM THE TIDE; SWIM AGAINST THE CURRENT (TIDE); SWIM WITH THE TIDE; TIME AND TIDE WAIT FOR NO MAN; TURN OF THE TIDE.

  tide over Support through a difficult period, as in I asked my brother for $100 to tide me over until payday. This expression alludes to the way the tide carries something. [Early 1800s]

  tie, tied → In addition to the idioms beginning with TIE and TIED, also see FIT TO BE TIED; PUT (TIE) ON THE FEED BAG; WITH ONE ARM TIED BEHIND ONE’S BACK.

  tie down Constrain, confine, or limit, as in As long as the children were small, she was too tied down to look for a job. [Late 1600s]

  tied to apron strings Wholly dependent on or controlled by a woman, especially one’s mother or wife. For example, At 25, he was still too tied to her apron strings to get an apartment of his own. This expression, dating from the early 1800s, probably alluded to apron-string tenure, a 17th-century law that allowed a husband to control his wife’s and her family’s property during her lifetime.

  tied up → See TIE UP.

  tie in Connect closely with, coordinate, as in They are trying to tie in the movie promotion with the book it is based on, or His story does not tie in with the facts. [First half of 1900s]

  tie into Attack energetically, as in They tied into the buffet as though they hadn’t eaten in months. [Colloquial; c. 1900]

  tie into knots Confuse, upset, or bewilder, as in He tied himself into knots when he tried to explain how the engine works. This metaphoric idiom transfers a knotted tangle to mental confusion. [Late 1800s]

  tie one on Be
come intoxicated; go on a drinking spree. For example, They went out and really tied one on. The precise allusion here—what it is one ties on—is unclear. [Slang; mid-1900s]

  tie one’s hands Prevent one from acting, as in I can’t help you this time; my hands are tied by the club’s rules. This metaphoric term transfers physical bondage to other kinds of constraint. It was first recorded in 1642.

  tie the knot Get married; also perform a marriage ceremony. For example, So when are you two going to tie the knot? or They asked their friend, who is a judge, to tie the knot. The “knot” originally meant a binding tie, but the term continues to be used even in these days of frequent divorce. [Colloquial, early 18th century]

  tie up 1. Fasten securely; also, moor a ship. For example, Can you help me tie up these bundles? or The forecast was terrible, so we decided to tie up at the dock and wait out the storm. The first usage dates from the early 1500s, the nautical usage from the mid-1800s. 2. Impede the progress of, block, as in The accident tied up traffic for hours. [Late 1500s 3. Keep occupied, engage, as in She was tied up in a meeting all morning. [Late 1800s] 4. Make funds or property inaccessible for other uses, as in Her cash is tied up in government bonds. [Early 1800s]

  tiger by the tail Something too difficult to manage or cope with, as in You know nothing about the commodities market; you’ll end up catching a tiger by the tail. This colorful metaphor conjures up the image of grabbing a powerful but fierce animal by the tail, only to have it turn on one. [Second half of 1900s]

  tight → In addition to the idioms beginning with TIGHT, also see IN A BIND (TIGHT CORNER); SIT TIGHT.

  tight as a drum Taut or close-fitting; also watertight. For example, That baby’s eaten so much that the skin on his belly is tight as a drum, or You needn’t worry about leaks; this tent is tight as a drum. Originally this expression alluded to the skin of a drumhead, which is tightly stretched, and in the mid-1800s was transferred to other kinds of tautness. Later, however, it sometimes referred to a drumshaped container, such as an oil drum, which had to be well sealed to prevent leaks, and the expression then signified “watertight.”

  tight as a tick Drunk, as in She was tight as a tick after just one glass of wine. This expression alludes to a tick engorged with the blood of the animals it feeds on. [Slang; mid-1800s]

  tighten one’s belt Spend less, be more frugal, as in Business has been bad, so we’ll have to tighten our belts. This metaphoric term alludes to pulling in one’s belt after losing weight from not having enough to eat. [First half of 1900s]

  tighten the screws → See under TURN UP THE HEAT ON.

  tight rein on, a Strict control over, as in We told them to keep a tight rein on spending for the next year. This expression alludes to the narrow strap (rein) attached to a bit and used to control a horse’s movements. Rein has been used to refer to any kind of restraint since the first half of the 1400s.

  tightrope → See WALK A TIGHTROPE.

  tight ship A well-managed organization, as in The camp director runs a tight ship. This metaphoric term alludes to a ship in which the ropes are taut and by extension the ship is strictly managed. [Second half of 1900s]

  tight spot → See under IN A BIND.

  tight squeeze A difficulty caused by too little time or space, or too little credit or funds. For example, It will be a tight squeeze to get there on time, or I don’t know if the sofa will go through the door; it’s a tight squeeze, or The company’s in a tight squeeze because of poor cash flow. This idiom uses tight in the sense of “too narrow or constricted.” [c. 1900]

  till → In addition to the subsequent idioms beginning with TILL, also see HAND IN THE TILL; UNTIL.

  till all hours → See ALL HOURS.

  till hell freezes over Forever, as in They said they’d go on searching till hell freezes over, but I’m sure they’ll give up soon. This hyperbolic expression dates from the early 1900s. So does its antonym, not till hell freezes over, meaning “never,” as in I’m not giving in, not until hell freezes over.

  till the cows come home Also, when the cows come home. For a long time, as in you can keep asking till the cows come home, but you still may not go bungee-jumping. This term alludes to when the cows return to the barn for milking. [Late 1500s]

  tilt at windmills Engage in conflict with an imagined opponent, pursue a vain goal, as in Trying to reform campaign financing in this legislature is tilting at windmills. This metaphoric expression alludes to the hero of Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote (1605), who rides with his lance at full tilt (poised to strike) against a row of windmills, which he mistakes for evil giants.

  time → In addition to the idioms beginning with TIME, also see ABOUT TIME; AGAINST THE CLOCK (TIME); AHEAD OF ONE’S TIME; AHEAD OF TIME; ALL THE TIME; AT ALL TIMES; AT ONE TIME; AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER; AT THE SAME TIME; AT THIS POINT (IN TIME); AT TIMES; BEAT TIME; BEHIND IN (TIME); BEHIND THE TIMES; BIDE ONE’S TIME; BIG TIME; BUY TIME; CALL ONE’S (TIME ONE’S) OWN; CHOW DOWN (TIME); CRUNCH TIME; DO TIME; EVERY TIME ONE TURNS AROUND; FOR THE MOMENT (TIME BEING); FROM TIME TO TIME; GOOD-TIME CHARLIE; HARD TIME; HAVE A GOOD TIME; HIGH TIME; IN BETWEEN TIMES; IN DUE COURSE (OF TIME); IN GOOD TIME; IN NO TIME; IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME; IN THE NICK OF TIME; IN TIME; KEEP TIME; KEEP UP (WITH THE TIMES); KILL TIME; LEES THAN (NO TIME); LONG TIME NO SEE; LOSE TIME; MAKE GOOD TIME; MAKE TIME; MAKE UP FOR LOST TIME; MANY IS THE (TIME); MARK TIME; NOT GIVE SOMEONE THE TIME OF DAY; NO TIME FOR; NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT; OF ONE’S LIFE, TIME; ON BORROWED TIME; ONCE UPON A TIME; ONE BY ONE (AT A TIME); ON ONE’S OWN TIME; ON TIME; PASS THE TIME; PLAY FOR TIME; POINT IN TIME; PRESSED FOR TIME; SERVE TIME; SHOW SOMEONE A GOOD TIME; SMALL TIME; STITCH IN TIME; TAKE ONE’S TIME; TAKE UP SPACE (TIME); TELL TIME; WHALE OF A TIME.

  time after time Also, time and again; time and time again. Repeatedly, again and again, as in Time after time he was warned about the river rising, or We’ve been told time and time again that property taxes will go up next year. The first idiom dates from the first half of the 1600s, the variants from the first half of the 1800s.

  time and a half A rate of pay for overtime work that is one and one-half times higher than the regular hourly wage, as in I don’t mind working Sunday so long as I get time and a half. This expression uses time in the sense of “the number of hours worked.” [c. 1885]

  time and tide wait for no man One must not procrastinate or delay, as in Let’s get on with the voting; time and tide won’t wait, you know. This proverbial phrase, alluding to the fact that human events or concerns cannot stop the passage of time or the movement of the tides, first appeared about 1395 in Chaucer’s Prologue to the Clerk’s Tale. The alliterative beginning, time and tide, was repeated in various contexts over the years but today survives only in the proverb, which is often shortened (as above).

  time bomb A situation that threatens to have disastrous consequences at some future time, as in That departmental dispute is a time bomb just waiting to go off. This term alludes to an explosive device that is set to go off at a specific time. [First half of 1900s]

  time flies Time passes quickly, as in It’s midnight already? Time flies when you’re having fun, or I gues it’s ten years since I last saw you—how time flies. This idiom was first recorded about 1800 but Shakespeare used a similar phrase, “the swiftest hours, as they flew,” as did Alexander Pope, “swift fly the years.” The ultimate origin is from a line in Virgil’s third Georgic, often shortened to tempus fugit (“time flies”).

  time hangs heavy Also, time hangs heavy on one’s hands. Time passes slowly, as in Shehas adjusted quite well to the nursing home, except that she says time hangs heavy on her hands. This metaphoric term, first recorded in the late 1760s, likens the passage of time to a burdensome weight.

  time immemorial Also, time out of mind. Long ago, beyond memory or recall, as in These ruins have stood here since time immemorial, or His office has been on Madison Avenue for time out of mind. The first expression comes from English law, where it signifies “beyond legal memory,” spe
cifically before the reign of Richard I (1189–1199), fixed as the legal limit for bringing certain kinds of lawsuit. By about 1600 it was broadened to its present sense of “a very long time ago.” The variant, first recorded in 1432, uses mind in the sense of “memory” or “recall.”

  time is money One’s time is a valuable commodity, as in I can’t stay home and wait any longer; time is money, you know. This proverbial term goes back to one first recorded in 1572, time is precious, in a discourse on usury.

  time is ripe This is the right moment for something, as in The time is ripe for a revival of that play. Shakespeare used this term (and may have originated it) in 1 Henry IV (1:3): “I by letters shall direct your course when time is ripe.”

  time is up The period of time allowed for something is ended, as in Turn in your papers, students; time is up. This idiom uses up in the sense of “completed” or “expired,” a usage dating from about 1400.

  time of day The hour shown on a clock; also, a stage in any activity or period. For example, What time of day is the repairman coming? or This is hardly the time of day to ask for another installment when he’s just turned one in. [Late 1500s] Also see NOT GIVE SOMEONE THE TIME OF DAY.

  time off A break from one’s employment or school, as in I need some time off from teaching to work on my dissertation, or He took time off to make some phone calls. [First half of 1900s]

  time of one’s life An extremely pleasurable experience; see under OF ONE’S LIFE.

  time on one’s hands An interval with nothing to do; see under ON ONE’S HANDS; TIME HANGS HEAVY.

  time out A short break from work or play; also, a punishment for misbehavior in young children in which they are briefly separated from the group. For example, People rush around so much these days that I think everyone should take some time out now and then, or We don’t throw food, Brian; you need some time out to think about it. This expression comes from a number of sports in which it signifies an interruption in play where the officials stop the clock, for purposes of rest, making a substitution, or consultation. Its figurative use dates from the mid-1900s.