The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

by Christine Ammer

  time out of mind → See TIME IMMEMORIAL.

  time warp A stoppage in the passage of time; also, a distortion of time whereby an event or person could hypothetically move from one era to another. For example, Nothing in their lives has changed since the sixties; they’re in a time warp, or Having a seventy-year-old actress portray a teenager—that was some time warp! This term originated in science fiction, where it signifies “a supernatural movement from one era to another,” and came to be used more loosely. [c. 1950]

  time was Formerly, in the past, as in Time was, the city streets were perfectly safe at night. [Mid-1500s]

  time will tell Sooner or later something will become known or be revealed, as in I don’t know whether or not they’ll like the reconstruction; only time will tell. This proverbial phrase dates from the early 1500s.

  tin ear Tone deafness, inability to discern musical pitches. This idiom also is used figuratively for the inability to listen to something important. For example, The chairman is known for having a tin ear when it comes to salary negotiations. [First half of 1900s]

  tin god A self-important, dictatorial, petty person who imposes ideas, beliefs, and standards on subordinates. For example, The officials in these small towns often act like tin gods. The tin in this expression alludes to the fact that tin is a base metal with relatively little value. [Late 1800s]

  tinker → In addition to the idiom beginning with TINKER, also see NOT WORTH A DAMN (TINKER’S DAMN).

  tinker with Try to repair, work aimlessly or unskillfully with, as in He tinkered with the engine all day but it still wouldn’t start. This idiom, first recorded in 1658, alludes to working as a tinker, that is, mending metal utensils.

  tip → In addition to the idioms beginning with TIP, also see FROM HEAD (TIP) TO TOE; ON THE TIP OF ONE’S TONGUE.

  tip off Supply with secret or private information; also, warn or alert. For example, The broker often tipped her off about stocks about to go down in price, or Somehow they were tipped off and left the country before the police could catch them. [Colloquial; late 1800s]

  tip of the iceberg Superficial evidence of a much larger problem, as in Laying off a hundred workers is only the tip of the iceberg. This idiom alludes to the structure of an iceberg, most of whose bulk lies underwater. [Mid-1900s]

  tip one’s hand Accidentally reveal one’s intentions, as in He avoided any comments on birthdays for fear of tipping his hand about the surprise party. This idiom probably alludes to holding one’s hand in such a way that others can see the cards one is holding. [Colloquial; early 1900s]

  tip the balance Also, tip the scales; turn the scale. Offset the balance and thereby favor one side or precipitate an action. For example, He felt that ­affirmative action had tipped the balance slightly in favor of minority groups, or New high-tech weapons definitely tipped the scales in the Gulf War, or Just one more mistake will turn the scale against them. Shakespeare used turn the scale in a similar manner in Measure for Measure (4:2): “You weigh equally; a feather will turn the scale.” The idioms with tip are much younger, dating from the first half of the 1900s.

  tiptoe → See ON TIPTOE.

  tired → In addition to the idiom beginning with TIRED, also see DEAD ON ONE’S FEET (TIRED); SICK AND TIRED.

  tired out Also, tired to death. Exhausted, as in She looked tired out after that trip, or He came home tired to death. The first term dates from the second half of the 1500s; the second, a hyperbole, was first recorded in 1740. Also see SICK AND TIRED; TO DEATH.

  tit for tat Repayment in kind, retaliation, as in If he won’t help with the beach clean-up, I won’t run a booth at the bake sale; that’s tit for tat. This term is believed to be a corruption of tip for tap, which meant “a blow for a blow.” Its current form dates from the mid-1500s.

  to a degree Also, to an extent. → See TO SOME ­DEGREE.

  to advantage → See SHOW TO ADVANTAGE.

  to a fare-thee-well To the most extreme degree, especially a condition of perfection. For example, We’ve cleaned the house to a fare-thee-well, or He played the part of martyr to a fare-thee-well. This term first appeared as to a fare-you-well in the late 1800s, and the more archaic-sounding present form replaced it about 1940.

  to a fault Excessively, extremely, as in He was generous to a fault. This phrase, always qualifying an adjective, has been so used since the mid-1700s. Indeed, Oliver Goldsmith had this precise usage in The Life of Richard Nash (1762).

  to all intents and purposes Also, for all intents and purposes; for all practical purposes. In every practical sense, virtually. For example, For all intents and purposes the case is closed, or For all practical purposes the Vice-President is the chief executive while the President is in the hospital. The first phrase, dating from the 1500s, originated in English law, where it was to all intents, constructions, and purposes. A shorter synonym is IN EFFECT, def. 1.

  to a man Unanimously, without exception, as in The committee voted against the proposal to a man. This expression, first recorded in 1712, uses man in the sense of “everyone.” It continues to be so used despite its sexist tone. To a woman is very occasionally used for unanimous actions in groups that include only women. Also see AS ONE; WITH ONE VOICE.

  to and fro Back and forth, as in He was like a caged animal, pacing to and fro. Strictly speaking, to means “toward” and fro “away from,” but this idiom is used more vaguely in the sense of “moving alternately in different directions.” [First half of 1300s]

  toast → See BE TOAST; WARM AS TOAST.

  to a T Also, to a turn. Perfectly, exactly right, as in The description fitted him to a T, or The roast was done to a turn. The first expression, dating from the late 1600s, may allude to the T-square, used for accurate drawing, but some think it refers to crossing one’s T’s. The variant alludes to meat being turned on a spit until it is cooked to the proper degree. The variant was first recorded in 1780.

  to beat the band Also, to beat all. To the greatest possible degree. For example, The baby was crying to beat the band, or The wind is blowing to beat the band, or John is dressed up to beat all. This idiom uses beat in the sense of “surpass.” The first term may, according to one theory, allude to a desire to arrive before the musicians who led a parade, so as to see the entire event. Another theory holds that it means “make more noise than (and thereby beat) a loud band.” [Colloquial; late 1800s]

  to be sure Undoubtedly, certainly, of course, as in The coat is expensive, to be sure, but it’s bound to last longer than a cheap one. This idiom was first recorded in 1657.

  to blame, be Be responsible for or guilty of something wrong or bad, as in Obviously the teacher was to blame for the chaos in the classroom, or Mary was not to blame for these errors. [Early 1200s]

  to boot Besides, in addition. For example, It rained every day and it was cold to boot, or He said they’d lower the price of the car by $1,000 and throw in air conditioning to boot. This expression has nothing to do with footwear. Boot here is an archaic noun meaning “advantage,” and in the ­idiom has been broadened to include anything additional, good or bad. [c. A.D. 1000]

  to burn → See MONEY TO BURN.

  to date Up to now, until the present time, as in to date we’ve received no word from them. [First half of 1900s]

  today → See HERE TODAY, GONE TOMORROW.

  to death To an extreme or intolerable degree, as in I am tired to death of these fundraising phone cals, or That movie just thrilled me to death. This hyperbolic phrase is used as an intensifier. Also see SICK AND TIRED; TIRED OUT. [c. 1300]

  to die for → See IT’S TO DIE.

  toe → In addition to the idiom beginning with TOE, also see DIP ONE’S TOES INTO; FROM HEAD TO TOE; ON ONE’S TOES; STEP ON SOMEONE’S TOES; TURN UP ONE’S TOES.

  to each his own One has a right to one’s personal preferences, as in I’d never pick that color, but to each his own. Versions of this maxim appeared in the late 1500s but the modern wording was first recorded in 1713.

/>   toe the line Also, toe the mark. Meet a standard, abide by the rules, as in The new director will make us toe the line, I’m sure, or At daycare Brian has to toe the mark, but at home his mother’s quite lenient. This idiom refers to runners in a race placing their toes on the starting line and not moving until the starting signal. Its figurative use dates from the early 1800s.

  together → In addition to the idiom beginning with TOGETHER, also see GET ONE’S ACT TOGETHER; GET TOGETHER; GO TOGETHER; HANG TOGETHER; KEEP BODY AND SOUL TOGETHER; KNOCK TOGETHER; LIVE TOGETHER; PIECE TOGETHER; PULL ONESELF ­TOGETHER; PULL TOGETHER; PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER; PUT TOGETHER; PUT TWO AND TWO TOGETHER; SCARE UP (SCRAPE TOGETHER); STICK ­TOGETHER; STRING TOGETHER; THROW TOGETHER.

  together with In the company of; also, in addition to. For example, He arrived at the theater together with his girlfriend, or The lawyer found the will, together with other papers, in the murdered man’s files. [Late 1400s] For a synonym, see ALONG WITH.

  to good purpose To effective use, as in A donation to the homeless shelter will be put to good purpose. This idiom was first recorded in 1553. Also see TO LITTLE PURPOSE.

  to hand 1. Also, at hand. Nearby, accessible as in I don’t have the right tools to hand but asked her to get them for me. [c. 1300] 2. Also, in hand. In one’s possession, as in He had their letter to hand, or She had the money in hand. The first term dates from the mid-1700s, the second from about 1200. Also see HAND TO HAND.

  to heel 1. Close behind someone, as in The dog started chasing the car but Miriam called him to heel. This expression is used almost solely in reference to dogs. The heel in this idiom, first recorded in 1810, is the person’s. 2. Under control or discipline, as in By a series of surprise raids the police brought the gang members to heel. This expression alludes to controlling a dog by training it to follow at one’s heels. [Late 1800s]

  to hell and gone Far away, forever, as in I don’t know where it is—to hell and gone, or I can keep talking to hell and gone but it will do no good. This hyperbolic term dates from the first half of the 1900s.

  to hell with Also, the hell with. I’m disgusted with, get rid of, as in To hell with that plan; it’s ridiculous, or The hell with that so-called genius; he’s made a serious mistake in this report. [Early 1900s]

  token → See BY THE SAME TOKEN; IN TOKEN OF.

  told → See ALL TOLD; I TOLD YOU SO; LITTLE BIRD TOLD ONE. Also see under TELL.

  to little purpose Also, to no purpose. Of little or no use, in vain, as in Hiring a new lawyer will be to little purpose. The related phrases are sometimes combined in to little or no purpose and used as a general indicator of futility. To little purpose was first recorded in 1560. For a synonym, see TO NO AVAIL; also see TO GOOD PURPOSE.

  toll → See TAKE ITS TOLL.

  Tom → See EVERY TOM, DICK, AND HARRY; PEEPING TOM.

  tomorrow → In addition to the idiom beginning with TOMORROW, also see HERE TODAY, GONE TOMORROW; PUT OFF (UNTIL TOMORROW).

  tomorrow is another day One may not accomplish everything today but will have another chance. For example, We’ve stuffed hundreds of envelopes and still aren’t done, but tomorrow is another day. This comforting maxim was first put as Tomorrow is a new day about 1520, was widely repeated, and changed to its present form in the mid-1800s.

  to my mind As I see it, in my opinion, as in To my mind we have enough money to start building now. [First half of 1500s]

  ton → See LIKE A TON OF BRICKS.

  tone down Make less vivid, harsh, or violent; moderate. For example, That’s a little too much rouge; I’d tone it down a bit, or Do you think I should tone down this letter of complaint? This idiom uses tone in the sense of “adjust the tone or quality of something,” as does the antonym, tone up, meaning “brighten or strengthen.” For example, These curtains will tone up the whole room, or This exercise is said to tone up the triceps. [Mid-1800s]

  tong → See HAMMER AND TONGS.

  tongue → In addition to the idioms beginning with TONGUE, also see BITE ONE’S TONGUE; CAT GOT ONE’S TONGUE; FORKED TONGUE; HOLD ONE’S TONGUE; KEEP A CIVIL TONGUE IN ONE’S HEAD; ON THE TIP OF ONE’S TONGUE; SLIP OF THE LIP (TONGUE).

  tongue hangs out, one’s One is eagerly anticipating something, as in Their tongues were hanging out at the thought of seeing the movie stars in person. This expression alludes to an animal’s tongue hanging out of its mouth in anticipation of food. [Late 1800s]

  tongue in cheek, with Ironically or as a joke, as in Was he speaking with tongue in cheek when he said Sally should run for president? This term probably alludes to the facial expression produced by poking one’s tongue in one’s cheek, perhaps to suppress a smile. [First half of 1800s]

  tongues wag People are gossiping. For example, Tongues wagged when another police car was parked in front of their house, or Their arrival in a stretch limousine set the neighbors’ tongues wagging. This metaphoric expression transfers the rapid movement of the tongue to idle or indiscreet chatter. [Late 1500s]

  to no avail Also, of little or no avail. Of no use or advantage, ineffective, as in All his shouting was to no avail; no one could hear him, or The life jacket was of little or no avail. This idiom uses avail in the sense of “advantage” or “assistance,” a usage dating from the mid-1400s. Also see TO LITTLE ­PURPOSE.

  too → In addition to the idioms beginning with TOO, also see CARRY TOO FAR; (TOO) CLOSE TO HOME; EAT ONE’S CAKE AND HAVE IT, TOO; GO TOO FAR; IRONS IN THE FIRE, TOO MANY; LIFE IS TOO SHORT; NONE TOO; NOT (TOO) BAD; ONLY TOO; SPEAK TOO SOON; SPREAD ONESELF TOO THIN; TAKE ON (TOO MUCH).

  too bad Unfortunate, as in Too bad the shoes don’t fit you. [Late 1500s]

  too big for one’s britches Also, too big for one’s boots. Conceited, self-important, as in Ever since he won that tournament he’s gotten too big for his britches, or there’s no talking to Jill anymore—she’s just too big for her boots. This metaphoric idiom alludes to becoming so “swollen” with conceit that one’s pants or boots no longer fit. [Late 1800s]

  too close for comfort Also, too close to home. Dangerously nearby or accurate, as in That last shot was too close for comfort, or Their attacks on the speaker hit too close to home, and he left in a huff.

  too close to call Resulting in too narrow a margin to make a decision, as in That ball didn’t miss by much but it was too close to call, or The election was too close to call, so they decided to have a runoff. This expression comes from sports, where call has signified “a judgment” since the mid-1600s. In the 1960s it began to be applied to pre-election polls and then to the outcome of elections.

  too good to be true So excellent that it defies belief, as in She loves all her in-laws? That’s too good to be true. This term expresses the skeptical view that something so seemingly fine must have something wrong with it. The term was part of the title of Thomas Lupton’s Sivquila; Too Good to be True (1580).

  too little, too late Inadequate as a remedy and not in time to be effective, as in The effort to divert the stream into a corn field was too little too late—the houses were already flooded. This term originated in the military, where it was applied to reinforcements that were insufficient and arrived too late to be of help. [First half of 1900s]

  tool up 1. Provide the equipment for a particular task, as in Now that we’re all tooled up let’s repair the boat. This term originated in industry, where it is used for supplying a factory with machinery or other equipment for production. [1920s] 2. Arm oneself, as in They tooled up for their encounter with the rival gang. [Second half of 1900s]

  too many chiefs and not enough Indians Too many managers and not enough workers. This describes a situation in which everyone wants to be a boss and no one will do the actual work. Originally put as all chiefs and no Indians in the first half of the 1900s, it remains current.

  too many cooks spoil the broth Too many persons involved in managing an activity can ruin it, as in Without a conductor, every player had an idea for how the music should go—too many cooks spoil th
e broth. This expression alludes to each of many cooks adding something to a soup, which finally tastes awful. It was already considered a proverb in 1574 (by George Gascoigne in The Life of P. Care).

  too much of a good thing So large an amount of a beneficial or useful thing or activity as to be harmful or excessive. For example, The indoor decorations are fine but the outdoor Santa, sled, reindeer, gnomes—it’s just too much of a good thing. Expressed in slightly different form even earlier, this precise wording appears in Shakespeare’s As You Like It (4:1): “Can one desire too much of a good thing?”

  to oneself → See KEEP TO ONESELF.

  to one’s face Openly, directly, as in I do not have the nerve to tell him to his face that he wasn’t invited and shouldn’t have come. This idiom alludes to a direct confrontation. [Mid-1500s]

  to one’s feet → See GET TO ONE’S FEET.

  to one’s heart’s content To one’s complete satisfaction, without limitation, as in I’ve been eating strawberries to my heart’s content, or The youngsters played in the sand to their hearts’ content. Shakespeare used this expression in a number of his plays. [Late 1500s]

  to one’s name Owned by one, as in He has not got a nickel to his name, or She has only one pair of shoes to her name. This idiom was first recorded in 1876.

  to order → See MADE TO ORDER.

  tooth → In addition to the idiom beginning with TOOTH, also see FIGHT TOOTH AND NAIL; FINE-TOOTH COMB; LONG IN THE TOOTH; SWEET TOOTH. Also see under TEETH.

  tooth fairy a mythical source of bounty, as in So who will finance this venture—the tooth fairy? This expression refers to the fairy credited with leaving money under a child’s pillow in place of a baby tooth that has fallen out, a practice popular with American parents since the first half of the 1900s.

  top → In addition to the idioms beginning with TOP, also see AT THE TOP OF ONE’S LUNGS; BIG TOP; BLOW ONE’S TOP; BRASS HAT (TOP BRASS); FROM HEAD TO TOE (TOP TO TOE); OFF THE TOP OF ONE’S HEAD; ON TOP; ON TOP OF; ON TOP OF THE WORLD; OVER THE TOP; SLEEP LIKE A LOG (TOP); THIN ON TOP.