Текст книги "Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц"

Автор книги: Adam Makkai

Соавторы: Maya Glinberg
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Текущая страница: 10 (всего у книги 61 страниц)

[chew] See: BITE OFF MORE THAN ONE CAN CHEW.

[chew out]{v.}, {slang} To scold roughly. •/The boy’s father chewed him out for staying up late./ •/The coach chews out lazy players./ Syn.: BAWL OUT, CALL ON THE CARPET, HAUL OVER THE COALS.

[chew the fat] or [chew the rag]{v. phr.}, {slang} To talk together in an idle, friendly fashion; chat. •/We used to meet after work, and chew the fat over coffee and doughnuts./ •/The old man would chew the rag for hours with anyone who would join him./

[chew the scenery]{v. phr.}, {slang} To act overemotionally in a situation where it is inappropriate; to engage in histrionics. •/I don’t know if Joe was sincere about our house, but he sure chewed up the scenery!/

[chicken] See: COUNT ONE’S CHICKENS BEFORE THEY ARE HATCHED, GO TO BED WITH THE CHICKENS, SPRING CHICKEN.

[chicken-brained]{adj.} Stupid; narrow-minded; unimaginative. •/I can’t understand how a bright woman like Helen can date such a chicken-brained guy as Oliver./

[chicken feed]{n.}, {slang} A very small sum of money. •/John and Bill worked very hard, but they were only paid chicken feed./ •/Mr. Jones is so rich be thinks a thousand dollars is chicken feed./

[chicken-hearted]{adj.} Cowardly; excessively timid. •/«Come on, let’s get on that roller coaster,» she cried. «Don’t be so chicken-hearted.»/ See: CHICKEN-LIVERED.

[chicken-livered]{adj.}, {slang}, {colloquial} Easily scared; cowardly. •/Joe sure is a chicken-livered guy./ See: CHICKEN-HEARTED.

[chicken out]{v. phr.}, {informal} To stop doing something because of fear; to decide not to do something after all even though previously having decided to try it. •/I used to ride a motorcycle on the highway, but I’ve chickened out./ •/I decided to take flying lessons but just before they started I chickened out./

[chickens come home to roost]{informal} Words or acts come back to cause trouble for a person; something bad you said or did receives punishment; you get the punishment that you deserve. •/Fred’s chickens finally came home to roost today. He was late so often that the teacher made him go to the principal./ – Often used in a short form. •/Mary’s selfishness will come home to roost some day./

[chicken switch]{n.}, {slang}, {Space English} 1. The emergency eject button used by test pilots in fast and high flying aircraft by means of which they can parachute to safety if the engine fails; later adopted by astronauts in space capsules. •/Don’t pull the chicken switch, unless absolutely necessary./ 2. The panic button; a panicky reaction to an unforeseen situation, such as unreasonable or hysterical telephone calls to friends for help. •/Joe pulled the chicken switch on his neighbor when the grease started burning in the kitchen./

[child] See: BURNT CHILD DREADS THE FIRE, WITH CHILD.

[children and fools speak the truth] Children and fools say things without thinking; they say what they think or know when grown-ups might not think it was polite or wise to do so. – A proverb. •/«Uncle Willie is too fat,» said little Agnes. «Children and fools speak the truth,» said her father./

[children should be seen and not heard] A command issued by adults to children ordering them to be quiet and not to interrupt. – A proverb. •/Your children should not argue so loudly. Haven’t you taught them that children should be seen and not heard?/

[child’s play]{adj.} Easy; requiring no effort. •/Mary’s work as a volunteer social worker is so agreeable to her that she thinks of it as child’s play./

[chill] See: SPINE-CHILLING.

[chime in]{v.} 1. {informal} To join in. •/The whole group chimed in on the chorus./ •/When the argument got hot, John chimed in./ 2. To agree; go well together. – Usually used with «with». •/Dick was happy, and the holiday music chimed in with his feelings./ •/When Father suggested going to the shore for the vacation, the whole family chimed in with the plan./

[chin] See: KEEP ONE’S CHIN UP, STICK ONE’S NECK OUT or STICK ONE’S CHIN OUT, TAKE IT ON THE CHIN, UP TO THE CHIN IN.

[china shop] See: BULL IN A CHINA SHOP.

[China syndrome]{n.}, {informal} From the title of the movie with Jane Fonda and Jack Lemmon. The possibility that an industrial nuclear reactor might explode, literally affecting the other side of the planet (as if by eating a hole through the earth all the way to China.) •/Antinuclear demonstrators are greatly worried about the China syndrome./

[chip] See: CASH IN ONE’S CHIPS at CASH-IN, IN THE CHIPS. LET THE CHIPS FALL WHERE THEY MAY, FISH-AND-CHIPS, WHEN THE CHIPS ARE DOWN.

[chip in] or [kick in]{v.}, {informal} To give together with others, contribute. •/The pupils chipped in a dime apiece for the teacher’s Christmas present./ •/All the neighbors kicked in to help after the fire./ •/Lee chipped in ten points in the basketball game./ •/Joe didn’t say much but chipped in a few words./

[chip off the old block]{n. phr.} A person whose character traits closely resemble those of his parents. •/I hear that Tom plays the violin in the orchestra his father conducts; he sure is a chip off the old block./

[chip on one’s shoulder]{n. phr.}, {informal} A quarrelsome nature; readiness to be angered. •/He went through life with a chip on his shoulder./ •/Jim often gets into fights because he goes around with a chip on his shoulder./

[chips] See: WHEN THE CHIPS ARE DOWN.

[chisel] or [muscle in on]{v. phr.} To illegitimately and forcefully intrude into someone’s traditional sales or professional arena of operation. •/Tim has a good sales territory, but he is always afraid that someone might chisel in on it./ •/Las Vegas casino owners are concerned that the Mafia might muscle in on their territory./

[choice] See: BY CHOICE, FIELDER’S CHOICE.

[choke off]{v.} To put a sudden end to; stop abruptly or forcefully. •/It was almost time for the meeting to end, and the presiding officer had to move to choke off debate./ •/The war choked off diamond shipments from overseas./

[choke up]{v.} 1a. To come near losing calmness or self-control from strong feeling; be upset by your feelings. •/When one speaker after another praised John, he choked up and couldn’t thank them./ •/When Father tried to tell me how glad he was to see me safe after the accident, he choked up and was unable to speak./ 1b. {informal} To be unable to do well because of excitement or nervousness. •/Bill was a good batter, but in the championship game he choked up and did poorly./ 2. To fill up; become clogged or blocked; become hard to pass through. •/The channel had choked up with sand so that boats couldn’t use it./

[choose] See: PICK AND CHOOSE.

[chooser] See: BEGGARS CAN’T BE CHOOSERS.

[choose up sides]{v. phr.} To form two teams with two captains taking turns choosing players. •/The boys chose up sides for a game of softball./ •/Tom and Joe were the captains. They chose up sides./

[chop] See: LICK ONE’S CHOPS.

[chow line]{n.}, {slang} A line of people waiting for food. •/The chow line was already long when John got to the dining hall./ •/The soldiers picked up trays and got into the chow line./

[Christmas] See: FATHER CHRISTMAS.

[Christmas card]{n.}, {slang}, {citizen’s band radio jargon} A speeding ticket. •/Smokey just gave a Christmas card to the eighteen wheeler we passed./

[Christmas club]{n.} A plan for putting money in the bank to be saved for Christmas shopping. •/John deposits $10 each week in the Christmas club./ •/The woman will get her Christmas club money on December 10./

[chum around with]{v. phr.} 1. To be close friends with someone. •/They have been chumming around with one another for quite some time./ 2. To travel around with someone. •/Jack is planning to chum around with Tim in Europe this summer./

[cigar-store Indian]{n. phr.} A wooden statue of an Indian which in the past was placed in front of a cigar store. •/A cigar store Indian used to mean a cigar store in the same way a barber pole still means a barber shop./

[circle] See: COME FULL CIRCLE, IN A CIRCLE or IN CIRCLES, RUN CIRCLES AROUND also RUN RINGS AROUND.

[circulation] See: IN CIRCULATION, OUT OF CIRCULATION.

[circumstance] See: UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES also IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

[circumstances alter cases]{formal} The way things are, or happen, may change the way you are expected to act. •/John’s father told him never to touch his gun, but one day when Father was away, John used it to shoot a poisonous snake that came into the yard. Circumstances alter cases./

[circus] See: THREE-RING CIRCUS.

[citizen] See: SENIOR CITIZEN.

[civil] See: KEEP A CIVIL TONGUE IN ONE’S HEAD.

[claim] See: STAKE A CLAIM.

[claim check]{n.} A ticket needed to get back something. •/The man at the parking lot gave Mrs. Collins a claim check./ •/The boy put the dry cleaning claim check in his billfold./ •/The man told Mary the pictures would be ready Friday and gave her a claim check./

[clamp down]{v.}, {informal} To put on strict controls; enforce rules or laws. •/After the explosion, police clamped down and let no more visitors inside the monument./ •/The school clamped down on smoking./ •/When the crowds became bigger and wilder, the police clamped down on them and made everyone go home./

[clam up]{v.}, {slang} To refuse to say anything more; stop talking. •/The suspect clammed up, and the police could get no more information out of him./

[class] See: HIGH-CLASS, SECOND CLASS.

[clay] See: FEET OF CLAY.

[clay pigeon]{n.}, {slang}, {informal} 1. A popular target at practice shooting made of clay and roughly resembling a pigeon; an easy target that doesn’t move. •/All he can shoot is a clay pigeon./ 2. A person who, like a clay pigeon in target practice, is immobilized or is in a sensitive position and is therefore easily criticized or otherwise victimized. •/Poor Joe is a clay pigeon./ 3. A task easily accomplished like shooting an immobile clay pigeon. •/The math exam was a clay pigeon./

[clean] See: COME CLEAN, KEEP ONE’S NOSE CLEAN, MAKE A CLEAN BREAST OF, NEW BROOM SWEEPS CLEAN, TAKE TO ONE’S HEELS, also SHOW A CLEAN PAIR OF HEELS.

[clean bill of health]{n. phr.} 1. A certificate that a person or animal has no infectious disease. •/The government doctor gave Jones a clean bill of health when he entered the country./ 2. {informal} A report that a person is free of guilt or fault. •/The stranger was suspected in the bank robbery, but the police gave him a clean bill of health./

[clean break]{n. phr.} A complete separation. •/Tom made a clean break with his former girlfriends before marrying Pamela./

[cleaners] See: TO TAKE TO THE CLEANERS.

[clean hands]{n. phr.}, {slang} Freedom from guilt or dishonesty; innocence. •/John grew up in a bad neighborhood, but he grew up with clean hands./ •/There was much proof against Bill, but he swore he had clean hands./

[clean out]{v.} 1. {slang} To take everything from; empty; strip. •/George’s friends cleaned him out when they were playing cards last night./ •/The sudden demand for paper plates soon cleaned out the stores./ 2. {informal} To get rid of; remove; dismiss. •/The new mayor promised to clean the crooks out of the city government./

[clean slate]{n. phr.} A record of nothing but good conduct, without any errors or bad deeds; past acts that are all good without any bad ones. •/Johnny was sent to the principal for whispering. He had a clean slate so the principal did not punish him./ •/Mary stayed after school for a week, and after that the teacher let her off with a clean slate./ Compare: TURN OVER A NEW LEAF.

[clean sweep]{n. phr.} A complete victory. •/Our candidate for the United States Senate made a clean sweep over his opponent./

[clean up]{v. phr.} 1. To wash and make oneself presentable. •/After quitting for the day in the garage, Tim decided to clean up and put on a clean shirt./ 2. To finish; terminate. •/The secretary promised her boss to clean up all the unfinished work before leaving on her Florida vacation./ 3. {informal} To make a large profit. •/The clever investors cleaned up on the stock market last week./

[clean-up]{n.} 1. An act of removing all the dirt from a given set of objects. •/What this filthy room needs is an honest clean-up./ 2. The elimination of pockets of resistance during warfare or a police raid. •/The FBI conducted a clean-up against the drug pushers in our district./

[clear] See: COAST IS CLEAR, IN THE CLEAR, OUT OF THE BLUE or OUT OF A CLEAR SKY or OUT OF A CLEAR BLUE SKY, SEE ONE’S WAY CLEAR, STEER CLEAR OF.

[clear-cut]{adj.} Definite; well defined. •/The president’s new policy of aggressive action is a clear-cut departure from his old methods of unilateral appeasement./

[clear-eyed]{adj.} Understanding problems or events clearly; being able to tell very well the results of a way of acting. •/Tom is very clear-eyed. He knows he doesn’t have much chance of winning the race, but he will try his best./ •/He is a clear-eyed and independent commentator on the news./

[clear one’s name]{v. phr.} To prove someone is innocent of a crime or misdeed of which he has been accused. •/The falsely accused rapist has been trying in vain to clear his name./

[clear out]{v.} 1. To take everything out of; empty. •/When Bill was moved to another class he cleared out his desk./ 2. {informal} To leave suddenly; go away; depart. •/The cop told the boys to clear out./ •/Bob cleared out without paying his room rent./ •/Clear out of here! You’re bothering me./ Compare: BEAT IT.

[clear the air]{v. phr.} To remove angry feelings, misunderstanding, or confusion. •/The President’s statement that he would run for office again cleared the air of rumors and guessing./ •/When Bill was angry at Bob, Bob made a joke, and it cleared the air between them./

[clear the decks]{v. phr.} To put everything in readiness for a major activity; to eliminate unessentials. •/The governor urged the State Assembly to clear the decks of all but the most pressing issues to vote on./

[clear up]{v.} 1. To make plain or clear; explain; solve. •/The teacher cleared up the harder parts of the story./ •/Maybe we can clear up your problem./ 2. To become clear. •/The weather cleared up after the storm./ 3. To cure. •/The pills cleared up his stomach trouble./ 4. To put back into a normal, proper, or healthy state. •/The doctor can give you something to clear up your skin./ •/Susan cleared up the room./ 5. To become cured. •/This skin trouble will clear up in a day or two./

[clerk] See: ROOM CLERK or DESK CLERK.

[cliffdweller]{n.}, {slang}, {informal} A city person who lives on a very high floor in an apartment building. •/Joe and Nancy have become cliffdwellers – they moved up to the 30th floor./

[clifihanger]{n.}, {informal} A sports event or a movie in which the outcome is uncertain to the very end keeping the spectators in great suspense and excitement. •/Did you see «The Fugitive»? It’s a regular cliffhanger./

[climb] See: SOCIAL CLIMBER.

[climb on the bandwagon] See: ON THE BANDWAGON.

[climb the wall]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} 1. To react to a challenging situation with too great an emotional response, frustration, tension, and anxiety. •/By the time I got the letter that I was hired, I was ready to climb the wall./ 2. To be so disinterested or bored as to be most anxious to get away at any cost. •/If the chairman doesn’t stop talking, I’ll climb the wall./

[clinging vine]{n.} A very dependent woman; a woman who needs much love and encouragement from a man. •/Mary is a clinging vine; she cannot do anything without her husband./

[cling to one’s mother’s apron strings] See: TIED TO ONE’S MOTHER’S APRON STRINGS.

[clip joint]{n.}, {slang} A low-class night club or other business where people are cheated. •/The man got drunk and lost all his money in a clip joint./ •/The angry woman said the store was a clip joint./

[clip one’s wings]{v. phr.} To limit or hold you back, bring you under control; prevent your success. •/When the new president tried to become dictator, the generals soon clipped his wings./ •/Jim was spending too much time on dates when he needed to study so his father stopped his allowance; that clipped his wings./

[cloak-and-dagger]{adj.} Of or about spies and secret agents. •/It was a cloak-and-dagger story about some spies who tried to steal atomic secrets./ •/The book was written by a retired colonel who used to take part in cloak-and-dagger plots./ (From the wearing of cloaks and daggers by people in old adventure stories.) Compare: BLOOD AND THUNDER.

[clock] See: AGAINST TIME or AGAINST THE CLOCK, AROUND THE CLOCK or THE CLOCK AROUND, PUT BACK THE CLOCK or TURN BACK THE CLOCK, GO LIKE CLOCKWORK or GO OFF LIKE CLOCKWORK, TURN THE CLOCK BACK.

[clock watcher]{n. phr.}, {informal} A worker who always quits at once when it is time; a man who is in a hurry to leave his job. •/When Ted got his first job, his father told him to work hard and not be a clock watcher./

[close at hand]{adj. phr.} Handy; close by; within one’s range. •/My calendar isn’t close at hand, so I can’t tell you whether we can come next week or not./ •/I always keep my pencils and erasers close at hand when I work on a draft proposal./

[close call] or [shave]{n. phr.} A narrow escape. •/That sure was a close call when that truck came near us from the right!/ •/When Tim fell off his bicycle in front of a bus, it was a very close shave./

[closed book]{n.} A secret; something not known or understood. •/The man’s early life is a closed book./ •/For Mary, science is a closed book./ •/The history of the town is a closed book./

[closed-door]{adj.} Away from the public; in private or in secret; limited to a few. •/The officers of the club held a closed-door meeting./ •/The committee decided on a closed-door rule for the investigation./ Compare: IN PRIVATE.

[close down] or [shut down]{v.} To stop all working, as in a factory; stop work entirely; also: to stop operations in. •/The factory closed down for Christmas./ •/The company shut down the condom plant for Easter./

[closed shop]{n. phr.} 1. A plant or factory that employs only union workers. •/Our firm has been fighting the closed shop policy for many years now./ 2. A profession or line of work dominated by followers of a certain mode of thinking and behaving that does not tolerate differing views or ideas. •/Certain groups of psychologists, historians, and linguists often behave with a closed-shop mentality./ Contrast: OPEN SHOP.

[close in]{v.} To come in nearer from all sides. •/We wanted the boat to reach shore before the fog closed in./ – Often used with «on». * /The troops were closing in on the enemy.

[close its doors]{v. phr.} 1. To keep someone or something from entering or joining; become closed. •/The club has closed its doors to new members./ 2. To fail as a business; go bankrupt. •/The fire was so damaging that the store had to close its doors./ •/Business was so poor that we had to close our doors after six months./ Compare: CLOSE THE DOOR. Contrast: OPEN ITS DOORS.

[close-knit]{adj.} Closely joined together by ties of love, friendship, or common interest; close. •/The Joneses are a close-knit family./ •/The three boys are always together. They form a very close-knit group./

[close one’s eyes] or [shut one’s eyes]{v. phr.} To refuse to see or think about. •/The park is beautiful if you shut your eyes to the litter./ •/The ice was very thin, but the boys shut their eyes to the danger and went skating./ Compare: OPEN ONE’S EYES.

[dose out]{v.} To sell the whole of; end (a business or a business operation) by selling all the goods; also, to sell your stock and stop doing business. •/The store closed out its stock of garden supplies./ •/Mr. Jones closed out his grocery./ •/Mr. Randall was losing money in his shoe store, so he decided to close out./

[close quarters]{n. phr.} Limited, cramped space. •/With seven boy scouts in a tent, they were living in very close quarters./

[close ranks]{v. phr.} 1. To come close together in a line especially for fighting. •/The soldiers closed ranks and kept the enemy away from the bridge./ 2. To stop quarreling and work together; unite and fight together. •/The Democrats and Republicans closed ranks to win the war./ •/The leader asked the people to close ranks and plan a new school./

[close shave] See: CLOSE CALL.

[closet] See: SKELETON IN THE CLOSET.

[close the books]{v. phr.} To stop taking orders; end a bookkeeping period. •/The tickets were all sold, so the manager said to close the books./ •/The department store closes its books on the 25th of each month./

[close the door] or [bar the door] or [shut the door]{v. phr.} To prevent any more action or talk about a subject. •/The President’s veto closed the door to any new attempt to pass the bill./ •/Joan was much hurt by what Mary said, and she closed the door on Mary’s attempt to apologize./ •/After John makes up his mind, he closes the door to any more arguments./ Contrast: OPEN THE DOOR.

[close to home]{adv. phr.} Too near to someone’s personal feelings, wishes, or interests. •/When John made fun of Bob’s way of walking, he struck close to home./ •/When the preacher spoke about prejudice, some people felt he had come too close to home./

[close-up]{n.} A photograph, motion picture, or video camera shot taken at very close range. •/Directors of movies frequently show close-ups of the main characters./

[close up shop]{v. phr.} 1. To shut a store at the end of a day’s business, also, to end a business. •/The grocer closes up shop at 5 o’clock./ •/After 15 years in business at the same spot, the garage closed up shop./ 2. {informal} To stop some activity; finish what you are doing. •/After camping out for two weeks, the scouts took down their tents and closed up shop./ •/The committee finished its business and closed up shop./ Compare: CALL IT A DAY.

[clothes] See: BEST BIB AND TUCKER or SUNDAY-GO-TO-MEETING CLOTHES.

[clothing] See: WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING.

[cloud] See: EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING, IN THE CLOUDS, ON CLOUD NINE, UNDER A CLOUD.

[clover] See: FOUR-LEAF CLOVER, IN CLOVER or IN THE CLOVER.

[club] See: CHRISTMAS CLUB.

[cluck and grunt]{n.}, {slang}, {avoid it in restaurants} The familiar restaurant dish of ham and eggs; since ham is made of pork (and pigs grunt) and eggs come from hens (which cluck.) •/«I am sorry I can’t fix you an elaborate meal, but I can give you a quick cluck and grunt.»/

[clutch] See: RIDE THE BRAKE.

[coal] See: CARRY COALS TO NEWCASTLE, HAUL OVER THE COALS or RAKE OVER THE COALS, HEAP COALS OF FIRE ON ONE’S HEAD.

[coast is clear] No enemy or danger is in sight; there is no one to see you. •/When the teacher had disappeared around the corner, John said, «Come on, the coast is clear.»/ •/The men knew when the night watchman would pass. When he had gone, and the coast was clear, they robbed the safe./ •/When Father stopped the car at the stop sign, Mother said, «The coast is clear on this side.»/

[coat tail] See: ON ONE’S COAT TAILS.

[cock] See: GO OFF HALF-COCKED also GO OFF AT HALF COCK.

[cock-and-bull story]{n. phr.} An exaggerated or unbelievable story. •/«Stop feeding me such cock-and-bull stories,» the detective said to the suspect./

[cockeyed]{adj.} Drunk; intoxicated. •/Frank has been drinking all day and, when we met, he was so cockeyed he forgot his own address./

[cocksure]{adj.} Overconfident; very sure. •/Paul was cocksure that it wasn 't going to snow, but it snowed so much that we had to dig our way out of the house./

[C.O.D.]{n. phr.} Abbreviation of «cash on delivery.» •/If you want to receive a piece of merchandise by mail and pay when you receive it, you place a C.O.D. order./

[coffee break]{n.} A short recess or time out from work in which to rest and drink coffee. •/The girls in the office take a coffee break in the middle of the morning and the afternoon./

[coffee hour]{n.} A time for coffee or other refreshments after a meeting; a time to meet people and have refreshments. •/After the business meeting we had a coffee hour./ •/The Joneses had a coffee hour so their visitor could meet their neighbors./

[coffee table]{n.} A low table used in a living room. •/There were several magazines on the coffee table./

[coffin nail]{n.}, {slang} A cigarette. •/«I stopped smoking,» Algernon said. «In fact, I haven’t had a coffin nail in well over a year.»/

[cog] See: SLIP A COG or SLIP A GEAR.

[coin money] or [mint money]{v. phr.}, {informal} To make a lot of money quickly; profit heavily; gain big profit. •/Fred coined money with many cigarette vending machines and juke boxes./

[cold] See: BLOOD RUNS COLD, BLOW HOT AND COLD, CATCH COLD or TAKE COLD, IN COLD BLOOD, OUT COLD, OUT IN THE COLD, PASS OUT(2), STONE-COLD, STOP COLD, THROW COLD WATER ON.

[cold cash] or [hard cash]{n.} Money that is paid at the time of purchase; real money; silver and bills. •/Mr. Jones bought a new car and paid cold cash for it./ * •/Some stores sell things only for cold cash./ Compare: CASH ON THE BARRELHEAD.

[cold comfort]{n.} Something that makes a person in trouble feel very little better or even worse. •/When Tim lost the race, it was cold comfort to him to hear that he could try again in two weeks./ •/Mary spent her vacation sick in bed and Jane’s letter about her trip was cold comfort./

[cold feet]{n. phr.}, {informal} A loss of courage or nerve; a failure or loss of confidence in yourself. •/Ralph was going to ask Mary to dance with him but he got cold feet and didn’t./

[cold fish]{n.}, {informal} A queer person; a person who is unfriendly or does not mix with others. •/No one knows the new doctor, he is a cold fish./ •/Nobody invites Eric to parties because he is a cold fish./

[cold-shoulder]{v.}, {informal} To act towards a person; with dislike or scorn; be unfriendly to. •/Fred cold-shouldered his old friend when they passed on the street./ •/It is impolite and unkind to cold-shoulder people./ Compare: BRUSH OFF(2), HIGH-HAT, LOOK DOWN ONE’S NOSE AT.

[cold shoulder]{n.}, {informal} Unfriendly treatment of a person, a showing of dislike for a person or of looking down on a person. – Used in the cliches «give the cold shoulder» or «turn a cold shoulder to» or «get the cold shoulder». •/When Bob asked Mary for a date she gave him the cold shoulder./ •/The membership committee turned a cold shoulder to Jim’s request to join the club./

[cold snap]{n.} A short time of quick change from warm weather to cold. •/The cold snap killed everything in the garden./

[cold turkey]{adv.}, {slang}, {informal} 1. Abruptly and without medical aid to withdraw from the use of an addictive drug or from a serious drinking problem. •/Joe is a very brave guy; he kicked the habit cold turkey./ 2. {n.} An instance of withdrawal from drugs, alcohol, or cigarette smoking. •/Joe did a cold turkey./

[cold war]{n.} A struggle that is carried on by other means and not by actual fighting; a war without shooting or bombing. •/After World War II, a cold war began between Russia and the United States./

[collar] See: HOT UNDER THE COLLAR, ROMAN COLLAR, SAILOR COLLAR.

[collective farm]{n.} A large government-run farm made by combining many small farms. •/The Russian farmers used to live on collective farms./

[collector’s item]{n.} Something rare or valuable enough to collect or save. •/Jimmy’s mother found an old wooden doll in the attic that turned out to be a collector’s item./

[College Boards]{n.} A set of examinations given to test a student’s readiness and ability for college. •/John got a high score on his College Boards./ •/College Boards test both what a student has learned and his ability to learn./

[color] See: CHANGE COLOR, GIVE COLOR TO or LEND COLOR TO, HAUL DOWN ONE’S COLORS, HORSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOR, NAIL ONE’S COLORS TO THE MAST, OFF-COLOR or OFF-COLORED, SAIL UNDER FALSE COLORS, SEE THE COLOR OF ONE’S MONEY, SHOW ONE’S COLORS, WITH FLYING COLORS.

[color guard]{n.} A military guard of honor for the flag of a country; also: a guard of honor to carry and protect a flag or banner (as of a club). •/There were four Marines in the color guard in the parade./ •/Bob was picked to be a color guard and to carry the banner of the drum corps at the football game./

[color scheme]{n.} A plan for colors used together as decoration. •/The color scheme for the dance was blue and silver./ •/Mary decided on a pink and white color scheme for her room./

[comb] See: FINE-TOOTH COMB.

[come] See: CHICKENS COME HOME TO ROOST, CROSS A BRIDGE BEFORE ONE COMES TO IT, EASY COME – EASY GO, FIRST COME – FIRST SERVED, GET WHAT’S COMING TO ONE, HAVE IT COMING, HOW COME also HOW’S COME, IF WORST COMES TO WORST, JOHNNY-COME-LATELY, KNOW ENOUGH TO COME IN OUT OF THE RAIN, KNOW IF ONE IS COMING OR GOING, LOOK AS IF ONE HAS COME OUT OF A BANDBOX, SHIP COME IN.

[come about]{v.} To take place; happen, occur. •/Sometimes it is hard to tell how a quarrel comes about./ •/When John woke up he was in the hospital, but he didn’t know how that had come about./

[come a cropper] 1. To fall off your horse. •/John’s horse stumbled, and John came a cropper./ 2. To fail. •/Mr. Brown did not have enough money to put into his business and it soon came a cropper./ Compare: RIDING FOR A FALL.

[come across]{v.} 1. or [run across] To find or meet by chance. •/He came across a dollar bill in the suit he was sending to the cleaner./ •/The other day I ran across a book that you might like./ •/I came across George at a party last week; it was the first time I had seen him in months./ Compare: COME ON(3), RUN INTO(3b). 2. To give or do what is asked. •/The robber told the woman to come across with her purse./ •/For hours the police questioned the man suspected of kidnapping the child, and finally he came across with the story./

[come again]{v.}, {informal} Please repeat; please say that again. – Usually used as a command. •/«Harry has just come into a fortune,» my wife said. "Come again? " I asked her, not believing it./ •/«Come again,» said the hard-of-hearing man./

[come alive] or [come to life]{v.} 1. {informal} To become alert or attentive; wake up and look alive; become active. •/When Mr. Simmons mentioned money, the boys came alive./ •/Bob pushed the starter button, and the engine came alive with a roar./ 2. To look real; take on a bright, natural look. •/Under skillful lighting, the scene came alive./ •/The President came alive in the picture as the artist worked./