Текст книги "Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц"

D

[dab] See: SMACK-DAB or SMACK-TO DAB.

[dagger] See: CLOAK-AND-DAGGER, LOOK DAGGERS.

[daily dozen]{n.}, {informal} Gymnastic exercises; especially, several different exercises done daily. •/The boys did their daily dozen early each morning./

[daisy] See: PUSH UP DAISIES.

[dam] See: WATER OVER THE DAM.

[damn] See: GIVE A HANG, NOT WORTH A TINKER’S DAMN.

[damned if one does, damned if one doesn’t]{adj. phr.} No matter what one does, someone is likely to criticize one. •/No matter what decisions I make, there are always some people who will approve them and those who won’t. It is a classical case of «damned if I do, damned if I don’t.»/

[dance] See: SONG AND DANCE.

[dance to another tune]{v. phr.} To talk or act differently, usually better because things have changed; be more polite or obedient because you are forced to do it. •/Johnny refused to do his homework but punishment made him dance to another tune./ Compare: CHANGE ONE’S TUNE, SING A DIFFERENT TUNE.

[dander] See: GET ONE’S BACK UP, GET ONE’S DANDER UP or GET ONE’S IRISH UP.

[dandy] See: JIM-DANDY.

[dangerous] See: A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS A DANGEROUS THING.

[dare say]{v. phr.} To think probable; suppose; believe. – Used in first person. •/Mary is unhappy now but I dare say she will be laughing about this tomorrow./ •/There is no more ice cream on the table, but I dare say we can find some in the kitchen./

[dare one to do something]{v. phr.} To challenge someone to do something. •/«I dare you to jump off that rock into the sea,» Fred said to Jack./

[dark] See: IN THE DARK, SHOT IN THE DARK, WHISTLE IN THE DARK.

[darken one’s door] or [darken the door] To appear, as in a doorway; enter someone’s home or establishment. – Used in negative imperative sentences especially with «never» and «again». •/If you leave this house now, never darken my door again./ •/After a son shamed his father by having to go to prison, the father told him never to darken his door again./

[dark horse]{n.}, {informal} A political candidate little known to the general voting public; a candidate who was not expected to run. •/Every once in a while a dark horse candidate gets elected President./

[dark of the moon]{n. phr.}, {literary} A time when the moon is not shining or cannot be seen. •/A was the dark of the moon when the scouts reached camp and they had to use flashlights to find their tents./ Contrast: FULL OF THE MOON.

[dash cold water on] See: THROW COLD WATER ON.

[dash light]{n.} A light on the front inside of a car or vehicle. •/Henry stopped the car and turned on the dash lights to read the road map./

[dash off]{v.} To make, do, or finish quickly; especially, to draw, paint, or write hurriedly. •/Ann took out her drawing pad and pencil and dashed off a sketch of the Indians./ •/John can dash off several letters while Mary writes only one./ •/Charles had forgotten to write his English report and dashed it off just before class./

[date] See: DOUBLE-DATE, TO DATE.

[date back]{v. phr.} To go back to a given period in the past. •/My ancestors date back to the sixteenth century./

[dawn on]{v.} To become clear to. •/It dawned on Fred that he would fail the course if he did not study harder./

[day] See: ALL IN A DAY’S WORK, CALL IT A DAY, CARRY THE DAY, EVERY DOG HAS HIS DAY, FATHER’S DAY, FOREVER AND A DAY, GOOD DAY, MAKE A DAY OF IT, NAME DAY, NIGHT AND DAY, ONE OF THESE DAYS, or SOME OF THESE DAYS, PASS THE TIME OF DAY, RAINY DAY, SAVE THE DAY, SEE BETTER DAYS, THAT’LL BE THE DAY.

[day and night] or [night and day]{adv.} 1. For days without stopping; continually. Syn.: AROUND THE CLOCK. •/Some filling stations on great highways are open day and night 365 days a year./ •/The three men took turns driving the truck, and they drove night and day for three days./ 2. Every day and every evening. •/The girl knitted day and night to finish the sweater before her mother’s birthday./

[day by day]{adv.} Gradually. •/The patient got better day by day./

[day in and day out] or [day in, day out]{adv. phr.} Regularly; consistently; all the time; always. •/He plays good tennis day in and day out./ – Also used with several other time words in place of day: week, month, year. •/Every summer, year in, year out, the ice cream man comes back to the park./

[day in court]{n. phr.} A chance to be heard; an impartial hearing; a chance to explain what one has done. •/The letters from the faculty members to the dean gave Professor Smith his day in court./

[daylight] See: SCARE OUT OF ONE’S WITS or SCARE THE DAYLIGHTS OUT OF, SEE DAYLIGHT.

[daylight saving time] also [daylight saving] or [daylight time] or [fast time]{n.} A way of keeping time in summer that is one or two hours ahead of standard time. – Abbreviation DST. •/Many places in the United States keep their clocks on daylight saving time in the summer; in this way people get up earlier and have more free time in the afternoon and evening while it is still daylight./ •/Father said that next week it will get dark later because we will change to daylight saving lime./ •/We go off daylight saving in the fall./ Compare: CENTRAL TIME. Contrast: STANDARD TIME.

[daylight robbery] See: HIGHWAY ROBBERY.

[daydream]{v.} To spend time in reverie; be absentminded during the day. •/John spends so much time daydreaming that he never gets anything done./

[day of grace]{n. phr.} An extension period after the due date of some contract or bond. •/The premium is due on the first of each month, but they allow ten days of grace./

[day of reckoning]{n. phr.} 1. A time when one will be made to account for misdeeds. •/When the criminal was caught and brought to trial his victims said, «finally, the day of reckoning has come.»/ 2. A time when one’s will and Judgment are severely tested. •/«You always wanted to run the department,» the dean said to Professor Smith. «Now here is your chance; this is your day of reckoning.»/

[day off]{n.} A day on which one doesn’t have to work, not necessarily the weekend. •/Monday is his day off in the restaurant, because he prefers to work on Saturdays and Sundays./

[day-to-day]{adj.} Daily; common; everyday. •/For best results, students' homework should be checked on a day-to-day basis./

[days are numbered] (Someone or something) does not have long to live or stay. •/The days of the old school building are numbered./ •/When a man becomes ninety years old, his days are numbered./

[dazzle] See: RAZZLE-DAZZLE.

[dead] See: CATCH DEAD, DROP DEAD, STONEDEAD.

[dead ahead]{adv.}, {informal} Exactly in front; before. •/The school is dead ahead about two miles from here./ •/Father was driving in a fog, and suddenly he saw another car dead ahead of him./

[deadbeat]{n.}, {slang} A person who never pays his debts and who has a way of getting things free that others have to pay for. •/You’ll never collect from Joe – he’s a deadbeat./

[dead and buried]{adj. phr.} Gone forever. •/Slavery is dead and buried in twentieth-century America./

[dead as a doornail]{adj. phr.} Completely dead without the slightest hope of resuscitation. •/This battery is dead as a doornail; no wonder your car won’t start./

[dead broke] See: STONE-BROKE.

[dead center]{n.} The exact middle. •/The treasure was buried in the dead center of the island./ Often used like an adverb. •/The arrow hit the circle dead center./

[dead duck]{n.}, {slang} A person or thing in a hopeless situation or condition; one to whom something bad is sure to happen. •/When the pianist broke her arm, she was a dead duck./

[deadhead]{n.}, {slang} An excessively dull or boring person. •/You’ll never get John to tell a joke – he’s a deadhead./

[dead letter]{n. phr.} An undeliverable letter that ends up in a special office holding such letters. •/There is a dead letter office in most major cities./

[deadline]{n.} A final date by which a project, such as a term paper, is due. •/The deadline for the papers on Shakespeare is November 10./

[dead loss]{n. phr.} A total waste; a complete loss. •/Our investment in Jack’s company turned out to be a dead loss./

[dead on one’s feet]{adv. phr.}, {informal} Very tired but still standing or walking; too tired to do more; exhausted. •/Jimmy never leaves a job unfinished. He continues to work even when he’s dead on his feet./ •/After the soldiers march all night, they are dead on their feet./ Compare: DEAD TIRED, WEAR OUT(2).

[deadpan]{adj.}, {adv.}, {slang} With an expressionless or emotionless face; without betraying any hint of emotion. •/She received the news of her husband’s death deadpan./

[dead pedal]{n.}, {slang}, {citizen’s band radio jargon} A slow moving vehicle. •/Better pass that eighteen wheeler, Jack; it’s a dead pedal./

[dead ringer]{n. phr.} A person who strongly resembles someone else. •/Charlie is a dead ringer for his uncle./

[dead set against]{adj. phr.} Totally opposed to someone or something. •/Jack is dead set against the idea of marriage, which upsets Mary./

[dead tired]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Very tired; exhausted; worn out. •/She was dead tired at the end of the day’s work./ Compare: DEAD ON ONE’S FEET.

[dead to rights]{adv. phr.}, {informal} Without a chance of escaping blame; proven wrong. •/Mother had Bob dead to rights, because she caught him with his hand in the cookie jar./ •/The police caught the man dead to rights./

[dead to the world]{adj. phr.}, {informal} 1. Fast asleep. •/Tim went to bed very late and was still dead to the world at 10 o’clock this morning./ 2. As if dead; unconscious. •/Tom was hit on the head by a baseball and was dead to the world for two hours./

[dead-end]{n.} A street closed at one end; a situation that leads nowhere. •/Jim drove into a dead-end street and had to back out./ •/Mary was in a dead-end job./

[dead-end]{v.} To not continue normally but end in a closure (said of streets). •/Our street dead-ends on the lake./

[deaf] See: TURN A DEAF EAR TO.

[deal] See: GOOD DEAL or GREAT DEAL, NEW DEAL, NO DEAL, THINK A GREAT DEAL OF, WHEEL AND DEAL.

[deal in]{v. phr.} To sell; do business in a certain commodity. •/Herb’s firm deals in sporting goods./

[deal with]{v. phr.} 1. To conduct negotiations or business dealings with. •/John refuses to deal with the firm of Brown and Miller./ 2. To handle a problem. •/Ted is a very strong person and dealt with the fact that his wife had left him much better than anyone else I know./

[dealer] See: WHEELER-DEALER at WHEEL AND DEAL.

[dear] See: FOR DEAR LIFE.

[Dear John letter]{n. phr.} A note or a letter informing one that a romantic relationship or a marriage is over. •/Jane left a «Dear John letter» on the table and went home to live with her parents./

[dear me]{interj.} Used to show surprise, fear, or some other strong feeling. •/Dear me! My purse is lost, what shall I do now?/

[death] See: AT DEATH’S DOOR, BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH, CATCH ONE’S DEATH OF or TAKE ONE’S DEATH OF, SIGN ONE’S OWN DEATH WARRANT, TO DEATH.

[death knell]{n.}, {formal} 1. The ringing of a bell at a death or funeral. •/The people mourned at the death knell of their friend./ 2. {literary} Something which shows a future failure. •/Bill’s poor grade on his final examination sounded the death knell of his hope to be a doctor./ •/His sudden deafness was the death knell of his hope to become President./

[death on]{adj. phr.}, {informal} 1. Very successful in meeting or dealing with. •/Joe is death on fast balls. He usually knocks them out of the park./ 2. Disliking or strongly against; very strict about. •/The new teacher is death on students who come late to class./ •/The twins' grandmother is death on smoking./

[deck] See: HIT THE DECK, ON DECK.

[decked out]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Dressed in fancy clothes; specially decorated for some festive occasion. •/The school band was decked out in bright red uniforms with brass buttons./ •/Main Street was decked with flags for the Fourth of July./

[declare] See: I DECLARE.

[deep] See: BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA, GO OFF THE DEEP END, IN DEEP, KNEE-DEEP.

[deep-six]{v.}, {slang} To throw away; dispose of. •/As the police boat came near, the drug smugglers deep-sixed their cargo./ (An expression originally used by sailors, suggesting throwing something into water six fathoms deep.)

[deep water]{n.} Serious trouble or difficulty. •/When Dad tried to take Mom’s place for a day, he found himself in deep water./

[defense] See: ZONE DEFENSE.

[defiance] See: IN DEFIANCE OF.

[degree] See: TO A DEGREE, TO THE NTH DEGREE.

[deliver the goods]{v. phr.} 1. To carry things and give them to the person who wants them. •/Lee delivered the goods to the right house./ 2. {slang} To succeed in doing well what is expected. •/The new pitcher delivered the goods by striking out 20 men in his first game./ •/This personal computer surely delivers the goods./ Compare: BRING HOME THE BACON.

[delta wave]{n.}, {informal}, {semi-technical} A brain wave 1-3 cycles per second, associated with very deep sleep. •/Good night, honey, I’m off to produce some delta waves./ Compare: CATCH SOME Z’S, HIT THE HAY or HIT THE SACK.

[demand] See: IN DEMAND.

[Dennis the Menace]{n. phr.} After the notorious television character played by a young boy who always creates trouble for the grownups. Any hyperactive little boy who needs calming down. •/"Your son, Joey, is becoming a regular Dennis the Menace," Jane said to Elvira./

[dent] See: MAKE A DENT IN.

[deposit] See: ON DEPOSIT.

[depth] See: BEYOND ONE’S DEPTH.

[desk clerk] See: ROOM CLERK.

[detective] See: HOUSE DETECTIVE.

[devil] See: BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA, FULL OF THE OLD NICK or FULL OF THE DEVIL, GIVE THE DEVIL HIS DUE, GO TO THE DEVIL, PLAY THE DEVIL WITH, RAISE THE DEVIL, SPEAK OF THE DEVIL AND HE APPEARS.

[devil-may-care]{adj.} Not caring what happens; unworried. •/Johnny has a devil-may-care feeling about his school work./ •/Alfred was a devil-may-care youth but became more serious as he grew older./

[devil-may-care attitude]{n. phr.} An attitude of no concern for financial or other loss. •/«Easy come, easy go,» John said in a devil-may-care attitude when he lost all of his money during a poker game./

[devil of it] or [heck of it]{n. phr.} 1. The worst or most unlucky thing about a trouble or accident; the part that is most regrettable. •/Andy lost his notebook, and the devil of it was that the notebook contained all his homework for the coming week./ •/When I had a flat tire, the devil of it was that my spare tire was flat too./ 2. Fun from doing mischief. – Used after «for». •/The boys carried away Miss White’s front gate just for the devil of it./

[devil to pay]{n. phr.} Great trouble. – Used after «the». •/There’ll be the devil to pay when the teacher finds out who broke the window./ •/When Jim wrecked his father’s car, there was the devil to pay./

[dewey-eyed] See: MISTY-EYED.

[diamond in the rough]{n. phr.} A very smart person without a formal education who may have untutored manners. •/Jack never went to school but he is extremely talented; he is a veritable diamond in the rough./

[dibs] See: TO HAVE DIBS ON or TO PUT DIBS ON.

[dice] See: NO DEAL or NO DICE.

[Dick] See: TOM, DICK AND HARRY.

[die] See: CROSS ONE’S HEART or CROSS ONE’S HEART AND HOPE TO DIE, DO-OR-DIE, NEVER SAY DIE.

[die away] or [die down]{v.} To come slowly to an end; grow slowly less or weaker. •/The wind died down./ •/The music died away./ •/He waited until the excitement had died down./ •/His mother’s anger died away./

[die in one’s boots] or [die with one’s boots on]{v. phr.}, {informal} To be killed or hanged rather than die in bed. •/The badmen of the Old West usually died in their boots./ •/The robber said he wanted to die with his boots on./

[die is cast]{v. phr.}, {literary} To make an irrevocable decision. (From Julius Caesar’s famous words in Latin, «alea iacta est», when he crossed the river Rubicon, which meant war.) •/Everything was ready for the invasion of Europe, the die had been cast, and there was no turning back now./

[die off]{v.} To die one at a time. •/The flowers are dying off because there has been no rain./

[die on the vine] or [wither on the vine]{v. phr.} To fail or collapse in the planning stages. •/The program for rebuilding the city died on the vine./

[die out]{v.} To die or disappear slowly until all gone. •/This kind of bird is dying out./ •/If you pour salt water on grass, it dies out./ •/The American colonists started colleges so that learning would not die out./

[difference] See: MAKE A DIFFERENCE, SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE.

[different] See: SING A DIFFERENT TUNE or WHISTLE A DIFFERENT TUNE.

[dig down]{v.}, {slang} To spend your own money. •/The school let the club use the bus and driver free for their trip, but they had to dig down to pay for gas and meals./ •/«So you broke Mrs. Brown’s window?» Tom’s father said, «You’ll have to dig down and pay for it,»/

[dig in]{v.}, {informal} 1. To dig ditches for protection against an enemy attack. •/The soldiers dug in and waited for the enemy to come./ 2a. To go seriously to work; work hard. •/John dug in and finished his homework very quickly./ 2b. To begin eating. •/Mother set the food on the table and told the children to dig in./

[dig out]{v.} 1. To find by searching; bring out (something) that was put away. •/Jack dug his sled out of the cellar./ •/The newspaper printed an old story dug out of their records./ Compare: DIG UP. 2. {informal} To escape. – Usually used with «of». Often used in the phrase «dig oneself out of a hole.» •/The pitcher dug himself out of a hole by striking the batter out./

[dig up]{v.}, {informal} To find or get (something) with some effort. •/Sue dug up some useful material for her English composition./ •/Jim asked each boy to dig up twenty-five cents to pay for the hot dogs and soda./ Compare: DIG OUT.

[dilemma] See: HORNS OF A DILEMMA.

[dim] See: TAKE A DIM VIEW OF.

[dime a dozen]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Easy to get and so of little value; being an everyday thing because there are many of them; common. •/Mr. Jones gives A’s to only one or two students, but in Mr. Smith’s class, A’s are a dime a dozen./

[dime store] or [five-and-dime] or [five-and-ten]{n. phr.} A store that sells things that cost little. •/Charles bought a pencil at the five-and-dime./

[dine out]{v. phr.} To not eat at home but to go to a restaurant. •/«Let’s dine out tonight, honey,» she said to her husband. «I am tired of cooking dinner every night.»/ See: EAT OUT.

[dint] See: BY DINT OF.

[dip into]{v. phr.} 1. To scan or sample lightly and briefly (said of printed materials). •/I didn’t get a chance to read all of War and Peace, but I dipped into it here and there./ 2. To take money out of a savings account or a piggy bank. •/I am sorry to have to say that I had to dip into the piggy bank; I took out $6.75./

[dirt] See: EAT DIRT, HIT THE DIRT, PAY DIRT.

[dirt cheap]{adj.} Extremely inexpensive. •/The apartment we are renting is dirt cheap compared to other apartments of similar size in this neighborhood./

[dirty] See: AIR ONE’S DIRTY LINEN IN PUBLIC or WASH ONE’S DIRTY LINEN IN PUBLIC.

[dirty look]{n.}, {informal} A look that shows dislike. •/Miss Parker sent Joe to the principal’s office for giving her a dirty look./

[dirty old man]{n. phr.} An older man who shows an unhealthy interest in young girls. •/«Stay away from Uncle Algernon, Sally,» her mother warned. «He is a dirty old man.»/

[dirty one’s hands] or [soil one’s hands]{v. phr.} To lower or hurt one’s character or good name; do a bad or shameful thing. •/The teacher warned the children not to dirty their hands by cheating in the examination./ •/I would not soil my hands by going with bad people and doing bad things./

[dirty story]{n. phr.} An improper or obscene story. •/Uncle Bill is much too fond of telling dirty stories in order to embarrass his friends./

[dirty trick]{n. phr.} A treacherous action; an unfair act. •/That was a dirty trick John played on Mary when he ran away with her younger sister./

[disappear] or [evaporate] or [vanish into thin air]{v. phr.} To disappear quickly, without leaving a trace. •/Money seems to disappear into thin air these days./ •/Jack just vanished into thin air before the meeting had started./

[discretion] See: THROW CAUTION TO THE WINDS also THROW DISCRETION TO THE WINDS.

[discretion is the better part of valor]{literary} When you are in danger or trouble, good sense helps more than foolish risks; it is better to be careful than to be foolishly brave. – A proverb. •/When you are facing a man with a knife, discretion is the better part of valor./

[dish] See: COVERED-DISH SUPPER.

[dish of tea] See: CUP OF TEA.

[dish out]{v.} 1. To serve (food) from a large bowl or plate. •/Ann’s mother asked her to dish out the beans./ 2. {informal} To give in large quantities. •/That teacher dished out so much homework that her pupils complained to their parents./ 3. {slang} To scold; treat or criticize roughly. •/Jim likes to dish it out, but he hates to take it./ Compare: HAND OUT.

[dish the dirt]{v. phr.}, {slang} To gossip, to spread rumors about others. •/Stop dishing the dirt. Sally, it’s really quite unbecoming!/

[disk jockey]{n.} An employee at a radio station or in a dance club who puts on the records that will be broadcast. •/Jack is working as a disk jockey at the local FM station./

[dispose of]{v.} 1. To throw away; give away, or sell; get rid of. •/John’s father wants to dispose of their old house and buy a new one./ •/The burglars had difficulty in disposing of the stolen jewelry./ 2. To finish. with; settle; complete. •/The boys were hungry, and quickly disposed of their dinner./ •/The committee soon disposed of all its business./ 3. To destroy or defeat. •/The champion disposed of the other fighter by knocking him out in the second round./ •/Our planes disposed of two enemy planes./

[dispute] See: IN DISPUTE.

[distance] See: KEEP AT A DISTANCE, KEEP ONE’S DISTANCE.

[ditch] See: LAST DITCH,

[dive] See: GO INTO A TAIL SPIN or GO INTO A NOSE DIVE.

[do] See: HAVE DONE, HAVE DONE WITH, HAVE TO DO WITH, LET GEORGE DO IT, LET ONE’S RIGHT HAND KNOW WHAT ONE’S LEFT HAND IS DOING, LET’S DON’T, MAKE DO, WELL-TO-DO, WHAT’S UP or WHAT’S DOING.

[do a double take]{v. phr.}, {informal} To look again in surprise; suddenly understand what is seen or said. •/John did a double take when he saw Bill in girls' clothes./ •/When Evvie said she was quitting school, I did a double take./

[do a job on]{v. phr.}, {slang} To damage badly; do harm to; make ugly or useless. •/The baby did a job on Mary’s book./ •/Jane cut her hair and really did a job on herself./

[Doakes] See: JOE DOAKES.

[do a stretch]{v. phr.} To spend time in jail serving one’s sentence. •/Jake has disappeared from view for a while; he is doing a stretch for dope smuggling./

[do away with]{v.} 1. To put an end to; stop. •/The teachers want to do away with cheating in their school./ •/The city has decided to do away with overhead wires./ Compare: RID OF. 2. To kill; murder. •/The robbers did away with their victims./

[do by someone or something]{v.} To deal with; treat. – Used with a qualifying adverb between «do» and «by». •/Andy’s employer always does very well by him./

[do credit] or [do credit to] also ({informal}) [do proud] To add to or improve the reputation, good name, honor, or esteem of; show (you) deserve praise. •/Your neat appearance does you credit./ •/Mary’s painting would do credit to a real artist./

[doctor] See: JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED.

[doctor up]{v. phr.} To meddle with; adulterate. •/You don’t have to doctor up this basic salad with a lot of extras as I am trying to lose weight./

[do duty for]{v. phr.} To substitute for; act in place of. •/The bench often does duty for a table./

[Doe] See: JOHN DOE.

[doesn’t add up to a can of beans]{v. phr.} To be of little or no value. (Said of plans, ideas, etc.) •/«That’s a fairly interesting concept you got there, Mike, but the competition is bound to say that it doesn’t add up to a can of beans.»/

[do for]{v.}, {informal} To cause the death or ruin of; cause to fail. – Used usually in the passive form «done for». •/The poor fellow is done for and will die before morning./ •/Andy’s employer always does very well by him./ •/If Jim fails that test, he is done for./

[dog] See: EVERY DOG HAS HIS DAY, GO TO THE DOGS, HOT DOG, LEAD A DOG’S LIFE, LET SLEEPING DOGS LIE, RAIN CATS AND DOGS.

[dog days]{n. phr.} The hottest days of the year in the Northern Hemisphere (July and August). (The ancient Romans associated this time with the «Dog Star» – Sirius – which becomes visible in the heavens at this time of year.) •/«The dog days are upon us,» John said. «It’s time to go swimming in the lake.»/

[dog-eat-dog(1)]{n.} A way of living in which every person tries to get what he wants for himself no matter how badly or cruelly he must treat others to get it; readiness to do anything to get what you want. •/In some early frontier towns it was dog-eat-dog./

[dog-eat-dog(2)]{adj.} Ready or willing to fight and hurt others to get what you want. •/During the California gold rush, men had a dog-eat-dog life./

[doghouse] See: IN THE DOGHOUSE.

[dog in the manger]{n. phr.} A person who is unwilling to let another use what he himself has no use for. •/Although Valerie lives alone in that big house, she is like a dog in the manger when it comes to letting someone sharing it with her./

[dog one’s steps]{v. phr.} To follow someone closely. •/All the time he was in Havana, Castro’s police were dogging his steps./

[dog’s age] or [coon’s age]{n.}, {informal} A very long time. Usually used after «for» or «in» with a negative. •/Charlie Brown! I haven’t seen you for a coon’s age./ •/Father hasn’t had a night out with the boys in a dog’s age./ •/I waited for him for a dog’s age, but he didn’t come./ Syn.: MONTH OF SUNDAYS.

[dog’s life]{n. phr.} A life of misery, poverty, and unhappiness. •/Diogenes, the Greek philosopher, lived a dog’s life inside an empty barrel./

[do in]{v.}, {slang} 1. To ruin; destroy. •/Mr. Smith’s business was done in by a fire that burned down his store./ 2a. To kill; murder. •/The poor man was done in by two gangsters who ran away after the crime./ 2b. To make tired; exhaust. •/The boys were done in after their long hike./ Syn.: WEAR OUT(2). 3. To cheat; swindle. •/Mr. Jones was done in by two men who claimed to be collecting money for orphans and widows./

[doing] See: NOTHING DOING.

[do justice to]{v. phr.} 1. To do (something) as well as you should; do properly. •/Barbara had so many things to do that she could not do justice to her lessons./ •/The newspaper man did not do justice to the story./ 2. To eat or drink with enthusiasm or enjoyment. •/The boy did justice to the meal./

[dole out]{v. phr.} To measure out sparingly. •/Since the water ration was running low in the desert, the camp commandant doled out small cups of water to each soldier./

[dollar] See: BET ONE’S BOTTOM DOLLAR at BET ONE’S BOOTS, FEEL LIKE A MILLION or FEEL LIKE A MILLION DOLLARS, LOOK LIKE A MILLION DOLLARS.

[doll up]{v.}, {slang} 1. To dress in fine or fancy clothes. •/The girls dolled up for the big school dance of the year./ •/The girls were all dolled up for the Christmas party./ 2. To make more pretty or attractive. •/The classrooms were all dolled up with Christmas decorations./ Compare: DECKED OUT.