Текст книги "Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц"

Автор книги: Adam Makkai

Соавторы: Maya Glinberg
сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 52 (всего у книги 61 страниц)

[stay put]{v. phr.} To stay in place; not leave. •/Harry’s father told him to stay put until he came back./ •/The rocks can be glued to the bulletin board to make them stay put./ •/After Grandmother came home from her trip to visit Aunt May, she said she wanted to stay put for a while./

[stay up late]{v. phr.} To not go to bed until very late. •/Peter has to stay up late these days as he is preparing for his comprehensive exams./ See: BURN THE MIDNIGHT OIL.

[stay with] See: STICK WITH.

[steady] See: GO STEADY.

[steak] See: SALISBURY STEAK, T-BONE STEAK.

[steal] See: LOCK THE BARN DOOR AFTER THE HORSE IS STOLEN.

[steal a march on]{v. phr.} To get ahead of someone by doing a thing unnoticed; get an advantage over. •/The army stole a march on the enemy by marching at night and attacking them in the morning./ •/Jack got the job by getting up earlier than Bill. He stole a march on him./ Compare: GET THE JUMP ON, GET THE BETTER OF, TAKE BY SURPRISE.

[steal away] See: SLIP AWAY.

[steal one’s thunder]{v. phr.} To do or say something, intentionally or not, that another person has planned to say or do. •/Fred intended to nominate Bill for president, but John got up first and stole Fred’s thunder./ •/Mary was going to sing «Oh! Susanna,» but Ellen did it first and Mary said Ellen had stolen her thunder./ •/Smith heard that Jones was going to offer a new law which people wanted, so he himself proposed the law first, stealing Jones' thunder./

[steal the show]{v. phr.} To act or do so well in a performance that you get most of the attention and the other performers are unnoticed. •/Mary was in only one scene of the play, but she stole the show from the stars./

[steal the spotlight]{v. phr.} To attract attention away from a person or thing that people should be watching. •/When the maid walked on the stage and tripped over a rug, she stole the spotlight from the leading players./ •/Just as the speaker began, a little dog ran up the aisle, and stole the spotlight from him./

[steal up on]{v. phr.} To stealthily approach one; sneak up on someone. •/The thief stole up on his victim, snatched her purse, and ran away./

[steam] See: LET OFF STEAM or BLOW OFF STEAM, UNDER ONE’S OWN STEAM.

[steamed up]{adj.}, {informal} Excited or angry about or eager to do something. •/The coach gave the team a pep talk before the game, and he got them all steamed up to win the game./ •/When Mary found out that Jane had not kept their secret, she became all steamed up./ •/Bill was all steamed up about the movie he had just seen./

[steel] See: MIND LIKE A STEEL TRAP.

[steer clear of]{v.} 1. To steer a safe distance from; go around without touching. •/A ship steers clear of a rocky shore in stormy weather./ 2. {informal} To stay away from; keep from going near. •/Fred was angry at Bill, and Bill was steering clear of him./ •/Some words Martha always spells wrong. She tries to steer clear of them./

[stem the tide]{v. phr.} To resist; hold back something of great pressure or strength. •/The way to stem the tide of juvenile delinquency is to strengthen education and to pass a stiff gun control law./

[step] See: IN STEP, OUT OF STEP, TAKE STEPS.

[step all over] See: WALK OVER.

[step down]{v.} 1. To come down in one move from a higher position to a lower. •/As soon as the train stopped, the conductor stepped down to help the passengers off./ 2. To make go slower little by little. •/The train was approaching the station, so the engineer stepped it down./ Compare: SLOW DOWN, STEP UP. 3. To leave a job as an official or some other important position. •/When the judge became ill, he had to step down./

[step in]{v.} 1. To go inside for a quick visit. •/It was a cold night, and when the policeman passed, we invited him to step in for a cup of coffee./ 2. To begin to take part in a continuing action or discussion, especially without being asked. •/When the dogs began to fight, John stepped in to stop it before they were hurt./ •/When Bill had done as much as he was able to on his model plane, his father stepped in to help him./

[step inside]{v.} To come or go inside. •/Mother invited the callers to step inside./

[step into]{v.} 1. To come or go into. •/The taxi stopped, and we stepped into it./ •/Mr. Jones called to his secretary to step into his office./ 2. To begin to do, undertake. •/When the star became sick, his understudy stepped into his part./ •/When Bill graduates from college, he will step into a job in his father’s bank./

[step into one’s shoes]{v. phr.} To do what someone else usually does after he has stopped doing it. •/When Bill’s father died, Bill had to step into his father’s shoes to support his mother./ •/A coach trains the junior varsity to step into the shoes of the members of the varsity team when they graduate./ •/When the boss retires, his son will step into his shoes./ Compare: IN ONE’S SHOES.

[step off]{v.} 1. To walk or march quickly. •/The drum major lowered his baton and the band stepped off./ 2. or [pace off]. To measure by taking a series of steps in a line. •/The farmer stepped off the edge of the field to see how much fencing he would need./ •/The referee stepped off a five-yard penalty against our team./

[step on it] or [step on the gas]{v. phr.} 1. To push down on the gas pedal to make a car go faster. •/Be very careful when you step on the gas. Don’t go too fast./ Compare: GIVE IT THE GUN. 2. {informal} To go faster; hurry. •/Step on it, or we’ll be late for school./ •/John is a slow starter, but he can step on the gas when it looks as if he might lose the race./ •/Lee was wasting time at breakfast and his father told him to step on it or they would miss the bus./

[step on one’s toes] or [tread on one’s toes]{v. phr.} To do something that embarrasses or offends someone else. •/If you break in when other people are talking, you may step on their toes./ •/Mary is pretty, and she often treads on the toes of the girls by stealing their boyfriend./

[step on the gas] See: STEP ON IT.

[step out]{v. phr.} 1. To go out, particularly socially, as on a date. •/Paul said to Sylvia, «You look so dressed up tonight – you must be stepping out, eh?»/ 2. To leave for a short period during the work day to go to the lavatory or to get a cup of coffee. (Frequently said by secretaries over the phone.) •/«May I speak to Mr. Kotz?» Roy asked. «I’m sorry, sir. He just stepped out for a minute,» the secretary answered./

[step out on]{v. phr.} To be unfaithful to one’s marriage partner or steady lover. •/It is rumored that he has been stepping out on his wife. That’s why she’s so upset./

[stepped up]{adj.} Carried on at a faster or more active rate; increased. •/To fill the increase in orders, the factory had to operate at a stepped-up rate./

[step up]{v.} 1. To go from a lower to a higher place. •/John stepped up onto the platform and began to speak./ 2. To come towards or near; approach. •/The sergeant called for volunteers and Private Jones stepped up to volunteer./ •/John waited until the teacher had finished speaking to Mary, and then he stepped up./ 3. To go or to make (something) go faster or more actively. •/When John found he was going to be late, he stepped up his pace./ •/After we had reached the outskirts of town, we stepped up the engine./ •/The enemy was near, and the army stepped up its patrols to find them before they got too close./ 4. To rise to a higher or more important position; be promoted. •/This year Mary is secretary of the club, but I am sure she will step up to president next year./ Contrast: STEP DOWN(3).

[sterling character]{n. phr.} A person of irreproachable character; one of the highest professional standards. •/The nominee for the Supreme Court must be a sterling character in every possible way./

[stew in one’s own juice]{v. phr.}, {informal} To suffer from something that you have caused to happen yourself. •/John lied to Tom, but Tom found out. Now Tom is making John stew in his own juice./ •/I warned you not to steal those apples. You got caught, and you can stew in your own juice./

[stick] See: CARROT AND STICK, MORE THAN ONE COULD SHAKE A STICK AT.

[stick around]{v.}, {informal} To stay or wait nearby. •/John’s father told him to stick around and they would go fishing./ •/After work Mr. Harris stuck around to ride home with his friend./

[stick by one]{v. phr.} To support; remain loyal to. •/All of Peter’s friends stuck by him faithfully, in spite of what has been said about him in the press./

[stick in one’s craw] or [stuck in one’s crop]{v. phr.} To make you angry; bother you; annoy you. •/His parents' praise of his brother stuck in Jerry’s craw./ •/Sue’s failure to get a better grade than Ann stuck in her crop./

[stick in one’s throat]{v. phr.} To be something you do not want to say; be hard to say. •/Jean wanted to ask the teacher’s pardon, but the words stuck in her throat./

[stick-in-the-mud]{n.}, {informal} An overcareful person; someone who is old-fashioned and fights change. •/Mabel said her mother was a real stick-in-the-mud to make a rule that she must be home by 10 o’clock on weeknights and 11:30 Saturdays./ •/Mr. Thomas is a stick-in-the-mud who plows with mules; he won’t buy a tractor./

[stick one’s neck out] or [stick one’s chin out]{v. phr.}, {informal} To do something dangerous or risky. •/When I was in trouble, Paul was the only one who would stick his neck out to help me./ •/John is always sticking his chin out by saying something he shouldn’t./

[stick one’s nose into] See: NOSE INTO.

[stick out]{v.} 1a. To stand out from a wall or other surface; project; extend. •/The limb stuck out from the trunk of the tree./ 1b. To be seen or noticed more easily or quickly than others; be noticeable. •/My house is the only brick one on the street. It sticks out and you can’t miss it./ •/Mary plays basketball very well. The others on the team are good, but she really sticks out./ 1c. Often used in the informal phrase stick out like a sore thumb. •/John is so shy and awkward that he sticks out like a sore thumb./ Syn.: STAND OUT. 2. {informal} To keep on doing something until it is done no matter how long, hard, or unpleasant. •/Bill is not a fast runner and he doesn’t have a chance of winning the marathon, but he will stick out the race even if he finishes last./ – Often used in the phrase «stick it out». •/Mathematics is hard, but if you stick it out you will understand it./ Compare: HANG ON(2), STICK WITH(1).

[stick out like a sore thumb]{v. phr.} To be conspicuous; be different from the rest. •/When the foreign student was placed in an advanced English grammar class by mistake, it was no wonder that he stuck out like a sore thumb./

[stick together]{v.} To remain close together in a situation. •/Stick together in the cave so that no one gets lost./ •/The gang stuck together after the game./ •/Bill and Bob stick together in a game or in a fight./ Syn.: HANG TOGETHER(1).

[stick to one’s guns] or [stand by one’s guns]{v. phr.} To hold to an aim or an opinion even though people try to stop you or say you are wrong. •/People laughed at Columbus when he said the world was round. He stuck to his guns and proved he was right./ •/At first the boss would not give Jane the raise in pay she wanted, but she stood by her guns and he gave it to her./ Compare: STAND ONE’S GROUND.

[stick to one’s knitting] or [tend to one’s knitting]{v. phr.}, {informal} To do your own job and not bother other people. •/The trouble with Henry is that he is always telling other people what to do; he can’t stick to his knitting./

[stick to one’s ribs] or [stick to the ribs]{v. phr.}, {informal} To keep you from getting hungry again too quickly. •/Doctors say you should eat a good breakfast that sticks to your ribs./ •/Farmers eat food that sticks to the ribs./

[stick to the point]{v. phr.} To stay on course during a discussion; adhere to the topic; not talk about extraneous matters. •/Stick to the point and stop telling us your life history!/ See: COME TO THE POINT.

[stick up]{v.}, {informal} To rob with a gun. •/When the messenger left the bank, a man jumped out of an alley and stuck him up./ Syn.: HOLD UP. •/In the old West, outlaws sometimes stuck up the stagecoaches./

[stick-up]{n.}, {informal} A robbery by a man with a gun. •/Mr. Smith was the victim of a stick-up last night./

[stick up for] See: STAND UP FOR.

[stick with]{v.}, {informal} 1. or [stay with] To continue doing; not quit. •/Fred stayed with his homework until it was done./ •/Practicing is tiresome, but stick with it and some day you will be a good pianist./ Compare: STICK TO. 2. To stay with; not leave. •/Stick with me until we get out of the crowd./ •/For two months Bill’s boss could not pay his salary, but Bill stuck with him because he thought the company would soon succeed./ 3. To sell (someone) something poor or worthless; cheat. •/Father said that the man in the store tried to stick him with a bad TV set./ 4. To leave (someone) with (something unpleasant); force to do or keep something because others cannot or will not. – Usually used in the passive. •/When Harry and I went to the store to buy ice cream cones, Harry ran out with his cone without paying and I was stuck with paying for it./ •/Mary didn’t wash the dishes before she left so I’m stuck with it./ •/Mr. Jones bought a house that is too big and expensive, but now he’s stuck with it./

[stick with]{v. phr.} To unfairly thrust upon; encumber one with. •/In the restaurant my friends stuck me with the bill although it was supposed to be Dutch treat./

[sticky fingers]{n. phr.}, {slang} 1. The habit of stealing things you see and want. •/Don’t leave money in your locker; some of the boys have sticky fingers./ •/Don’t leave that girl alone in the room with so many valuable objects around, because she has sticky fingers./ 2. Ability to catch a ball, especially football forward passes. •/Jack is very tall and has sticky fingers. He is an end on the football team./

[stiff] See: KEEP A STIFF UPPER LIP, SCARE OUT OF ONE’S WITS or SCARE STIFF.

[still] See: HEART STAND STILL.

[still life]{n. phr.} A term used by artists to describe a motionless picture of a bowl of fruit, flowers, etc. •/One of van Gogh’s most famous still lifes is a vase of yellow flowers./

[still waters run deep] Quiet people probably are profound thinkers. – A proverb. •/He doesn’t say much, but he sure looks smart. Well, still waters run deep, isn’t that true?/

[stir up]{v.} 1. To bring (something) into being, often by great exertion or activity; cause. •/It was a quiet afternoon, and John tried to stir up some excitement./ •/Bob stirred up a fight between Tom and Bill./ Compare: WHIP UP(2). 2. To cause (someone) to act; incite to action or movement; rouse. •/The coach’s pep talk stirred up the team to win./ •/When Mary heard what Betty said about her, she became stirred up./

[stir up a hornet’s nest]{v. phr.} To make many people angry; do something that many people don’t like. •/The principal stirred up a hornet’s nest by changing the rules at school./

[stitch] See: IN STITCHES.

[stock] See: IN STOCK, OUT OF STOCK, TAKE STOCK, TAKE STOCK IN.

[stock-in-trade]{n. phr.} The materials which one customarily deals, sells, or offers. •/Imported silk blouses from the Orient are the stock-in-trade of their small shop./ •/Anecdotes are often an after-dinner speaker’s stock-in-trade./

[stomach] See: EYES BIGGER THAN ONE’S STOMACH, BUTTERFLIES IN YOUR STOMACH, TURN ONE’S STOMACH.

[stone] See: CAST THE FIRST STONE, HAVE A HEART OF STONE, KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE, LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED, PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN GLASS HOUSES SHOULD NOT THROW STONES, ROLLING STONE GATHERS NO MOSS.

[stone-blind]{adj. phr.} 1. Completely blind. •/Poor Al is stone-blind and needs help to get across the street carefully./ 2. Highly intoxicated. •/George drank too much and got stone-blind at the office party./ See: GET STONED, THREE SHEETS TO THE WIND.

[stone-broke] or [dead broke] or [flat broke]{adj.}, {informal} Having no money; penniless. •/Jill wanted to go to the movies but she was stone-broke./ •/The man gambled and was soon flat broke./

[stone-cold]{adj.} Having no warmth; completely cold. – Used to describe things that are better when warm. •/The boys who got up late found their breakfast stone-cold./ •/The furnace went off and the radiators were stone-cold./

[stone-dead]{adj.}, {informal} Showing no signs of life; completely dead. •/Barry tried to revive the frozen robin but it was stone-dead./

[stone-deaf]{adj. phr.} Completely deaf. •/Sam is stone-deaf so let him read your lips if you know no sign language./

[stone wall] or [brick wall]{adj.} Something hard to overcome; an idea or belief that is hard to change. •/The students ran into a brick wall when they asked the principal to put off the examination./ •/Dick tried to change Father’s mind about letting him use the car Saturday night, but he was up against a stone wall./

[stone’s throw] or [within a stone’s throw]{adv. phr.} Within a very short distance. •/They live across the street from us, just within a stone’s throw./ See: HOP, SKIP AND A JUMP.

[stool pigeon]{n.} A criminal who informs on his associates. •/The detective was able to solve the crime mainly through information obtained from a stool pigeon./

[stop] See: PUT AN END TO(1), or PUT A STOP TO.

[stop at nothing]{v. phr.} To be unscrupulous. •/Al will stop at nothing to get Nancy to go out with him./

[stop by] See: DROP BY.

[stop cold] or [stop dead] or [stop in one’s tracks]{v. phr.}, {informal} To stop very quickly or with great force. •/The hunter pulled the trigger and stopped the deer cold./ •/When I saw Mary on the street, I was so surprised I stopped dead./ •/The deer heard a noise and he stopped in his tracks./

[stop off]{v.} To stop at a place for a short time while going somewhere. •/We stopped off after school at the soda fountain before going home./ •/On our trip to California we stopped off in Las Vegas for two days./

[stop over]{v.} To stay at a place overnight or for some other short time while on a trip elsewhere. •/When we came back from California, we stopped over one night near the Grand Canyon./

[stop short]{v. phr.} To suddenly stop. •/Jake stopped short when he heard somebody yell out his name loud but there was no one in sight./

[stop street]{n.} A street where cars must come to a full stop before crossing another street. •/Johnny was late because he traveled on a stop street./ Contrast: THROUGH STREET.

[stop the show]{v. phr.} To elicit such a strong applause from the audience that the show is interrupted. •/Pavarotti’s rendition of «O sole mio» always stops the show./

[stop up]{v. phr.} To block; close. •/If you want to get rid of the leak, you must stop up the two holes you have in the ceiling./

[store] See: DIME STORE, IN STORE, SET STORE BY, VARIETY STORE.

[storm] See: TAKE BY STORM.

[story] See: OLD STORY, SOB STORY, UPPER STORY.

[stow away]{v.} 1. {informal} To pack or store away. •/After New Year’s Day the Christmas decorations were stowed away until another season./ 2. To hide on a ship or another kind of transportation to get a free ride. •/John ran away from home and stowed away on a freighter going to Jamaica./

[straight] See: GO STRAIGHT, SHOOT STRAIGHT.

[straighten out]{v.} To correct a mistake; make you realize you are wrong. •/The teacher saw Jim’s awkward sentence on the board and asked for volunteers to straighten it out./ •/Sometimes only a good spanking will straighten out a naughty child./ Syn.: SQUARE AWAY(2).

[straighten up]{v.} To put in order; make neat. •/Vic had to straighten up his room before he could go swimming./ •/Mrs. Johnson straightened up the house before company came./ Compare: PICK UP(6b), SQUARE AWAY.

[straight face]{n.} A face that is not laughing or smiling. •/Mary told all the funny stories she knew to try to make Joan laugh, but Joan kept a straight face./ •/It is hard to tell when Jim is teasing you. He can tell a fib with a straight face./ •/When Bob fell into the water, he looked funny and I could hardly keep a straight face./

[straight from the horse’s mouth]{slang} Directly from the person or place where it began; from a reliable source or a person that cannot be doubted. •/They are going to be married. I got the news straight from the horse’s mouth – their minister./ •/John found out about the painting straight from the horse’s mouth, from the painter himself./

[straight from the shoulder]{adv. phr.}, {informal} In an open and honest way of speaking; without holding back anything because of fear or politeness or respect for someone’s feelings; frankly. •/John asked what he had done wrong. Bob told him straight from the shoulder./ •/The candidate for Congress spoke out against his opponent’s dishonesty straight from the shoulder./ Contrast: PULL ONE’S PUNCHES.

[straightlaced]{adj.} Of very strict morals and manners. •/She is so straightlaced that she won’t even go out with a man unless she senses that he is serious about her./

[straight off]{adv. phr.} At once; immediately. •/After school is over, you come home straight off, and don’t waste time./ •/He asked his father for the car, but his father said straight off that he couldn’t have it./

[straight out] See: RIGHT OUT.

[straight shooters] See: SHOOT STRAIGHT.

[straight ticket]{n.} A vote for all the candidates of a single party. •/Uncle Fred was a loyal member of his party. He always voted the straight ticket./ Contrast: SPLIT TICKET.

[strain a point] See: STRETCH A POINT.

[strange to say]{adv. phr.} Not what you might think; surprisingly. – Used for emphasis. •/Strange to say, Jerry doesn’t like candy./ •/Strange to say, the Indians didn’t kill Daniel Boone./

[strapped for]{adj.} Broke; out of funds. •/My brother is so extravagant that he is always strapped for cash./

[straw] See: GIVE A HANG, GRASP AT A STRAW, GRASP AT STRAWS, LAST STRAW or STRAW THAT BREAKS THE CAMEL’S BACK, MAKE BRICKS WITHOUT STRAW.

[straw boss]{n.} 1. The boss of a few workers who is himself under another boss or foreman. •/The straw boss told Jim he would have to see the foreman about a job./ 2, A man who works himself and also bosses a few other workers. •/Smith worked better than the other men, so the foreman made him straw boss, too./

[straw in the wind]{n. phr.} A small sign of what may happen. •/The doctor’s worried face was a straw in the wind./ •/The quickly-called meeting of the President and his cabinet was a straw in the wind./

[straw poll]{n. phr.} An informal survey taken in order to get an opinion. •/The results of our straw poll show that most faculty members prefer to teach between 9 and 11 A.M./

[straw that breaks the camel’s back] See: LAST STRAW.

[straw vote] See: STRAW POLL.

[streak] See: WINNING STREAK.

[streak of luck] See: RUN OF LUCK.

[stream] See: CHANGE HORSES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREAM, SWIM AGAINST THE CURRENT or SWIM AGAINST THE STREAM.

[street] See: BACK STREET, CROSS STREET, MAN IN THE STREET, ON EASY STREET, SIDE STREET, STOP STREET, THROUGH STREET.

[strength] See: ON THE STRENGTH OF.

[stretch a point] or [strain a point]{v. phr.} To permit something different or more than usual; not tell the exact truth or make an exception. •/Mother stretched a point because it was Christmas time and let the children stay up later than usual./ •/It’s straining a point to call Joe a hero just because he saved the kitten from drowning in the bathtub./

[stretch of the imagination]{n. phr.} Imaginative attempt or effort. •/By no stretch of the imagination can I see Al as a successful lawyer./

[stride] See: HIT ONE’S STRIDE, TAKE IN STRIDE.

[strike] See: CALLED STRIKE, HAVE TWO STRIKES AGAINST ONE, LIGHTNING NEVER STRIKES TWICE IN THE SAME PLACE, TWO STRIKES AGAINST ONE.

[strike a bargain]{v. phr.} To arrive at a price satisfactory to both the buyer and the seller. •/After a great deal of haggling, they managed to strike a bargain./

[strike a happy medium]{v. phr.} To find an answer to a problem that is halfway between two unsatisfactory answers. •/Mary said the dress was blue. Jane said it was green. They finally struck a happy medium and decided it was blue-green./ •/Two teaspoons of sugar made the cup of coffee too sweet, and one not sweet enough. One heaping teaspoon struck a happy medium./

[strike all of a heap] See: ALL OF A HEAP.

[strikebreaker]{n.} One who takes the place of workers on strike or one who recruits such people. •/The striking workers threw rotten eggs at the strikebreakers./

[strike gold]{v. phr.} 1. To find gold. •/Ted struck gold near an abandoned mine in California./ 2. To find suddenly the answer to an old puzzle. •/Professor Brown’s assistant struck gold when he came up with an equation that explained the irregular motions of a double star./ See: PAY DIRT.

[strike home] See: HIT HOME.

[strike it rich]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To discover oil, or a large vein of minerals to be mined, or a buried treasure. •/The old prospector panned gold for years before he struck it rich./ 2. To become rich or successful suddenly or without expecting to. •/Everyone wanted to buy one of the new gadgets, and their inventor struck it rich./ •/John did not know that he had a rich Uncle John in Australia. John struck it rich when his uncle left his money to John./ Compare: PAY DIRT(2).

[strike one funny]{v. phr.} To appear or seem laughable, curious, ironic, or entertaining. •/«It strikes me funny,» he said, "that you should refuse my invitation to visit my chateau in France. After all, you love both red wine and old castles. "/

[strike one’s colors] See: HAUL DOWN ONE’S COLORS.

[strike one’s fancy]{v. phr.} To please one’s predilections; appeal to one. •/The red tie with the yellow dragon on it happened to strike my fancy, so I bought it./

[strike] or [hit a sour note]{v. phr.} To spoil the mood at a gathering by hearing some bad news. •/The news of Mr. Brown’s sudden illness struck a sour note during our New Year’s Eve party./ Compare: SPIT INTO THE WEDDING CAKE.

[strike out]{v.} 1. To destroy something that has been written or drawn by drawing a line or cross through it or by erasing it. •/John misspelled "corollary. " He struck it out and wrote it correctly./ 2. To begin to follow a new path or a course of action that you have never tried. •/The boy scouts struck out at daybreak over the mountain pass./ •/John quit his job and struck out on his own as a traveling salesman./ 3. To put (a batter) out of play by making him miss the ball three times; also: To be put out of play by missing the ball three times. •/The pitcher struck out three men in the game./ •/The batter struck out twice./ 4. To push out an arm suddenly in a hitting motion. •/The boxer saw his chance and struck out at his opponent’s jaw./

[strike out at]{v. phr.} To attack someone verbally or physically. •/She was so angry that she struck out at him every occasion she got./

[strike the hour]{v. phr.} To mark or toll the hour (said of clocks or bells). •/We heard the church clock strike the hour of two./

[strike up]{v.} 1a. To start to sing or play. •/We were sitting around the camp fire. Someone struck up a song, and we all joined in./ •/The President took his place on the platform, and the band struck up the national anthem./ 1b. To give a signal to start (a band) playing. •/When the team ran on the field, the band director struck up the band./ 2. To bring about; begin; start. •/The policeman struck up a conversation with John while they were waiting for the bus./ •/It did not take Mary long to strike up acquaintances in her new school./

[strike while the iron is hot] See: MAKE HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES.

[string] See: FIRST STRING, LATCH STRING, ON THE STRING or ON A STRING, PULL STRINGS, PURSE STRINGS, SHOE-STRING CATCH, TIED TO ONE’S MOTHER’S APRON STRINGS.

[string along]{v.}, {informal} 1. To deceive; fool; lead on dishonestly. •/Mary was stringing John along for years but she didn’t mean to marry him./ •/George told the new boy that he must always call the teacher «Sir,» but the new boy soon saw that George was stringing him along./ Compare: ON A STRING. 2. To follow someone’s leadership; join his group. •/Those of you who want to learn about wild flowers, string along with Jake./

[string out]{v.} To make (something) extend over a great distance or a long stretch of time. •/The telephone poles were strung out along the road as far as we could see./ •/Mary and Ann did not have much to say but they did not want to go home. They strung out their gossip for a long time./

[string up]{v.}, {slang} To put a rope around the neck of a person and choke him to death; hang. •/The posse strung up the rustler without a trial./ Compare: NECKTIE PARTY.

[strings attached]{adv. phr.} With some special proviso or condition that is a handicap. •/John inherited a large fortune but with the string attached that he could not touch a penny of it before his 28th birthday./

[strip] See: DRAG STRIP.

[stripe] See: MIDFIELD STRIPE.

[stroke] See: AT A STROKE or AT ONE’S STROKE.

[stroke of luck] See: RUN OF LUCK.

[strong language]{n. phr.} Cursing; swearing. •/When Ned learned that he had been fired, he used some very strong language about his boss./

[strung out]{adj.}, {slang}, {colloquial} 1. Nervous, jittery, jumpy; generally ill because of drug use or withdrawal symptoms. •/The only explanation I can think of for Max’s behavior is that he must be strung out./ 2. To suffer because of a lack of something previously accustomed to, such as the love and affection of someone. •/Sue is all strung out for Jim; they’ve just split up./ Compare: SPACED OUT.

[stuck on]{slang} Very much in love with; crazy about. •/Judy thinks she is very pretty and very smart. She is stuck on herself./ •/Lucy is stuck on the football captain./

[stuck-up]{adj.}, {informal} Acting as if other people are not as good as you are; conceited; snobbish. •/Mary is very stuck-up, and will not speak to the poor children in her class./

[stuck with]{adj. phr.} Left in a predicament; left having to take care of a problem caused by another. •/Our neighbors vanished without a trace and we got stuck with their cat and dog./