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1 of 10


at pains

Categories: adjective
A Dictionary of American Idioms
1 of 10
[at pains]  {adj. phr.}
Making a special effort.
At pains to make a good impression, she was prompt for her appointment.
Categories: adjective
A Dictionary of American Idioms
2 of 10


at one's beck and call

Categories: adjective call
A Dictionary of American Idioms
2 of 10
[at one's beck and call] or [at the beck and call of]  {adj. phr.}
Ready and willing to do whatever someone asks; ready to serve at a moment's notice.
A good parent isn't necessarily always at the child's beck and call.
Categories: adjective call
A Dictionary of American Idioms
3 of 10


at all costs

Categories: adverb time
A Dictionary of American Idioms
3 of 10
[at all costs]  {adv. phr.}
At any expense of time, effort, or money. Regardless of the results.
Mr. Jackson intended to save his son's eyesight at all costs.
Carl is determined to succeed in his new job at all costs.
Categories: adverb time
A Dictionary of American Idioms
4 of 10


by inches

Categories: adverb
A Dictionary of American Idioms
4 of 10
[by inches]  {adv. phr.}
By small or slow degrees; little by little; gradually.
The river was rising by inches.
They got a heavy wooden beam under the barn for a lever, and managed to move it by inches.
He was dying by inches.
Categories: adverb
A Dictionary of American Idioms
5 of 10


by means of

Categories: preposition
A Dictionary of American Idioms
5 of 10
[by means of]  {prep.}
By the use of; with the help of.
The fisherman saved himself by means of a floating log.
By means of monthly payments, people can buy more than in the past.
Categories: preposition
A Dictionary of American Idioms
6 of 10


cut short

Categories: time verb
A Dictionary of American Idioms
6 of 10
[cut short]  {v.}
To stop or interrupt suddenly; end suddenly or too soon.
Rain cut short the ball game.
An auto accident cut short the man's life.
When Dick began to tell about his summer vacation the teacher cut him short, saying "Tell us about that another time."
Categories: time verb
A Dictionary of American Idioms
7 of 10


cry wolf

Categories: verb
A Dictionary of American Idioms
7 of 10
[cry wolf]  {v. phr.}
To give a false alarm; warn of a danger that you know is not there.
The general said that the candidate was just crying wolf when he said that the army was too weak to fight for the country.
(From an old story about a shepherd boy who falsely claimed a wolf was killing his sheep, just to start some excitement.)
Categories: verb
A Dictionary of American Idioms
8 of 10


dying to

Categories: adjective desire
A Dictionary of American Idioms
8 of 10
[dying to]  {adj. phr.}
Having a great desire to; being extremely eager to.
Seymour is dying to date Mathilda, but she keeps refusing him.
Categories: adjective desire
A Dictionary of American Idioms
9 of 10


dry behind the ears

Categories: adjective informal
A Dictionary of American Idioms
9 of 10
[dry behind the ears]  {adj. phr.},  {informal}
Experienced; knowing how to do something. Usually used in the negative.
John had just started working for the company, and was not dry behind the ears yet.
Compare: [KNOW ONE'S WAY AROUND].
Contrast: [WET BEHIND THE EARS].
Categories: adjective informal
A Dictionary of American Idioms
10 of 10


explode a bombshell

Categories: informal verb
A Dictionary of American Idioms
10 of 10
[explode a bombshell] or [drop a bombshell]  {v. phr.},  {informal}
To say something startling; suggest or show something astonishing or shocking.
The police exploded a bombshell when they arrested the kindly old banker for stealing money from the bank.
The principal exploded a bombshell by cancelling the dance as a penalty.
Political leaders exploded a bombshell when they picked the young lawyer to run for mayor.
Categories: informal verb
A Dictionary of American Idioms