picksecond-rate second-rate {adj.} Of mediocre or inferior quality. The movie received a bad review; it was second-rate at best. Categories: add yours adjective Source: A Dictionary of American Idioms Nearby entries: saber rattling sack sack in/out sacred cow sacrifice fly saddle saddled with saddle shoe safe safe and sound safety blitz safety glass safety in numbers safety island sail sail close to the wind sail into sail (right) through sailor collar sail under false colors sake salad days sale sales check sales talk Salisbury steak salt salt away salt of the earth salt pork same same here sand sand lot sand-lot sand trap sandwich board sauce save face save for a rainy day save one's breath save one's neck save the day save up saving grace savings account savings bond sawed-off saw wood say say a mouthful say one's peace says who say-so say the word say uncle scale scale down scandal sheet scarcely any scarcely ever scaredy-cat scare away scare out of one's wits scare to death scare up scene scent schedule scheme school school of hard knocks score scot-free scotch broth Scott scout scout around scrape scrape the bottom of the barrel scrape together scrape up scratch scratch around for scratch one's back scratch the surface scream bloody murder screen test screw screw around screws screw up screw-up screw up one's courage scrimmage scrounge around sea sea legs seam search search me search one's heart search out search with a fine-tooth comb season seat seat belt second second best second best second-best second childhood second class second-class second-class second cousin second-guess secondhand second nature second-rate second-run second sight second thought second to none second wind secret section gang section hand security blanket see see a lot of see about see after see better days see beyond one's nose seed see daylight see eye to eye see fit see how the land lies seeing is believing see into see off see one home see one's way clear see out see reason see red see service see stars see the beat see the color of one's money see the last of see the light see the light at the end of the tunnel see the light of day see the sights see things see through see to see to it see with rose-colored glasses seed money seize on seize on seize the opportunity self-conscious self-made self-possessed self-seeking sell down the river sell off sell one a bill of goods sell one on sellout sell out sell short sell snow to the Eskimos send C.O.D. send off send-off send one about one's business send one packing send to the minors send up send word senior citizen sense separate the men from the boys separate the sheep from the goats serve serve a sentence serve notice serve one right serve time serve up service session set set ablaze set about set afire set aside setback set back set back on one's heels set down set eyes on set fire to set foot set forth set free set great store by set in set in one's ways set loose set off set of new threads set on set one's cap for set one's face against set one's hand to set one's hand to the plow set one's heart on set one's house in order set one's mind at rest set one's mind on set one's sights set one's teeth on edge set on foot set out set right set sail set store by set the ball rolling set the pace set the stage for set the world on fire setting-up settle a score settle down settle for settle on settle up set to set to music set to rights set tongues wagging setup setup set upon seven seventh heaven sewed up sexual harassment shack up with shadow shaggy dog (story) shake shake a leg shakedown shake down shake in one's shoes shake off shake the dust from one's feet shake up shake-up shame shape shape up shape up or ship out sharp sharp as a tack shed light on sheep sheepskin sheet shelf shell shell out shift for oneself shine shine up to shingle ship ship come in ship out shipshape shirk one's duty shirt shoe shoe on the other foot shoestring shoestring catch shoo away shoo-in shoot ahead of shoot a line shoot from the hip shoot off one's mouth shoot one's wad shoot out shoot questions at shoot straight shoot the breeze shoot the works shoot up shop shop around for shoplifter shopping center shopworn shore leave shore patrol shore up shorn short short and sweet shortchange shortcut short end shorthanded short haul short list short of short of short of breath short-order cook short shrift short-spoken shot shot in the arm shot in the dark shot through with shoulder shoulder to cry on shoulder to shoulder shoulder to the wheel shout down shout from the housetops shouting shove down one's throat shove off show show a clean pair of heels show around show cause showdown showgirl show in showoff show off show of hands show one's colors show one's face show one's hand show one's teeth show signs show the door show up shrift shrink shrug off shudder to think shut shut down shut-eye shut off shut one's eyes shut out shut the door shut up shy shy away sick sick and tired side side against side by side sidekick side of the tracks side street side with sight sight for sore eyes sight-read sight unseen sign sign in sign off sign of the times sign on sign one's own death warrant sign on the dotted line sign out sign over sign up signed, sealed, and delivered silence gives consent silent majority silver silver anniversary simmer down Simon Legree simple sing a different tune sing for one's supper sing in tune single single out sing one's praises sing out of tune sink sinker sink in sink one's teeth into sink or swim sit sit back sit by sit down sit in sit on sit on a bomb sit on a volcano sit on one's hands sit on the fence sit out sitter sitting on a powder keg sit through sit tight sitting on top of the world sitting pretty sit up sit-up sit up and take notice sit up for sit up with sit well (with) sit with six six bits six of one and half-a-dozen of the other size size up skate skate on thin ice skating rink skeleton in the closet skid lid skid row skim the surface skin skin alive skin and bones skin-deep skin off one's nose skip skip bail skip it skip out skirt around sky sky is the limit slack off slam slap down slap in the face slap in the face slap one's wrist slap together slate slated for slave driver sledding sleep sleep around sleep a wink sleep like a log sleep off sleep on sleep out sleep with sleeve sling hash slinging match slip slip a cog slip away slip off slip of the lip slip of the pen slip of the tongue slip one's mind slip over slip through one's fingers slipup slip up slow burn slowdown slow down slow on the draw slow on the uptake slow tune slow up slug it out sly smack-dab smack one's lips small small frog in a big pond small fry small small talk small-time small wonder smash hit smell a rat smell out smell up smile smoke smoke like a chimney smoke out smoke-out smoke screen Smokey Bear smooth away smooth down smooth over smooth sailing snail's pace snake in the grass snap snap it off snap one's fingers at snap out of snappy snapshot snap up sneak sneak away sneak up on sneeze at sniff out snow in snow job snow under snuff snug as a bug in a rug so soak in soak up so-and-so so-and-so so --- as to soap opera so as to sob all the way to the bank so bad so be it sob story social climber sock sock it soda jerk so far so far as so far, so good soft drink softhearted soft touch so help me soil one's hands so it goes sold on so long so long as so many so many some somebody up there loves/hates me some of these days something something else something else again so much so much so much so much as so much for son song song and dance sonic boom son of a bitch son of a gun soon sooner sooner or later sore sore spot sorrow sort sort of sort out so-so so that so --- that so to speak sought after soul soul-searching sound sound effects sound off sound out sound sheet sound truck soup souped-up so what sow one's wild oats space spaced out space probe spade Spain spar with speak speakeasy speaker speak for speak of the devil and he appears speak one's mind speak one's piece speak out of turn speak out speak the same language speak volumes speak well of speak with a forked tongue speed trap speed up spell out spell trouble spending money spend the night spick-and-span spill spill the beans spin a yarn spine-chilling spine-tingling spinoff spin off spin one's wheels spin out spirit away spite spit spitting image spit up split end split hairs split second split the difference split ticket split up split-up spoil for spoken for sponge sponge bath sponge on spoon spoon-feed sporting blood spot spot check spotlight spread it on thick spread like wildfire spread oneself too thin spring a leak spring chicken spring on one spring up sprout wings spruce up spur squad square square away squared away square deal square meal square off square oneself with square one's shoulders square peg in a round hole square shooter square up squeak squeak by squeak through squeeze out of stab in the back stab in the back stab in the dark stack stack the cards stage stage fright stagestruck stage whisper stag party stake stake a claim stamp stamping ground stamp out stand stand a chance standard time stand by stand by one's guns stand for stand in awe of stand in for stand in one's way stand in with stand off standoffish stand on ceremony stand one in good stead stand one's ground stand on one's own feet stand out stand over stand pat stand the gaff stand to reason stand trial stand up stand up and be counted stand up for stand up to stand up with star starch stare in the face stars in one's eyes start start from scratch start in start out start something start the ball rolling start up stash bag state state-of-the-art status symbol stead stave off stay in stay out stay put stay up late stay with steady steak steal steal a march on steal away steal one's thunder steal the show steal the spotlight steal up on steam steamed up steel steer clear of stem the tide step step all over step down step in step inside step into step into one's shoes step off step on it step on one's toes step on the gas step out step out on stepped up step up sterling character stew in one's own juice stick stick around stick by one stick in one's craw stick in one's throat stick-in-the-mud stick one's neck out stick one's nose into stick out stick out like a sore thumb stick together stick to one's guns stick to one's knitting stick to one's ribs stick to the point stick up stick-up stick up for stick with stick with sticky fingers stiff still still life still waters run deep stir up stir up a hornets nest stitch stock stock-in-trade stomach stone stone-blind stone-broke stone-cold stone-dead stone-deaf stone wall stone's throw stool pigeon stop stop at nothing stop by stop cold stop off stop over stop short stop street stop the show stop up store storm story stow away straight straighten out straighten up straight face straight from the horses mouth straight from the shoulder straightlaced straight off straight out straight shooters straight ticket strain a point strange to say strapped for straw straw boss straw in the wind straw poll straw that breaks the camels back straw vote streak streak of luck stream street strength stretch a point stretch of the imagination stride strike strike a bargain strike a happy medium strike all of a heap strikebreaker strike gold strike home strike it rich strike one funny strike one's colors strike one's fancy strike strike out strike out at strike the hour strike up strike while the iron is hot string string along string out string up strings attached strip stripe stroke stroke of luck strong language strung out stuck on stuck-up stuck with study stuff stuff and nonsense stuff the ballot box stuffed shirt stuffed up stumble across stump style subject to substance succeed such and such such-and-such such as such as it is such that sucker list suck in sugar daddy suit suit to a T suit up suit yourself sum total sum up sun sunbelt Sunday Sunday best sunny-side up supper supply sure sure enough sure-enough surefire sure thing surface surprise survival of the fittest suspicion swallow swallow hook, line, and sinker swallow one's pride swallow one's words swallow up swan song SWAT team swathe swear by swear in swear off swear out sweat sweat blood sweat out Sweeney sweep sweep off one's feet sweep out of sweep the city sweep under the rug sweet sweetie pie sweet on sweet talk sweet tooth swelled head swell-headed swim swim against the current swine swing swing one's weight switch switched on swoop sword sword rattling sworn enemies syllable system Subscribe to: American IdiomsEnglish Slang Leave my opinion