ETS Idiom, Proverb
going gets rough
heavens to Betsy
hedge your bets
jimminy crickets
more than meets the eye
sweat bullets
sweat bullets/blood
the early bird gets the worm
the going gets rough
the squeaky wheel gets the grease
there's more than meets the eye
three sheets to the wind
when the going gets tough
bracelets
duckets
tea and crumpets
Idiom(s): tea and crumpetsTheme: SOCIAL
a fancy or fussy meeting or reception where refreshments, especially sweet and insubstantial refreshments are served. (Fixed order.)
• I don't have time to spend the afternoon having tea and crumpets with the office staff I have work to do!
• Almost every one of my Sunday afternoons is taken up with tea and crumpets for this cause and tea and crumpets for that cause! My rest and relaxation is the only cause I am interested in this Sunday!
line one's own pockets
Idiom(s): line one's own pocketsTheme: GREED
to make money for oneself in a greedy or dishonest fashion. (Slang.)
• When it was discovered that the sales manager was lining her own pockets with commissions, she was fired.
• If you line your pockets while in public office, you'll get in serious trouble.
hedge one's bets
Idiom(s): hedge one's betsTheme: BALANCE
to reduce one's loss on a bet or on an investment by counterbalancing the loss in some way. (Slang.)
• Bob bet Ann that the plane would be late. He usually hedges his bets. This time he called the airline and asked about the plane before he made the bet.
• John bought some stock and then bet Mary that the stock would go down in value in one year. He has hedged his bets perfectly. If the stock goes up, he sells it, pays off Mary, and still makes a profit. If it goes down, he reduces his loss by winning the bet he made with Mary.
give as good as one gets
Idiom(s): give as good as one getsTheme: RECIPROCITY
to give as much as one receives; to pay someone back in kind. (Usually in the present tense.)
• John can take care of himself in a fight. He can give as good as he gets.
• Sally usually wins a formal debate. She gives as good as she gets.
flotsam and jetsam
Idiom(s): flotsam and jetsamTheme: WORTHLESSNESS
worthless matter; worthless encumbrances. (Refers to the floating wreckage of a ship and its cargo. Fixed order.)
• His mind is burdened with the flotsam and jetsam of many years of poor instruction and lax study habits.
• Your report would be better if you could get rid of a lot of the flotsam and jetsam and clean up the grammar a bit.
when the going gets rough
Idiom(s): when the going gets tough AND when the going gets roughTheme: DIFFICULTY
when things get extremely difficult; when it becomes difficult to proceed. (A second line is sometimes added to the main entry phrase: When the going gets tough, the tough get going. This means that when things become difficult, strong people begin to work or move faster and harder.)
• When the going gets tough, I will be there to help you.
• I appreciate the kind words you sent to us when the going got a little rough last month.
He who plays with fire gets burnt.
If you behave in a risky way, you are likely to have problems.If a camel gets his nose in a tent, his body will
If you let something intrusive enter your life, your life will become difficult .Kindness begets kindness.
If you are kind to people, they will be kind to you.Money begets money.
If you have money you can make more money.All bets are off
(USA) If all bets are off, then agreements that have been made no longer apply.Deep pockets
If someone has deep pockets, they are wealthy.Deep pockets but short arms
Someone who has money but never puts his hand in his pocket to pay for anything has deep pockets but short arms.Hornets' nest
A hornets' nest is a violent situation or one with a lot of dispute. (If you create the problem, you 'stir up a hornets' nest'.)Is Saul also among the prophets?
It's a biblical idiom used when somebody known for something bad appears all of a sudden to be doing something very good.Make bets in a burning house
(USA) If people are making bets in a burning house, they are engaged in futile activity while serious problems around them are getting worse.Seven sheets to the wind
If someone is seven sheets to the wind, they are very drunk.Squeaky wheel gets the grease
(USA) When people say that the squeaky wheel gets the grease, they mean that the person who complains or protests the loudest attracts attention and service.Streets ahead
If people are streets ahead of their rivals, they are a long way in front.The Mountie always gets his man
(Canada) The Mounties are the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and they have a reputation for catching criminals they are after.Three sheets in the wind
(UK) Someone who is three sheets in the wind is very drunk. ('Three sheets to the wind' is also used. 'Seven sheets' is an alternative number used.)Where the rubber meets the road
(USA) Where the rubber meets the road is the most important point for something, the moment of truth. An athlete can train all day, but the race is where the rubber meets the road and they'll know how good they really are.cry buckets|bucket|buckets|cry
v. phr. To shed an excessive amount of tears. Grandma is crying buckets over the loss of our cat.early bird gets the worm|catch|catches|early|early
A person who gets up early in the morning has the best chance of succeeding; if you arrive early or are quicker, you get ahead of others.
A proverb. When Billy's father woke him up for school he said, "The early bird catches the worm." Charles began looking for a summer job in January; he knows that the early bird gets the worm. Compare: FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED.
give as good as one gets|as good as one gets|get|g
v. phr. To be able to give back blow for blow; defend yourself well in a fight or argument. The Americans gave as good as they got in the war with the English. George gave as good as he got in his fight with the older boy.Compare: EYE FOR AN EYE, GAME AT WHICH TWO CAN PLAY.
line one's pockets|line|line one's purse|pocket|po
v. phr., informal To get a lot of money unfairly; get rich by being dishonest. The policeman lined his pockets by taking bribes. The inspector lined his pockets by permitting contractors to use poor building materials.Compare: FEATHER ONE'S NEST.
liquid assets|asset|assets|liquid|liquid asset
n. phr. Those belongings that can be easily converted into cash. Herb asked for a loan and the bank manager told him to bring in proof of all his liquid assets.three sheets in the wind|sheet|sheets|three|three
adj. phr., informal Unsteady from too much liquor; drunk. The sailor came down the street, three sheets in the wind.jetsam
jetsamsee flotsam and jetsam.
line one's pockets
line one's pocketsAccept a bribe or other illicit payment, as in The mayor and his cronies found dozens of ways to line their pockets. This expression dates from the mid-1500s, when it was also put as line one's purse.
live in each other's pockets
live in each other's pocketssee in one's pocket, def. 2.
stir up a hornets' nest
stir up a hornets' nestMake trouble, cause a commotion, as in Asking for an audit of the treasurer's books stirred up a hornets' nest in the association. This metaphoric term, likening hornets to angry humans, dates from the first half of the 1700s.
weep buckets
weep bucketsCry copiously, as in That sad tale of unrequited love always made her weep buckets. [Colloquial]
when the going gets tough, the tough get going
when the going gets tough, the tough get goingsee under get going, def. 2.
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