Meaning:
abstains 
v.
refrain from voting
choose not to consume
ins Idiom, Proverb
add insult to injury
add another negative, make it worse, put your foot in it If you say his answer is wrong, and then say he can't understand, you've added insult to injury.
against all odds
not likely to happen, a slim chance Against all odds - poor weather, student pilot - we landed safely.
against the grain
against the natural way, rub the wrong way Some words go against the grain. Their spellings aren't natural.
beat one's brains out
try very hard to understand or do something.
beat your head against a stone wall
try an impossible task, work on a futile project Preventing war is like beating your head against a stone wall.
charity begins at home
"first help the needy in your own community; then help others" If you want to help the poor, remember that charity begins at home.
curtains
the end, the death, the last of If we clearcut Canada's forests, it's curtains for the lumber industry.
dead set against
strongly opposed to, down with She's dead set against abortion as a means of birth control.
dead set against something
determined not to do something They are dead set against their son going to Europe for a year.
go against the grain
oppose the natural way, do it the hard way Moe has always been perverse - always going against the grain.
have two strikes against one
have things working against one, be in a difficult situation He already has two strikes against him and it will be very difficult for him to get the job.
hold the reins
be the most influential person He has been holding the reins in his company for many years.
hope against hope
continue to hope when things look very bad The rescue team were hoping against hope that the lost hikers would be found alive.
if you're not with us you're against us
"if you do not support us you are against us; can't have it both ways" War divides us into allies and enemies. If you're not with us, you're against us.
ins and outs
all the details He knows all the ins and outs of the new machine.
inside and out
in every part, completely We looked through the room inside and out for my lost wallet.
inside information
facts available to those inside an organization I can get inside information. My friend works for the FBI.
inside joke
a joke that is understood by only those who work or play together, inside joke """Would you like to buy some of our liveware?"" I asked. She frowned. ""Never mind,"" I said. ""It's an inside joke. Ha ha."""
inside out
(See know inside out)
inside story
(See the inside story)
inside track
an advantage, shortest distance around a racetrack I think that he has the inside track on getting the new job at the computer company.
instead of
in place of Let
killer instinct
wanting to defeat the opponent Mel is a fine tennis player, but he lacks the killer instinct.
knock against
(See the knock against)
know inside out
know a method well, know an occupation well After 30 years in real estate, he knows the business inside out.
mainstream
common, familiar, of the majority Smoking isn't as common now. It isn't a mainstream activity.
more money than brains
rich but not intelligent, money to burn, moneybags He bought a house but didn't use it, rent it or sell it. He has more money than brains!
on pins and needles
excited, nervous Her daughter has been on pins and needles all day waiting for the contest to begin.
pick the brains of
get ideas or information about something by asking an expert We picked the brains of the official who was sent to talk about the pollution problem.
pick your brains
learn what you know, ask you questions Maria wants to pick your brains about Freud and Jung.
pins and needles
(See on pins and needles)
quicker than you can say Jack Robinson
very quickly The ghost was gone - quicker 'n you can say Jack Robinson!
raise your hand against
hit someone, hurt someone If you ever raise your hand against her, I'll call the police.
raisins
old folks, seniors Let's invite the raisins to our concert. They're a great audience.
run up against (something)
encounter They ran up against many problems when they were building the freeway.
swim against the tide/current
do the opposite of what most people want to do He is always swimming against the tide and never wants to do what his friends are doing.
take pains
try hard, take extra time or care Mr. and Mrs. Wilson take pains to find families that are truly in need.
the inside story
the personal story, the story that is not published Greg knows the inside story on the Lawson murders. He's married to Marcia Lawson.
the inside track
being close to the person who has power, Bob's your uncle If your uncle works at Sears, you should have the inside track on the new job in Men's Wear.
the knock against
his worst fault, his main problem Phil is a great teacher. The only knock against him is his temper.
throw insults
say rude things, insult someone When you don't get what you want, you start throwing insults.
trade insults
insult each other, say rude things to each other, mudsling When the two men couldn't agree on the cause of the problem, they began trading insults.
up against
competing against, trying to defeat """Who were you up against?"" ""Gaetan Boucher, the Champion."""
up against it
poor, not able to pay the bills, hard up We were up against it that year. The crop had failed, we had lots of bills, and none of us had a job.
beef curtains
the female genitals
bins
spectacles
bobbins
rubbish, nonsense, useless. Manchester rhyming slang for rotten, from bobbins of cotton:"That meal was bobbins, next time we'll eat at home"
bobbinsed
drunk, intoxicated [Manchester use]
brains
1. fellatio; oral sex on a male; a blow job."So can I get some brains from you girl or what?"
2. the head of a gang
coins
money:"It's gonna be some serious coins to get into that concert"