Meaning: accrete

v.
grow together (of plants and organs)grow or become attached by accretion

ret Idiom, Proverb

a pretty penny

a lot of money, a high price I bet she paid a pretty penny for that coat. It looks expensive.

anal retentive

too concerned with detail, pedantic Amy is anal retentive. She writes down everything the teacher says.

beat a hasty retreat

run away from, leave quickly When the boys heard the siren they beat a hasty retreat.

by any stretch...

(See not by any stretch of the imagination)

cost a pretty penny

cost a lot of money, had a high price Elvis bought a new pink Cadillac. I bet that cost a pretty penny.

deep, dark secret

very private information, on the QT I'll tell you all - except my past. That's a deep, dark secret.

discretion is the better part of valor

"be sensible when you are brave; be courageous but not reckless" In all your battles, be brave but not foolish. Discretion is the better part of valor.

keep a secret

not tell anyone, keep it to yourself Children can keep a secret better than adults.

not by any stretch of the imagination

not adding to the story, not stretching it Gigi wasn't his only girl, not by any stretch of the imagination.

open secret

a secret that so many people know it is no longer a secret It is an open secret that he will be leaving the company next month.

point of no return

(See the point of no return)

pretty (adv.)

" rather; somewhat. "

pretty as a picture

very pretty, beautiful """How do I look in my new dress?"" ""Pretty as a picture, my dear."""

pretty penny

(See cost a pretty penny)

sitting pretty

be in a favorable situation He is sitting pretty with his new job and lots of money.

stretch a point

agree to something beyond the limit of what is normally allowed I think it is stretching a point to think you can go and take a two-hour lunch break.

stretch the dollar

spend carefully, buy the most for each dollar We have a large family. I stretch the dollar as far as I can.

stretch the envelope

extend the boundaries, expand your horizons I've set some goals that stretch my envelope - challenge me.

stretch the truth

add to a true story, include lies with the truth Al was stretching the truth. He said the waves were 60 feet high.

stretching it

saying it was bigger or better than it was To say the mosquitoes are as big as starlings is stretching it.

that's stretching it

that is adding to the story, stretching it Did he say there were fifty flying saucers? That's stretching it.

the point of no return

a time when it is too late to stop or turn back, change horses in... Our offer to purchase the business has been accepted. We've reached the point of no return.

trade secret

a business secret, a special recipe or formula I won't tell how Paula makes her pizza. It's a trade secret.

chutney ferret

derogatory term for a homosexual male

claret

blood; from its colour

ferret out

find or discover by diligent searching找出；探出；搜出
The murderer was ferreted out．凶手被查获了。
John ferreted out the answer to the question in the library．约翰在图书馆找到了问题的答案。
Where did you ferret out my book？I lost it long ago．你从哪儿找到我这本书的？它已丢失好长时间了。
Jane smelled out the boy's secret hiding place in the woods．简发现了这男孩在树林里的秘密隐藏处。

ferret/smell out

in return

as repayment；as a reward回报；作为报酬
I hope I can be of some servise to you in return．但愿我能为你做点事作为报答。
What can we do for them in return for all the help they have given us？我们将怎样来报答他们所给我们的种种帮助呢？ I gave him some books in return for his assistance．我给了他一些书，作为对他所提供的帮助的回报。

in return (for)

pretend to

profess to have自称
Certainly I can pretend to no special knowledge of electronics．我当然不能说已经掌握了电子学的专门知识。
He pretended to abilities which he didn't actually possess．他自称有这样那样的才能，但实际上并不是那么回事。

return the compliment

1．say or do the same to sb． that he has said or done to one回敬
Mary said：“I love your new hairdo．” and Julie returned the compliment with“what a pretty dress you're wearing，Mary．”玛丽说：“我喜欢你的新发型。”朱丽回答说：“玛丽，你穿的衣服好漂亮啊。”
2． Pay sb． back回报；报复
Henry hit Jerry on the head，and Jerry returned the compliment．亨利打了杰里头上一拳，杰里也对亨利报以一拳。
revenge oneself（up）on…（for）get even with…for为…而向…报仇
Hamlet revenged himself on his uncle，for his father's death．哈姆雷特向叔父报了杀父之仇。
He is sure to revenge himself on anyone who dares to bully or insult him．对胆敢欺负和侮辱他的人，他是一定要报复的。

stretch out

1．extend 伸出
The little boy stretched out his hands to catch the toy．小男孩伸出双手去抓玩具。
He stretched out his arms and embraced me tightly．他伸出双臂紧紧拥抱了我。
2．extend one's body or part of it for relaxation 伸直四肢
He stretched out on the grass in the sunshine．他舒展着身子躺在阳光下的草地上。
The cat stretched out in front of the fire．猫伸直身体躺在炉前。
3．be enough or cause sth．to be enough 使够用
Will the food stretch out？Tonight we've got three extra guests for dinner．饭菜够吃吗？今晚我们多了3个客人吃饭。
I don't see how I can stretch out the housekeeping to the end of the month．我不知道家用钱要怎么安排才能维持到月底。

stretch one's legs

Idiom(s): stretch one's legs

Theme: MOVEMENT

to walk around after sitting down or lying down for a time.
• We wanted to stretch our legs during the theater interval.
• After sitting in the car all day, the travelers decided to stretch their legs.

return the favor

Idiom(s): return the favor

Theme: RECIPROCITY

to do a good deed for someone who has done a good deed for you.
• You helped me last week, so I'll return the favor and help you this week.
• There is no point in helping Bill. He'll never return the favor.

Pretty is as pretty does

Idiom(s): Pretty is as pretty does

Theme: PERSONALITY

you should do pleasant things if you wish to be considered pleasant.
• Now, Sally. Let's be nice. Pretty is as pretty does.
• My great aunt always used to say "pretty is as pretty does" to my sister.

in a pretty pickle

Idiom(s): in a (pretty) pickle

Theme: TROUBLE

in a mess; in trouble.
• John has gotten himself into a pickle. He has two dates for the party.
• Now we are in a pretty pickle. We are out of gas.

ferret sth out of

Idiom(s): ferret sth out of sb or sth

Theme: INQUIRY

to remove or retrieve something from someone or something, usually with cunning and persistence.
• I tried very hard, but I couldn't ferret the information out of the clerk.
• I had to ferret out the answer from a book in the library.

do sth in secret

Idiom(s): do sth in secret

Theme: SECRECY

to do something privately or secretly.
• Why do you always do things like that in secret?
• There is no need to count your money in secret.

come to a pretty pass

Idiom(s): come to a pretty pass

Theme: DEVELOPMENT

to develop into a bad, unfortunate, or difficult situation.
• Things have come to a pretty pass when people have to beg in the streets.
• When parents are afraid of their children, things have come to a pretty pass.

by return mail

Idiom(s): by return mail

Theme: POSTAL

by a subsequent mailing (back to the sender). (A phrase indicating that an answer is expected soon, by mail.)
• Since this bill is overdue, would you kindly send us your check by return mail?
• I answered your request by return mail over a year ago. Please check your records.

at a stretch

Idiom(s): at a stretch

Theme: CONTINUOUSLY

continuously; without stopping.
• We all had to do eight hours of duty at a stretch.
• The baby doesn't sleep for more than three hours at a stretch.

stretch the point

Idiom(s): stretch a point AND stretch the point

Theme: EXAGGERATION

to interpret a point flexibly and with great latitude.
• Would it be stretching a point to suggest that everyone is invited to your picnic?
• To say that everyone is invited is stretching the point.

return one's compliment

Idiom(s): return the compliment AND return someone's compliment

Theme: RECIPROCITY

to pay a compliment to someone who has paid you a compliment.
• Mary told me that my hair looked nice, so I returned her compliment and told her that her hair was lovely.
• When someone says something nice, it is polite to return the compliment.

Discretion is the better part of valour

It is useless to take unnecessary risks.

Cigarette paper

If you cannot get or put a cigarette paper between people, they are so closely bonded that nothing will separate them or their positions on issues.

Home stretch

The home stretch is the last part of something, like a journey, race or project.

Many happy returns

This expression is used to wish someone a happy birthday.

Sit pretty

Someone who's sitting pretty is in a very advantageous situation.

a pretty pass|pass|pretty pass

n. phr. An unfortunate condition; a critical state. While the boss was away, things at the company had come to a pretty pass.

beat a retreat|beat|retreat

v. phr. 1. To give a signal, esp. by beating a drum, to go back. The Redcoats' drums were beating a retreat. 2. To run away. They beat a retreat when they saw that they were too few. The cat beat a hasty retreat when he saw the dog coming.
Compare: BACK DOWN, FALL BACK.