Meaning: aba transit number

n.
an identification number consisting of a two-part code assigned to banks and savings associations; the first part shows the location and the second identifies the bank itself

tra Idiom, Proverb

a contract out on

a contract that pays to have someone killed There's a contract out on Mike. The boss doesn't like him.

a paper trail

a series of memos or letters that record events A business merger leaves a long paper trail - many documents.

a perfect stranger

a person you have never seen, a total stranger In New York, a perfect stranger asked her to sleep with him.

a total stranger

one you have never seen, a perfect stranger """Can I give you a ride home?"" ""No. You're a total stranger."""

brain traffic

thoughts and information moving through the brain I wish I could turn off my mind when brain traffic is too heavy.

build a better mousetrap

improve a common product If you're not an inventor, you try to build a better mousetrap.

catch a plane/bus/train

go to the airport and get on the plane After the meeting, you can catch the plane to Toronto.

claptrap

nonsense, trivia, bull I heard what the psychic said. What a lot of claptrap!

contract out on

(See a contract out on)

crack under the strain

become irrational or hysterical due to strain, around the bend Mother was a strong person. She never cracked under the strain of raising ten children.

drive you to distraction

cause you to lose thoughts, drive me up the wall Her continual chatter will drive you to distraction.

fall into a trap

be tricked, be deceived When the lawyer asks you questions, don't fall into a trap.

fast track

the quickest route or path, short cut There is no fast track to success in the field of photography.

get it straight

understand it, catch on, figure out She doesn't know the difference between boys and girls. I hope she soon gets it straight.

get this straight

understand what is said, get the picture Let me get this straight. You say there's a moose in your bathtub?

give it to me straight

give me the facts, do not beat around the bush """I have some bad news, man."" ""Tell me. Give it to me straight."""

go straight

change from a criminal to a law-abiding citizen When he's released from prison he plans to go straight.

go the extra mile

work longer or harder than expected, give 110% If you are willing to go the extra mile, you can be the top student.

grasp at straws

try something with little hope of succeeding, depend on something that is useless in a time of trouble He is grasping at straws. He will never find enough money to pay next month

gravy train

a job or work that pays more than it is worth For many years his job was a real gravy train but now the company has become very strict and will not pay overtime.

hit and run (traffic)

an accident in which the driver leaves the scene of the collision Was your car involved in a hit-and-run accident? Did you fail to stop after hitting someone?

hit the road/trail

travel, leave Let's hit the road early. We have many miles to go.

horse trade

a business agreement or bargain arrived at after hard bargaining After several hours of horse trading we finally reached an agreement to buy the new computers.

hot on the trail

following the trail, looking for evidence The police are hot on the trail of the bank robbers.

in dire straits

in debt, having no money If we don't get a good crop this year, we'll be in dire straits.

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.

jack-of-all-trades

a person who can do many things We gave him a job because we needed a jack-of-all-trades around the factory to look after the many repairs.

keep a straight face

not smile or laugh, have a a poker face When you said I was your uncle, I couldn't keep a straight face.

keep them straight

know the difference, be able to identify them Mo, you have so many relatives. How do you keep them straight?

keep track

check, count Keep track of the time you work at the computer. Keep a record.

keep track of

maintain a record Please carefully keep track of your expenses during the trip.

keep you on track

tell you what to do, remind you of the topic The instructor will help to keep us on track. She'll remind us.

last straw

(See the last straw)

lose my train of thought

forget my order of thoughts or words Don't interrupt me because I may lose my train of thought.

lose track

forget how many you have, lose count He tried to count the number of birds, but he soon lost track.

lose track of

lose contact with someone (or something) I

make an entrance

enter with style, enter with a flourish When the duchess attends an event she likes to make an entrance.

make strange

be afraid of a stranger, cry when a stranger comes Ali makes strange when we have visitors. He cries and tries to hide.

make tracks

hurry, move quickly, vamoose We better make tracks or we'll be late for dinner.

mind in neutral

not thinking, vegetate Some of our employees stand around with their minds in neutral.

off the beaten track

not on the main road, out of the way I like to explore places that are off the beaten track - wild places.

on track

in the right direction, on the rails After a few problems, our project is back on track.

one-track mind

thinking about only one thing He has a one-track mind. All he thinks about is money.

perfect stranger

(See a perfect stranger)

pick up a trail/scent

recognize the trail of a hunted person or animal The tracking dogs were able to pick up the trail of the criminal easily.

set you straight

give you the facts, tell you how it is If you want to know who's got the gold, Pat will set you straight.

shoot straight

act fairly, deal honestly He always shoots straight when he is dealing with the police or the government.

stock in trade

main product, bread and butter Our stock in trade is tires. We sell more tires than oil or gas.

stop you in your tracks

cause you to stop, prevent you from going further You know what will stop you dead in your tracks? A bear, that's what.

straght from the horse

directly from the person or place where something began I heard straight from the horse