Meaning: al-jihad

n.
an Islamic extremist group active since the late 1970s; seeks to overthrow the Egyptian government and replace it with an Islamic state; works in small underground cells

had Idiom, Proverb

a shadow of his former self

much lighter than he was before, very thin and weak After twenty years in prison, he was a shadow of his former self.

been had

cheated, swindled, taken in If he paid a hundred dollars for that radio, he's been had.

had a bellyful

had too much, do not want to receive any more I've had a bellyful of the Reborn Party. What a bunch of bigots!

had a belt

had a drink of alcohol, had a couple Ragnar had a belt or two at the tavern in town.

had a couple

had two or more drinks of alcohol, tipsy She was laughing a lot - like she'd had a couple.

had a few

a little drunk, buzzed He staggered a bit when he walked - like he'd had a few.

had better

should do something I

had enough

endured, fed up, put up with a lot After ten minutes of his talk, she's had enough. She leaves.

had his bell rung

hit hard, bodychecked, knocked out Pat had his bell rung by No. 4. He was unconscious for awhile.

had it

worn beyond use, shabby, wear out My bike's had it: the frame's broken and the gears slip.

had it up to here

upset too many times, had enough I've had it up to here with his smoking! Yuk!

had the bird

worn or broken, wear out These shoes are full of holes. They've had the bird.

have had it (with someone or something)

can

shades

sunglasses, tinted glasses Erica looks cool in her shades. She looks like a model.

shades of

like, similar to That building looks familiar - shades of our old school.

shady deal

unfair business deal, a rip-off Cal is a good salesman, but he's put together some shady deals.

so small you had to back out to change your mind

very small, tiny, as small as a phone booth I've seen small apartments, but this one was so small you had back out to change your mind.

you had to be there

"to understand, you should have been there with me; it was funny then" "When I said, ""Goo!"" everybody laughed and clapped. I guess you had to be there."

beat seven shades of shit out of someone

to thoroughly beat up

had had sooner

choose to（do one thing instead of another）；like better to；would prefer to宁可；宁愿
He invited me to the movies，but I had rather go on a picnic with the girls．他邀请我去看电影，但我倒是喜欢跟女孩们去野餐。
I had sooner live in the city than in the countryside．我宁愿住在城里而不愿住在乡村。

had it not been for

but for；without如果没有
Had it not been for your help，I could not have finished the work．假如没有你的帮助，我是无法完成这项工作的。

had rather/had sooner

had rather sooner

had rather…than

would regard as preferable；had better宁愿…不愿
He had rather die than surrender．他宁死不屈。

have had it

have experienced or suffered all one can；have come to the end of one's patience of life受够了；吃尽了苦头；无法忍受；生命没救了
“I've had it．I'm resigning from the job right now．”“我已经受够了，我要立刻辞去这份工作。”
When the doctor examined the man who had been shot，he said，“He's had it．”医生检查过被枪杀的人以后说：“他已经没救了。”
I don't know how to thank you．If it had not been for your help，I'd have had it．我不知道该如何感谢你，要是没有你的帮助，我就吃尽苦头了。
“The boat is taking in water．”the sailor cried：“We've had it．”那个水手大声喊道：“船漏水了，这下我们可完了。”

have never had it so good

Idiom(s): (have) never had it so good

Theme: ADVANTAGE

have never had so much good fortune. (Informal.)
• No, I'm not complaining. I've never had it so good.
• Mary is pleased with her new job. She's never had it so good.

have had its day

Idiom(s): have had its day

Theme: USELESSNESS

to be no longer useful or successful.
• Streetcars have had their day in most American cities.
• Some people think that radio has had its day, but others prefer it to television.

have had it up to here

Idiom(s): have had it (up to here)

Theme: ENDURANCE

to have reached the end of one's endurance or tolerance. (Informal.)
• Okay, I've had it. You kids go to bed this instant.
• We've all had it with you, John. Get out!
• I've had it. I've got to go to bed before I drop dead.
• Tom is disgusted. He said that he has had it up to here.

have had enough

Idiom(s): have had enough

Theme: ENDURANCE

to have had as much of something as is needed or will be tolerated.
• Stop yelling at me. I've had enough.
• No more potatoes, please. I've had enough.
• I'm leaving you, Bill. I've had enough!

had rather do

Idiom(s): had rather do something AND had sooner do something

Theme: CHOICE

prefer to do something. (The had is usually expressed in a contraction, 'd.)
• I'd rather go to town than sit here all evening.
• They'd rather not.
• I'd sooner not make the trip.

had better do

Idiom(s): had better do sth

Theme: OBLIGATION

ought to do something (or face the consequences).
• I had better get home for dinner, or I'll get yelled at.
• You had better do your homework right now.

had best do

Idiom(s): had best do sth

Theme: OBLIGATION

ought to do something.
• You had best get that fixed right away.
• You had best be at school on time every day.

had as soon do

Idiom(s): had as soon do something AND would as soon do something

Theme: CHOICE

prefer to do something else; to be content to do something. (The would or had is usually 'd. Also with just, as in the examples.)
• They want me to go into town. I'd as soon stay home.
• If you're cooking stew tonight, we'd as soon eat somewhere else.
• I would just as soon stay home as see a bad movie.
• If that's what we're having for dinner, I'd just as soon starve.

beyond the shadow of a doubt

Idiom(s): beyond the shadow of a doubt

Theme: CERTAINTY

completely without doubt.
• We accepted her story as true beyond the shadow of a doubt.
• Please assure us that you are certain of the facts beyond the shadow of a doubt.

afraid of one's own shadow

Idiom(s): afraid of one's own shadow

Theme: FEAR

easily frightened; always frightened, timid, or suspicious.
• After Tom was robbed, he was even afraid of his own shadow.
• Jane has always been a shy child. She has been afraid of her own shadow since she was three.

had sooner do

Gardens are not made by sitting in the shade.

Nothing is achieved without effort.

Beyond a shadow of a doubt

If something's beyond a shadow of a doubt, then absolutely no doubts remain about it.

Cast a long shadow

Something or someone that casts a long shadow has considerable influence on other people or events.

Five o'clock shadow

A five o'clock shadow is the facial hair that a man gets if he doesn't shave for a day or two.

Hot as Hades

If something's as hot as Hades, it's extremely hot.

If I had a nickel for every time

(USA) When someone uses this expression, they mean that the specific thing happens a lot. It is an abbreviation of the statement 'If I had a nickel for every time that happened, I would be rich'

Made in the shade

One has an easy time in life or in a given situation. Finding things working to one's benefit.

Shades of meaning

Shades of meaning is a phrase used to describe the small, subtle differences in meaning between similar words or phrases; 'kid' and 'youth' both refer to young people, but carry differing views and ideas about young people.

more than you've had hot dinners

an expression to mean that you've had a lot of something: "I've had more jobs than you've had hot dinners!"

Coming events cast their shadows before.

There are often early indications of future happenings.

afraid of one's shadow|afraid|shadow

adj. phr., informal Scared of small or imaginary things; very easily frightened; jumpy; nervous. Mrs. Smith won't stay alone in her house at night; she is afraid of her own shadow. Johnny cries whenever he must say hello to an adult; he is afraid of his own shadow.

beyond the shadow of a doubt|beyond|doubt|shadow|s

adv. phr., formal and legal Absolutely certain, totally convincing. Fred burglarized Mrs. Brown's apartment, beyond the shadow of a doubt.

eye shadow|eye|shadow

n. phr. A cream used to darken the eyelids in order to make the eyes more noticeable. Jane's mother told her that girls in the ninth grade shouldn't be using eye shadow.

five o'clock shadow|five|five o'clock|shadow

n. phr. A very short growth of beard on a man's face who did shave in the morning but whose beard is so strong that it is again visible in the afternoon. "You have a five o'clock shadow, honey," Irene said, "and we're going to the opera. Why don't you shave again quickly?"