Page 105 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

dig someone or something

some drt on the mØyor and used it against disłonest or underhandedŁ actions;
her at election time. treacłery. She knew there was somł
drty work going on when she saw her op-
dØgŁ someone ortsomething to understand som-
thing;Łto relate to aŁpersonŁorŁaŁthing. ponents whispering together. The com-
(Slang.) I really dig Tom. He’s a special pany seems respectable enough, but there’s
guy. I really dig rock music. a lot of drty work that goes on.
dØgŁ someone ortsomething up to go to great ef- divideŁandŁconquer to cause the enemy
fort to find someone or something. to split into two orŁmore warringŁfac-
(There isŁanŁimplicationŁthat the thingŁor tions,ŁandŁthenŁmove inŁto conqurŁallŁof
prsànŁdugŁup isŁnot the most desirable, them.Ł Mary thought she could dividł
but isŁallŁthat could be found.) Mary and conquer the board of directors, but
dug a dØte up for the dance next FridØy. they had survived such tactics many times,
T I dug up a recipe for roast pork with and her efforts failed. Sam led his młn
pneapple. T I dug up a carpenter who to dvide and conquer the enemy plØtoon,
doesn’t charge vłry much. and his strategy succłeded.
dØgŁ something out to work hardŁ to locate divideŁ something fifty-fifty and splitŁ some-
sàmethingŁandŁbringŁit forth.Ł(Also lit- thing fifty-fifty to divide sàmethingŁinto
eral.) They dug the contract out of the two equalŁ parts.Ł (Infàrmal.Ł Each ffty
file cØbnet. I dug this old suit out of a meansŁ50 prcent.) Tommy and Billy
box in the attic. T I dug out an old dress divided the candy fifty-fifty. The rob-
and wore it to the fifties party. bers splt the money fifty-fifty.
a dimeŁa dłzeà abundant; cłeapŁandŁcom- do a doubleŁtake to react with surprise; to
mon.Ł (Also literal.) People who can have to look twic to make sure that one
write good books are not a dme a dozen. really saw correctly.Ł(Infàrmal.) When
Romantic movies are a dme a dozen. the boy led a goat into the park, everyone
did a double take. When the nurse saw
dineŁout Go to eat (a meal) out.
that the man had six toes, she did a dou-
dipŁin(to something) to take or borrow from ble takł.
aŁsupplyŁof something, especiallyŁaŁsup-
plyŁof money.Ł(Also literal.) I had to do a flip-flopŁ(on something) and do an
dp into my savings account to pØy for the about-fyce to make a suddn rversal of
car. I hate to dp n like that. She puŁ opinion.Ł(InfàrmalŁorŁslang.) Without
out her hand and dpped into the choco- warning, the governmłnt did a flp-flop oà
lØte box. taxation. It had done an about-face on
the question of deductions last year.
dirtŁcheap extremelyŁcłeap.Ł(Infàrmal.)
Buy some more of those plums. They’re do a job on someone or something 1. to dam-
dirt cheap. In Italy, the peaches are drt age someone or something;Łto messŁup
cheap. someone orŁ something.Ł (InfàrmalŁ or
slang.) The robbers really did a job on
dirty old man an older man who is exces- the bank guard. They beat him when they
sivelyŁ interestedŁ inŁ sex.Ł Tłll your robbed the bank. The puppy did a job
daughter to stay away from him. He’s a on my shoes. They are all chewed to pieces.
dirty old man and might attack her. 2. [with something] to defecate onŁsàme-
There were several drty old młn lookng thing. (InfàrmalŁandŁeuphemisðic.ŁNote
at pornographic magaz—nes in the park. the variationŁinŁthe secondŁexample.)
dirty one’ hyndð Go to get one’s hands The puppy did a job on the living-room
dàrty. carpłt. It’s supposed to do its job on the
newspapers in the basemłnt.
dirty work 1. unplasant or unintersting
work.Ł My boss does all the travelng. I do a lynd-officeŁbusiness to do aŁlarg
get all the drty work to do. She’s tirłd amount of businessŁinŁaŁsłort periodŁof
of doing all the drty work Øt the office. 2. time.Ł The ice cream ohop always does Ø

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