Page 108 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

do the honors

She was the choice of the people hando supposed to be losing włight, but she was
down. snackng on the sly.
do something in a heyrtbeat to dà som- do something overŁ (again) to rdà som-
thingŁalmost immediately.Ł If I had the thing;Łto repeat the dàingŁof sàmething.
money, I would go back to collłge in a This isn’t right. You’ll have to do t over
heartbeat. Just tell me that you need mł again. The Łeacher made me do my pa-
and I’ll come there in a heartbeat. per over.
do something in person to appearŁ some- do something theŁhardŁway 1. to accomplish
where andŁdo somethingŁoneself rather somethingŁinŁthe most difficult manner,
thanŁsendingŁsomeone else orŁdàingŁit rather than by an easier way.Ł I made t
over the telphone, or by mail. I know to this job the hard wØy. I came up through
the money should be in his account. I saw the ranks. She did it the hard way. She
him put it there in peroon. The famouo had no help from her parents. 2. to dà
actor came to the hosptal and greeted eacð somethingŁ the wrongŁ way.Ł No, you
pØtient in peroon. can’t pound in nails like that. You’re do-
ing it the hard way. I’m sorry. I learn
do something in publØc to do something things the hard way.
where anyone looking could see it. You
should dress neatly when you appear in do something to exPess to dà too much of
public. I wish that you wouldà’t talk to sàmething;Ł to consume too much of
me so rudłly in public. Bob, you must something.Ł Anne often drinks to excess
behave properly in public. at parties. John smokes to excess when
he works.
do something in secret to do sàmethingŁpri- do something up to repairŁ or redecorate
vatelyŁorŁsecretly.Ł Why do you always something.Ł If wł’re going to sell the
do things like that in secret? There is no house, wł’ll have to do it up. T I’m going
need to count your money in secret.
to do up the ktchen.
do something in vain to do sàmethingŁwith do something up brown to do something
no result; to do sàmethingŁthat fails.Ł just right.Ł (Folksy.Ł RefersŁ to cooking
They rushed her to the hosptal, but they somethingŁ untilŁ it hasŁ just the right
did it in vain. We tried in vain to głt her amount of bràwnish color.) Of course
there on time.
I can do t right. I’ll really do t up brown.
do something on theŁ fly to do something Come on, Bob. Let’s do it right this time.
while one isŁmoving;Łto do sàmethingŁ(to I know you can do it up brown.
sàmethingŁ that isŁ inŁ motion).Ł (Slang. do something withŁa vengeynce to dà som-
ThisŁ hasŁ nothingŁ to do with actual thingŁwith vigàr; to do sàmethingŁener-
flight.) We can’t stop the machine to oil gticallyŁ asŁ if one were angryŁ with it.
it now. You’ll have to do it on the fly. We (Folksy.) Bob is buildng that fłnce with
will have to find the break in the film on a vłngeance. Mary is really włedng her
the fly—while we are showing it. gardłn with a vłngeance.
do something on theŁruà to do something do theŁ dØsheð to wash andŁ dryŁ disłes,
while one isŁ movingŁ hurriedly; to dà glasses,Łcups,Łknives,Łforks,Łetc.,ŁafterŁa
somethingŁ while one isŁ gàingŁ rapidly meal.Ł Bill, you cannot go out and plØy
from one place to another. (Informal.) until you’ve done the dishes. Why am I
I was very busy todØy and had to eat on alwØys the one who has to do the dishes?
the run. I didà’t have time to młet with
Bill, but I was able to talk to him on the do theŁhonors to act asŁhost or hostessŁand
run. serve one’sŁguestsŁbyŁpouringŁdrinks,Łslic-
ingŁmeat, makingŁ(drinking)btoasts,Łetc.
do something on theŁsly to do something All the guests were seated, and a huge,
slylyŁorŁsneakily.Ł(Infàrmal.) He was juicy turkey sat on the table. Jane Thomas
seeing Mrs. Smith on the sly. She was turned to her husband and said, “Bob, will

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