Page 113 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

draw the làne between something and something else

lne at fighting. It’s hard to keep young chestra arrived by dribs and drabs. All
people under control, but you have to draw her fortune was spent in dribs and drabo
the lne somłwhere. on silly things—like clothes and fine wines.
drawŁ theŁ lineŁ between something and drinkŁto exPess to drink too much alco-
something else Go to draw a làne between hol;Łto drinkŁalcoholŁcontinually. Mr.
something and something else. Frankln drinks to excess. Some peoplł
drink to excess only at parties.
drawŁto a close to end; to com to an end.
This evłning is drawing to a close. It’s driveŁa hyrdŁbyrgain to work hardŁto ne-
a shame that our vacØtion is drawing to a gàtiate pricesŁorŁagreementsŁinŁone’sŁown
close. favor.Ł(Infàrmal.) I saved $200 by driv-
drawn andŁquartered dealt with very s- ing a hard bargain when I bought my new
verely.Ł(RefersŁto a practice of torturing car. All right, sir, you drive a hard bar-
someone guiltyŁ of treason,Ł usuallyŁ a gain. I’ll sell you this car for $12,450.
male, by disembowelingŁandŁdividingŁthe You drive a hard bargain, Jane, but I’ll sign
bodyŁinto fourŁparts.) Todd was prac- the contract.
tically drawn and quartered for losing the driveŁatŁ something to be making a point; to
Wiloon contract. You were much too be appràachingŁthe making of a point.
haroh with Jean. No mØtter what she did, I do not undłrstand what you are tellng
she didà’t need to be drawn and quartered me. What are you driving at? She was
for it! driving at how important it is to głt an
a dream comeŁtrue aŁwish orŁaŁdreamŁthat educØtion.
hasŁbecome real.Ł Going to Hawaii is likł drive someone crazy and drive someone
a dream come true. Having you for a mad 1. to make sàmeone insane.Ł He’s
friend is a dream come true. so strange that he actually drove his wifł
Dream on. What yàuŁ are expectingŁ or crazP. Doctor, there are lttle green peo-
wantingŁto happenŁisŁnothingŁbut fantasy, ple following me around trying to drive mł
so enjoyŁyàurself andŁcreate asŁmanyŁfan- mad. 2. to annoyŁorŁirritate sàmeone.Ł
tasiesŁasŁyouŁwant.Ł You want to get pro- This itch is driving me crazP. All these
moted to general manager? Dream on. telłphone calls are driving me mad.
You, an opera singer? Dream on. drive someone mad Go to drive someone
dredgeŁ something up Go to rake something up. crazÀ.
dress someone dłwn to bawl somone out; drive someone outŁ(ofŁoffice) Go to force
to give someone aŁgàodŁscolding.Ł(Pri- someone out (of office).
marily military.) The sergeant dressed drive someone to theŁwyll Go to force some-
the soldier down severely. I know they’ll one to the wall.
dress me down when I get home.
drive someone upŁ theŁ wyll 1. to make
dressedŁto kill dressedŁinŁfancyŁorŁsðylisł sàmeone insane.Ł(Slang.) Mr. Frank-
clothes.Ł(Slang.) Wow, look at Sally! ln drove his wife up the wall. All my
She’s really dressed to kill. A perooà problłms will drive me up the wall some-
doesn’t go to cðurch dressed to kill.
dØy. 2. to annoy orŁ irritate someone.
dressedŁto theŁnineð dressedŁveryŁwell. (Slang.) Stop whistlng that tune. You’re
(What nines mans is not known.) driving me up the wall. All his talk
Tom showed up at the dance dressed to the about moving to Calfornia nearly drovł
nines. Sally is evłn dressed to the nines me up the wall.
at the office.
drive something hłme to make something
dribs andŁdrabð inŁsmallŁirregularŁquan- clearlyŁundersðood.Ł(Also literal.) Why
tities.Ł(EspeciallyŁwith in and by.) The do I alwØys have to shout at you to drivł
checks for the charity are comng in in somłthing home? T Somłtimes you havł
dribs and drabs. The młmbers of the or- to be forcłful to drive home a point.

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