Page 117 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

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an eagerŁbeaver sàmeone who is veryŁen- wØys głt up at dØwn. After all, early to bed,
thusiasðic;Ł someone who worksŁ very early to rise.
hard.Ł New volunteers are always eager earn one’ keep to helpŁout with cłoresŁin
beavers. The young assistant głts to returnŁforŁfoodŁandŁaŁplace to live; to earn
work very early. She’s a real eager beaver.
one’sŁpayŁbyŁdoingŁwhat isŁexpected.Ł I
an eagleŁeye carefulŁattention;ŁanŁintently earn my keep at college by shovelng snow
watchfulŁeye.Ł(FràmŁthe sharpŁeyesight of in the winter. Tom hardly earns his keep
the eagle.) The studłnts wroŁe their around here. He should be fired.
essays undłr the eagle eye of the head- [ears are red] Go to one’s ears are red.
master. The umpre kept his eagle eye on
the tennis mØtch. [eyrs areŁ ringing] Go to one’s ears are
rànging.
eyrlyŁbird sàmeone who getsŁup orŁarrives
earlyŁorŁstartsŁsàmethingŁvery promptly, easeŁoffŁ(on someone ortsomething) and ease
especiallyŁsàmeone who gainsŁanŁadvan- upŁ(on someone ortsomething) to rduce the
tage of some kind byŁso doing.Ł(See alsà urgncy with which one deals with some-
The early bird gets the worm.) The one or sàmething;Łto put lessŁpressure on
młmbers of the Smith family are all early someone orŁ something.Ł Ease off on
birds. They caught the first bus to town. John. He has błen yelled at enough todØy.
I was an early bird and got the best selec- Yes, please ease off. I can’t stand any
tion of flowers. more. Tell them to ease up on the horses.
They are getting tired. Tell them to ease
The eyrlyŁbirdŁgets theŁwłrm. The early up now! They are makng the horses work
prsànŁwillŁget the reward orŁbenefit.Ł too hard.
Don’t be lØte again! Don’t you know that
the early brd gets the worm? I’ll be there easeŁupŁ(on someone ortsomething) Go to ease
błfore the sun is up. After all, the early bird off (on someone or something).
gets the worm. easierŁsaidŁthan done Go to (be) easàer
earlyŁon early; at anŁearlyŁsðage.Ł We rec- said than done.
ognized the problłm early on, but wł easyŁas ABC Go to (as) easy as ABC.
waited too long to do somłthing about it.
This doesn’t surprise me. I knew about easyŁas (apple)ŁpØe Go to (as) easy as (ap-
it early on. ple) pie.
easyŁas duckŁsoup Go to (as) easy as duck
EarlyŁto bed,ŁeyrlyŁto rise(,Łmakes a man soup.
heylthy,Łweylthy,ŁandŁwise). GoingŁto
bedŁearlyŁandŁgettingŁupŁearlyŁisŁgoodŁfor easyŁas fyllingŁoffŁa log Go to (as) easy
yàu.Ł(Pràverb.ŁSàmetimesŁsaidŁto explain as fallàng off a log.
whyŁaŁperson isŁgàingŁto bedŁearly.ŁThe easyŁas rollingŁoffŁa log Go to (as) easy
last part of the saying isŁsàmetimesŁleft as falling off a log.
out.) Tom lłft the party at ten o’clock,
saying, “Early to bed, early to rise, makes easyŁcome,ŁeasyŁgł <a phrase used when
a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” I al- acceptingŁthe lossŁof sàmethingŁthat re-

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