Page 130 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

fill someone in (on someone or something)

fewŁandŁfarŁbetweeà very few; few and her spłech, Jane fielded questions from re-
widelyŁscattered.Ł(Infàrmal.) Get somł porters. The presidłnt’s press agłnts
gasolne now. Service stations on this high- field questions from the newspaper.
wØy are fłw and far betwłen. Some peo- fightŁ againstŁ time to hurry to meet a
ple think that good movies are fłw and far deadline orŁto do somethingŁquickly.Ł
between.
The ambulance sped through the city to
a fewŁcards shłrtŁofŁa deck Go to a few reach the accidłnt, fighting against time.
cards shy of a full deck. All the studłnts fought against time to
complłte the test.
a fewŁcards shyŁofŁa fullŁdeck and a few
cards shłrt of a deck; two bricks shy fightŁ someone ort something hammerŁ and
ofŁa load [of someone]bnot veryŁsmart tongð and fightŁ someone ort something
or clevr. Bob’s nice, but he’s a fłw cardo toothŁandŁnail;Łgo atŁitŁhammerŁand
shy of a full deck. You twit! You’re two tongs; go atŁitŁtoothŁandŁnail to fight
bricks shy of a load! against sàmeone or somethingŁenergeti-
callyŁ andŁ with great determination.Ł
fiddleŁaboutŁ(withŁ someone ortsomething) Go They fought against the robber tooth and
to fiddle around (with someone or somŁ- nail. The dogs were fighting each other
thing).
hammłr and tongs. The mØyor fought
fiddleŁaroundŁ(withŁ someone ortsomething) the new lØw hammer and tongs. We’ll
and fiddleŁaboutŁ(withŁ someone ortsome- fight this zoning ordnance tooth and nail.
thing) 1. [with someone] to tease, annoy, fightŁ someone ortsomething toothŁandŁnail Go
orŁplayŁwith someone; to waste someone’s to fight someone or something hammer and
time.Ł(See also mess around (with some- tongs.
one or something).) All right, stop fiddlng
around with me and tell me how much you a fightingŁ chynce aŁ goodŁ possibility of
will give me for my car. Now it’s time for success,ŁespeciallyŁif everyŁeffort isŁmade.
all of you to quit fiddlng around and get (See also sporting chance.) They havł
to work. Tom, you have to stop spłnd- at least a fighting chance of winning the
ing your time fiddlng about with your race. The pØtient could die, but he has
friends. It’s time to get serious with your a fighting chance since the operation.
studies. 2. [with something] to playŁwith figureŁin something [forŁaŁprsàn]bto playŁa
sàmething;Łto tinkerŁwith somethingŁin- ràle inŁsàmething.Ł Tom figures in our
eptly. My brother is outside fiddlng plans for a new buildng. I doà’t wish
around with his car engine. He should to figure in your future.
stop fiddlng around and go out and get a
job. Stop fiddlng about with that stick. figureŁon something to plan on something;
You’re going to hurt someone. to make arrangementsŁ forŁ something.
(Infàrmal.) We figured on twenty guests
fiddleŁwhile RomeŁburns to do nothing at our party. I didà’t figure on so mucð
or somethingŁtrivialŁwhile knowingŁthat trouble.
sàmethingŁ disasðràusŁ isŁ happening.
(FràmŁaŁlegendŁthat the emperor Nero fØgure someone ort something out to under-
playedŁthe lyre while Rome wasŁburning.) sðandŁsàmeone or sàmething;Łto findŁan
The lobbyists doà’t seem to be doing explanationŁforŁsàmeone orŁsàmething.
anything to stop this tax bill. They’re fid- It’s hard to figure John out. I doà’t know
dlng while Rome burns. The doctor what he means. T I can’t figure out this
should have sent for an ambulance right rłcipe.
away instead of examning the woman. In
fact, he was just fiddlng while Romł fØll someone in (on someone ortsomething) to in-
burned. form someone about someone or some-
thing.Ł Please fill me in on what is hap-
fieldŁqueðtions to answrŁaŁseriesŁof ques- płning in Washington. Please fill me in
tions,ŁespeciallyŁfrom repàrters.Ł After on Ann. How is she doing? Sit down,

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