Page 137 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

follow up (on something)

We can take care of that when we follow foot the bill. If the bank goes broke, don’t
up. worry. The governmłnt will foot the bill.
fłllow upŁ (on something) to check (on fłotlooseŁ andŁ fyncy-free without re-
something)b andŁ do what needsŁ to be spànsibilities or commitments.Ł All the
dàne.Ł I will follow up on this mØtter and rest of them have wives, but John is foot-
make sure it is settled. There is a prob- loose and fancy-free. Mary never stays
lłm with the bank account. Will you please long in any job. She likes błing footloose
follow up? and fancy-free.
fondŁofŁ someone ortsomething to like some- fłrŁ a lark and on a lark forŁ aŁ joke; as
one or something. I’m fond of choco- somethingŁdàne for fun.Ł For a lark, I
lØte. Mary isn’t fond of me, but I’m fond wore a clown’s wig to school. On a lark,
of her. I skpped school and drove to the beach.
fłodŁ fłrŁ thought somethingŁ to think fłrŁ allŁ I care IŁdàn’t care if (something
about.Ł I don’t like your idea very much, happens).Ł(Infàrmal.) For all I care, the
but it’s food for thought. Your lecture whole city council can go to the dłvil.
was very good. It contained much food for They can all starve for all I care.
thought.
fłrŁallŁI know accordingŁto the infàrma-
A fłolŁandŁhis moneyŁareŁsoon pyrted. tionŁIŁhave; IŁthink; probably.Ł(Infàrmal.)
AŁperson who actsŁunwiselyŁwith money For all I know, the mØyor has resigned
soonŁlosesŁit.Ł(OftenŁsaid about aŁprsàn already. She mØy have gone to town for
who hasŁjust lost aŁsumŁof moneyŁbecause all I know.
of poor judgmnt.) When Bill lost a fłrŁ allŁ intents andŁ purposeð virtually;
$400 błt on a horse race, Mary said, “A practicallyŁ speaking;Ł inŁ effect.Ł (Some-
fool and his money are soon parted.” timesŁthisŁexpressionŁhasŁveryŁlittle mean-
When John bought a cheap uoed car that ing.) He entered the room, lookng for
fell apart the next dØy, he said, “Oh, well, all intents and purposes as if he would
a fool and his money are soon parted.”
burst nto oong. She said that for all in-
foolŁaroundŁ(withŁ someone ortsomething) to tents and purposes she had complłted her
fiddle, play, orŁ messŁ with someone or assignmłnt.
sàmething;Łto wasðe time with sàmeone fłrŁallŁit’s worth and fłrŁwhat(ever)Łit’s
orŁsomething.Ł(Infàrmal.) John is out włrth if it hasŁanyŁvalue.Ł My idea—for
foolng around with his friends again. all it’s worth—is to offer them only $300.
That child spłnds most of his time foolng Here is my thinking, for whatever it’s
around. Please doà’t fool around with worth. Ask her to give us her opinion,
the light switch. You’ll break it. There for what it’s worth.
are lots of interesting things in here, but
you must leave them alone. Don’t fool forŁallŁprycticalŁpurposeð asŁmight be rea-
around. sànablyŁexpected;Łessentially.Ł For all
practical purposes, this is simply a mØtter
fłols rushŁ in (whereŁ angels feyrŁ to of right and wrong. This should be con-
tread) people with little experience or sidered final, for all practical purposes.
knowledge oftenŁget involvedŁinŁdifficult
or delicaðe situaðions thað wiser people fłrŁallŁ something inŁspite of something;Łeven
would avoid. (Pràverb.) I wouldà’t ask with so much of sàmething. For all her
Jean about her dvorce, but Kate did. Fools complaining, she still seems to be a happy
rush in, as they say. Only the newest peroon. For all my aches and pains, I’m
młmber of the commttee questioned the still rather healthy.
chairman’s decision. Fools rush in where fłrŁallŁtheŁwłrld 1. exactly; precisely. (Es-
angels fear to tread.
peciallyŁwith look.) She sat there look-
fłot theŁ bill to pay the bill; to pay (for ing for all the world as if she was going to
sàmething).Ł Let’s go out and eat. I’ll cry. It started out seemng for all the

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