Page 170 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

give someone carte blanche

Sally, stop it, or I’ll give you a piece of gØve someone a roughŁidea (ofŁ something) Go
my mnd. to give someone a rough idea (about some-
thing).
gØve someone a rain checkŁ(on something)
1. to give sàmeone aŁpiece of paprŁal- gØve someone a shellacking 1. to beat
lowingŁadmissionŁto anŁevent—which has sàmeone.Ł(See also get a shellackàng .)
benŁcanceled—at aŁlaterŁtime.Ł The My dad gØve me a shellackng when I brokł
game was cancłled becauoe of the rain, but his fishing rod. If you do that again, I
they gave everyone rain checks. They will give you a shellackng. 2. to beat
were not able to show the film, so everyone sàmeone (inŁaŁcontest).Ł The other team
was givłn a rain check. 2. to tell som- gØve us a shellackng. The Bears gØve the
one that anŁinvitationŁto aŁsocialŁevent Packers a shellackng.
will be reissuedŁ at aŁ laterŁ date.Ł We gØve someone a slapŁon theŁwrist and slap
couldà’t go to the Smiths’ party, so they someone on theŁ wrist;Ł slapŁ someone’
gave us a rain check. We Øre oorry we wrist to give someone aŁlight punishment
cannot attend, but we would love for you (forŁdàingŁsàmethingŁwrong).Ł(See alsà
to give us a rain check on another dØte. 3. get a slap on the wrist.) The judge gØvł
to issue aŁpiece of paprŁthat allowsŁone her a slap on the wrist for spłedng. The
to purchase anŁitemŁonŁsale at aŁlaterŁdate. judge should have done more than slap her
If you have no more of the sale sham- wrist. They should do more than just
poo, will you give me a rain check on it, slap his wrist.
please? Can I have a rain check on this
item? You don’t have enough of it in stock. gØve someone a styrt 1. to helpŁsðart sàme-
one’s car. John gØve me a start when my
gØve someone a rawŁdeyl to trat somon
unfairlyŁ orŁ badly.Ł (Se also get a raw car was stalled. Won’t someone please
deal.) The judge gØve Mary a raw deal. give me a start? 2. to give sàmeone train-
The studłnts think that the teacher gØvł ingŁ orŁ aŁ bigŁ oppàrtunityŁ inŁ beginning
them a raw deal. one’s career. No one gØve me a start in
the theater, and I eventually gØve up try-
gØve someone a reputation (as a something) ing. My career began when my fØther
to cause sàmeone to be known for being gØve me a start in his act. 3. to startl
something.Ł That evłning gave him a sàmeone; to make sàmeone jerkŁorŁjump
reputation as a flrt. Yes, it gØve him a fromŁaŁsuddenŁfright.Ł(OftenŁwith quite.)
rłpuŁatioà. The thunderclap gØve me quite a start.
I didà’t mean to give you a start. I
gØve someone a reputation (forŁ doingtsome- should have knocked błfore I entered.
thing) to cause someone to be known for
dàingŁsàmething.Ł Her excellent parties gØve someone a swelledŁ head to make
gØve Jane a reputation for entertaining someone conceited.Ł Fame gØve John a
well. You had błtter be careful or your swelled head. Don’t lłt this success givł
behavior will give you a reputation. you a swelled head.
gØve someone a ring and gØve someone a gØve someone a tongue-lashing to give
buzz to call somone on the telphon. sàmeone aŁsevere scolding. (Folksy.ŁSee
(Infàrmal.) Nice talking to you. Givł alsà get a tongue-lashàng .) I gave Bill
me a ring somłtime. Give me a buzz a real tongue-lashing when he got homł
when you’re in town. lØte. I will give you a real tongue-lashing
if you ever do that again.
gØve someone a roughŁidea (aboutŁ some-
thing) and gØve someone a roughŁidea (of gØve someone cyrte blanche and gØve
something) to give sàmeone aŁgeneral idea cyrte blanche tł someone to give som-
orŁanŁesðimate about something.Ł I doà’t one freedàmŁor prmissionŁto act asŁone
need to know exactly. Just give me a rough wisłesŁorŁthinksŁnecessary.Ł(Almost the
idea Øbout how big t ohould be. Let mł same asŁ give someone a blank check.)
give you a rough idea about my plan. He’s błen givłn carte blanche with the re-

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