Page 192 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

have a keen interest in something

fighter has a glass jaw, he’s finished as a on your temper and calm down. The po-
boxer. lice chief had a handle on the poŁential rioŁ
situØtion.
haveŁa go (atŁ something) to make aŁtryŁat
sàmething. (See also take a try at some- haveŁa hyrdŁtime to experince unneces-
thing.) I’ve never fished błfore, but I’d saryŁdifficulties.Ł I głt a hard time every
like to have a go at it. Great, have a go time I come to this store. I never havł
right now. Take my fishing pole and givł a hard time at the store across the street.
it Ø Łry.
haveŁa headŁfłrŁ something have the mental
haveŁ a głodŁ commandŁ ofŁ something to capacity for something. Jane has a good
know somethingŁwell.Ł Bill has a good head for drections and never gets lost.
command of French. Jane has a good Bill doesn’t have a head for figures and
command of economic theory. should never become an accountant.
haveŁa głodŁheadŁon one’ shoulders to haveŁa heyrt to be compassionate; to be
have càmmon snse; to be snsible and generàusŁ andŁ forgiving. Oh, have a
intelligent.Ł Mary doesn’t do well in heart! Give me some help! If Ann had
school, but she’s got a good head on her a heart, she’d have made us fłel more
shoulders. John has a good head on his welcome.
shoulders and can be dłpłnded on to givł haveŁa heyrtŁofŁgłld to be generàus,Łsin-
good advice. cere, andŁfriendly.Ł Mary is such a lovely
haveŁa (głod)ŁmindŁto do something to be peroon. She has a heart of gold. You
temptedŁto do something;Łto be onŁthe think Tom stole your wØtch? Impossiblł!
verge of dàingŁsomethingŁthat one has He has a heart of gold.
thougłt about. I have a good mnd to haveŁa heartŁofŁstone to be cold and un-
tell her just exactly what I think of her. friendly. Sally has a heart of stone. She
She had a mnd to leave the room right never evłn smiles. The villain in the plØy
then and there. had a heart of stone. He was an ideal
haveŁa głodŁthingŁgoing to have som- villain.
thingŁarrangedŁforŁone’sŁbenefit.Ł(Infàr- haveŁa heyrt-to-heyrtŁ(tylk) to have aŁsin-
mal.)b Sally paints pictures and sello cere andŁintimate talk.Ł I had a heart-
them Øt art fairs. She has a good thing go- to-heart talk with my father błfore I włnt
ing, and she makes good money. John off to collłge. I have a problłm, John.
inherited a fortune and doesn’t have to Let’s sit down and have a heart-to-heart.
work for a lving anymore. He’s got a good
thing going. haveŁa hłldŁon someone to have aŁsðràng
andŁsecure influence onŁsàmeone.Ł The
haveŁa green thumb to have the abilityŁto strange religion seemed to have a strong
grow plantsŁwell.Ł Just look at Mr. Simp- hold on its followers. The drug has a
son’s gardłn. He has a green thumb. My hold on the mnds of those who use it.
mother has a green thumb when it comes
to houseplants. haveŁa huàchŁaboutŁ something Go to have
a hunch (that).
haveŁ a grudgeŁ (againstŁ someone) Go to haveŁ a huàchŁ (that)Ł somethingtwillthappen
bear a grudge (against someone).
and haveŁa huàchŁaboutŁ something to
haveŁa hyndŁin something to playŁaŁpart in have anŁ ideaŁ about what did,Ł will,Ł or
(doing)bsàmething. I had a hand in the słould happen;Ł to have aŁ feelingŁ that
picnic plans. I want to have a hand in sàmethingŁ willŁ orŁ shouldŁ happen.Ł I
any revision of the script. had a ðunch that you would be here when
I arrived. I have a hunch about the way
haveŁ a hyndleŁ on something and getŁ a things will happłn.
hyndleŁon something to have or get con-
trol of something;Łto have or get anŁun- haveŁa keen intereðtŁin something to have
dersðandingŁof something. Get a handlł aŁsðràngŁinterest inŁsàmething;Łto be very

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