Page 20 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

air something out

crime, hasŁtakenŁplace.Ł(PrimarilyŁaŁle- of the game. Bob does extra work so he’s
galŁphrase.) John is always makng ex- always ahead of the game.
cuses after the fact. Remłmber to lock aheadŁofŁtime beforehand;Łbefore the an-
your car whenever you leave it. If it’s nàunced time. If you show up ahead of
stolłn, there is nothing you can do after the time, you will have to wait. Be there
fØct.
ahead of time if you want to głt a good
afterŁtheŁfashØon ofŁ someone ortsomething in seat.
the manner orŁsðyle of sàmeone or some- aidŁandŁabetŁ someone to helpŁsàmeone; to
thing.Ł(Se also after a fashion.) She incite sàmeone to do sàmethingŁthat is
walks down the street after the fashion of wrong. He was scolded for aidng and
a grand lady. The cðurch was built af- abetting the boys who were fighting. It’s
ter the fashion of an English cØthedral.
illłgal to aid and abet a thief.
again andŁ again repeatedly; againŁ and aim to do something to mean to do som-
evenŁmore.Ł I like going to the beach, and thing;Łto intendŁto do somethingŁinŁthe
I will go back again and again. He future.Ł (Folksy.) I aim to paint the
knocked on the door again and again un- house as soon as I can find a bruoh. He
til I finally answered.
aims to take a fłw dØys off and go fishing.
againstŁ someone’ wØll without aŁpersàn’s Ain’t it the truth? Isn’t that just the way it
consent or agreement.Ł You cannot forcł is?;ŁIŁagree with yàuŁcompletely.Ł(Infàr-
me to come with you against my will! mal.)b A: Things aren’t the wØy they used
Against their will, the młn were made to to be in the good old dØys. B: Ain’t it the
stand up against the wall and be searched.
truth? A: You just can’t buy good shoes
againstŁtheŁclock inŁaŁrace with time; in anymore. B: Ain’t it the truth?
aŁgreat hurryŁto get sàmethingŁdone be- airŁ one’ dirtyŁlinen in publØc and wash
fore aŁ particularŁ time.Ł (Se also race one’ dirtyŁlinen in publØc to discussŁpri-
against time.) Bill set a new track vate orŁembarrassingŁmattersŁinŁpublic,
record, running against the clock. He lost especiallyŁwhenŁquarreling.Ł(ThisŁ lnen
the actual race, howłver. In Ø race refersŁto słeetsŁandŁtableclothsŁorŁother
against the clock, they rushed the special sàiledŁcloth.) John’s mother had asked
medicine to the hosptal.
him repeatedly not to air the family’s drty
aheadŁofŁ one’ tØme havingŁideasŁorŁatti- lnen in public. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson
tudesŁ that are too advancedŁ to be ac- are arguing again. Why must they always
ceptable to or appreciated by the society air their drty lnen in public? Jean will
inŁwhich one isŁliving.Ł People buy that talk to anyone about her financial prob-
artist’s work now, but his paintings were lłms. Why does she wash her dirty lnen in
laughed at when he was alive. He was public?
ahead of his Łime. Mary’s grandmother airŁ one’ grievynces to complain;Łto make
was ahead of her time in wanting to study aŁpublicŁcomplaint.Ł I know how you
medicine.
fłel, John, but t isn’t necessary to air your
aheadŁ ofŁ schedule having done some- grievances over and over. I know you’re
thingŁbefore the time listedŁonŁthe scłed- busy, sir, but I must air my grievances. This
ule.Ł I want to be able to finish the job mØtter is very serious.
ahead of schedule. We doà’t have to rush airŁ something out to fresłenŁup something
because we are ahead of schedule.
byŁplacingŁit inŁthe openŁair; to fresłen
aheadŁofŁtheŁgame beingŁearly; having an a room by letting air move thràugh it.Ł
advantage over aŁsituation;Łhaving dàne It’s so stale in here. Mary, please open a
more thanŁnecessary.Ł(InfàrmalŁorŁslang.) window and air this place out. Please
Whenever we go to a movie, we show up take this pillow outside and air it out.
ahead of the game and have to wait. Bill T I’ll have to air out the car. Someone has
has to study mØth very hard to keep ahead been smokng in it.

5