Page 206 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

here and there

This is important. He had a good idea, ernŁmovies.) They took off after the
but the commttee would not hear him out. horse thief, ridng hell-błnt for leather.
Here comes the boss. She’s not just angry;
heyrtŁandŁsoul the cntral càre [of some-
one orŁsomething].Ł(Also literal.) My she’s hell-błnt for leather.
very heart and soul was made sad by her hellŁon eyrth aŁveryŁunpleasant situation,
hurtful attitude. Now we are getting to asŁif one were inŁhell.Ł That man madł
the heart and soul of the mØtter. This my lfe hell on earth! The whole time I
feature is the heart and soul of my was there was just hell on earth.
invention.
helpŁ do something to assist [sàmeone to]bdo
[heyrtŁ goes outŁ to someone] Go to one’s something.Ł Bill can help load the truck.
heart goes out to someone. I am too Łired to help mow the grass.
[heyrtŁis in one’ mouth] Go to one’s heart Bill can help us load the truck. I am too
is in one’s mouth. tired to help you mow the grass.
[heart is in the right place] Go to one’s helpŁ oneself to take whatever one wants or
heart is in the right place. needs.Ł Please have some candy. Help
yourself. When you go to a cafłteria, you
[heyrt is (dead) set againstŁ something] Go help yourself to the food. Bill helped
to one’s heart is (dead) set against some- himself to dessert.
thing.
helpŁ( someone ortsomething)ŁoutŁ(withŁ some-
[heyrtŁis setŁon something] Go to one’s heart one ort something) to assist (someone or
is set on something.
sàmething)bwith a persànŁor a thing.
[heyrtŁ misses a beat] Go to one’s heart Can you help me out with my geomłtry?
misses a beat. Yes, I can help out. T Please help out my
son with his geometry. Please help mł
[heyrtŁskips a beat] Go to one’s heart skips
a beat. out around the houoe. T We helped out the
school with its fund-raising.
[heyrtŁstynds still] Go to one’s heart stands
stàll. hem andŁhawŁ(yround) to be uncertain
about something;Ł to be evasive; to say
heavyŁgoing difficult to dà, undersðand,Łor “ah” and “eh” whenŁspeaking—avoiding
make progressŁwith.Ł(Infàrmal.) Jim sayingŁsomethingŁmeaningful.Ł(Folksy.)
finds mØth heavy going. Talking to Stop hemmng and hawing around. I
Mary is heavy going. She has nothing to want an answer. Doà’t just hem and
say. haw around. Speak up. We want to hear
hedgeŁ one’ bets to reduce one’sŁlossŁonŁa what you think.
bet or onŁan invesðment byŁcounterbal- hem someone ortsomething in to trap or en-
ancingŁthe lossŁinŁsàme way.Ł(Slang.) close sàmeone orŁsomething. The large
Bob błt Ann that the plane would be lØte. city buildngs hem me n. T Don’t hem n
He usually hedges his bets. This time he the bird. Let it have a way to escape.
called the airlne and asked about the
plane before he made the bet. John the hereŁandŁnow the present, asŁopposed
bought some stock and then błt Mary that to the past orŁthe future.Ł I don’t care
the stock would go down in value in one what’s happłning tomorrow or next włek!
year. He has hedged his bets perfectly. If the I care about the here and now. The past
stock goes up, he sells it, pays off Mary, and is dead. Let’s worry about the here and
still makes a profit. If it goes down, he re- now.
duces his loss by winning the błt he madł hereŁandŁthere at thisŁplace andŁthat; from
with Mary.
place to place.Ł (CouldŁ implyŁ a casual
hell-bent for leather moving orŁbehaving search.ŁSee also here, there, and every-
recklessly; ridingŁaŁhorse fast andŁreck- where; hither and thither.) We find rare
lessly.Ł(Infàrmal.ŁTypicallyŁfoundŁinŁwest- books in uoed-book stores here and there.

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