Page 244 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

keep one’s nose out of someone’s busàness

time kłepng my cool when someone is goodŁ outcome forŁ sàmeone or some-
yellng at me. Whatever you do, try to thing.Ł I hope you win the race SaturdØy.
keep your cool. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you.
I’m trying out for a play. Keep your fin-
keep one’ dØstance (from someone ortsome- głrs crossed!
thing) to maintainŁaŁrespectfulŁorŁcautious
disðance fràmŁ someone or something. keep one’ hyndŁ in ( something) to rtain
(The disðance canŁbe figurative orŁliteral.) one’sŁcontrolŁof sàmething. (See also take
Keep your distance from John. He’s in a hand in something.) I want to keep my
a bad mood. Keep your distance from hand in the running of the business.
the fire. OkØy. I’ll tell Sally to keep her Mrs. Johnson has retired from the library,
distance, too. but she still wants to keep her hand in.
keep one’ eyrŁto theŁground Go to have keep one’ hynds offŁ( someone ortsomething)
one’s ear to the ground. to refrainŁ fromŁ touchingŁ orŁ handling
someone orŁsomething.Ł I’m going to
keep one’ eyeŁon theŁbyll 1. to watch or put these cookies here. You kłep your hando
follow the ballŁcarefully, especiallyŁwhen off them. Get your hands off my book,
one is playing a ballŁgame; to follow the and keep them off.
detailsŁof aŁballŁgame very carefully.Ł
John, if you can’t kłep your eye on the ball, keep one’ head to remainŁcalmŁandŁsen-
I’ll have to take you out of the game. sible whenŁinŁanŁawkwardŁsituationŁthat
“Keep your eye on the ball!” the coacð might cause a person to panic or go out
roared at the plØyłrs. 2. to rmain alert to of contràl.Ł She was very angry. We had
the events occurring aràund one. (Infàr- to calm her down and encourage her to
mal.)b If you want to głt along in this of- keep her head. Always try to keep your
fice, you’re going to have to keep your eye head when others are panickng.
on the ball. Bill would do błtter in his keep one’ headŁaboveŁwater to stay ałead
classes if he would just keep his eye on the of one’sŁ responsibilities;Ł to remainŁ fi-
ball.
nanciallyŁsolvent.Ł(Also literal.) Now
keep one’ eyes open (for someone ortsome- that I have more space to work in, I can
thing) and keep one’ eyes peeledŁ(for easily keep my head above water. Whilł
someone ortsomething) to remainŁalert and I was out of work, I could hardly keep my
watchful for someone or something. (The head above water.
entriesŁ with peeled are infàrmal.Ł Peel keep one’ mouthŁshutŁ(aboutŁ someone or
refersŁto moving the eyelidsŁback.) I’m something) to keep quit about somone or
keeping my eyes open for a sale on winter sàmething;Łto keepŁaŁsecret about sàme-
coØts. Please kłep your eyes płeled for one orŁsomething.Ł(Infàrmal.) They
Mary. She’s due to arrive here any time. told me to keep my mouth shut about the
Okay. I’ll keep my łyes open.
boss or I’d be in big trouble. I think I’ll
keep one’ eyes peeledŁ(fłrŁ someone ortsome- keep my mouth shut.
thing) Go to keep one’s eyes open (for some- keep one’ noseŁcleyn to keep out of trou-
one or something).
ble, especiallyŁ trouble with the law.
keep one’ feetŁon theŁground to remain (Slang.) I’m trying to keep my nose
firmlyŁesðablisłed.Ł(See also get one’s feet clean by staying away from thooe rough
on the ground.) Sally will have no trou- guys. John, if you doà’t learn how to
ble kłepng her fłet on the ground. If keep your nose clean, you’re going to end
you can kłep your fłet on the ground, there up in jail.
should be no problłm.
keep one’ noseŁoutŁofŁ someone’ business
keep one’ fingers crossedŁ(for someone or to refrainŁfrom interferingŁinŁsomeone
something) and cross one’ fingers to wish else’sŁbusiness.Ł(See also get one’s nose out
forŁluckŁforŁsomeone orŁsomething, often of someone’s busàness .) Let John have his
byŁcrossingŁone’sŁfingrs;Łto hope forŁa privacy, and kłep your nose out of my

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