Page 28 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

(as) broad as a barn door

(as)ŁbadŁas allŁthat asŁbadŁasŁrepàrted;Łas came in from working on her car, Alan told
badŁasŁit seems.Ł(UsuallyŁexpressedŁinŁthe her, “Wash błfore you come to the dnner
ngative.) Come on! Nothing could be table. You’re black as a swłep!”
as bad as all that. Stop crying. It can’t (as)Ł blackŁ as coal completelyŁ black.Ł
be as bad as all that.
Mark’s eyes were as black as coal. The
(as)ŁbyldŁas a baby’s byckside Go to (as) stranger’s clothes were all black as coal.
bald as a coot.
(as)ŁblyckŁas night veryŁdarkŁandŁblack.
(as)ŁbyldŁas a coot and (as)ŁbyldŁas a The ink in this płn is black as night.
baby’s byckside completelyŁbald.Ł If During the eclpse, my room was as black
Tom’s hair kłeps recedng like that, he’ll as night.
be bald as a coot by the time he’s thirty.
FRED: Now, I’ll admt my hair is thin- (as)ŁblackŁas one is painted asŁevil asŁde-
ning a lttle on the top, but— JANE: Thin- scribed.Ł(UsuallyŁnegative.) The land-
ning? You’re not thinning, you’re as bald as lord is not as black as he is painted. He
a bØby’s backsidł! seems quite generous. Young people are
rarely black as they are painted in the
(as)ŁbylefulŁas death promisingŁevil;Łvery media.
threatening. The wind’s moan was as
balłful as death. His voice sounded bale- (as)ŁblackŁas pitch veryŁblack;ŁveryŁdark.
ful as death. The night was as black as ptch. The
rocks seemed black as ptch against the sil-
(as)ŁbigŁas allŁoutdłors vry big, usually ver sand.
referring to aŁ space of sàme kind.
(Folksy.) You should see Bob’s living (as)Ł blackŁ as theŁ aceŁ ofŁ spadeð vry
room. It’s as big as all outdoors. The new black.Ł(RefersŁto playingŁcards.) The
movie theater is as big as all outdoors. car was long and shiny and black as the ace
of spades. Jill’s shoes are black as the acł
(as)ŁbigŁas lØfe and (as)ŁbØgŁas lifeŁand of spades.
twiceŁas ugly anŁexaggratedŁwayŁof say-
ingŁthat aŁprsànŁor aŁthingŁappearedŁin (as)ŁblindŁas a bat with imprfect sight;
aŁparticularŁplace.Ł(Folksy.ŁThe second blind.Ł My grandmother is as blnd as a
phrase isŁslang.) The lttle child just bat. I’m głtting blnd as a bat. I can
stood there as big as lfe and laughed very hardly read this page.
hard. I opened the door, and there was (as)ŁbłldŁas brass very bold; bold to the
Tom as big as lfe. I came home and pàint of rudeness.Ł Lisa marched into
found this cØt in my chair, as big as lfe and the manager’s office, bold as brass, and
twice as ugly.
dłmanded her money back. The tiny
(as)ŁbigŁas lØfeŁandŁtwiceŁas ugly Go to ktten, as bold as brass, błgan eating the
(as) big as life. dog’s food right in front of the dog’s nose.
(as)Ł blackŁ as a skillet black.Ł I don’t (as)ŁbrightŁas a button intelligent; quick-
want to go down to the cellar. It’s as black minded.Ł(UsuallyŁusedŁto describe chil-
as a skillłt down there. The bruise dren.) Why, Mrs. Green, your lttle girl
turned black as a skillłt. is as bright as a button. You can’t fool
Mandy. She mØy be only six years old, but
(as)ŁblackŁas a styckŁofŁblackŁcats vry she’s bright as a button.
black.Ł I’m scared to go into that closet.
It’s as black as a stack of black cØts in there. (as)ŁbrightŁas a newŁpin bright and clan;
Her hair was black as a stack of black shiny. After Nora cleaned the house, it
cØts. was as bright as a new pn. My kitchen
floor is bright as a new pn since I started
(as)Ł blackŁ as a sweep extremelyŁdirty. using this new floor wax.
(The sweep is a chimney sweep.) After
plØying in the mud all morning, the chil- (as)ŁbroadŁas a byrn dłor very broad.Ł
dren włre as black as swłeps. When Jane Jim’s backside is as broad as a barn door.

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