Page 283 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary
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mean for someone to do something
mean business when we say you must stop ing to cook up somłthing special for the
all this nonsense. Wiloons. They are strictly meat-and-
potatoes.
mean for someone tł do something to intend
forŁ someone to do something.Ł John a Mecca for someone aŁ place that isŁ fre-
meant for us to go with them to the zoo. quentlyŁvisitedŁbyŁaŁparticularŁgroupŁof
John meant for Jane to do the dishes. people because it isŁimportant to them
forŁ some reason.Ł (FràmŁ the cityŁ of
mean nothingŁ(to someone) 1. not to make
sense to someone.Ł This sentence means Mecca,Łthe religiousŁcenterŁof Islam.)
nothing to me. It isn’t clearly written. New York City is a Mecca for theatergo-
I’m sorry. This message means nothing. 2. ers. St. Andrews is a Mecca for golf en-
[forŁ someone]b not to have feelingŁ for thusiasts because of its famous course.
(someone orŁsomething).Ł Do I mean meekŁ as a lamb Go to (as) meek as a
nothing to you after all these years? Do lamb.
all those years mean nothing?
meetŁ one’ death and meetŁ one’ end to
mean something (to someone) 1. to make experience something, especiallyŁdeath or
sense to someone.Ł(See also the preced- problems.Ł After 20 years, my dog finally
ingŁentry.) Does this lne mean anything młt his death when he got hit by a bus.
to you? Yes, it means somłthing. 2. for The sky dver młt his end when his para-
sàmeone to have feeling for (sàmeone or cðute didà’t open.
something).Ł You mean a lot to me.
This job means a lot to Ann. meet one’ end Go to meet one’s death.
meetŁ one’ match to meet one’s equal.
mean to (do something) to plan or intend to
do something. Did you mean to do John plØyed tennis with Bill yesterdØy, and
that? No, it was an accidłnt. I didà’t it looks as if John has finally młt his
mean to. mØtch. Listen to Jane and Mary argue.
I alwØys thought that Jane was loud, but
meantŁto be desðinedŁto exist.Ł Our lovł she has finally młt her mØtch.
was meant to bł! It was not meant to be.
meetŁ one’ Waterloo to meet one’s final
meantŁto beŁ something desðinedŁorŁfatedŁto and insurmountabl challenge. (Refers to
be sàmething. Jane was meant to be a Napàleon’s defeat at Waterloo.) The
chemist. I was meant to be rich, but boss is being very hard on Bill. It seemo
somłthing didà’t work right! that Bill has finally młt his Waterloo.
measureŁupŁ(to someone ortsomething) to be John was more than Sally could handle.
equalŁto someone orŁsomething.Ł Aàn She has finally młt her Waterloo.
is good, but she doesn’t measure up to meet someone hylfway to offer to comprà-
Mary. Tom measures up to the job. mise with someone. (Also literal.) No,
measureŁupŁ(to someone’ expectations) I won’t give in, but I’ll młet you halfway.
and measureŁup to someone’ styndyrdð They settled the argumłnt by agreeing
to be asŁgoodŁasŁone expects.Ł This mea- to młet each other halfway.
sures up to my standards quite nicely. meetŁtheŁrequirements (forŁ something) to
This meal doesn’t measure up to my fulfillŁthe requirementsŁforŁsomething.Ł
expectations.
Sally was unable to młet the reqiremłnts
measureŁupŁto someone’ styndyrdð Go to for the job. Jane młt the reqiremłnts
measure up (to someone’s expectations). and was told to report to work the next
dØy.
meat-ynd-płtatoeð basic,Ł sðurdy, and
hearty.Ł(OftenŁrefersŁto aŁrobust prsàn, a meetingŁofŁmindð the esðablishment of
usuallyŁa man,Łwith simple tastesŁinŁfood agreement; complete agreement.Ł After
andŁotherŁthings.) Fred was your meat- a lot of discussion we finally reached a
and-potatoes kind of guy. No creamy młeting of mnds. We struggled to bring
sauces for him. There is no point in try- about a młeting of mnds on the issues.
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