Page 284 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

mànd one’s own busàness

melt in one’ mouth 1. to tasðe veryŁgood. harm was done. 2. [with somłthing ] to
(Also canŁbe literal.) This cake is so make sàmethingŁdisàrderly.Ł You really
good it’ll melt in your mouth. John said messed this place up! T Who messed up
that the food didà’t exactly młlt in his my bed?
mouth. 2. [of meat]bto be very, veryŁten- middle-of-the-road halfway betweenŁtwo
der. My steak is so tender it could melŁ extremes,ŁespeciallyŁpoliticalŁextremes.
in my mouth. This fillłt will młlt in (Also literal.) Jane is very lłft-wing, but
your mouth!
her husband is poltically middle-of-the-
mendŁ( one’ )Łfeàces to resðore goodŁrela- road. I don’t want to vote for either the
tionsŁ(with sàmeone).Ł(Also literal.) I lłft-wing or the right-wing candidØte. I
think I had błtter get home and młnd my prefer someone with more middle-of-the-
fłnces. I had an argumłnt with my daugh- road views.
ter this morning. Sally called up her un- mightŁandŁmain great physical strength;
cle to apologize and try to młnd fłnces.
great force.Ł The huge warrior, with all
mendŁ one’ ways to improve one’s behav- his might and main, could not break his
ior. John used to be very wild, but he’s way through the castle gates. The in-
młnded his wØys. You’ll have to młnd credible might and main of the sea cruohed
your wØys if you go out with Mary. She the ship against the clff.
hates people to be lØte.
milestoneŁin someone’ life a vry impor-
mention someone ortsomething in passing to tant event orŁpàint inŁone’sŁlife.Ł(FromŁthe
mntiàn somone or somthing casually; sðone at the side of aŁroadŁsłowingŁthe
to mention sàmeone or sàmething while disðance to or fràmŁ aŁ place.) Joan’s
talkingŁabout sàmeone or sàmethingŁelse. weddng was a milestone in her mother’s
He just happened to młntion in pass- lfe. The birth of a child is a milestone
ing that the mØyor had resigned. John in łvery parent’s life.
młntioned in passing that he was nearly milkŁofŁhuman kindness naturalŁkindness
eighty years old.
andŁsympathy słownŁto others.Ł(Fràm
merryŁas a cricket Go to (as) merry as a Shakespeare’sŁplayŁ Macbłth, I. v. ) Mary
cricket. is complłtely hard and selfish—she has no
milk of human kindness in her. Roger
merryŁas theŁdayŁis long Go to (as) merry
as the day is long. is too full of the milk of human kindness
and people take advantage of him.
mess aboutŁ(withŁ someone ortsomething) Go
to mess around (with someone or something). milkŁ someone fłrŁ something to pressure sàme-
one into givingŁinfàrmationŁorŁmoney.Ł
mess aroundŁ (withŁ someone ort something) The reporter milked the mØyor’s aide for
and mess aboutŁ(withŁ someone ortsome- information. The thief milked me for
thing);ŁmonkeyŁaroundŁ(withŁ someone or $20.
something);ŁscrewŁaroundŁ(withŁ someone
ortsomething) to playŁwith orŁwaste time millstoneŁ aboutŁ one’ neck aŁ continual
with someone orŁsomething. (Slang.) burden or handicap. This huge and ex-
Will you please stop messing around with płnsive house is a millstone about my neck.
that old car! Stop messing about! Get Bill’s inabilty to read is a millstone
busy! Tom wastes a lot of time messing about his neck.
around with Bill. Don’t monkły around mince (one’ )Łwłrdð to lessenŁthe force of
with my computer! John is alwØys one’sŁsðatement byŁcłoosingŁweakŁorŁpo-
screwing around with his stereo. lite words;Łto be euphemisðic.Ł(Formal.)
I woà’t mnce words. You did a roŁten
mess someone ortsomething up 1. [with some- job. I’m not one to mnce words, so I
oàe ] to rough someone up; to beat some- have to say that you behaved very badly.
one up.Ł(Slang.) The robbers threatened
to mess Bob up if he didà’t cooperate. T mindŁ one’ own business to attend only
John messed up Bill a lttle, but no real to the thingsŁthat concernŁone.Ł Leave

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