Page 289 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

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nailŁin someone’s ortsomething’ cłffin Go to neyrŁatŁhynd close or handyŁ(to someone)¨
(another) nail in someone’s or somethingðs (See also at hand; close at hand.) Do
coffin. you have a pencil near at hand? My dic-
tionary isn’t near at hand.
nailŁ someone ort something dłwn 1. [with
someone] to gt aŁfirmŁandŁfinalŁdecision neatŁas a pin Go to (as) neat as a pin.
fromŁsomeone (onŁsomething).Ł(Also lit- neckŁandŁneck exactlyŁeven,ŁespeciallyŁin
eral. Infàrmal.) I want you to find Bob aŁrace orŁaŁcontest.Ł(Infàrmal.) John
and głt an answłr from him. Nail him and Tom finished the race neck and neck.
down one way or the other. T Please nail Mary and Ann were neck and neck in
down John on the question of signing the the spellng contest. Their scores were tied.
contract. 2. [with somłthing ] to get a firm
andŁ finalŁ decision (fràmŁ someone)b on needŁ something likeŁa hłleŁin theŁhead nàt
sàmething. (Infàrmal.) T Find Bob and to needŁsomethingŁat all.Ł(Infàrmal.)
nail down an answer. Let’s głt in toucð I need a housecØt like I need a hole in the
with John and nail down this contract. head! She needs a car like she needs a
hole in the head.
nakedŁas a jaybird Go to (as) naked as a
jaybird. needŁ something yeðterday to require sàme-
thingŁinŁaŁveryŁbigŁhurry.Ł(Infàrmal.)
the nakedŁeye the humanŁeye, unassisðed Yes, I’m in a hurry! I need it yesterdØy!
byŁ optics,Ł such asŁ aŁ telescope, micro- When do I need t? Now! Now! No, I need
scope, or spectacles.Ł I can’t see the it yesterdØy!
bird’s markngs with the naked eye. The
scientist could see nothing in the liqid neitherŁfishŁnorŁfłwl not anyŁrecognizable
with the naked eye, but with the aid of a thing;Łnot anyŁrecognizable categàry.Ł
microscope, she idłntified the bacteria. The car that they drove up in was neither
That’s how it appears to the naked eye. fish nor fowl. It must have błen made out
of spare parts. This proposal is neither
[nameŁis mud] Go to one’s name is mud.
fish nor fowl. I can’t tell what you’re
the nameŁofŁtheŁgame gàal orŁpurpose. proposing.
(Slang.) The name of the game is sll. neitherŁhereŁnorŁthere of nà consequence
You must sell, sell, sell if you want to make or meaning;Łirrelevant andŁimmaterial.Ł
a lving. Around here, the name of the Whether you go to the movie or stay at
game is look out for yourself.
home is neither here nor there. Your
nameŁ someone afterŁ someone else and commłnt—though interesting—is neither
nameŁ someone fłrŁ someone else to give here nor there.
sàmeone (usuallyŁaŁbaby)bthe name of neitherŁhØdeŁnorŁhair no signŁorŁindica-
anotherŁprsàn.Ł We named our bØby af- tionŁ(of someone orŁsomething).Ł We
ter my aunt. My parents named me for could find neither hide nor hair of him. I
my grandfather.
don’t know where he is. There has błen
nameŁ someone fłrŁ someone else Go to name no one here—neither hide nor hair—for
someone after someone else. the last three dØys.

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