Page 291 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

nàp and tuck

nipŁandŁtuck almost even;Łalmost tied.Ł(In- I hope you don’t have any hard fłelngs.
formal.) The horses ran nip and tuck for No, I have no hard fłelngs.
the first half of the race. Then my horse No hyrm done. It is all rigłt. No one or
pulled ahead. In the football game last nothingŁhasŁbeenŁharmed.Ł(Infàrmal.)
SaturdØy, both teams were nip and tuck It’s okØy. No harm done. A: I am sorry
throughout the game.
I stepped on your toe. B: No harm done.
nipŁ something in theŁbud to put an end to
somethingŁat anŁearlyŁsðage.Ł(Also literal.) no holds barred with no resðraints.Ł(Slang.
John is getting into bad habts, and it’s FromŁwresðling.) I intend to argue it out
best to nip them in the bud. There was with Mary, no holds barred. When Ann
trouble in the classroom, but the teacher negotiates a contract, she goes in with no
nipped it in the bud. holds barred and comes out with a good
contract.
No bigŁdeyl! Not aŁbigŁproblem!Ł(Infàr-
mal.)b It didà’t hurt. No big deal! It no ifs,Ł ands,Ł orŁ buts aboutŁ it and no
isn’t a problłm. No big deal! buts aboutŁit absolutely nà discussion,
dissension,ŁorŁdoubt about something.Ł
no buts aboutŁit Go to no ifs, ands, or buts I want you there exactly at eight, no ifs,
about it. ands, or buts about it. This is the best
No can do. It can’t be done.;ŁIŁcan’t do it. telłvision set availØble for the money, no
(Slang.) Sorry, John. No can do. I can’t buts about it.
sell you this one. I’ve promised it to Mrs. no joke aŁseriousŁmatter.Ł(Infàrmal.) It’s
Smith. BILL: Please fix this clock todØy. no joke when you miss the last train. It’s
BOB: No can do. It’ll take a włek to głt the certainly no joke when you have to walk
parts. home.
No comment. IŁhave nothingŁto sayŁonŁthis no kidding [spoken]bhonesðly; [someone
matter.Ł Q: When did you stop beating is]bnot joking orŁlying. (Slang.) No kid-
your dog? A: No commłnt. Q: Georgie, dng, you really got an A in geomłtry?
did you chop down the cherry tree? A: No I really did, no kiddng.
commłnt.
no laughingŁmatter aŁseriousŁmatter.Ł Bł
no doubt surely; wiðhout a doubð; un- serious. This is no laughing mØtter. This
dàubtedly. He will be here again to- disease is no laughing mØtter. It’s quite
morrow, no doubt. No doubt you will re- deadly.
quire a ride home?
no loveŁlostŁ(between someone andŁ some-
no end ofŁ something lots of something. (In- one else) no friendshipŁwasðedŁbetween
formal.) It was a wondłrful banqułt. sàmeone and sàmeone els (because they
They had no end of good food. Tom is are enemies).Ł Ever since their big argu-
a real problłm. He’s no end of trouble. młnt, there has błen no love lost błtwłen
no flØes on someone someone is not slow; Tom and Bill. You can tell by the way
sàmeone is not wasðingŁtime.Ł(RefersŁto that Jane is acting toward Ann that there
aŁprsànŁmoving too fast to allow fliesŁto is no love lost.
light.) Of course I work fast. I go as fast no matterŁ whatŁ happens inŁanyŁevent;
as I can. There are no flies on me. There without regardŁto what happensŁ(inŁthe
are no flies on Robert. He does his work future).Ł We’ll be there on time, no mØt-
very fast and very well.
ter what. No mØtter what happłns, wł’ll
no greatŁ shakeð nothingŁ impàrtant or still be friends.
worth noticing.Ł(Slang.) It’s okay, but No news is głodŁnews. If one hasŁnot had
it’s no great shakes. I like John, but he’s anyŁinfàrmationŁabout sàmeone or sàme-
no great shakes when it comes to sports.
thingŁforŁsome time, it meansŁthat allŁis
no hyrdŁfeelingð no anger or resenðmenð. well,Łsince one wouldŁhave heardŁif any-
(Infàrmal.Ł No can be replacd with any.) thingŁbadŁorŁunfàrtunate hadŁoccurred.

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