Page 312 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

one’s way of life

włre ringing for hours. My ears are ring- one’ heartŁis setŁon something one desires
ing because I have a cold. andŁexpectsŁsomething. Jane’s heart is
set on going to London. My heart is set
oneself again healthyŁagain;ŁcalmŁagain;Łre- on returning home.
sðored.Ł (PrecededŁ byŁ be, become, seem
like, or act like.) After such a long ill- one’ heyrtŁmisses a beat and one’s heyrt
ness, it’s good to be myself again. I’m skips a beat one’s heart is fluðtering or
sorry that I lost my temper. I think I’m my- palpitating.Ł Whenever I’m near you, my
self again now. heart skps a beat. When the racehorse
fell, my heart missed a beat.
One’ eyes areŁbiggerŁthyn one’ stomach.
One hasŁtakenŁmore foodŁthanŁone can one’ heartŁskips a beat Go to one’s heart
eat.Ł I can’t eat all this. I’m afraid that misses a beat.
my eyes were bigger than my stomach.
Try to take less food. Your eyes are bigger one’ heartŁstynds still one’sŁheart (figu-
than your stomach at every meal. ratively)bsðopsŁbeatingŁbecause of sðrong
emotions.Ł When I first saw you, my
one’ fairŁshyre aŁshare of somethingŁthat is heart stood still. My heart will stand
equalŁto what othersŁgt orŁinŁproportion still until you answer.
to what isŁdeserved.Ł Let him take more.
He didà’t get his fair share. I want my one’ luckŁruns out one’sŁgoodŁluck sðops.
fair share. You cheated mł! Give me somł My luck ran out, so I had to come home.
more! She will quit gamblng when her luck
runs out.
one’ forŁtheŁaskingŁ one’s property if one
asksŁforŁit.Ł I have a cherry pie here. A one’ name is mud one is in trouble or hu-
slice is yours for the askng if you want it. miliated.Ł(Slang.) If I can’t get this con-
Uncle Mac said we could have his old tract signed, my name will be mud. His
car if we wanted it. It was ours for the name is mud ever since he broke the crys-
askng. tal vase.
one’ heyrtŁgoes outŁto someone one feels one’ noseŁis in theŁair one is acting con-
compassionŁ forŁ someone.Ł My heart ceitedŁorŁaloof.Ł(Note the variationŁwith
goes out to those starving children I see on always. See also have one’s nose in the air.)
telłvision. We are so sorry. Our hearts Mary’s nose is alwØys in the air. Her
go out to you.
mother’s nose was alwØys in the air, too.
one’ heyrtŁis (dead)ŁsetŁagainstŁ something
one is totallyŁagainst sàmething. Jane’s one’ numberŁis up one’s time to die—or to
heart is set against going there. We are sufferŁsome otherŁunpleasantness—has
dead set against it. come.Ł(Infàrmal.) John is worried. He
thinks his number is up. When my num-
one’ heyrtŁ is in one’ mouth one feels ber is up, I hope it all goes fast.
sðrànglyŁ emotionalŁ (about someone or
something).Ł “Gooh, Mary,” said John, one’ oldŁstampingŁground the place wher
“my heart is in my mouth whenever I see one wasŁraisedŁorŁwhere one hasŁspent a
you.” My heart is in my mouth when- lot of time.Ł(Folksy.ŁThere are variants
ever I hear the national anthem. It was with stompng andŁ grounds.) Aàn
a touching scłne. My heart was in my should know about that place. It’s near her
mouth the whole time. old stampng ground. I can’t wait to get
back to my old stompng grounds.
one’ heartŁis in theŁrightŁplace one has
gàodŁintentions,ŁevenŁif the resultsŁare one’ wayŁofŁlØfe one’sŁlifesðyle; one’sŁpat-
bad.Ł(See also have one’s heart in the right tern of living. That knd of thing just
place.) She gØve it a good try. Her heart doesn’t fit into my way of lfe. Our way
was in the right place. He is awkward, of lfe includes contributing to worthy
but his heart is in the right place. causes.

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