Page 334 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

poor but clean

plumb lłco completely crazy.Ł(Folksy.) thing.Ł The cØt is poised to jump on the
If you think you can stand up against Mar- mouse. The army is poised to attack at
shall Dillon, you’re plumb loco. Bob is dØwn.
not just a lttle strange, he’s plumb loco.
pokeŁabout and pokeŁaround to look or
poeticŁjuðtice the appropriate but chanc search aràund.Ł I’ve błen pokng around
receivingŁof rewardsŁor punishmentsŁby in the library lookng for some statistics.
those deservingŁthem.Ł It was poetic jus- I don’t mnd if you look in my drawer for
tice that Jane won the race after Mary tried a paper clp, but please don’t poke about.
to get her banned. The car thieves stolł
a car with no gas. That’s połtic justice. pokeŁaround Go to poke about.
the pointŁofŁno return the halfway pàint; pokeŁ fun (atŁ someone) to make fun of
the point at which it isŁtoo late to turn sàmeone; to ridicule someone.Ł Stop
back.Ł(OftenŁwith past.) The flight was pokng fun at mł! It’s not nice. Bob is al-
past the point of no return, so we had to ways pokng fun.
continue to our destination. The entire pokeŁ one’ noseŁin(to something) and stick
project is past the point of no return; wł one’ noseŁ in(to something) to interfer
will have to continue with it. with something;Łto be nosyŁabout sàme-
pointŁ ofŁ view aŁ wayŁ of thinkingŁ about thing.Ł(Also literal.) I wish you’d stop
sàmething;Ł[sàmeone’s]bviewpàint; an at- pokng your nose into my business. She
titude orŁexpression of self-interest.Ł was too upset for me to stick my nooe in
From my point of view, all this talk is a and ask what was wrong.
waste of time. She has a strange point of płles apyrt veryŁdifferent; farŁfromŁcom-
view, but she has made some good obser- ingŁ to anŁ agreement.Ł (PrecededŁ byŁ be,
vations about the problłm.
grow, or seem.) Mr. and Mrs. Jones
pointŁ someone ortsomething out to select or in- don’t get along well. They are poles apart.
dicate someone or somethingŁ (fràmŁ a They’ll never sign the contract because
group).Ł Everyone pointed the error out. they are poles apart.
She pointed the thief out to the police of- płlØshŁ something off to finish sàmethingŁoff.
fcer. T She pointed out the boy who took There is just a lttle bt of work lłft. It
her purse.
won’t take any Łime to polish t off. T Bob
pointŁ something up to emphasize sàmething; polished off the rest of the pie.
to demonsðrate aŁfact.Ł I’d like to point
your approach up by citing some authori- płopŁ out to quit; to wearŁout andŁsðop.
ties who agree with you. T This knd of in- (Slang.) I’m so tired I could poop out
cidłnt points up the flØws in your system. right here. My car oounded as f it were
going to poop out.
pointŁtheŁfingerŁatŁ someone to blame sàme-
one; to identifyŁ someone asŁ the guilty płopedŁout [forŁaŁprsàn orŁanimalŁto be]
prsàn.Ł(See also put the finger on some- exhausted.Ł (Slang.) The horse was
one.) Doà’t point the finger at mł! I pooped out and could run no more. I
didà’t take the money. The manager re- can’t go on. I’m pooped out.
fused to point the finger Øt anyone n par- płorŁas a churchŁmouse Go to (as) poor
ticular and said that everyone was some- as a church mouse.
times guilŁy of błing lØte.
poor but clean havingŁ little moneyŁ but
poisedŁforŁ something readyŁforŁsàmething; cleanŁ andŁ of gàod habits,Ł nonetheless.
inŁ the right positionŁ andŁ waitingŁ for (EitherŁextremelyŁcondescendingŁorŁjoc-
something.Ł The cØt stared at the mouoe, ular. Some people would consider it of-
poised for action. The army was poised fensive.) My salary isn’t very high, and
for bØttle.
I only have two color TV sets. Anyway, I’m
poisedŁto do something rady to dà som- poor but clean. When Fred uttered the
thing;ŁinŁthe right positionŁto do some- pðrØse poorŁbut cleanŁ in reference to somł

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