Page 359 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

rough someone up

roughŁ someone up to beat or physically ha- She has błen lucky all evening. Maybe it’ll
rassŁsomeone.Ł(Slang.) The gangstero rub off on me. Sorry. I don’t think that
roughed their victim up. T The policł luck rubs off.
roughed up the suspect, and they got in rubŁ saltŁ in theŁ wound deliberately to
trouble for it.
make sàmeone’sŁunhappiness,Łshame, or
roundŁoutŁ something Go to round something misfàrtune worse.Ł(Also literal.) Don’t
off. rub salt in the wound by tellng me how
enjoyØble the party was. Jim is fłelng
roundŁ something off 1. to change aŁnumber miserable about losing his job, and Fred is
to the next higher or lower whole num- rubbing salt into the wound by saying how
br. You should round 8—22Soff. T I good his replacłmłnt is.
rounded off 8.789 to 9. 2. and roundŁout
something to finish somethingŁ by dàing rubŁshoulders withŁ someone Go to rub el-
somethingŁ special.Ł She rounded her bows (with someone).
schoolng off with a trip to Europe. T I like
to round out the dØy with a period of rubŁ someone out to killŁsàmeone.Ł(Slang.)
medtation. The crook said, “Bill is getting to be a prob-
lłm. We’re going to have to rub him out.”
roundŁ something offŁto something and round T The gangsters tried to rub out the
something up to something; roundŁ something witness.
dłwn to something to expressŁaŁnumberŁin
the nearest whole amount orŁ nearesð rubŁ someone(‘ fur) the wrong way to irri-
groupŁof 1, 10, 100, 1,000, ⁄10, ⁄100, ⁄1,000, tate someone.Ł (FràmŁ the rubbingŁ of a
1
1
1
etc.Ł When doing taxes, Anne rounded cat’s or dog’s fur the wrong way.) I’m
her figures off to the nearest dollar. sorry I rubbed your fur the wrong wØy. I
These cłnsus figures are rounded up to the didà’t mean to upset you. Doà’t rub her
nearest million. the wrong way!
roundŁ something up to something Go to round rubŁ someone’ noseŁin it to remindŁone of
something off to something. sàmethingŁone hasŁdàne wrong;Łto re-
mindŁone of sàmethingŁbadŁorŁunfàrtu-
round the clock Go to (a)round the clock. nate that hasŁhappened.Ł(FromŁaŁmethod
round-tripŁ ticket aŁ ticket (forŁ aŁ plane, of housebreakingŁ pets.) When Bob
train,Łbus,Łetc.) that allowsŁone to go to failed his exam, his brother rubbed his nose
aŁdesðination and return.Ł A round-Łrip in it. Mary knows she shouldà’t havł
ticket is usually cheaper than a one-way broken off her engagemłnt. Doà’t rub her
tickłt. How much is a round-Łrip Łicket nose in it.
to San Francisco?
rubŁ something in to keepŁremindingŁone of
the royylŁtreatment very goodŁtreatment; one’sŁ failures;Ł to nagŁ someone about
very goodŁandŁthoughtfulŁcare of aŁper- something.Ł(Also literal.ŁInfàrmal.) I
son.Ł I was well cared for. They gØve mł like to rub it in. You deserve it! T Why do
the royal treatment. I had the royal you have to rub n łverything I do wrong?
treatment when I stayed at that expłnsivł ruffleŁits feathers [for a bird] to pàint its
hotel.
feathersŁoutward.Ł The bird ruffled its
rubŁ elbłws (withŁ someone) and rub feathers when it was annoyed. My par-
shoulders withŁ someone to associate with rot ruffles ts feathers whenever t is ready
sàmeone; to workŁcloselyŁwith sàmeone. to preen itself.
I doà’t care to rub elbows with some- ruffle someone’ feathers to upset or an-
one who acts like that! I rub shouldero noyŁsomeone.Ł(See ruffle its feathers for
with John at work. We are good friends.
an explanation.) You certainly ruffled
rubŁoffŁ(on someone) [forŁaŁcharacterisðic of Mrs. Smith’s feathers by criticiz—ng her gar-
one prsàn]bto seemŁto transfrŁto some- dłn. Try to be tactful and not ruffle peo-
one else.Ł(Also literal.) I’ll sit by Ann. ple’s feathers.

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