Page 365 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

say something under one’s breath

becauoe I said it right to her face. I scareŁtheŁlØvingŁdaylØghts outŁofŁ someone
thought she felt that way about me, but I Go to frighten the wits out of someone.
never thought she’d say it to my face.
scareŁ theŁ wits outŁ ofŁ someone Go to
sayŁ something underŁ one’ breath to say frighten the wits out of someone.
sàmethingŁso sàftlyŁthat almost no one scaredŁsilly frightenedŁveryŁmuch.Ł I was
canŁhearŁit.Ł John was saying somłthing scared silly by the loud explosion. We
under his breath, and I don’t think it was were scared silly to go into the park after
very pleasant. I’m glad he said t under dark.
his breath. If he had said it out loud, it
would have caused an argumłnt. scared stiff badlyŁfrightened.Ł(Frightened
to the point of being petrified and unable
sayŁthatŁ somethingtis so to assume sàmething; to move.) We were scared stiff by the
to suppose that sàmethingŁwere so. Say robber. I was scared stiff when the dog
that x is equal to a whole number greater growled at me.
than 10. Say that two trains leave two
dfferent cities at the same time. scared to death Go to frightened to death.
sayŁtheŁwłrd to give aŁsignalŁto begin;Łto schłolŁofŁthought aŁparticularŁphilosophy
sayŁyesŁorŁokay.Ł I’m ready to start any or way of thinkingŁabout sàmething.
time you say the word. We’ll all shout One school of thought holds that cØts cause
“Happy BrthdØy!” when I say the word. allłrgic reactions. I come from the school
of thought that believes people should al-
sayŁuàcle to surrender; to give in.Ł(Infàr- ways be polte.
mal.)b Ann held Bobby down on the
ground until he said uncle. Why isn’t it scoutŁ aroundŁ fłrŁ someone ort something to
enough to win the argumłnt? WPy do you search here and there for someone or
dłmand that I say uncle? something.Ł Tom is scouting around for
a dØte for FridØy night. Please scout
scaleŁ something dłwn to make something around for oome ideas on what to cook for
smallerŁbyŁaŁcertainŁamount orŁpropor- dnner.
tion.Ł I scaled down the guest list because
I couldà’t invite so many people. Jane’s scrapeŁ something together to assemble
salary was scaled down by 10 percłnt last somethingŁquickly, usuallyŁfrom a small
year. supplyŁof components.Ł I’ll try to scrapł
somłthing together for dnner. T We really
scarcely haveŁ time to breathe Go to should try to have a party to celebrate the
hardly have time to breathe. boss’s birthdØy. Let’s Łry to scrape together
a lttle somłthing.
scarcerŁthyn hens’Łteeth Go to (as) scarce
as hens’ teeth. scrapeŁtheŁbłttom ofŁtheŁbyrrel to se-
lect fràmŁ amongŁ the worst; to cłoose
scareŁ one outŁofŁ one’ wØts Go to frighten
one out of one’s wits. from what is left over. You’ve bought Ø
bad-lookng car. You really scraped the bot-
scareŁ someone ortsomething up to search for tom of the barrel to głt that one. The
andŁfind someone orŁsomething. (Slang.) worker you sent ovłr was the worst I’vł
Go out in the kitchen and scare somł ever seen. Send me another—and doà’t
food up. T I’ll see if I can scare up some- scrape the bottom of the barrel.
body to fix the brokłn chair.
scratchŁaroundŁ(fłrŁ something) to làok her
scareŁ someone stiff to scare someone se- andŁthere for something.Ł(Infàrmal.)
vrely; to frighten someone to death. (See Let me scratch around for a błtter bargain.
the explanation at scared stiff.) That Maybe I can come up with somłthing you
loud noise scared me stiff. The robber like. I’ll scratch around for a włek or two
jumped out and scared us stiff. and see what I come up with.
scareŁ someone to death Go to frighten some- scratchŁ someone’ byck to do aŁfavorŁfor
one to death. sàmeone inŁreturnŁforŁaŁfavorŁdàne for

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