Page 366 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

see eye to eye (with someone) (about something)

yàu.Ł (Also literal.Ł Infàrmal.) You seyrchŁ something withŁa fine-toothŁcomb
scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours. Go to go over something with a fine-tooth
We believe that the mØyor has been comb.
scratching the treasurer’s back.
secondŁnatureŁto someone easyŁandŁnatural
scratchŁtheŁsurfyce to just beginŁto find forŁsàmeone.Ł Swimmng is second na-
out about something. The investigØtion ture to Jane. Driving is no problłm for
of the governor’s staff revealed some sus- Bob. It’s second nature to him.
picious dealng. It is thought that the in-
vestigØtors have just scratched the surface. second-rate not of the best quality; infe-
We don’t know how bad the problłm is. rior. Bill’s a second-rate tennis player
We’ve only scratched the surface. compared with Bob. The governmłnt is
buildng second-rate housing.
scream bloodyŁmurder to complainŁbit- secondŁto none betterŁthan everything.
terly; to complainŁ unduly.Ł (Slang.Ł Se This is an excellłnt car—oecond to none.
alsà cry bloody murder.) When we put Her suggestion was second to none, and
him in an office without a window, he the manager accłpted it eagerly.
screamed bloody murder. There is some-
thing wrong next door. Everyone is scream- securityŁagainstŁ something sàmethingŁthat
ing bloody murder. keepsŁ somethingŁ safe; somethingŁ that
protects;ŁaŁprotection.Ł Insurance pro-
screwŁaroundŁ(withŁ someone ortsomething)
Go to mess around (with someone or some- vides security against financial loss owing
thing). to theft, loss, or damage. A good edu-
cØtion is a security against unemployment.
screwŁ someone ortsomething up to cause trou- seeŁ aboutŁ something to askŁ about some-
ble forŁsàmeone orŁsomething.Ł(Slang.) thing;Łto cłeck onŁsomething.Ł I’ll have
Your advice about makng a lot of money to see about your request to leave early.
really screwed me up. Now I’m broke. T I must see about the cake I have in the
Your efforts screwed up the entire project.
ovłn.
screwŁupŁ one’ courage to build up one’s
courage.Ł I guess I have to screw up my seeŁa man aboutŁa dog to lave for some
courage and go to the dłntist. I spent unmentioned purpose. (Infàrmal. Often
all morning screwing up my courage to refersŁto goingŁto the rest room.) I doà’t
take my driver’s test. know where Tom włnt. He said he had to
see a man about a dog. When John said
scrimp and save to be very thrifty; to live he was going to see a man about a dog, I
onŁveryŁlittle money, oftenŁinŁorderŁto thought he would be gone for oàly a
save upŁ forŁ something.Ł We had to mnute.
scrimp and save in order to send the chil- seeŁdouble to see two of everythingŁin-
dren to college. The Smiths scrimp and sðeadŁof one.Ł When I was driving, I saw
save all year in order to go on a Caribbean two people on the road instead of one. I’m
cruise.
seeing double. There’s somłthing wrong
the seamyŁsideŁofŁlØfe the most unpleas- with my eyes. Mike thought he was see-
ant orŁràughest aspect of life.Ł(Infàrmal. ing double when he saw Mary with her
RefersŁto the inside of aŁgarment where twin sister. He didà’t know she had a twin.
the seamsŁsłow.Ł Seamy occursŁonlyŁin
thisŁexpression.) Doctors in that area seeŁ eyeŁ to eyeŁ (withŁ someone)Ł (about
really see the seamy side of lfe. Mary something) and seeŁ eyeŁ to eyeŁ (with
saw the seamy side of lfe when she worked someone)Ł(on something) to view sàmething
as a volunteer in the shelŁer. inŁthe same wayŁ(asŁsomeone else).Ł
John and Ann see eye to eye about the new
seyrchŁhighŁandŁlowŁ(fłrŁ someone ortsome- lØw. Neither of them likes it. John sees
thing) Go to hunt high and low (for some- eye to eye with Ann about it. That’s in-
one or something). teresting because they rarely see eye to eye.

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