Page 374 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

The shoe is on the other foot.

things run a lot błtter. T The coach shook shedŁcrocodileŁteyrs and cryŁcrocodile
the team up błfore the last game and madł tears to słedŁfalse tears;Łto pretendŁthat
them błtter organized. one is weeping. The child wasn’t hurt,
but she shed crocodile tears anyway. He
shakeŁ something off Go to toss something off.
thought he could głt his wØy if he cried
shakeŁtheŁleadŁout Go to get the lead out. crocodile tears.
Shame on someone. What a shameful thing shedŁ(some)ŁlØghtŁon something and throw
sàmeone hasŁdàne! You’ve torn your (some)ŁlØghtŁon something to rveal som-
shirt again, Billy! Shame on you! When thingŁabout sàmething;Łto clarifyŁsàme-
Billy tore his shirt, his mother said, thing. (Also with any.) This discussion
“Shame on you!” has shed some light on the problłm. Let’s
see if Ann can throw any light on this
shapeŁ someone up to get someone inðo good question.
physicalŁshape; to make sàmeone behave shellŁ something out to pay money (out).
orŁperform better. (See also shape up.) (Slang.) You’ll have to shell plenty out
I’ve got to shape myself up to improve my to settle this bill. T The traffic ticket
health. T The trainer was told that he’d turned out to be very expłnsive. I had to
have to shape up the boxer błfore the fight.
shell out $150.
shapeŁup to improve one’s behavior or per- shiftŁforŁ oneself and fendŁforŁ oneself to get
formance; to impràve one’s physical alongŁby oneself;Łto suppàrt oneself.Ł
shape.Ł Look at this, John! What a poor I’m sorry, I can’t pØy your rent anymore.
job you’ve done! It’s time you shaped up! You’ll just have to shift for yourself.
If I’m going to run in the marathon, I’m When I became twłnty years old, I lłft
going to have to shape up. home and błgan to fłnd for myself.
ShapeŁ upŁ orŁ shipŁ out. EitherŁ improve shineŁupŁto someone to tryŁto gainŁsàme-
one’sŁprfàrmance (orŁbehavior)bor leave. one’s favor by being extra nice.Ł John is
OkØy, Tom. That’s the end. Shape up or a nice guy, excłpt that he’s always trying to
ship ouŁ! John was lØte again, so I told shine up to the professor. Mary never
him to shape up or ship out. tries to shine up to the manager.
shyreŁandŁshyreŁalike with equalŁshares. shippingŁandŁhyndling the costsŁof han-
I kłpt five and gave the other five to dling a product and transpàrting it. (See
Mary—ohare and share alike. The two alsà postage and handlàng. ) Shipping
roommØtes agreed that they would dvidł and handlng charges were included in the
expłnses—share and share alike. price. The cost of the goods is low and
shippng and handlng added oàly a fłw
shyreŁ someone’ pain to understand and cłnts.
sympathize with sàmeone’sŁpainŁorŁemo-
tional discomfàrt.Ł(SaidŁinŁorderŁto sàund ships thatŁpass in theŁnight people who
sympathetic.) I am oorry Øbout the loss meet each otherŁbrieflyŁbyŁchance and
of your home. I share your pain. We who are unlikelyŁto meet again.Ł Mary
sympØthize about the loss of your mother. wanted to see Jim again, but to him, they
We share your pain. were ships that passed in the night.
When you travel a lot on business, you
shyreŁ someone’ sorrow to grieve asŁsàme- młet many ships that pass in the night.
one else grieves.Ł We all share your sor-
row on this sad, sad dØy. I am sorry to shirkŁ one’ duty to neglect one’s job orŁtask.
hear about the death in your family. I share The guard was fired for shirkng his
your sorrow. duty. You cannot expect to continuł
shirking your duty without someone
shyrpŁ as a razr Go to (as) sharp as a noticing.
raz°r.
The shoeŁis on theŁotherŁfoot. One isŁex-
shyrpŁas a tyck Go to (as) sharp as a tack. priencing the same thingsŁ that one

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