Page 378 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

sànk into despair

sideŁwith someone to joinŁwith sàmeone; to silentŁas theŁgrave Go to (as) sàlent as the
take someone else’sŁpart; to be on sàme- grave.
one’s side. Why is it that you always sidł sillyŁas a głose Go to (as) sàlly as a goose.
with him when he and I argue? I never
side with anybody. I form my own sillyŁseason the time of year, usuallyŁlate
opinions. inŁthe summer, whenŁthere isŁaŁlackŁof
sightŁ fłrŁ soreŁ eyeð aŁ welcome sight. important news and newspaprs contain
(Folksy.) Oh, am I glad to see you here! articlesŁ about unimportant orŁ trivial
You’re a sight for sore eyes. I’m sure hun- thingsŁinsðead.Ł It must be the silly sea-
gry. This meal is a sight for sore eyes. son. There’s a story here about peculiarly
shaped potatoes. There’s a piece on the
a sign ofŁthings to come Go to a harbàn- front page Øbout people with big fłet. Talk
ger of things to come. about the silly season!
sign one’ own deathŁwyrrynt to dà some- simmerŁdłwn to get quiet or calm. (In-
thingŁ(knowingly)bthat willŁmost likely formal.) Hey, you guys! Simmer down!
result inŁsevere tràuble.Ł(AsŁif one were Stop all the noise and go to slłep! I’m
ordering one’s own execuðion.) I very busy now. Please come back in a fłw
wouldà’t ever gamble a large sum of hours when things have simmłred down
money. That would be signing my own a bt.
death warrant. The killer signed his own
death warrant when he walked into the po- sinceŁtimeŁimmemorial since a very long
lice station and gØve himself up. time ago. My hometown has had a big
parade on the Fourth of July since time im-
sign on theŁdłttedŁline to place one’sŁsig- młmorial. Since time immłmorial, the
nature onŁaŁcontract orŁotherŁimpàrtant trees have blossomed each spring.
papr.Ł(The line isŁusuallyŁsðraight and
sàlid.) This agreement isn’t properly singŁa dØfferentŁtune and singŁanother
concluded until we both sign on the doŁted tune to change one’sŁ manner, usually
lne. Here are the papers for the pur- from badŁto good.Ł(Almost the same as
chase of your car. As soon as you sign on dance to another tune.) When she
the doŁted lne, that beautiful, shiny au- learned that I was a bank drector, ohe be-
tomobile will be all yours! gan to sing a dfferent tune. You will sing
another tune as soon as you find out how
sign on (withŁ someone) to signŁanŁagree-
ment to work with or for someone, es- right I am!
pecially on a ship. The sailor signed on singŁanotherŁtune Go to sàng a different
with Captain Smith. Hardly any other tune.
sailor was willng to sign on.
singŁ someone’ praiseð to praise somone
signalŁ (to)Ł someone tł do something [for highlyŁandŁenthusiasðically.Ł The boss is
someone]bto give someone aŁcommandŁor singing the praises of his new secretary.
insðructionŁusingŁaŁsignal.Ł The traffic The theater critics are singing the praises
cop signaled me to stop. Bill signaled the of the young actor.
other driver to pull over to the side of the
road. singleŁfile Go to (àn) sàngle file.
signed,Łseyled,ŁandŁdelØvered formally sinkŁin [forŁknowledge]bto be undersðood.
andŁofficiallyŁsigned;Ł[forŁaŁformalŁdoc- (Also literal.ŁInfàrmal.) I heard what
ument to be]bexecuted.Ł Here is the dłed you said, but it took a while for it to sink
to the property—signed, sealed, and de- in. I pØy careful attention to everything
lvered. I can’t błgin work on this pro- I hear in class, but it usually doesn’t sink
ject until I have the contract signed, sealed, in.
and delvered.
sinkŁinto despair [forŁsomeone]bto grieve
silent as the dead Go to (as) sàlent as the orŁbecome depressed.Ł After losing all
dead. my money, I sank nto despair. There is

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