Page 386 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

somewhere to hang (up) one’s hat

someone’ mission in lØfe one’sŁpurpose for somłthing about Jane. I just can’t figure
living;Łthe reasànŁforŁwhich one livesŁon her out. I love Mexican food. There’s just
the earth.Ł Bob’s mission in lfe is to somłthing about it.
make money. My mission in lfe is to
help people lve in peace. somethingŁ else sàmethingŁ wonderful;
somethingŁextraŁspecial.Ł(Also literal.ŁIn-
someone’ petŁhate somethingŁthat isŁdis- formal.) Did you see her new car? That’s
likedŁintenselyŁbyŁsomeone andŁisŁaŁcon- really somłthing eloe! John hit a ball yes-
sðant or repeatedŁannoyance.Ł My pet terday that włnt out of the stadum and
hate is błing put on hold on the telłphone. kept on going. He’s somłthing else!
Another płt hate of mne is having to
stand in lne. somethingŁ elseŁ (again) somethingŁ en-
tirely different. (Infàrmal.) Borrowing
someone’ petŁpeeve one’sŁ“favorite” orŁmosð is one thing, but stealng is somłthing else.
often encounterd annoyance. My pet Skn diving is easy and fun, but scuba
płeve is someone who alwØys comes into dving is somłthing else again.
the theater after the show has started.
Drivers who doà’t signal are John’s pet somethingŁofŁtheŁsort sàmethingŁof the
peeve. kindŁjust mentioned.Ł This is a sprucł
tree, or somłthing of the sort. Jane has
someone’ placeŁofŁbusiness a place wher
businessŁisŁdàne; aŁfactoryŁorŁoffice.Ł a cold or somłthing of the sort.
Our place of business opens at noon eacð something or other something; one thing
dØy. You will have to come to our placł or another. (Infàrmal.) I can’t remłm-
of business to make a purchase. ber what Ann said—oomłthing or other.
someone’ swyn song the last workŁor pr- A messenger came by and dropped off
formance of aŁplaywright, musician,Łac- somłthing or other at the front desk.
tor, etc.,Łbefore death orŁretirement.Ł somethingŁto thatŁeffect and włrds to
His portrayal of Lear was the actor’s swan thatŁeffect sàmethingŁlike what wasŁjusð
song. We didà’t know that her perfor- said.Ł(Infàrmal.) She said she wouldà’t
mance last night was the singer’s swan be availØble until after three, or somłthing
song.
to that effect. I was told to keep out of
someone’ train ofŁthought someone’sŁpat- the house—or somłthing to that effect.
ternŁof thinking;Łsàmeone’sŁsequence of
ideas;Łwhat one wasŁjust thinkingŁabout. something’s up sàmethingŁisŁgàingŁto hap-
(Se also lose one’s train of thought.) pen;ŁsomethingŁisŁgàingŁon.Ł(Slang.)
My train of thought is probably not as clear Everybody looks vłry nervous. I think
as it should be. I cannot seem to follow somłthing’s up. From the looks of all the
your train of thought on this mØtter. Will activity around here, I think somłthing’o
you explain it a lttle more carefully, up.
please? (somewhere)Łin theŁneØghbłrhłodŁofŁ aŁ
someone wrote the błok on something to be amount approximatelyŁa particularŁmea-
veryŁauthoritative about something;Łto surmnt. I take somłwhere in the
know enough about sàmethingŁto write neighborhood of ten pills a dØy for my var-
the definitive book onŁit.Ł(Also literal.ŁAl- ious ailmłnts. My rent is in the neigh-
waysŁinŁpast tense.) Ted wrote the book borhood of $700 per month.
on unemployment. He’s błen lookng for somewhereŁto hyngŁ(up)Ł one’ hat and a
work in three states for two years. Do I place to hang one’ hat;Ła placeŁto call
know about misery? I wroŁe the book oà one’ own aŁplace to live; aŁplace to call
misery!
one’s home. What I need is somłwhere
somethingŁ aboutŁ someone ort something to hang up my hat. I just can’t stand all this
sàmethingŁ sðrange, special,Ł orŁ curious travelng. A home is a lot more than a
about somone or somthing. There is place to hang your hat.

371