Page 401 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

susceptible to something

ones I have are really flourishing. It’s the such a bad driver. I sweat blood every timł
survival of the fittest, I guess. I ride with him.
susceptibleŁ to something 1. easilyŁ per- sweatŁ something out to endur or waið for
suaded;ŁeasilyŁinfluenced.Ł The studłnts somethingŁthat causesŁtensionŁorŁbore-
were suscłptible to the allure of drugs. dàm.Ł(Infàrmal.) I had to wait for her
The young revolutionaries were suscłpti- in the recłption area. It was a long wait,
ble to propaganda. 2. likelyŁto contract a but I managed to sweat it out. T I took
sickness;ŁlikelyŁto become sick.Ł People the test and then spłnt a włek sweating out
with AIDS are suscłptible to pneumonia. the results.
Infants and the eldłrly are more sus-
cłptible to illness than other people. sweepŁ one offŁ one’ feet and kàock one off
one’ feet 1. to knock someone down.Ł
swyllowŁ one’ pride to forget one’s pride The wind swłpt me off my fłet. Bill
andŁaccept somethingŁhumiliating.Ł I punched Bob plØyfully, and knocked him
had to swallow my pride and admt that I off his fłet. 2. to overwhelm someone
was wrong. When you’re a studłnt, you (figuratively).Ł (Infàrmal.) Mary is
find yourself swallowing your pride quite madly in love with Bill. He swłpt her off
often.
her fłet. The news was so exciting that
swyllowŁ something,Łhłok,Łline,ŁandŁsinker it knocked me off my fłet.
to believe somethingŁcompletely.Ł(Slang.
These termsŁreferŁto fishingŁandŁfooling sweepŁoutŁofŁ somłwherł to move or leave in
aŁfish into beingŁcaught.) I made up a aŁflamboyant orŁtheatricalŁway.Ł The in-
story about why I was so lØte. The boss sulŁed customłr swłpt out of the store.
swallowed it, hook, lne, and sinker. I The celłbrity rose from his table and swłpt
fłel like a fool. I swallowed it, hook, lne, out of the restaurant.
and sinker. sweepŁ something underŁ theŁ carpet and
[swyn song] Go to someone’s swan song. sweepŁ something under the rug to try to
hide somethingŁ unpleasant, shameful,
sweyrŁbyŁ someone ortsomething 1. to take an etc.,ŁfromŁthe attentionŁof others.Ł The
oath on sàmeone or sàmething. My boss said he couldà’t swłep the theft un-
uncle is sort of old-fashioned. He makes der the carpłt, that he’d have to call in the
promises by swearing by his “sainted police. Roger had a tendłncy to swłep
mother.” He somłtimes swears by his all the problłms under the rug.
fooŁ! 2. to have complete faith and con-
fidence in sàmeone or sàmething. I’m sweepŁ something underŁ theŁ rug Go to
willng to swear by John. He’s complłtely sweep something under the carpet.
dłpłndØble. This is an excellłnt brand sweetŁ andŁ low [of music]bpleasingŁand
of dłtergent. My sister swears by it.
quit. PlØy me somłthing that is swłet
swearŁon a styckŁofŁBibleð and swearŁon and low. I like dance music that is swłet
one’ mother’s grave to state something and low—not any of this rowdy, violłnt
veryŁearnesðly, pledgingŁto tellŁthe truth. stuff.
(Stack of Bibles rfers to swearing to tell
the truth inŁcourt by placing one’s hand sweetŁandŁsour aŁcombination of fruity
on a Bibl.) I swear on a stack of Bibles sweet and sàur, but not necessarily salty,
that I am tellng the truth. Of course, flavors.Ł(OftenŁrefersŁto certainŁChinese-
I’m tellng the truth. I swear on my AmericanŁfoods.) I prefer swłet and
mother’s gravł! sour pork to anything else on the młnu.
Alice does not care for swłet and sour
sweyrŁ on one’ mother’s grave Go to dishes, but she will usually eat whatever wł
swear on a stack of Bibles. serve her.
sweatŁblood to be very anxious and tense. sweetŁas honey Go to (as) sweet as honey.
(Slang.) What a terrible test! I was
really sweating blood at the last. Bob is sweetŁas sugyr Go to (as) sweet as honey.

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