Page 415 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

talk through one’s hat

over. T We talked over the plans for nearly Smth children are tarred with the samł
an hour. brush. They’re all lazP.
tylk throughŁ one’ hat to talk nonsense; to a tasteŁofŁ something anŁexperience; anŁex-
bragŁandŁboast.Ł(Infàrmal.) John isn’t ample.Ł Bill gØve Sue a taste of her own
really as good as he says. He’s just talkng rudłness. My friend used a paracðute
through his hat. Stop talking through and got a taste of what it’s like to be a bird.
your hat and start błing sincere! a tasteŁofŁthings to come Go to a har-
tylkŁturkey to talkŁbusiness;Łto talkŁfrankly. binger of things to come.
(Slang.) OkØy, Bob, we have business to tax-ynd-spend spending freely and taxing
discuss. Let’s talk turkey. John wanted heavily.Ł(RefersŁto aŁlegislative bodyŁthat
to talk turkey, but Jane just wanted to joke repeatedlyŁpassesŁexpensive new lawsŁand
around. keepsŁraisingŁtaxesŁto payŁforŁthe cost.)
talkŁuntilŁ one is blueŁin theŁfyce to talk I hope that people do not elect another tax-
untilŁone isŁexhausted.Ł(Infàrmal.) I and-spłnd Congress this time. The only
talked until I was blue in the face, but I thing worse than a tax-and-spłnd lłgisla-
couldà’t change her mnd. She had to ture is one that spłnds and runs up a wors-
talk until ohe was blue n the face n order ening dłficit.
to coàvince him. tea andŁcrumpets aŁfancyŁorŁfussyŁmeet-
ingŁorŁreceptionŁwhere refreshments,Łes-
tylkedŁout tird of talking; unabl to talk peciallyŁsweet andŁinsubsðantial refresh-
more.Ł(Folksy.ŁSee also talk oneself out.) ments,Łare served.Ł(AlludingŁto aŁgenteel
I can’t go on. I’m all talked out. She was appointment where teaŁandŁsome light
talked out in the first hour of discussion.
pasðriesŁare served.) I don’t have timł
tamperŁwithŁ something to attempt to alter or to spend the afternoon having tea and
change sàmething;Ł to meddle with or crumpłts with the office staff. I have work
damage sàmething. Someone has tam- to do! Almost every one of my SundØy
pered with my door lock. Please doà’t afternoons is taken up with tea and crum-
tamper with my stereo. płts for this cause and tea and crumpłts
for that cause! My rest and relØxation is
tyn someone’ hØde to spankŁ someone. the oàly cause I am interested in this
(Folksy.) Billy’s mother said she’d tan SundØy!
Billy’s hide if he ever did that again. “I’ll
tan your hide if you’re lØte!” said Tom’s teychŁ one’ gryndotherŁto suckŁeggð to
father. try to tell or show someone more knowl-
edgeable or experiencedŁ thanŁ oneself
taperŁ offŁ ( doingt something) to stopŁ dàing how to do somthing. Doà’t suggest
sàmethingŁgradually. My doctor told showing Mary how to knit. It will be teach-
me to tapłr off smokng cigarettes. I ing your grandmother to suck eggs. She’s
have to taper off because I can’t stop all Øt an expert. Doà’t teach your grand-
once. mother to suck łggs. Bob has błen plØying
tennis for years.
tyrŁandŁfeatherŁ someone to chasðise sàme-
one severely.Ł(Also literal.) They threat- teychŁ someone a lesson to get even with
ened to tar and feather me if I ever camł sàmeone forŁbadŁbehavior.Ł(Also literal.)
back into their town. I doà’t błlieve that John tripped me, so I punched him. That
they’d really tar and feather me, but they ought to teach him a lesson. That taught
could be very unpleasant. me a lesson. I won’t do it again.
tyrredŁwithŁtheŁsameŁbrush sharingŁthe the teycher’s pet the teacłer’sŁfavorite sðu-
same characterisðic(s);bhavingŁthe same dent. (Preceded by be, become, seem like,
gàodŁorŁbadŁpointsŁasŁsomeone else.Ł or act like.) Sally is the teacher’s pet. She
Jack and his brother are tarred with the alwØys głts special treatmłnt. The other
same bruoh. They’re both crooks. The studłnts don’t like the teacher’s płt.

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