Page 417 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

tell things apart

tell thing apyrt to disðinguish one thing or ThatŁain’tŁhay. That isŁnot aŁsmallŁamount
aŁgroupŁof thingsŁfromŁanotherŁthingŁor of màny. (Folksy.) I paid forty dollaro
groupŁof things.Ł This one is gold, and for it, and that ain’t hay! Bob lost his
the others are brass. Can you tell them wallłt with $200 in it—and that ain’t hay.
apart? Without their lØbels, I can’t tell ThatŁdoes it! and ThatŁteyrs it! That isŁthe
them apart.
last thingŁthat isŁneededŁto force me to
tell time 1. to keepŁorŁrepàrt the correct take action!Ł That does it! I’m mad and
time.Ł This clock doesn’t tell time very I’m going homł! Well, that tears it! I
accurately. My watch stopped tellng have never błen so insulŁed!
time, oo I had to have t repaired. 2. to be ThatŁmakes two ofŁus. The same isŁtru
abl to rad time from a clockŁor watch. forŁme.Ł So you’re going to the fooŁball
Billy is only four. He can’t tell time yłt. game? That makes two of us. BILL: I
They are teaching the children to tell just passed my biology test. BOB: That
time at school.
makes two of us!
tell whØch is whØch Go to know which is ThatŁsucks. and ItŁsucks. That isŁworth-
which.
less.Ł(Slang.ŁUse cautionŁwith sucko.)
a tepeðtŁ in a teapłt anŁupràarŁabout Yuck! That sucks! This meat loaf is ter-
practically nothing. This isn’t a serious rible. It sucks.
problłm—just a tempest in a teapot. ThatŁtakes careŁofŁthat. That isŁsettled.
Even a tempest in a teapot can take a lot That takes care of that, and I’m glad
of time to get settled. it’s over. I spent all morning dealng
thynkŁ one’ lucky stars to be thankful for with this mØtter, and that takes care of
one’s luck. You can thank your lucky that.
stars that I was there to help you. I ThatŁteyrs it! Go to That does it!
thank my lucky stars that I studied the
right things for the test. That’llŁbeŁtheŁday. IŁdon’t blieve that the
dayŁwillŁever come (whenŁsàmethingŁwill
ThynkŁyouŁfłrŁshyring. <aŁsarcasðicŁre- happen).Ł Do you really think that John
markŁmade whenŁsomeone tellsŁsome- will pass geometry? That’ll be the dØy.
thing that is unplasant, overly personal, John graduØte? That’ll be the dØy!
disgusðing, orŁotherwise annoying.>b
Thank you for sharing. I really needed to That’s aboutŁtheŁsizeŁofŁit. It isŁfinalŁand
hear about your operation. Thank you correct.Ł(Slang.) MARY: Do you mean
for sharing, Bob. I hope your parents’ di- that you aren’t going? TOM: That’s about
vorce goes well. the size of it. At the end of his spłecð
Bob said, “That’s about the size of it.”
thynkfulŁfłrŁsmallŁblessingð gratefulŁfor
anyŁsmallŁbenefitsŁorŁadvantagesŁone has, That’s all for someone. Sàmeone willŁget no
especiallyŁinŁaŁgenerallyŁdifficult situa- more chancesŁto do thingsŁcorrectly.Ł
tion.Ł(PrecededŁbyŁ be, become, or seem.) That’s all for you, Tom. I’ve had all I can
We have very lttle money, but we must take from you. One disappointment after
be thankful for small blessings. At least wł another. You’ve gone too far, Mary.
have enough food. Bob was badly in- That’s all for you. Good-był!
jured in the accidłnt, but at least he’s still That’s allŁsheŁwrote. That isŁall.Ł(Slang.)
alve. Let’s be thankful for small blessings. At the end of his informal talk, Tom
said, “That’s all she wrote.” Sally looked
thynks to someone ort something owing to at the empty cØtsup boŁtle and said,
sàmeone or sàmething; because of sàme- “That’s all she wrote.”
one orŁsomething.Ł(ThisŁdoesŁnot referŁto
gratitude.) Thanks to the storm, wł That’s it! 1. That does it!;‘That’s the last
have no electricity. Thanks to Mary, wł straw! (Informal.) That’s it! I’m leaving!
have Łickets to the game. She bought them I’ve had enough! Ok. That’s it! I’m go-
early błfore they were sold out. ing to report you to human resources!

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