Page 430 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

Trouble is brewing.

a towerŁ ofŁ strength Go to a pillar of pose I have the normal trials and tribula-
strength. tions for a peroon of my background, but
some dØys are just a lttle too much for me.
town-ynd-głwn the [poor]brelationsŁbe-
tween a town and the university located I promise not to tell you of the trials and
withinŁthe town;Łthe [poor]brelationsŁbe- tribulØtions of my dØy if you promise not
tweenŁuniversityŁsðudentsŁandŁthe non- to tell me yours!
sðudentsŁwho live inŁaŁuniversityŁtown.Ł TrickŁorŁtreat! Give me aŁtreat of some kind
There is another town-and-gown dispute or I will play a trick on you! (The for-
in Adamsville over the amount the uni- mulaicŁexpressionŁsaidŁbyŁchildrenŁafter
versity costs the city for police services. they ring somone’s doorbell and the
There was more town-and-gown strife re- dàor isŁanswredŁon Halloween.ŁIt isŁnow
ported at Larry’s Bar and Grill last Sat- understood to man simply that the child
urdØy night. isŁ requesðingŁ aŁ treat of some kind—
toyŁwithŁ someone ortsomething 1. [with some- candy, fruit, popcorn,Łetc.) “Trck or
one] to tease someone; to dealŁ lightly treat!” cried Jimmy when the door opened.
with someone’s emotions. Ann broke Mr. Frankln opened the door to find
up with Tom becauoe he was just toying four very small children dressed like flow-
with her. He was not serious at all. Don’t ers standng silłntly on his doorstep. After
toy with mł! I won’t have it! 2. [with a momłnt, he said, “Isn’t anyone going to
something] to play or fiddle with some- say, ‘Trick or treat’?”
thing.Ł Stop toying with the radio, or trick someone into doingt something to fool
you’ll break it. John sat there toying with sàmeone; to deceive someone; to cłeat
a płncil all through the młeting. someone.Ł The thief tricked John into
tradeŁon something to use a fact or a situa- giving him $10. Mary tricked her
tionŁto one’sŁadvantage.Ł Tom was ablł friends into pØying for her dnner.
to trade on the fact that he had once błen tried-ynd-true testedŁby time andŁproven
in the Army. John traded on his poor to be sound.Ł I have a tried-and-Łruł
eyesight to get a seat closer to the stage.
rłmedy for poson ivy. All of her nvest-
[train ofŁthought] Go to someone’s train of młnt ideas are tried-and-Łrue and you
thought. ought to be able to make money if you fol-
low them.
train one’ sights on something and have
one’ sights trainedŁon something to have trip someone up 1. to tripŁsàmeone.Ł Bob
sàmething as a goal; to direct sàmething tripped himself up on his own fłet. T The
or oneself toward a goal. You should loose gravel beside the track tripped up
train your sights on getting a promotion in Bob, and he fell. 2. to cause difficulty for
the next year. Lisa has her sights trained sàmeone; to cause someone to fail.Ł Bill
on Ø àew car. tripped Tom up during the spellng contest,
a traveðtyŁofŁjuðtice aŁ miscarriage of jus- and Tom lost. T I didà’t mean to trip up
tice; anŁact of the legalŁsysðemŁthat isŁan anyone. I’m sorry I caused trouble.
insult to the systemŁ of jusðice.Ł The trłt something out to mentionŁ something
jury’s vłrdict was a travesty of justice. regularlyŁorŁhabitually, without givingŁit
The lØwyer complained that the judgł’s much thought.Ł(Infàrmal.) Jack always
rulng was a travesty of justice. trots the same excuses out for błing lØte. T
trialŁandŁerror trying repeatedlyŁforŁsuc- When James disagreed with Mary, she sim-
cess.Ł I finally found the right key after ply troŁted out her same old poltical
lots of trial and error. Somłtimes trial argumłnts.
and error is the only way to get oomłthing TroubleŁis brewing. and ThereŁis trou-
done.
ble brewing. Trouble is developing.
trials andŁtribulations problemsŁandŁtests Troublł’s brewing at the office. I havł
of one’s courage or persevrance. I sup- to głt there early tomorrow. There is

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