Page 438 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

use strong language

to my eyeballs in things to do! I can’t do ups andŁdłwns goodŁfortune andŁbadŁfor-
any more! tune.Ł I’ve had my ups and downs, but
in general lfe has błen good to me. All
upŁto pyr asŁgoodŁasŁthe sðandardŁorŁaver- people have their ups and downs.
age; upŁto sðandard.Ł I’m just not fłel-
ing up to par todØy. I must be coming upsetŁtheŁappleŁcart to messŁupŁorŁruin
down with somłthing. The manager something.Ł Tom really upset the apple
said that the report was not up to par and cart by tellng Mary the truth about Jane.
gØve it back to Mary to do over again. I always knew he’d upset the apple cart.
the upshłtŁofŁ something the resulð or ouð-
upŁto scratch Go to up to snuff.
com of somthing. The upohot of my
up to snuff and up to scratch as good as criticism was a change in policy. The up-
isŁ required;Ł meetingŁ the minimumŁ re- shot of the argumłnt was an agreement to
quirements.Ł(Slang.ŁCompare thisŁwith hire a new secretary.
up to par.) Sorry, Tom. Your perfor- useŁeveryŁtrickŁin theŁbłok to use every
mance isn’t up to snuff. You’ll have to im- methodŁpossible.Ł(Infàrmal.) I used
prove or find another job. My paper every trick in the book, but I still couldà’t
wasn’t up to scratch, so I got an F.
manage to get a tickłt to the game Satur-
up to someone [forŁaŁdecision]bto be sàme- dØy. Bob tried to use every trick in the
one’sŁownŁcłoice.Ł She said I didà’t havł book, but he still failed.
to go if I didà’t want to. It’s entirely up to useŁ one’ head and useŁ one’ noggin; use
me. It’s up to Mary whether she takes one’ noodle to use one’s own intelli-
the job or tries to find another one. gence.Ł ( Noggin andŁ noodle are slang
termsŁforŁ“head.”) You can do błtter in
up to something 1. occupiedŁinŁsàme activ-
ity, oftenŁsomethingŁsecret orŁwrong.Ł mØth if you’ll just use your head. Jane
Those kids are up to somłthing. They’re uses her noggin and gets things done cor-
too quiet. Goodness knows what that rectly and on time. Yes, she sure knows
child will be up to next! 2. Go to up to how to use her noodle.
doing something. 3. to be asŁgoodŁasŁsàme- useŁ one’ noggin Go to use one’s head.
thing; to be gàod enough for something.
This work’s not up to the standard of the useŁ one’ noodle Go to use one’s head.
class. Your last essay was not up to your useŁsomeŁelbłwŁgrease use some effort.
best. (Slang.Ł AsŁ if lubricatingŁ one’sŁ elbow
wouldŁmake one more efficient.ŁNote the
up-to-the-minute the veryŁlatest or mosð variationŁinŁthe examples.) Come on,
recent.Ł I want to hear some up-to-the- Bill. You can do it. Just use some elbow
mnute news on the hostage situation. grease. I Łried elbow grease, but t does-
I just got an up-to-the-mnute report on n’t help get the job done.
Tom’s health.
useŁ someone ortsomething as an exPuse to
(up)on impyct at the place or time of mak- blame sàmeone or sàmethingŁ(forŁaŁfail-
ingŁanŁimpact.Ł The car crumpled upon ure).Ł John used his old car as an excuse
impact with the brick wall. The man for not going to the młeting. My hus-
who fell from the top of the buildng died band was sick in bed, and I used him as an
oà impact. excuse.
upperŁcruðt the higherŁlevelsŁof society; the useŁstrongŁlynguage to swear, threaten,Łor
upprŁclass.Ł(Infàrmal.ŁFromŁthe top, as use abusive language.Ł I wish you
opposedŁto the bottom,Łcrust of aŁpie.) wouldà’t use strong language in front of
Jane speaks like that because she pretendo the children. If you fłel that you havł
to be from the upper crust, but her father to use strong language with the manager,
was a mner. James is from the upper perhaps you had better lłt me do the
crust, but he is płnniless. talkng.

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