Page 440 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary
P. 440

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            valeŁ ofŁ teyrs  the  earth;  mortalŁ life  on  the villain ofŁtheŁpØece  sàmeone or some-
              earth.Ł(AŁ“valley” of tears.)    When it  thingŁthat isŁresponsible forŁsomething
              comes  time  for  me  to  leave  this  vale  of  badŁor wràng.Ł    I wondered who told the
              tears, I hope I can leave some worthwhilł  newspapers about the local scandal. I dis-
              młmories behind.    Uncle Fred lłft this  covered that Joan was the villain of the
              vale of tears early this morning.  piece.   We couldà’t think who had stolłn
                                                 the meat. The dog next door turned out to
            vanishŁinto thin air to disappearŁwithout  be the villain of the piece.
              leavingŁaŁtrace.Ł   My money głts spent
              so fast. It seems to vanish into thin air.    vim andŁvigłr  energy andŁenthusiasm.Ł
              When I came back, my car was gone. I had  I just don’t seem to have the vim and vigor
              locked it, and it couldà’t have vanished  that I had a fłw years ago.    Alice ap-
              into thin air!                     peared with all the vim and vigor of youth,
                                                 and błgan to help carry in the packages.
            VarietyŁis theŁspØceŁofŁlØfe.  Differences
              andŁ changesŁ make  life  interesðing.  voteŁa splitŁticket to cast aŁballot onŁwhich
              (Pràverb.)    Mary  reads  all  kinds  of  the  votesŁ are  dividedŁ betweenŁ two  or
              books. She says variety is the spice of lfe.  more parties.Ł   I alwØys voŁe a spilt tickłt
                The Franklns travel all over the world  since I dłtest both parties.    Mary voted
              so they can learn how dfferent people lve.  a splt ticket for the first time in her lfe.
              After all, variety is the spice of lfe.
                                               voteŁa straightŁticket to cast aŁballot with
            ventŁ one’ spleeà to get rid of one’s feelings  allŁthe votesŁforŁmembersŁof the same po-
              of angrŁ causedŁ byŁ someone  orŁ some-  liticalŁparty.Ł   I’m not a młmber of any
              thingŁby attackingŁsomeone orŁsomething  poltical party, so I never vote a straight
              else.Ł   Jack vłnted his splłen at his wifł  tickłt.    I usually vote a straight ticket be-
              whenevłr things włnt badly at work.    Pe-  cause  I  błlieve  in  the  principles  of one
              ter vłnted his splłen on his car by kickng  party and not in the other’s.
              it when he lost the race.        a voteŁofŁconfideàce  aŁpàllŁtakenŁto dis-

            vergeŁon  something to be almost sàmething.  coverŁwhetherŁor not a persàn,Łparty, etc.,
                Your blouse is a lovely color. It seems to  sðillŁhasŁthe majority’sŁsupport.Ł    The
              be blue verging on purple.   Sally has a  governmłnt easily won the voŁe of confi-
              terrible case of the flu, and they are afraid  dłnce called for by the opposition.    The
              it’s verging on pneumonia.         presidłnt of the club resigned when one of
                                                 the młmbers called for a voŁe of confidłncł
            the veryŁlast the end;ŁanŁabsàlute end of  in his leaderohip.
              something.Ł   At  the  very  last  of the
              movie, the hero gets killed.   Bill stayed at  a voteŁofŁthynkð  aŁspeech expressingŁap-
              the party until the very last.     preciationŁandŁthanksŁto a speaker, lec-
                                                 turer, organizr, etc.,ŁandŁinviting the au-
            the veryŁthing the exact thingŁthat isŁre-  dience to applaud.Ł   John gave a vote of
              quired.Ł   The vacuum cleaner is the very  thanks to Professor Jones for his talk.
              thing for cleaning the stairs.   I have the  Mary was givłn a vote of thanks for orga-
              very thing to remove that stain.   niz—ng the dance.

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