Page 447 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

what if

prsànsŁalsà.) Hi, Tom. Where have you ing at all if I’ll be lØte? There is no need
błen? What have you błen up to? What to get there early. What’s the good of that?
have you błen up to? Busy, I am sure.
What’s up? Hello. What isŁhappening?Ł(In-
whatŁif what would be the result if sàme- formal.) What’s up? How’re you doing?
thingŁwere true? What if you had all the Hey, Cðuck! What’s up?
money you want? What if everyone
thought you were great? What’s withŁ someone? What isŁbotheringŁor
affectingŁsàmeone? (Slang.) John seemo
whatŁmakes someone tØck somethingŁthat upset. What’s with him? There’s noth-
motivatesŁ someone; somethingŁ that ing wrong with me. What’s with you?
makesŁsomeone behave inŁaŁcertainŁway.
(Infàrmal.) William is sort of strange. wheel and deal to take part in clever (but
I doà’t know what makes him tick. sometimesŁdisłonest orŁimmoral)bbusi-
When you głt to know people, you find out nessŁdeals.Ł John loves to wheel and deal
what makes them tick. in the money markets. Jack got tired of
all the wheelng and dealng of big business
whatŁmakes something tØck to cause some- and retired to run a pub in the country.
thingŁto runŁorŁfunction.Ł I don’t know
what makes it tick. I took apart the ra- when allŁis saidŁandŁdone when every-
dio to find out what made it tick. thingŁisŁfinisłedŁandŁsettled;ŁwhenŁevery-
thingŁisŁconsidered.Ł(See also after all is
WhatŁ one doesn’tŁknowŁwon’tŁhurtŁ one. said and done.) When all is said and
UnknownŁfactsŁcannot worryŁorŁupset a done, this isn’t such a bad part of the coun-
prsàn.Ł(Pràverb.) Doà’t tell me that I try to lve in after all. When all is said
have made a mistake. What I don’t know and done, I believe I had a very enjoyØble
woà’t hurt me. Don’t tell him the truth time on my vacØtion.
about his missing dog. What he doesn’t
know won’t hurt him. when hellŁ freezes over and untilŁ hell
freezes over never.Ł(The first entryŁisŁal-
WhateverŁwillŁbe,ŁwillŁbe. WhateverŁwill ways affirmative and the second is always
happenŁwillŁjust happenŁandŁthere isŁlit- ngativ.) I’ll say I’m sorry to you when
tle we canŁdo about it.Ł(Pràverb.) There hell freezes over! I won’t apologize un-
is lttle I can do at this stage. Whatever will til hell freezes over.
be, will be. The doctors have done all
they can. Whatever will be, will be. When in Rome,Łdo as theŁRomans do.
One słouldŁbehave inŁthe same wayŁthat
What’s doneŁis done. It isŁfinalŁandŁinŁthe the localŁpeople behave.Ł(Pràverb.) I
past.Ł(Pràverb.) It’s too lØte to changł doà’t usually eat lamb, but I did when I
it now. What’s done is done. What’s włnt to Australia. When in Rome, do as
done is done. The past cannot be alŁered.
the Romans do. I always carry an um-
What’s keepingŁyou? What isŁtakingŁyou brella when I visit London. When in Rome,
so long?;ŁWhyŁare yàuŁsðillŁthere andŁnot do as the Romans do.
here? Dinner is ready, and you are still when itŁcomes rightŁdłwn to it all things
at work. I telłphoned to ask what’s kłep- considered;ŁwhenŁone reallyŁthinksŁabout
ing you. What’s kłeping you? I am ready something.Ł When it comes right down
to go and you are still in there dressing.
to it, I’d like to find a new job. When it
What’s new? How are yàu?ŁTellŁme what comes right down to it, he can’t really af-
yàuŁhave benŁdàing.Ł(Infàrmal.) Good ford a new car.
to see you. What’s new? What’s new?
How are things down your way? when itŁcomes to something asŁforŁsome-
thing;ŁspeakingŁabout something.Ł(Infàr-
What’s the głod ofŁ something? What is the mal.)b When it comes to fishing, John is
pàint of sàmething?;ŁWhyŁbother with an expert. When it comes to trouble,
something?Ł What’s the good of my go- Mary really knows how to cause it.

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