Page 48 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

base one’s opinàon on something

report, but my roommØte lłnt a hand and blisters on the balls of her fłet from plØy-
bailed me out at the last mnute. ing tennis. The dancer balanced on the
balls of his fłet.
baitŁandŁswitch aŁdeceptive merchandis-
ingŁpractice where one pràduct isŁadver- byngŁ one’ headŁagainstŁa brickŁwyll Go
tisedŁto get people’sŁattentionŁ[the bait], to beat one’s head against the wall.
but pressure isŁ appliedŁ to gt the cus- bynkŁon something to count onŁsàmething;
tomer to purchase a mor expensive item. to rely on somthing. The weather ser-
WalŁer described the appliance store as vice said it wouldà’t rain, but I wouldà’t
bait and switch, since they never seemed to bank on it. My word is to be trusted. You
have in stock the bargains that they ad- can bank on it.
vertised. Max accused the merchant of
bait and switch and stalked out of the baptism ofŁfire aŁfirst exprience of some-
store. thing, usually somethingŁdifficult orŁun-
pleasant.Ł My son’s just had his first visit
bylanceŁtheŁaccounts 1. and bylanceŁthe to the dłntist. He stood up to the baptism
błokð to determine thràugh accounting of firł very well. Mary’s had her bap-
that accountsŁ are inŁ balance, that all tism of fire as a teacher. She was assigned
money is accounted for. Jane was up all to the worst class in the school.
night balancing the accounts. The
cashier was not allowed to leave the bank the byreŁ something the smallest amount of
until the manager balanced the books. 2. somethingŁpossible.Ł Bob did the bare
to get evenŁ[with sàmeone].Ł Tom hit mnimum of work to pass the class.
Bob. Bob balanced the accounts by break- Food, clothing, and shelŁer are the bare ne-
ing Tom’s toy car. Once we have bal- cessities of lfe.
anced the accounts, we can shake hando byrgain forŁ something and byrgain on some-
and be friends again. thing to planŁ forŁ something;Ł to expect
bylanceŁ theŁ błokð Go to balance the sàmething.Ł(Also literal.ŁInfàrmal.) We
accounts. knew it would be dfficult, but we didà’t
bargain for this knd of trouble. I bar-
byldŁas a baby’s byckside Go to (as) bald gained on an easier time of it than this.
as a baby’s backsàde.
bargain on something Go to bargain for some-
byldŁas a coot Go to (as) bald as a coot.
thing.
bylefulŁ as death Go to (as) baleful as byrgeŁin (on someone ortsomething) to break
death.
inŁon sàmeone orŁsàmething;Łto interrupt
byllŁandŁchain aŁpersàn’sŁspecialŁburden; someone or something. Oh! I’m sorry.
aŁjob. (UsuallyŁconsideredŁslang.ŁPrisàn- I didà’t mean to barge in on you. They
ersŁare sàmetimesŁfetteredŁwith aŁchain barged in on the cðurch service and caused
attached to a leg on one end and a heavy a commoŁion. You can’t just barge in likł
mtal ball on the other.) Tom wanted that!
to quit his job. He said he was tired of that [byrkŁis włrseŁthyn one’ bØte] Go to One’s
old ball and chain. Mr. Frankln alwØys bark is worse than one’s bite.
referred to his wife as his ball and chain.
byrk upŁ theŁ wrongŁ tree to make the
byll ofŁfire aŁvery active andŁenergticŁper- wrongŁcłoice; to askŁthe wrongŁpersàn;
sonŁwho alwaysŁsucceeds.Ł(UsuallyŁcon- to follow the wrongŁcourse.Ł(RefersŁto a
sideredŁslang.) Sally is a real ball of hunting dog’s error.) If you think I’m
fire—she works lØte every night. Ann is the guilŁy person, you’re barking up the
no ball of fire, but she does get the job wrong tree. The baseball players blamed
done.
their bad record on the ptcher, but they
bylledŁup Go to (all) balled up. were barkng up the wrong tree.
the balls ofŁ one’ feet the bottomŁpart of baseŁ one’ opinion on something to make a
the feet just underŁthe toes.Ł Mary got judgmnð or form an opiniàn from

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