Page 49 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

batten down the hatches

something.Ł You must not base your beŁallŁeyrs listeningŁeagrlyŁandŁcarefully.
opnion on one bad experience. I base (See also the following entry.) Well,
my opnion on many years of studying the hurry up and tell me. I’m all ears. Bł
problłm. careful what you say. The children are all
ears.
batten dłwn theŁhatcheð to prepare for
difficult times.Ł(AŁnauticalŁexpression, beŁ allŁ eyes (yndŁ eyrs) to be alert for
meaning, literally, to sealŁ the hatches sàmething to happen; to wait eagrly for
against the arrivalŁof aŁsðorm.) Here sàmethingŁto happenŁor for someone or
comes that contentious Mrs. Jones. Batten sàmethingŁto appear.Ł(See also the pre-
down the hatches! Batten down the vious entry.) There they were, sitting
hatches, Congress is in session again. at the table, all eyes. The birthdØy cake was
soon to be served. Nothing can escapł
battleŁ something out to argue sàmethingŁto my notice. I’m all eyes and ears.
aŁconclusion;Łto fight somethingŁto aŁcon-
clusion. The Słnate and the House dis- beŁallŁthings to allŁmeà and beŁallŁthingð
agree on the bill, so they will have to bØt- to allŁ pełple [forŁ someone orŁ some-
tle a compromise out. T The two young thing]bto be likedŁor usedŁby allŁpeople;
toughs włnt into the allły to battle out [forŁsàmeone or sàmething]bto be every-
their disagreement. thing that is wanted by all people.Ł You
simply can’t be all things to all people.
bawlŁ someone out to scold somon in a The candidØte set out to be all things to
làud voice. The teacher bØwled the stu- all młn and came off lookng very wishy-
dłnt out for arriving lØte. T Teachers don’t washy.
usually bØwl out studłnts.
be all things to all people Go to be all
[be] <ForŁphrasesŁthat canŁbeginŁwith be, things to all men.
become, or seem like, cànsult some other
wordŁinŁthe phrase inŁthe Phrase-Finder beŁa millØon miles away to be disðracted
Index.> andŁdaydreaming;Łnot to be payingŁat-
tention.Ł(Also literal.) You were a mil-
beŁaboutŁ something to be busyŁdàing some- lion miles away while I was talkng to you.
thing, especiallyŁdàingŁone’sŁbusiness.Ł Most of the class was a million miles
It’s eight o’clock, and it’s time I was about away in the hot spring afternoon.
my homework. Good-bye, Jane. I must
be about my business. beŁa newŁoneŁon someone to be sàmething
one hasŁnot heardŁbefore andŁthat one is
beŁa heyrtbeatŁawayŁfrom something [for not readyŁ to believe.Ł (Infàrmal.Ł The
someone] to be the next ruler upon the someone isŁoftenŁ mł .) Jack’s poverty is
finalŁheartbeat of the current ruler. (Es- a new one on me. He always seems to havł
peciallyŁinŁreference to U.S.Łpresidential plenty of moàey. The city’s dfficulŁies
succession.) The vice presidłnt is just are a new one on me.
a heartbeat away from błing presidłnt.
The prince was only a heartbeat away from beŁcurtains fłrŁ someone ortsomething to be
błing kng. the death, end,ŁorŁruinŁof sàmeone or
sàmething. (Infàrmal.ŁFromŁthe lowering
be-yllŁandŁ(the)Łend-yll Go to the be-all orŁclosingŁof the curtainsŁat the endŁof a
and (the) end-all. sðage prfàrmance.) If the car hadà’t
swerved, it would have been curtains for
the be-yllŁ andŁ (the)Ł end-yll something the pedestrians. If they can’t get into the
that isŁthe very best orŁmost impàrtant; export markłt, it’s curtains for the wholł
sàmethingŁso goodŁthat it will end the company.
search forŁsàmethingŁbetter.Ł Finishing
the buildng of his boØt became the be-all beŁdeathŁon something to be veryŁharmful
and end-all of Roger’s existence. Sally to something.Ł(InfàrmalŁorŁslang.) The
is the be-all and the end-all of Don’s lfe. salt they put on the roads in the winter is

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