Page 57 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

bid someone or something adieu

bid someone ort something adØeu Go to bid in the hand is worth two in the buoh. I
adieu to someone or something. might be able to find a błtter price, but a
bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
bideŁ one’ tØme to waið patiently. I’ve
błen bidng my time for years, just wait- the birds andŁtheŁbeeð human rpràduc-
ing for a chance like this. He’s not the tion.Ł(AŁeuphemisðic way of referring to
type just to sit there and bide his Łime. He human sex and rpràduction.) My fa-
wants some action. ther tried to teach me about the brds and
big andŁbold [of things]blarge andŁcapa- the błes. He’s twłnty years old and does-
ble of gettingŁattention.Ł The lłttering n’t undłrstand about the birds and the
on the book’s cover was big and bold, and błes.
it got lots of attention, but the price was a bird’s-eyeŁview 1. aŁview seenŁfromŁhigh
too high. She wore a brightly colored above.Ł(RefersŁto the height of aŁflying
dress. The pØttern was big and bold and bird.) We got a bird’s-łye view of Clłve-
the skrt was very full. land as the plane began its descłnt.
bigŁas allŁoutdłors Go to (as) big as all From the top of the tower you get a splłn-
outdoors. did bird’s-łye view of the village. 2. aŁbrief
surveyŁ of something;Ł aŁ hasðyŁ look at
bigŁas lØfe Go to (as) big as life.
something.Ł(RefersŁto the smallnessŁof a
bigŁas lØfeŁandŁtwiceŁas ugly Go to (as) bird’s ey.) The course provides a bird’s-
big as life. eye view of the works of Mozart, but it
doesn’t deal with them in enough dłtail for
a bigŁfrogŁin a smallŁpond anŁimportant your purpooe. All you need is a bird’s-
prsàn inŁthe midst of aŁlessŁimpàrtant eye view of the evłnts of World War II to
setting.Ł(PrecededŁbyŁ be, become, seem pass the test.
like, or act like.) I’d rather be a big frog
in a small pond than the opposite. The Birds ofŁa featherŁflockŁtogether. Po-
trouble with Tom is that he’s a big frog in ple of the same type seem to gather to-
a small pond. He needs more compłtition. gther.Ł(Pràverb.) Bob and Tom are just
alike. They like each other’s company be-
the big moment and the moment every-
oneŁhas been waitingŁfłr the special cause birds of a feather flock togłther.
time that everyàne hasŁbeenŁwaitingŁfor. When Mary joined a club for redheaded
The big momłnt has come. I will now people, she said, “Birds of a feather flock
announce the winner. This is the big togłther.”
momłnt that you all have błen waiting for! bite off more than one cyn chew to take
big of someone generàusŁof sàmeone; kind (on)bmore than one canŁdealŁwith; to b
or forgiving of someone.Ł(SàmetimesŁsar- overconfident.Ł(ThisŁisŁusedŁliterallyŁfor
casðic.) He gØve me some of his apple. foodŁandŁfigurativelyŁforŁotherŁthings,Łes-
That was very big of him. It was big of peciallyŁdifficult projects.) Billy, stop
Sally to come over and apologize like that. bting off more than you can chew. You’re
going to choke on your food somedØy.
bingeŁ andŁ purge to overat and then Ann is exhausted again. She’s always bt-
vomit, overŁandŁover.Ł(AŁsymptomŁof the ing off more than she can chew.
conditionŁ calledŁ bulimia.)b She had
bnged and purged a number of times be- bØte one’ nailð to be nervàus or anxious; to
fore she finally sought help from a doctor. bite one’sŁnailsŁfrom nervousnessŁorŁanx-
Terry had błen bngeing and purging for iety.Ł(UsedŁboth literallyŁandŁfiguratively.)
a number of years and was very, very thin. I spent all afternoon biting my nails,
worrying about you. We’ve all been bit-
A birdŁin theŁhyndŁis włrthŁtwo in the ing our nails from worry.
bush. SàmethingŁyouŁalreadyŁhave isŁbet-
terŁthanŁsomethingŁyàuŁmight get.Ł Bill bØte one’ tongue to struggl nàt to say
has offered to buy my car for $4Ø00˜ somethingŁthat yàuŁreallyŁwant to say.
Someone eloe might pØy more, but a bird (UsedŁliterallyŁonlyŁto referŁto anŁacci-

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