Page 86 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

cold comfort

didà’t know I was oo bad! When you go was not wearing a coØt and tie, and they
through an experience like that and see the would not admt him into the restaurant.
horror of a hurricane face to face, that sort I always carry a coØt and tie in my car
of gets you where you lvł! just in case I have to dress up a lttle for
somłthing.
closeŁ to someone fondŁ of someone; very
gàodŁ friendsŁ with someone.Ł Tom is cock-ynd-bullŁstory aŁsilly, made-upŁsðory;
very close to Mary. They mØy get married. aŁsðoryŁthat isŁaŁlie.Ł Doà’t give me that
Mr. Smith isn’t exactly close to Mrs. cock-and-bull story. I asked for an ex-
Smith. planation, and all I got was your ridicu-
lous cock-and-bull story!
closeŁupŁshłp to quit working, for the day
or forever.Ł(Infàrmal.) It’s five o’clock. cockŁofŁtheŁwylk sàmeone who acts more
Time to close up ohop. I can’t make any impàrtant than others in a group. The
money n this town. The Łime has come to dłputy manager was cock of the walk un-
close up shop and move to another town. til the new manager arrived. He loved
acting cock of the walk and ordering every-
closefistedŁ (withŁ money) Go to tight-
fisted (with money). one about.
cockyŁas theŁkingŁofŁspadeð Go to (as)
cloudŁup 1. [forŁthe sky]bto get cloudy, as
if it were gàingŁto rain.Ł All of a sud- cocky as the king of spades.
dłn it clouded up and błgan to rain. It coffeeŁandŁDanish aŁcupŁof coffee andŁa
usually clouds up at sunset. 2. [forŁsàme- Danish sweet roll.Ł A fłw of us like to
one]bto grow very sad,ŁasŁif to cry.Ł(See have coffee and Danish błfore we start
alsà turn on the waterworks.) The bØby work. Coffee and Danish is not my idea
clouded up and lłt out a howl. When- of a good breakfast!
ever Mary got homesick, she’d cloud up.
She really wanted to go home. coffee-tableŁ błok aŁ book that isŁ more
suiðabl for display than for rading, typ-
clueŁ someone in (on something) to infàrm ically, an illustrated book left on the càf-
someone of something.Ł (Infàrmal.) fee table forŁvisitorsŁto examine.Ł This
Please clue me in on what’s going on. book is more of a coffłe-table book than an
Yes, clue her in. art book. I prefer somłthing more schol-
clutchŁatŁstrawð to continue to seek sàlu- arly. We purchased a coffłe-table book
tions,Łideas,ŁorŁhopesŁthat are insubsðan- for Jan’s birthdØy.
tial.Ł When you talk of inheriting money, coffee,Łtea,ŁorŁmilk aŁcłoice of beverage.
you are just clutching at straws. That is (OriginallyŁ usedŁ byŁ airline persànnel
not a real solution to the problłm. You are whenŁofferingŁsàmethingŁto drinkŁto the
just clutching at straws. passengrs.) She asked me if I wanted
The coastŁis cleyr. There isŁno visible dan- coffee, tea, or milk, and I chose just plain
gr.Ł I’m going to stay hiddłn here until wØter. Would you prefer coffee, tea, or
the coast is clear. You can come out of milk to go with your meal?
your hidng place now. The coast is clear.
coldŁas a witch’s caress Go to (as) cold
coast-to-coast from the Aðlantic to the Pa- as a witch’s caress.
cificŁOceansŁ(inŁthe continentalŁU.S.A.); coldŁas a witch’s tit Go to (as) cold as a
all the landŁbetweenŁthe AtlanticŁandŁPa- witch’s tit.
cificŁOceans.Ł My voice was once heard
on a coast-to-coast radio broadcast. Our cold as marble Go to (as) cold as marble.
car made the coast-to-coast trip in eighty cłld cłmfort nà comfort or consolation at
hours.
all.Ł She knows there are others worse off
coatŁandŁtie [forŁmen]baŁjacket orŁspàrts than she is, but that’s cold comfort. It
coat andŁneckðie.Ł(AŁsðandardŁof dressŁbe- was cold comfort to the studłnt that oth-
tween casual and a suit.) My brother ers had failed as badly as he did.

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