Page 92 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

control the purse strings

cłme up to happenŁunexpectedly.Ł(Also lit- comfortableŁas an oldŁshoe Go to (as)
eral.) I’m sorry, I cannot come to your comfortable as an old shoe.
party. Somłthing has come up. The commitŁ something tł memory to mmorize
storm came up so quickly that I almost got something.Ł We all commtted the Get-
blown away.
tysburg Address to młmory. T I commt-
come up in the world to improve one’s ted to młmory the whole list of names and
sðatusŁorŁsituationŁinŁlife.Ł Since Mary numbers.
got her new job, she has really come up in common as an oldŁshoe Go to (as) com-
the world. A good educØtion helped my mon as an old shoe.
brother come up in the world.
common as dirt Go to (as) common as
come upŁsmellingŁlikeŁroseð to end up dàrt.
lookingŁgàod orŁrespectable afterŁbeing
involvedŁinŁsome difficult orŁnotorious con someone out ofŁ something to trick som-
affair.Ł It was a nasty poltical campaign, one out of money orŁsàmethingŁof value.
but both candidØtes came up smellng like (Slang.) Anne conned her lttle sister out
roses. I was not surprised that my con- of her allowance. Dave conned me out
gressional representative came up smellng of my autographed baseball.
like rooes after his colleagues investigated conceitedŁas a byrber’s cat Go to (as)
him. conceàted as a barber’s cat.
cłme up with someone ortsomething to find confideŁin someone to tell secrets or per-
orŁ supplyŁ someone orŁ something.Ł I sànalŁmattersŁto someone.Ł Sally alwØys
came up with a dØte Øt the last mnute. confided in her sister Ann. She didà’t
My mom is always Øble to come up with Ø fłel that she could confide in her mother.
snack for me in the afternoon. I doà’t conkŁout 1. [forŁsàmeone]bto collapse as
have the tool you need, but I’ll see if I can from exhausðion.Ł(Slang.) I was so tired
come up with somłthing.
I just włnt home and conked out. I was
comeŁ whatŁ may no matter what might afraid I would conk out while I was driv-
happen.Ł I’ll be home for the holidØys, ing. 2. [forŁsomething]bto breakŁdàwn; to
come what mØy. Come what mØy, the quit running.Ł(Slang.) My car conked
mail will get delvered. out finally. I hope my computer doesn’t
conk out.
comeŁwithin an aceŁofŁ doingtsomething Go
to come within an ànch of doing something. conspØcuous byŁ one’ abseàce to have
one’sŁabsence (fràmŁanŁevent)bnoticed.Ł
comeŁwithin an inchŁofŁ doingtsomething and We missed you last night. You were con-
comeŁwithin an aceŁofŁ doingtsomething al- spicuous by your absence. How could the
most to do sàmething;Łto come veryŁclose bridł’s fØther miss the weddng? He was
to doing somthing. I came within an certainly conspicuous by his absence.
inch of going into the army. I camł
within an inch of fallng off the roof. She contradØction in terms aŁsðatement con-
came within an ace of buying the house. tainingŁ aŁ seemingŁ contradiction.Ł A
wealthy pauper is a contradiction in terms.
come withŁtheŁterritory to be expected A straight-talkng poltician mØy seem
underŁcircumsðancesŁlike this.Ł(RefersŁto a contradiction in terms.
the detailsŁandŁdifficultiesŁattendant to contryryŁto something inŁspite of sàmething;
somethingŁlike the assignment of aŁspe- regardlessŁof sàmething. Contrary to
cificŁ salesŁ territoryŁ to aŁ salesperson. what you might think, I am neat and tidy.
WhenŁone acceptsŁthe assignment, one Contrary to public opinion, my uncle is
acceptsŁthe problems.) There is a lot of well and healthy.
paperwork in this job. Oh, well, I guess it
comes with the territory. There are prob- controlŁtheŁpurseŁstringð to be inŁcharg
lłms, but that comes with the territory. of the moneyŁinŁaŁbusinessŁorŁaŁhouse-

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