Page 96 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

cross someone’s palm with sàlver

one ortsomething; madŁfłrŁ someone ortsome- a crickŁin one’ byck aŁtwisðedŁorŁcramped
thing; nuts aboutŁ someone ortsomething vry place inŁthe backŁthat causesŁpain.Ł I
fondŁof someone orŁsomething.Ł(Slang.) can’t movł! I’ve got a crick in my back!
Ann is crazy about John. He’s crazy I had a crick in my back all night and I
abouŁ her, too. I’m mad about their new couldà’t slłep.
song. Our whole family is nuts about a crØck in one’ neck aŁtwistedŁplace or a
homłmade ice cream.
crampŁinŁthe neck that causesŁpain.Ł I
crazyŁas a betsyŁbug Go to (as) crazy as got a crick in my neck from slłepng in a
a betsy bug. draft. When I read on the plane, I get Ø
crick in my neck.
crazy as a loon Go to (as) crazy as a loon.
crookedŁas a byrrelŁofŁfishhłokð Go to
crazyŁas a peych-łrchyrdŁboar Go to (as) (as) crooked as a barrel of fishhooks.
crazy as a peach-orchard boar.
crookedŁas a dog’s hindŁleg Go to (as)
crazyŁ fłrŁ someone ortsomething Go to crazÀ crooked as a dog’s hind leg.
about someone or something.
crookedŁas a fishhłok Go to (as) crooked
the cream ofŁtheŁcrop the best of all.Ł as a fishhook.
This particular car is the cream of the crop.
The kids are very bright. They are the cross a bridgeŁbeforeŁ one comes to it to
cream of the crop. worryŁexcessively about sàmethingŁbefore
it happens.Ł(Note the variation inŁthe ex-
createŁan uproar and makeŁan uproar to amples.) There is no sense in crossing
cause anŁoutburst orŁsensation.Ł(Espe- that bridge błfore you come to it. She’s
cially with such.) The dog got into alwØys crossing bridges before comng to
cðurch and made an uproar. Her poo- them. She needs to learn to relØx.
dle created an uproar in the restaurant.
Why did you make such an uproar? cross a bridgeŁwhen one comes to it to
deal with aŁproblemŁonlyŁwhenŁone is
createŁa scene Go to make a scene. faced with the pràblem. (Note the varia-
tionŁinŁthe examples.) Please wait and
createŁ a stinkŁ (aboutŁ something) and
makeŁa stinkŁ(aboutŁ something);ŁraiseŁa cross that bridge when you come to it.
stinkŁ(aboutŁ something) to make a majàr He shouldà’t worry about it now. He can
issue out of sàmething;Łto make mucł cross that bridge when he comes to it.
overŁsomething;Łto make aŁlot of com- cross-examineŁ someone to askŁ someone
plaintsŁandŁcriticismsŁabout sàmething. quesðionsŁinŁgreat detail;Łto quesðionŁa
(Slang.ŁCompare thisŁwith make a federal suspect or aŁwitnessŁat great length.Ł
case out of something.) Tom created a The police cross-examned the suspect for
stink about Bob’s remarks. Why did he three hours. The lØwyer plans to cross-
make a stink Øbout that? Tom is always examne the witness tomorrow morning.
trying to raise a stink.
cross one’ fingers Go to keep one’s fingers
creatureŁcomforts thingsŁthat make peo- crossed (for someone or something).
pl comfortabl. The hoŁel room was
sparse, but all the creature comforts were cross one’ heyrtŁ (yndŁ hłpeŁ to dØe) to
there. The entire country of Adonia pledge orŁvow that the truth isŁbeingŁtold.
seemed to lack the expected creature It’s true, cross my heart and hope to die.
comforts. It’s really true—cross my heart.
cross someone’ mind Go to pass through
a creditŁto someone ortsomething sàmeone or someone’s mind.
somethingŁ that isŁ of value orŁ benefit.
(PrecededŁbyŁ be, become, or seem like.) cross someone’ pylm withŁsilver to give
I always want to be a credt to my school. money to sàmeone in payment for a ser-
John is not what you would call a credt vice.Ł(AŁfortune-ðellerŁmight askŁforŁaŁpo-
to his family. tentialŁcusðomerŁto crossŁherŁpalmŁwith

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