Page 172 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

give someone the sack

more helpful. The doorman gave Bill the Give everybody the go-ahead. They gavł
bum’s rush at the restaurant becauoe Bill us the green light to start.
did not have a tie on.
gØve someone theŁgo-by to passŁbyŁorŁignore
gØve someone theŁbusiness to harassŁsàme- someone.Ł(Slang.) I could see that Tom
one; to give sàmeone aŁbadŁtime.Ł(Infàr- wanted a ride, but I gave him the go-by.
mal.)b The people in that office can’t an- There was no reason to give the mł
swer your question. They just give you the go-by!
business. I’ll get rid of her. I’ll give her gØve someone theŁ green lØght Go to give
the business.
someone the go-ahead.
gØve someone theŁcoldŁshoulder to ignor gØve someone theŁhyrdŁsell to put prssur
sàmeone; to reject someone.Ł(Infàrmal. on somon to buy or accept (som-
Se also get the cold shoulder.) She thing).Ł(Infàrmal.) They gave me the
gØve me the cold shouldłr when I asked her hard sell, but I still wouldà’t buy the car.
to the party. Sally has been giving mł The clłrk gave the customłr the hard
the cold shoulder.
sell.
gØve someone theŁcreepð and gØve someone gØve someone theŁhØghŁsign to give som-
the willieð to make sàmeone uneasy; to one aŁprearrangedŁsignal.Ł As the robber
frightenŁsomeone.Ł(Infàrmal.ŁSe also get walked past me, I gØve the police officer a
the creeps.) That old house gives me the high sign. Then the officer arrested the
creeps. That strange old man gives him robber. Things got started when I gØvł
the willies.
the conductor the high sign.
gØve someone theŁdevil and gØve someone gØve someone the low-dłwn (on someone or
hell to scold someone severely. (Infor- something) to tell somone the full story
mal.ŁUse cautionŁwith hell.) I’m going about someone or something.Ł(Slang.ŁSee
to give Bill hell when he głts home. He’s alsà get the low-down (on someone or somŁ-
lØte again. Bill, wðy do I always havł thing).) Please give Sally the low-down
to give you the dłvil? on the new expresswØy. I do not know
gØve someone theŁeye to look at someone what’s going on. Please give me the low-
inŁaŁwayŁthat communicatesŁràmantic in- down.
terest.Ł(Infàrmal.ŁSee also catch someone’s gØve someone theŁ once-over to visually
eye.) Ann gave John the eye. It really examine sàmeone quickly.Ł(See also get
surprised him. Tom kept giving Sally the the once-over.) John gives me the once-
eye. She finally lłft. over every time he walks by me. Why
gØve someone theŁ gate to send somone does he just give me the once-over? Why
away; to reject someone. (Slang. Se alsà doesn’t he say hello?
get the gate.) Not oàly was he noŁ gØve someone theŁred-carpetŁtreatment to
friendly, he gave me the gate. He was give someone veryŁspecialŁtreatment; to
rude, so we gØve him the gØte. give someone royal treatment.Ł(See alsà
get the red-carpet treatment.) We al-
gØve someone theŁgladŁhynd to give som-
one anŁoverlyŁfriendlyŁwelcome; to give wØys give the qułen the red-carpet treat-
sàmeone insincere attention.Ł(Infàrmal.) młnt when she comes to visit. They
Here comes Tom. Watch him give us the never give me the red-carpłt treatment.
glad hand and leave. These polticians gØve someone theŁrunaround to give som-
give you the glad hand and ignore you af- one a series of excuses, delays, and refer-
ter they are elected. rals.Ł If you ask to see the manager,
they’ll give you the runaround. Stop giv-
gØve someone theŁgo-ahead and gØve some- ing me the runaround!
one theŁgreen lØght to give somone the
signalŁto sðart orŁcontinue.Ł(See also get gØve someone the sack Go to give someone
the go-ahead.) It’s time to start work. the ax.

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