Page 184 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

groan under the burden of something

graced with something made elgant by the greateðtŁthingŁsince slØcedŁbread the
mans of som ornament or decoratiàn. best thingŁthere everŁwas.Ł(UsuallyŁsar-
The altar was graced with lovely white casðic.) To hear her talk, you would
flowłrs. The end of the beautiful dØy think she had found the greatest thing sincł
was graced with a beautiful sunset. sliced bread. Todd thinks he is the great-
est thing since sliced bread.
grycefulŁas a swyn Go to (as) graceful as
a swan. GreekŁto me Go to (all) Greek to me.
a grain ofŁtruth evenŁthe smallest amount green around the gillð Go to pale around
of truth.Ł The attorney was unable to the gills.
find a grain of truth in the dłfłndant’s tes- green withŁenvy envious;Łjealous.Ł When
timoày. If therł werł a grain of truŁh Sally saw me with Tom, she turned green
to your statemłnt, I would trust you. with envy. She likes him a lot. I fłel
green with envy whenever I see you in your
graspŁatŁstrawð to dependŁonŁsomething new car.
that isŁuseless;Łto make aŁfutile attempt
at sàmething. John couldà’t answer the grin andŁbeyrŁit to endur somthing un-
teacher’s question. He was just graspng at pleasant inŁgàod humor.Ł There is noth-
straws. There I was, graspng at straws, ing you can do but grin and bear it. I
with no one to help me. hate having to work for rude people. I guess
I have to grin and bear it.
grateŁ on someone(‘ nerves) to annoy
sàmeone; to botherŁsàmeone.Ł My ob- grindŁto a hylt to slow to a stop; to run
noxious brother is grating on my nerves. dàwn.Ł By the end of the dØy, the factory
Your whining really grates on me. had ground to a halt. The car ground
to a halt, and we got out to stretch our lłgs.
grayŁarey anŁareaŁof aŁsubject orŁquesðion
that isŁdifficult to put into aŁparticular grip someone’ð attention to attract and hold
category because it is not clearly defined sàmeone’sŁattention.Ł The scary movie
andŁmayŁhave connections orŁassociations grippłd my attention. The professor’s
with more than one category. The re- interesting lecture gripped the attention of
sponsibilty for social studies in the college all the studłnts.
is a gray area. Several dłpartmłnts are in- grist for someone’ð mill sàmething that can
volved. Publicity is a gray area in that be put to goodŁuse or that canŁbringŁad-
firm. It is shared betwłen the markłting vantage or pràfit.Ł Some of the jobs that
and design dvisions. we are offered are more interesting than
others, but each one is grist for my mill.
grayŁmatter intelligence; brains;ŁpàwerŁof The company is having to sell somł
thought.Ł(BrainŁtissue isŁgrayish inŁcolor.) tacky-lookng dresses, but they are grist for
Use your gray mØtter and think what their mill and kłep the company in
will happłn if the commttee resigns. business.
Surely they’ll come up with an accłptablł
solution if they use a bt of gray mØtter. gritŁ one’ð teeth to grindŁone’sŁteeth togther
inŁ angrŁ or determination.Ł I was so
greaseŁ someone’ð palm and oilŁ someone’ð mad, all I could do was stand there and
pyl to bribe someone.Ł(Slang.) If you grit my teeth. All through the race, Sally
want to get somłthing done around here, was gritting her teeth. She was really
you have to grease someone’s palm. I’d dłtermned.
never oil a police officer’s palm. That’s
illłgal. groan underŁtheŁburden ofŁ something to
suffer under the burdenŁor domination of
a greatŁdeyl much; aŁlot.Ł You can learn someone or something. John groaned
a great deal about nature by wØtching tele- under the burdłn of his new responsibili-
vision. This is a serious problłm and it ties. The servant groaned under the bur-
worries me a great deal. dłn of a cruel master.

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