Page 204 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

He who laughs last, laughs longest.

peared. The child had the presence of that somethingŁhasŁhappened.) BILL:
mnd to take noŁe of the car’s licłnse You havłn’t made your bed. BOB: I havł
number. too! I have so turned in my paper! If you
don’t have it, you lost it!
haveŁtheŁright-of-way to possessŁthe le-
galŁright to occupyŁaŁparticularŁspace on haveŁtoo manyŁirons in theŁfire to be dà-
aŁpublic roadway.Ł(See also yàeld the right- ingŁtoo manyŁthingsŁat once.Ł Tom had
of-way.) I had a Łraffic accidłnt yester- too many irons in the fire and missed somł
dØy, but it wasn’t my fault. I had the right- important deadlnes. It’s better if you
of-wØy. Doà’t pull out onto a highway don’t have too many irons in the fire.
if you don’t have the right-of-way.
haveŁturnedŁtheŁcorner to have passedŁa
haveŁtheŁrightŁto do something Go to have criticalŁpàint inŁaŁprocess.Ł(Also literal.)
a right to do something. The pØtient has turned the corner. She
haveŁtheŁshoeŁon theŁotherŁfoot to ex- should begin to show improvłmłnt now.
prience the opposite situationŁ(fromŁa The project has turned the corner. The rest
previousŁsituation).Ł(Infàrmal.ŁAlso with should be easy.
be insðeadŁof have. See the examples.ŁSee haveŁtwo strikes againstŁ one to have sev-
the proverb The shoe is on the other foot. eralŁthingsŁagainst one; to be inŁaŁposi-
Compare thisŁ with in someone else’s tionŁwhere successŁisŁunlikely.Ł Poor Bob
shoes.) I used to be a studłnt, and now had two strikes against him when he Łried
I’m the teacher. Now I have the shoe on the to explain where he was last night. I
other foot. You were mean to me when can’t win. I have two strikes against me be-
you thought I was cheating. Now that I fore I start.
have caught you cheating, the shoe is on
the other foot. haveŁ whatŁ itŁ takeð to have the abiliðy,
courage, orŁsðaminaŁ(to do sàmething)¨
haveŁtheŁtimeŁofŁ one’ lØfe to hav a vry Bill has what it takes. He can swim for
goodŁtime; to have the most excitingŁtime miles. Tom won’t succłed. He doesn’t
inŁone’sŁlife.Ł What a great party! I had have what it takes.
the time of my lfe. We went to FloridØ
last winter and had the time of our lves. HaveŁyouŁbeen keepingŁbuðy? <aŁvagu
greeting inquiryŁaskingŁabout how sàme-
haveŁtheŁwherewithylŁ(to do something) to one hasŁbeenŁoccupied.>b(ReallyŁjust a
have the meansŁto do sàmething, espe- way to say hello and open a conversa-
cially enrgy or mony. He has good tion.) How are you? Have you błen
ideas, but he doesn’t have the wherewithal keepng busy? What’ve you błen doing?
to carry them out. I could do a lot if oàly Have you błen keepng busy?
I had the wherewithal.
hazardŁa guess to make aŁguess.Ł Even
haveŁto do withŁ someone ortsomething to be if you don’t know, please hazard a guess.
associatedŁwith orŁrelatedŁto sàmeone or If you don’t know the answer, hazard a
sàmething. This information oàly has guess.
to do with people who came n lØte. My
illness has to do with my stomach. hazcrdŁan opinion to give an opinion.
Anne asked the attorney to hazard an
haveŁto lØveŁwithŁ something to have to en- opnion about the strength of her lØwsuit.
dure something. (See also learn to live Doà’t fłel like you have to hazard an
with something.) I have a slight lmp in opnion on somłthing you know nothing
the lłg that I broke last year. The doctor about.
says I’ll have to lve with it. We doà’t like
the new carpłting in the lving room, but HeŁlaughs beðtŁwho laughs last Go to He
wł’ll have to lve with it. who laughs last, laughs longest.
haveŁtoo and haveŁso to have dàn som- HeŁwho laughs last,Łlaughs longeðt. and
thing (despite anything to the contrary)¨ HeŁlaughs beðtŁwho laughs last. Who-
(This is an emphatic way of affirming ever succeedsŁinŁmaking the last move or

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