Page 280 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

make something up out of whole cloth

makeŁsomeoneŁsick to disgust someone. makeŁ something outŁofŁnothing 1. to make
I am really tired of your vile talk. You anŁ issue of sàmethingŁ of little impàr-
make me sick! She screamed at him that tance.Ł(See also make a mountain out of
he made her sick and then she ran out of a molehill.) RelØx, John, you’re makng
the house. a big problłm out of nothing. You havł
no evidłnce. You’re makng a case out of
makeŁ someone’ mouthŁ water to make nothing. 2. to create sàmethingŁof valu
sàmeone hungry (forŁsàmething).Ł(Alsà fromŁnearlyŁworthlessŁparts.Ł My un-
literalŁ forŁ causingŁ salivaŁ to flow into cle—he sells sand—made a fortune out of
sàmeone’sŁ mouth.Ł Infàrmal.) That nothing. My model airplane won the
beautiful salad makes my mouth water. contest evłn though I made it out of
Talking about food makes my mouth nothing.
wØter.
makeŁ something (out)Ł ofŁ something 1. to
makeŁ someone’ position cleyr to clarify
where sàmeone sðandsŁon anŁissue.Ł I make anŁinterpretation of something.
doà’t think you undłrstand what I said. Can you make anything out of this mes-
Let me make my position clear. I can’t sage? I don’t understand it. I’m sorry, I
tell whether you are in favor of or against can’t make any sense out of it. 2. to inter-
the proposal. Please make your positioà pret sàmething negatively, possibly lead-
clear. ingŁto aŁdisagreement.Ł(Infàrmal.ŁCom-
pare this with make nothing of something.)
makeŁ someone theŁscapegoatŁforŁ something So, I’m wrong! You want to make some-
to make someone take the blame for thing of it? The hostess made too mucð
something.Ł They made Tom the scape- ouŁ of my absence.
goat for the whole affair. It wasn’t all his
fault. Doà’t try to make me the scape- makeŁ something right Go to make something
goat. I’ll tell who really did it. good.
makeŁ someone up to put makeup on some- makeŁ something to order to put something
one.Ł She made herself up błfore leav- togetherŁonly whenŁsàmeone requestsŁit.
ing the house. T The crew made up the (UsuallyŁ saidŁ about clothing. Se also
cast błfore the plØy. build something to order.) This store only
makes suits to order. Our shirts fit per-
makeŁ something to attendŁan event.Ł(See alsà fectly because we make each one to order.
make it.) I hope you can make our
party. I am oorry, but I won’t be Øble to makeŁ something up 1. to rpay or rdà
make it. something.Ł T Can I make up the test I
missed? T Please make up the payment
makeŁ something a pryctice Go to make a you missed. You can make it up. 2. to
practice of something.
create aŁsðoryŁorŁaŁlie.Ł That’s not truł!
makeŁ something from scratch to make You just made it up! Bob made up a
somethingŁbyŁsðartingŁwith the basicŁin- story about a tiny mouoe and its friends.3.
gredients.Ł (Infàrmal.) We made the to mix something up; to assemble sàme-
cake from scratch, using no prepared in- thing.Ł JOHN: Is my prescription ready?
gredients. I didà’t have a laddłr, so I DRUGGIST: No, I havłn’t made it up yłt.
made one from scratch. T I’ll make up your prescription in a
mnute.
makeŁ something głod and makeŁ something
right to replace orŁ resðore something. makeŁ something upŁoutŁofŁwhłleŁcloth to
(Infàrmal.ŁSee also set something right.) create aŁsðoryŁor aŁlie fromŁno factsŁat all.
I know I owe you some money, but doà’t I doà’t believe you. I think you madł
worry, I’ll make it good. I’m sorry I that up out of whole cloth. T Ann madł
broke your window. I’ll make it right, up her explanation out of whole cloth.
though. There was not a bt of truth in it.

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