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Phrases related to: hague-but

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a pyrrhic victoryAn apparent victory, but one which is no victory at all, due to the great cost incurred. The phrase comes from the victory won by King Pyrrhus at Asculum in 279BC which cost him many of his best men. After the battle Pyrrhus remarked: "One more such victory and we are finished."Rate it:

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acknowledge the cornTo cop a plea; to admit to a small error but not a larger one.Rate it:

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baby elephant in the roomAn obvious but mostly inconsequential issue.Rate it:

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Barmacide feastSomething that appears highly desirable, but proves to be imaginary, illusory and ultimately very disappointing.Rate it:

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believe it or notYou may not believe the following, but it is true.Rate it:

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blood is thicker than waterFamily relations and loyalties are stronger than relationships with people who are not family members.1866, Anthony Trollope, The Belton Estate, ch. 30,Blood is thicker than water, is it not? If cousins are not friends, who can be?circa 1915, Lucy Fitch Perkins, The Scotch Twins, ch. 5,The old clans are scattered now, but blood is thicker than water still, and you're welcome to the fireside of your kinsman!Rate it:

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brush upTo review; to improve an existing but rusty or under-developed skill.Rate it:

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but me no butsUsed to cut off objections or qualificationsRate it:

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but, satisfaction brought it backa common rejoinder to "curiosity killed the cat"Rate it:

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buy cheap, buy twiceBuying a cheap but inferior product is a false economy since it will need replacement.Rate it:

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chalk and cheeseSaid of things that are superficially alike but very different in substance.Rate it:

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de facto(adverb) in fact, whether by right or not. (adjective) existing or holding a specified position in fact but not necessarily by legal right.Rate it:

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devil beating his wifeWhen it is raining but the sun is outRate it:

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don't be penny wise and pound foolishDon't be careful when it comes to spending small amounts of money, but careless when spending much larger amounts.Don't focus on minutiae and lose sight of the big picture; don't obsess over tiny inconsequential efficiencies while glaring inefficiencies are going on elsewhere.Rate it:

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drugstore cowboyDresses like a cowboy to show off at the drugstore; looks like a cowboy, but ain't.Rate it:

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easier said than doneEasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish.Rate it:

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elephant in the roomA problem or difficult issue that is very obvious, but is ignored for the convenience or comfort of those involved.Rate it:

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everything but the kitchen sinkAlmost everything, whether needed or not.Rate it:

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everything happens for a reasonAll events are purposeful.Everything happens for a reason, so there is no such thing as failure. Mary-Kate OlsenPeople like to say "everything happens for a reason." If you repeat that in your head long enough that starts to sound like "anything can happen with a razor." Laura KightlingerI believe that everything happens for a reason, but I think it's important to seek out that reason - that's how we learn. Drew BarrymoreRate it:

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fish or cut baitTo choose between taking action now, or forgoing the opportunity and putting that energy into another endeavor; to decide; do something constructive, but don't just do nothingRate it:

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ghost writerGhostwriters are hired to do the writing of a speech or literary work but do not get the credit.Rate it:

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hidden in plain sightSeemingly hidden, but actually not hidden and easy to find.Rate it:

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hoi polloithe masses, the general populace, the common people; in America it can carry a negative connotation depending on the context (as though commoners don't belong amongst the rich (high society) but it is not inherently derogatoryRate it:

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i'm a lone wolfA meek and humble warrior who hunts down the enemy, and at his own peril by not drawing the sword from it's sheath. This allows opportunity for the enemy to relent "both hands up." But once the sword is drawn from it's sheath, probation is over and swift judgement is at hand.Rate it:

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I'm easyI have no strong feelings one way or another but am ready to complyRate it:

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in one's stockinged feetWearing socks, stockings or other hosiery on one's feet but no shoes.Rate it:

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Keep Body and Soul TogetherTo have just reason to be alive, just surviving but not living in real senseRate it:

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mama's baby, papa's maybeIt is easy to know the biological mother of a child, but difficult to be sure who the biological father is.Rate it:

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on the cardsCertain, likely to happen. Foretold and expected but not yet brought to pass.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
painting rocksPointless or futile work organised by the government, supposedly to increase employment but in fact merely disguising the unemployment level.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
payback's a bitchUsually a complete sentence as an interjection: I am amused that someone got their revenge on you...but you certainly had it coming.Rate it:

(5.00 / 2 votes)
raw dealA situation in which a person is taken advantage of or treated unfairly; a situation in which a person is led to expect something, but receives nothing or much less than expected.Rate it:

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secret de deux, secret de dieu, secret de trois, secret de tousNo secret but between two.Rate it:

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snake oilAny product with exaggerated marketing but questionable or unverifiable quality.Rate it:

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splash outTo spend a lot of money on something desired but not necessary.Rate it:

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the grass is always greener on the other sideOther circumstances seem more desirable than one's own but in reality are often notRate it:

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there may be snow on the rooftop but there is fire in the furnaceEven if a person is in his or her senior years, with gray hair, he or she can still have ambition and energy, especially sexual energy.Rate it:

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to a certain extenta phrase to indicate a statement is true to a limited degree; partly true but not completely trueRate it:

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under the influenceDrunk; intoxicated; affected by alcohol. The phrase "under the influence" typically refers to the state of being affected by some substance or external factor that alters one's behavior, judgment, or perception. It is commonly associated with the consumption of drugs or alcohol, but it can also refer to the impact of other factors such as emotions, peer pressure, or environmental influences. Being "under the influence" implies a diminished capacity to make rational decisions or to act responsibly, and it may also carry legal consequences if the substance in question is illegal or if the person's impaired state leads to unsafe or illegal behavior. Overall, the phrase "under the influence" is often used to describe a state of temporary impairment or altered mental state that can be caused by various factors, and it is typically associated with a loss of control or impaired judgment.Rate it:

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water under the bridgeSomething in the past that cannot be controlled or undone, but must be accepted, forgiven, or forgotten.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
way to bury the leadsaid in response to someone who said something but missed an obviously more important/significant or more relevant pointRate it:

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willful ignoranceA bad faith decision to avoid becoming informed about something so as to avoid having to make undesirable decisions that such information might prompt. It may also be shown as for a person to have no clue in a decision but still goes ahead in their decision.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
you can't get a quart into a pint potWhat is being discussed is not possible.They've asked me to get to New York by five o'clock, but you can't get a quart into a pint pot!Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
you have the advantage over meYou know my name, but I do not know yours; what is it, please?; you know me but I do not know youRate it:

(5.00 / 2 votes)
it's not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dogdetermination and perseverance will win out in the long run.Rate it:

(4.50 / 4 votes)
last but not leastAn expression to start the last item of a list, emphasising that while it is listed last, it is just as important as the rest of the items.Rate it:

(4.50 / 2 votes)
sail close to the windTo sail in a direction close to that from which the wind is blowing, but still making headwayRate it:

(4.50 / 2 votes)
white holeA theoretically possible but physically highly unlikely singularity which would emit matter and energy; the antithesis of a black hole.Rate it:

(4.50 / 2 votes)
a bad workman always blames his toolsIt is not the tools we use which make us good, but rather how we employ them.Rate it:

(4.38 / 8 votes)
to err is human, to forgive, devineEveryone makes mistakes. The real tragedy is not when someone errs, but when they are not forgiven.Rate it:

(4.33 / 3 votes)

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