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don't count your chickens before they're hatchedYou should not count on something before it happens.Rate it:

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don't count your eggs before they hatchDon't get your hopes up before things actually happenRate it:

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don't get your dander all in an uproarDon't get upset or too bothered; usually said to calm someone down from being too angry; Also said this way: Don't get your dander upRate it:

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don't put your cart before the horseThe same as saying, "First things first"; asserts that there is a certain order in which things happen and that the listener should consider that before going forward (outside of that order) regarding the matter at handRate it:

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don't threaten me with a good timea way of saying emphatically that you'd love to do something, after someone just mentioned something to doRate it:

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don't throw the baby out with the bathwaterTo discard something valuable, often inadvertently, in the process of removing waste.Rate it:

(4.20 / 5 votes)
dormitive virtueA type of tautology in which an item is being explained in terms of the item itself, only put in different (usually more abstract) words.Rate it:

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down lowAfter asking you to "high five" or saying "up top" someone will then say "down low". This means they are asking you to "high five" or tap the palm of their hand with the palm of your hand down lower--about waist high--as they extend their hand out toward you. If you don't respond timely they may take their hand away and say "too slow" then laugh. It's just something Americans do to have fun.Rate it:

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down the lineFurther along, in terms of time or progress.Rate it:

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down the roadFurther along, in terms of time or progress.Rate it:

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down the trackFurther along, in terms of time or progress.Rate it:

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drop the ballto fail in one's responsibilities or duties; to not complete somethingRate it:

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duck duck gooseA children's game where kids sit in a circle facing each other with their eyes closed. One child is designated "it" and walks around the outside of the circle saying "duck" as he/she touches each child's head. Finally, instead of saying "duck" the person who is it says "goose!" then runs forward around the circle and tries to sit down in the spot where the "goose" was sitting. The goal of the game is for the person who is "it" to sit down before the "goose" catches him/her. If he/she does sit down before being touched/tagged, then the "goose" becomes "it" and the process begins again. If the "goose" catches the person who was "it" then the person who was "it' is out of the game and the circle moves in closer/smaller until only one sitting winner remains.Rate it:

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dumb downTo convey some subject matter in simple terms, avoiding technical or academic language, especially in a way that is considered condescending.Rate it:

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écrire de bonne encre à quelqu'unTo write to some one in strong terms.Rate it:

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eeny meeny miney moe(short version) a way of choosing someone or something by counting off items one by one until the last word falls on a person or item to the full rhyme which is: eeny meany miney moe catch a tiger by the toe if he hollers let him go eeny meeny miney moe Whichever item falls on the last word "moe" that's the one that is chosen, for example to be "it" to start a game or to choose sides for teams. There are only four words per line that count. The last line "eeny meeny money moe" was later replaced by My mother said to pick the very best one and you are not it" (all words count for one as each person (item) is tapped.Rate it:

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ejusdem generisA canon of construction holding that when a general term follows a list of particular terms, the general term only applies to things similar to the particular terms. For example, in the list "sun, moon, and other large objects", the phrase "other large objects" only includes celestial bodies, not houses and elephants.Rate it:

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est mihi consuetudo, or usus cum aliquoto be on friendly terms with a person.Rate it:

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est or intercedit mihi cum aliquo amicitiaI am on good terms with a person.Rate it:

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être à tu et à toiTo be on very familiar terms with.Rate it:

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fake it 'til you make it(it's ok to) pretend until you get there (make it real)Rate it:

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fall offA hip hop term; to completely lose the plot in terms of artistic direction.Rate it:

(3.33 / 3 votes)
feets don't fail me nowwhen you really need to get somewhere, you don't want your feet to fail and not get you thereRate it:

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fine printThe details, restrictions, terms, or conditions, especially of a contract, often printed in very small type.Rate 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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fly by the seat of one's pantsConfronting a situation with intuition and common sense without experience or instructionRate it:

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foedus frangere, rumpere, violareto violate a treaty, terms of alliance.Rate it:

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fool's errandA foolish undertaking, especially one that is purposeless, fruitless, nonsensical, or certain to fail.Rate it:

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forgetting the base, forgetting the root, forgetting number 'one, forgetting the alphabet 'a' 1'Generally this era, when children learn and grow up as adults, they think the parents know nothing they are the entire encyclopedia. Disdaining parents education and their university degrees with disrespectful manner.Rate it:

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get through one's headTo come to terms with a fact, a state of affairs, etc. that one was previously unable or refusing to accept.Rate it:

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gettin' jiggy wit itshort for "getting jiggy with it"; to get excitedly energetic while dancingRate it:

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go into one's shellTo hide or retreat; to act defensivelyRate it:

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god willing and the creeks don't riseA way of answering 'yes' when someone asks if you are going to do something; the same as saying, "Yes, I will, unless something happens to prevent me that I cannot control"; if it is God's will and no disasters happenRate it:

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happy trailsan expression wishing someone a good journey (typically on a road or path); short for 'happy trails to you'; a way of saying goodbyeRate it:

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haul somebody over the coalsTo express anger with someone in no uncertain terms when they do something wrong.Rate it:

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haul someone over the coalsTo express anger with someone in no uncertain terms when they do something wrong.Rate it:

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have eyes bigger than one's bellyTo take more food on one's plate than one can eat; to be greedyRate it:

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here's your signA sarcastic remark and gesture that is said and done when someone says something stupid. This is said while holding the back of your right hand in a fist to your forehead with the index finger and thumb extended to form an "L" for "Loser." This is done and said to someone when they ask an obvious question and they should have known the answer; it points out to someone how dumb the question was that they just asked.Rate it:

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his condicionibuson these terms.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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hold one's waternot have to pee; try not to urinateRate it:

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home sweet homeOne's home, especially a nice, comfortable home.Rate it:

(4.50 / 4 votes)
hungry hungry hippoAn expression used to say you are very hungry; also hungry hippo, for short; also the name of a children's board game (Hungry Hungry Hippo) produced by Hasbro under its subsidiary, Milton BradleyRate it:

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i am what i amI can't help the way I am. The underlying meaning is that I am not going to change either.Rate it:

(4.00 / 2 votes)
i could eat a horseI am very hungry; short form of "I'm so hungry, I could eat a horse."Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
i have many bridges to sell you.You've been very naive.Rate it:

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i'll beAn expression of surprise; the same as saying "Isn't that something?" (unexpected); Short version of "I'll be damned," "I'll be darned" or the more clean version, "I'll be a monkey's uncle."Rate it:

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i'll be a monkey's uncle(often preceded by well) expressing complete surprise or disbeliefRate it:

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i'll be damnedAn expression of surprise; also said "I'll be darned", "I'll be danged", or simply, "I'll be", often with the word "Well" in front of it.. Also said as, "I'll be a monkey's uncle"Rate it:

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i'll be dangedAn expression of surprise; also said "I'll be darned", "I'll be danged", or simply, "I'll be", often with the word "Well" in front of it. Also said as, "I'll be a monkey's uncle"Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)

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