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Phrases related to: know which way the wind blows Page #11

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necessity is the mother of inventionA person who is in great need of something will find a way to get it.Rate it:

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object lessonAnything used an example or lesson which serves to warn others as to the outcomes that result from a particular action or behavior, as exemplified by the fates of those who followed that course.Rate it:

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over a barrelIn a disadvantageous or helpless situation, in which one may be controlled or victimized.Rate it:

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pain in the neckSomeone or something which is annoying, irritating or inconvenient.Rate it:

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poisoned chaliceA scheme or instrument for causing death or harm, especially one which eventually brings about the downfall of its creator; something which is initially regarded as advantageous but which is later recognized to be disadvantageous or harmful.Rate it:

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put awayTo store away, place out of the way, clean up, or organize.Rate it:

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shoot the moonTo take a risk which may result in great rewards; to succeed after taking such a risk.Rate it:

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step asideto move out of one's wayRate it:

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tell apartTo be able to know the difference between things; to distinguish.Rate it:

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throw dirt enough, and some will stickIf enough allegations are made about someone or something, then even if they are all untrue, people's opinion of the person or thing will be diminished.1759, John Wesley, letter to John Downes, Rector of St. Michael's, Wood Street, read at Wesley Center Online at on 14 Oct 06.I hope...that you are ignorant of the whole affair, and are so bold only because you are blind...And blind enough; so that you blunder on through thick and thin, bespattering all that come in your way, according to the old, laudable maxim, 'Throw dirt enough, and some will stick.'1857, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's Schooldays, read at fullbooks.com on 14 Oct 06,But whatever harm a spiteful tongue could do them, he took care should be done. Only throw dirt enough, and some will stick.1864, John Henry Newman, Apologia Pro Vita Sua, Penguin Classics (1994), p. 10,Archbishop Whately used to say Rate it:

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vous ne savez pas où le bât le blesseYou do not know where the shoe pinches him.Rate it:

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wait for the other shoe to dropTo await a seemingly inevitable event, especially one which is not desirable.Rate it:

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white lieA deliberate, untrue statement which does no harm or is intended to produce a favorable result.Rate it:

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widow-makerSomething which or someone who takes the lives of men; a hazard that affects mostly men or is specific for some trade, occupied mostly by men.Rate it:

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you can't take it with youIt is not possible to take one's material wealth to whatever world may await one after death.1900, E. Phillips Oppenheim, A Millionaire of Yesterday, ch. 6:"The clause whichRate it:

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kangaroo courtA judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding, or a group which conducts such proceedings, which is without proper authority, abusive, or otherwise unjust.Rate it:

(2.75 / 4 votes)
take a bulletto sacrifice oneself for another; to put oneself in harm's way in place of anotherRate it:

(2.67 / 3 votes)
yak shavingAny apparently useless activity which, by allowing you to overcome intermediate difficulties, allows you to solve a larger problem.Rate it:

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baggageIn a metaphorical sense, factors that restrict a person's freedom, often in an intellectual or psychological way: emotional baggage.Rate it:

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cash cowSomeone or something which is a dependable source of appreciable amounts of money; a moneymaker.Rate it:

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grace periodA length of time during which rules or penalties do not take effect or are withheld.Rate it:

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mad moneyA sum of money kept in reserve or to insulate oneself financially in the event of the sudden breakdown of a relationship in which one is economically dependent.Rate it:

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the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get(vulgar) The sexual satisfactions that one receives from a spouse or romantic partner are not sufficient to compensate for the significant periods of bad faith and unpleasant treatment which such relationships routinely involve.1971, Allen Churchill, The Literary Decade, ISBN 9780135375228:Years later she expressed her disillusionment with sex by saying, "The fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."1999, Ben Sonnenberg, Lost Property: Memoirs and Confessions of a Bad Boy, ISBN 9781582430454, p. 93:Maitland got drunk at his parties and threw his arm around you and pulled you over to his wife and made you look down her dress, saying, "The trouble with marriage is that the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."2008, Joseph Heywood, Blue Wolf In Green Fire, ISBN 9781599213590, p. 63:"I can't believe a little pussy got me into dis mess." "Shit happens," Service said. "Sometimes the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."Rate it:

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se frayer un chemin avec les coudesTo elbow one’s way through a crowd.Rate it:

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fuck withTo mess with; to interact with in a careless or inappropriate way.Rate it:

(2.25 / 4 votes)
a force to reckon withA competition or entity which is strong with experiences, trained personnel, good reputation, hundreds of successful projects.Rate it:

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bread and butterthe main way you make your living; where the bulk of your money comes fromRate it:

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bright-line ruleA clearly defined rule or standard, composed of objective factors, which leaves little or no room for varying interpretation.Rate it:

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catch of the dayA type of fish or other seafood which has been caught and brought to market within more-or-less the last 24 hours.Rate it:

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dial it inTo set up in a perfect or complete way.Rate it:

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down to the short strokesIn the final steps or decisive phase of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious.Rate it:

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from cover to coverAll the way to the last page.Rate it:

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get one's money's worthIn a transaction, to receive a good or service which is considered to be of a value equal to or greater than the amount of money expended.Rate it:

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Hallmark momentA memorable moment or event, one which would make a poignant greeting card.Rate it:

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hiding to nothingA situation in which victory has little or no value, but defeat has a huge cost.Rate it:

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honesty is the best policyHonesty is the most honorable and fulfilling way to live one's life.Rate it:

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il sait son pain mangerHe knows on which side his bread is buttered.Rate it:

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in living memoryIn recent history, in recorded history amongst the lifespan of extant people; events or situations which can be remembered by people that are still aliveRate it:

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jouer la belleTo play the rubber (or third game, to see which of the players is the conqueror).Rate it:

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let someone down gentlyTo reject or refuse someone in a way that avoids causing hurt or disappointment.Rate it:

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not a hair out of placeThe appearance, condition, presence of a subject which is ideal, almost perfectRate it:

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sweetheart dealA transaction, contract, or other agreement in which one party provides particularly favorable terms to the other, especially in suspicious circumstances.Rate it:

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take aimTo position oneself and/or one's weapon so as to be aimed specifically at a chosen mark or target (which is indicated after 'at')Rate it:

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take one's ball and go homeTo cease participating in an activity that has turned to one's disadvantage, especially out of spite, or in a way that prevents others from participating as well.Rate it:

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under sailWith sails unfurled; powered by the wind.Rate it:

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whisper campaignA method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are deliberately spread concerning a person or other target, while the source of the rumors tries to avoid detection.Rate it:

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heads I win, tails you loseSaid to describe a conflict in which someone has a particular advantage from the start.Rate it:

(1.75 / 4 votes)
three-ring circusA disorderly, complicated, rapidly changing situation or set of events, which is a source of bewilderment, amazement, or amusement.Rate it:

(1.67 / 3 votes)
damn by associationDiscredit or condemn a position, person, or thing by attacking those things with which he/she/it is associated.Rate it:

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keep one's eye on the ballMy ethos has always been to be very straight with people, tell it as it is. It doesn't often make people happy but I found that over a period of time it's better to be that way. So being straight, also being very focused on your objectives, keep your eye on the ball and not get deflected away from it.Rate it:

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I'd take a _________ for that child.
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