Phrases.com »

Phrases related to: go back to square one Page #32

Yee yee! We've found 4,165 phrases and idioms matching go back to square one.

Sort:RelevancyA - Z
razor strappedThe violent WHIPPING of a recalcitrant, errant, disobedient grammar school boy with a two-inch wide by thirty inch long by one/quarter inch thick cowhide strap or belt. Punishment was generally for a misdemeanor and the beating was generally by the schoolmaster, school Principal, janitor or a person designated by the Principal to administer the 'thrashing': 'Crying out' or screaming by the school boy was met by harsher thrashing and Yelling' from the maddened 'THRASHER': The well 'WELTED'STRAPPED victims were forced to return to their classroomRate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
revenge is a dish best served coldAn expression that emotional detachment is ideal when taking revenge, as one is righting the wrongs that have been done to the doer.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
ring inTo make a phone call to one's usual place of work.Rate it:

(5.00 / 5 votes)
rise from the ashesTo make a comeback after a long hiatus. To come back into common use or practice. To come back into popularity. To come back to being a thing of today.Rate it:

(5.00 / 2 votes)
rub up againstTo touch something with one's body.Rate it:

(5.00 / 5 votes)
save faceTo take an action or make a gesture intended to preserve one's reputation or honour.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
see starsTo experience apparent flashing lights in one's field of vision, especially after receiving a blow to the head.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
shape upTo improve; to correct one's bad habits or behavior.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
shuffleA rhythm commonly used in blues music. Consists of a series of triplet notes with the middle note missing, so that it sounds like a long note followed by a short note. Sounds like a walker dragging one foot.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
slings and arrowsMisfortune or adversity that is not one's fault; adverse factors or circumstances; also, judgments, harsh criticisms, or personal attacksRate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
snap upTo buy quickly, usually because the item is a bargain or in short supply or something one has been searching for.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
some days you get the bear, other days the bear gets youOne cannot always overcome a powerful adversary.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
spring to mindTo appear suddenly in one's thoughts, often as an example of something.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
stem the roseTo have anal sex; to insert one's penis (stem) into another's anus (rose).Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
strip downTo remove all of one's clothing.Rate it:

(5.00 / 8 votes)
swallow the leekTo change one's mindRate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselvesIf you take care of little things one at a time, they can add up to big things.1750, Chesterfield, letter 5 Feb. (1932) IV. 1500:Old Mr. Lowndes, the famous Secretary of the Treasury, ?used to say?Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves.1912, G. B. Shaw, Pygmalion ii. 132:Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves is as true of personal habits as of money.1979, R. Cassilis, Arrow of God, iv. xvii.:Little things, Master Mally. Look after the pennies, Master Mally, and the pounds will look after themselves.1999, Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
take the libertyTo act on one's own authority.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
tempus fugittime flies (used as an alternative to this phrase)."Meanwhile, the irreplaceable time escapes", expressing concern that one's limited time is being consumed by something which may have little intrinsic substance or importance at that moment.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
ten-dollar wordA long and uncommon word used in place of a shorter and simpler one with the intent to appear sophisticated.Rate it:

(5.00 / 2 votes)
the grass is always greener on the other sideOther circumstances seem more desirable than one's own but in reality are often notRate it:

(5.00 / 2 votes)
the manThe oppressive powers that be, including the government and corporations; the system, as coordinated outside of one’s control..Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
the shoemaker's children go barefootOne often neglects those closest to oneself.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
thigh-slapperA joke, especially one which strikes the listener or reader as particularly humorous.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stickTry the same thing often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.Rate it:

(5.00 / 2 votes)
throw to the wolvesTo remove or cast out someone or something out of one's protection, such as onto the streets, especially towards predators.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
tip outAn amount or percentage of a server's tips that the server shares, either voluntarily or as mandated in a tip sharing or tip pooling agreement, with other employees such as bussers, bartenders, back waiters and host/hostesses whose job duties indirectly assist the server.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
top dogIn a competition, the one expected to win.Rate it:

(5.00 / 2 votes)
top of mindForemost in one's thoughts; of greatest concern or priority.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
toxic individualismAn insistence that one's individual "rights" supersede the commonweal, taken to such an extreme that it destroys relationships and communities.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
twin engineTwo engines on one vehicleRate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
uhmmHas two meanings: 1.A means of clearing one's throat. 2 . a stall to collect a thought.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
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:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
unless the wheels available to you aren't made for the vehicle you're trying to drive.Follow-up to the phrase, "No need to reinvent the wheel." Meant for when one does, in fact, need to reinvent a process to account for accumulated changes that make the old status-quo obsolete.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
voice in the wildernessAn influential religious personage, especially one who makes prophetic utterances.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
walk the talkTo do what one said one could do, or would do, not just making empty promises. To walk one's talk is to be innocent of hypocrisy.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
waste not, want notIf one is not wasteful then one will not be needy.Rate it:

(5.00 / 2 votes)
what will be, will beWhatever it comes to be, it will be accepted. One must accept the outcome.Rate it:

(5.00 / 2 votes)
what's good for the goose is good for the ganderAny decision or rule that applies to one person must be applied to the others especially of the same group.Rate it:

(5.00 / 2 votes)
what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the ganderIf something is acceptable for one person, it is acceptable for another.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
whole 'nother ball of waxAn entirely different matter altogether; a separate issue or sub-issue from the topic being discussed, usu. one that would take too long to explain properly; a matter to be dealt with at a later time.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
with friends like these who needs enemiesAn expression indicating that one's close associates prove more adversarial than one's opponents.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
Yankee go homeUnited States people go back to your country; used to express anger or opposition at American presence in a foreign land.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
you can bank on itTo be so sure of something that one can trust.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
you can't say fairer than thatThat is good, reasonable, or fair; one cannot hope for a better decision or outcome.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
you got it, tootsToots is a playful slang term for a woman. An example of toots is what a man might call his wife to get her attention. ... (slang, sometimes derogatory) Babe, sweetie: a term used when addressing a young woman, especially one perceived as being sexually available. You got it is a phrase used to answer in agreement with someone's question or statement. It may be used as an alternative for "Will do," "For sure," or "Agreed." The slang term may be used by people of all ages as a way to quickly assure someone that what he will do or he agrees with what the person just said.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
you're a long time deadA reminder that we are all mortal, as a justification for enjoying life while one can.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
you're onUsed to indicate acceptance by the speaker of a proposal or challenge, especially a competitive one.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
you've got to be in it to win itIn order to win, or succeed at something, one must first compete or try.Rate it:

(5.00 / 2 votes)
young at heartInclined to act in a way or enjoy things that one would expect from someone younger, especially children, teenagers or young adults.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)

We need you!

Help us build the largest human-edited phrases collection on the web!

Alternative searches for go back to square one:

Quiz

Are you a phrases master?

»
She's the absolute ______ of the show.
A top
B diamond
C leader
D star

Browse Phrases.com

#ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ