double take, do a Show a delayed reaction to an unusual remark or circumstance; also, look at something or someone again. For example, He did a double take when his ex-wife appeared at his wedding. [1930s]
double talk 1. Meaningless speech, gibberish mixing real and invented words. For example, Some popular songs are actually based on double talk. [1930s] 2. Also, doublespeak. Deliberately ambiguous and evasive language. For example, I got tired of her double talk and demanded to know the true story, or His press secretary was very adept at doublespeak. This usage dates from the late 1940s, and the variant from about 1950.
double up 1. Bend over suddenly, as in pain or laughter. For example, She doubled up with a cramp. [Late 1800s] 2. Share accommodations meant for one person, as in The hotel ran out of rooms, so we had to double up. [Late 1700s]
double whammy A dual setback or misfortune, as in The bill for the car came and then his paycheck bounced—a real double whammy. The noun whammy originally was slang for a hex or evil influence. It was first used about 1940, especially in sports, as in The baseball gods put the whammy on our team. The current usage came soon afterward. Al Capp employed it often in his Li’l Abner cartoons; in one he identified “whammy” as giving someone a single “evil eye” and “double whammy” as doing it with both eyes. [Slang, c. 1940]
doubt → See BEYOND (THE SHADOW OF) A DOUBT; CAST DOUBT ON; GIVE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT; NO DOUBT.
doubting Thomas One who is habitually doubtful. For example, He was a doubting Thomas about the coming merger, not believing it would ever happen. The term alludes to the disciple Thomas, who doubted Jesus’s resurrection until he had first-hand evidence of it (John 20:24–29).
do unto others as you would have them do unto you Behave toward others as you would like to have them behave toward you, as in Of course I’ll help him out; it’s a case of do unto others, and I may be in the same boat one day. This so-called golden rule is stated in just about every ancient writing about behavioral precepts (including the New Testament, Talmud, Koran, and the Analects of Confucius). Among the earliest appearances in English is Earl Rivers’ translation of a saying of Socrates (Dictes and Sayenges of the Philosophirs, 1477): “Do to other as thou wouldst they should do to thee, and do to none other but as thou wouldst be done to.” It is so well known that it is often shortened.
do up 1. Fasten up or put up; also, dress up. For example, Let’s do up all the gifts in matching paper, or Please help me do up the collar button, or Jane did up her hair for the dance, or The children were all done up in their best outfits. [c. 1800] 2. do something up brown or do it up brown. Do something thoroughly or very well, as in They really did it up brown for the dinner party. The allusion here is unclear, but it may be to wrapping a package in brown paper. [Mid-1800s]
do well 1. Prosper, thrive, succeed, as in He’s done well in the market. [c. 1300] 2. do well to do something. Fare better or act prudently by doing something, as in She would do well to ask permission before she leaves. [Late 1400s]
do with Put up or manage with, as in I can do with very little sleep. [Early 1800s] Also see CAN DO WITH; HAVE TO DO WITH.
do without Manage in spite of being without something. For example, They will just have to do without a vacation this year, or There was no telephone in the cabin, but we soon learned to do without. [Early 1700s]
down and dirty 1. Vicious, not governed by rules of decency, as in The candidates are getting down and dirty early in the campaign. [Slang; early 1980s] 2. Very earthy, uninhibitedly sexual. For example, “L.A. club people rarely get down and dirty on a dance floor” (The New Yorker, May 21, 1990). [Late 1980s]
down and out Lacking funds or prospects; destitute, penniless. For example, After losing his job, car, and home, he was completely down and out. This term probably originated in boxing, where it alludes to the fighter who is knocked down and stays down for a given time, thereby losing the bout. [c. 1900] Also see DOWN FOR THE COUNT.
down at heel Having a shabby appearance. The term refers to a shoe with the heel worn down, suggesting that the owner is too poor to have it repaired. The earliest recorded use, in 1732, described someone as “down at heels and out at elbows” (cited by OED). The term is heard less often today but unlike many shoe repair businesses is not yet obsolete.
down cold, have Learn or accomplish perfectly. For example, I have this song down cold. The slangy use of cold for “completely” dates from the late 1800s and the phrase itself from about 1900.
down for the count Defeated, finished, doomed, as in I doubt if he’ll ever leave the hospital; his illness really has him down for the count. This expression alludes to the losing boxer, unable to get to his feet before the referee has counted to ten (the count). [1920s]
downhill all the way Also, all downhill from here. 1. Easy from this point, without obstacles the rest of the way. For example, Once we had the basic design, it was downhill all the way. 2. Deteriorating or declining from this point on, as in When the cancer couldn’t be removed, it was downhill all the way for him. The usage therefore needs to be clarified by the context to indicate which of these opposite meaning is intended. The figurative use of downhill dates from the late 1500s. Also see GO DOWNHILL.
down in the dumps Also, down in the mouth. Discouraged, depressed, or sad, as in She’s been down in the dumps ever since she lost the match, or What’s wrong with him? He’s so down in the mouth about everything. The noun dumps has been used for “a state of depression” since the early 1500s, and down in the mouth, alluding to the downturned corners of the mouth as a sign of misery, dates from the mid-1600s.
down on Hostile or negative toward, ill-disposed to. For example, All the reviewers were down on this play, or Ever since he was injured, he’s been down on skiing. [Mid-1800s] Also see DOWN ON ONE’S LUCK.
down one’s alley → See RIGHT UP ONE’S ALLEY.
down one’s neck → See BREATHE DOWN SOMEONE’S NECK.
down one’s nose → See LOOK DOWN ON (DOWN ONE’S NOSE AT).
down on one’s luck Afflicted by misfortune, as in They’ve been down on their luck ever since they moved out West. [Colloquial; second half of 1800s]
down someone’s throat → see JUMP DOWN SOMEONE’S THROAT; RAM DOWN SOMEONE’S THROAT.
down the drain On the way to being lost or wasted; disappearing. For example, Buying new furniture when they can’t take it with them is just pouring money down the drain, or During the Depression huge fortunes went down the drain. This metaphoric term alludes to water going down a drain and being carried off. [Colloquial; c. 1920] For a synonym, see DOWN THE TUBES.
down the hatch Drink up, as in “Down the hatch,” said Bill, as they raised their glasses. This phrase, often used as a toast, employs hatch in the sense of “a trap door found on ships.” [Slang; c. 1930]
down the line 1. Also, all along the line. All the way, throughout. For example, We’ve found numerous errors down the line. The first term dates from the mid-1900s, the variant from the second half of the 1800s. 2. Also, down the road. At a future point or end. For example, Somewhere down the road I think he’ll be elected to high office. [Second half of 1900s]
down the pike → See COME DOWN THE PIKE.
down the road → See DOWN THE LINE, def. 2.
down the tubes Also, down the tube. Into a state of failure or ruin, as in If he failed the test, his chances went down the tubes. [Colloquial; 1960s] Also see DOWN THE DRAIN.
down to → In addition to the idioms beginning with DOWN TO, also see COME DOWN TO; GET DOWN (TO).
down to earth Back to reality. For example, It’s time the employees were brought down to earth concerning the budget. P.G. Wodehouse had this idiom in Very Good, Jeeves! (1930): “I had for some little time been living... in another world. I now came down to earth with a bang.” [Late 1920s] 2. Also, down-to-earth. Realistic or interested in everyday occurrences, as in She is a very down-to-earth person, not at all involved with the glamour of Hollywood. [1930s]
down
to size → See CUT DOWN, def. 3.
down to the ground Thoroughly, completely, as in This new job suits him down to the ground. [Colloquial; second half of 1800s]
down to the wire To the last minute; to the very end. For example, We’re just about down to the wire with this project. This term comes from horseracing, where it was long the practice to stretch a wire across and above the track at the finish line. It was extended to figurative use about 1900.
down with 1. Ill with, as in He’s down with the flu. The down here alludes to being felled by illness. Also see COME DOWN WITH. 2. Depose, do away with, as in Down with the king! This imperative dates from the early 1500s. 3. Lower or put something down, as in Down with the mainsail. [Mid-1600s] 4. be or get down with. Approve of, as in I’m not down with spreading rumors. [Slang; late 1900s]
do you read me? Do you understand me? For example, I’m sick of all these meetings—do you read me? This phrase originally applied to messages received by radio or telephone. [c. 1930]
dozen → See BAKER’S DOZEN; BY THE DOZEN; DAILY DOZEN; DIME A DOZEN; SIX OF ONE, HALF A DOZEN OF THE OTHER.
doze off Fall into a light sleep, as in Watching the ballet always made her doze off. [Mid-1800s]
drab → See DRIBS AND DRABS.
drag → In addition to the idioms beginning with DRAG, also see A DRAG; IN DRAG; LOOK LIKE SOMETHING THE CAT DRAGGED IN; MAIN DRAG; WILD HORSES COULDN’T DRAG ME.
drag in Introduce unnecessarily or forcefully. For example, The defense tried to drag in every scrap of evidence, relevant or not. [Mid-1800s] Also see LOOK LIKE SOMETHING THE CAT DRAGGED IN.
drag on Also, drag out. Prolong or be prolonged tediously. For example, The speech dragged on for another hour, or He dragged out the story in an excruciating manner. [First half of 1800s]
drag one’s ass 1. Also, drag ass or drag it or drag tail. Leave, depart, as in I’m dragging my ass out of this place, or It’s really late, let’s drag ass! [Vulgar slang; 1920s] 2. Also, drag one’s tail. Move or act with deliberate slowness, as in Hurry up, stop dragging your tail. [Vulgar slang; c. 1930] For a more polite synonym, see DRAG ONE’S FEET.
drag one’s feet Also, drag one’s heels. Act or work with intentional slowness, deliberately hold back or delay. For example, The British had been dragging their feet concerning a single European currency. This metaphor for allowing one’s feet to trail dates from the mid-1900s.
dragon lady A domineering or belligerent woman, as in They called her the neighborhood dragon lady—she was always yelling at the children. This slangy term was originally the name of a villainous Asian woman in Milton Caniff’s popular cartoon strip Terry and the Pirates (1934–1973), which ran in many newspapers. It was transferred to more general use in the mid-1900s.
drag queen A male transvestite; also, a female impersonator. For example, He was surprised to find out that Roxanne was actually a drag queen. This term uses the slang noun drag in the sense of “female attire worn by a man” (a usage dating from about 1870; also see IN DRAG). [Slang; c. 1940]
drain → See BRAIN DRAIN; DOWN THE DRAIN.
draw → In addition to the idioms beginning with DRAW, also see BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD; BEAT TO IT (THE DRAW); DAGGERS DRAWN; LUCK OF THE DRAW; QUICK ON THE DRAW.
draw a bead on Take careful aim, as in The debater drew a bead on his opponent. This term, dating from about 1830, alludes to the bead on a revolver or rifle, that is, a small knob in the foresight. [c. 1930]
draw a blank Fail to find or remember something, as in He looks familiar but I’ve drawn a blank on his name. This expression alludes to drawing a lottery ticket with nothing on it (so one cannot win a prize). [Early 1800s]
draw a line between Also, draw the line between. Define a limit between two groups, courses of action, or the like. For example, Legally it’s important to draw a line between private and public enterprises, or We’ll have to draw the line between our department’s different jurisdictions. This metaphoric idiom was first recorded in 1793. Also see DRAW THE LINE AT.
draw and quarter Punish severely, as in Mom’ll draw and quarter me if even one scratch appears on her new car. This expression alludes to two brutal forms of execution practiced in the past. In one the victim was drawn by a horse to a gallows, hanged, and then cut into four pieces and scattered; in the other the victim was hanged, disemboweled while still alive (drawn), and then beheaded and dismembered. In both the victim was said to be hanged, drawn, and quartered. Today the term is usually used hyperbolically.
draw an inference Conclude, as in From his wording, we can draw the inference that he disapproves. This idiom is a long-winded way of saying infer. [Late 1600s]
draw a veil over Conceal or avoid discussing something; keep from public knowledge. For example, Louise drew a veil over the accounting errors. [c. 1700]
draw away 1. Pull off or back, as in He drew his chair away from the fire. 2. Move ahead of competitors, as in On the last lap Jim drew away from the other runners.
draw back 1. Retreat, as in The heckler drew back into the crowd to avoid being identified. [c. 1300] 2. Withdraw from an undertaking, as in I was too deeply committed to draw back now. [Mid-1800s]
draw blood Injure someone physically or emotionally. For example, The bullet skimmed his shoulder and barely drew any blood, or That reviewer really knows how to draw blood. This term alludes to drawing blood for diagnostic purposes.
draw down Deplete by consuming or spending, as in The government worries about drawing down our oil reserves.
drawer → See TOP DRAWER.
draw fire Encounter criticism, as in His recent article was bound to draw fire. This expression uses the verb draw in the sense of “attract” or “provoke,” and transfers fire in the sense of “gunfire” to a somewhat milder attack.
draw in Induce to enter or participate; inveigle. For example, They tried to draw in as many new members as possible, or I refused to be drawn in to his scheme. [Mid-1500s]
drawing board → See BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.
drawing card A feature or event that attracts a large audience. For example, This Italian tenor is always a good drawing card. Card in this idiom refers to a large poster containing an advertisement for something, often some sort of entertainment. [Late 1800s]
draw in one’s horns → See PULL IN ONE’S HORNS.
draw in the reins Come to a halt, back down. For example, During a recession, many businesses are forced to draw in the reins on expansion. This expression transfers the means of stopping a horse to other kinds of restraint.
draw on 1. Approach, as in As evening draws on, we’ll make our way back to the house. [First half of 1500s] 2. Put on a piece of clothing, as in She drew on her gloves. [Early 1700s] 3. Also, draw upon. Make use of something or someone. For example, This dictionary draws on many different sources, or The chairman was good at drawing upon the various members for their expertise. [Mid-1600s]
draw out 1. Pull out, extract, remove, as in She drew out her pen, or Let’s draw some money out of the bank. [c. 1300] 2. Prolong, protract, as in This meal was drawn out over four hours. The related expression long-drawn-out means “greatly extended or protracted,” as in The dinner was a long-drawn-out affair. [1500s] 3. Induce to speak freely, as in The teacher was good at drawing out the children. [Late 1700s]
draw straws Also, draw lots. Decide by a lottery using straws of different lengths. For example, Let’s draw straws to see who will write the first draft. The lots version dates from the 1400s, whereas straws dates from the 1800s. Both have replaced the still older draw cuts. Another variant is draw the short straw, meaning to be the one so selected for a particular task.
draw the curtain 1. Pull a curtain back or to one side to let in more light or to discover what is behind it. For example, The sun was so pleasant I drew the curtains. [c. 1500] 2. Block or conceal something. For example, Let’s draw the curtain over this matter; no one needs to know more. [c. 1500] Also see DRAW A VEIL OVER.
draw the line
at Refuse to go any further than, as in I draw the line at giving them more money. This expression alludes to a line drawn at a stopping point of some kind. [Late 1700s]
draw up 1. Compose or write out in a set form, as in The lawyer drew up the contract. [First half of 1600s] 2. Arrange in order or formation, put in position, as in The bandleader drew up his players, or The officer drew up the troops. [c. 1600] 3. Bring or come to a halt, as in The car drew up to the curb. [Early 1800s] 4. draw oneself up. Assume an erect posture to express dignity or indignation. For example, She drew herself up and protested. [Mid-1800s]
dream → In addition to the idioms beginning with DREAM, also see IN YOUR DREAMS; PIPE DREAM; SWEET DREAMS; WOULDN’T DREAM OF.
dream come true, a A wild fancy or hope that is realized. For example, Winning a trip to Paris is a dream come true.
dream on → See IN YOUR DREAMS.
dream up Invent, concoct, as in Count on her to dream up some explanation for her absence. This expression replaced the somewhat earlier dream out. [c. 1940]
dress down 1. Scold, reprimand, as in The sergeant will dress down the entire unit. In the 15th century the verb dress alone was used in the sense of “punish,” down being added several centuries later. It also gave rise to the noun dressing down for punishment with blows or words. For example, The teacher gave the girls a severe dressing down. 2. Wear informal clothes, as in It’s best to dress down for a party like a barbecue. [Mid-1900s] For the antonym, see DRESS UP.
dressed to kill Also, dressed to the nines. Elaborately attired, as in For the opening of the restaurant she was dressed to kill, or At the opera everyone was dressed to the nines. The first of these hyperbolic expressions dates from the early 1800s and uses kill in the sense of “to a great or impressive degree.” The phrase to the nines in the sense of “superlative” dates from the late 1700s and its original meaning has been lost, but the most likely theory is that it alludes to the fact that nine, the highest single-digit numeral, stands for “best.” Also see GUSSIED UP.
The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms Page 33