The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

by Christine Ammer

  dress up 1. Wear formal or elaborate clothes, as in I love to dress up for a party. It was first recorded in 1674. A 20th-century variant is all dressed up and nowhere (no place) to go. It appeared in a popular song of 1913,“When You’re All Dressed Up and No Place to Go,” with words by Benjamin Hapgood Burt and music by Silvio Hein. See also GUSSIED UP. For the antonym, see DRESS DOWN, def. 2. 2. Put on a costume of some kind, as in The children love dressing up as witches and goblins. [Late 1800s] 3. Adorn or disguise something in order to make it more interesting or appealing. For example, She has a way of dressing up her account with fanciful details. [Late 1600s]

  dribs and drabs Bits and pieces, negligible amounts, as in There’s not much left, just some dribs and drabs of samples. The noun drib is thought to be a shortening of driblet, for “drop” or “tiny quantity,” dating from the early 1700s, whereas drab meaning “a small sum of money” dates from the early 1800s.

  dried → See CUT AND DRIED.

  drift → See GET THE DRIFT.

  drink → In addition to the idioms beginning with DRINK, also see DRIVE SOMEONE CRAZY (TO DRINK); INTO THE DRINK; MEAT AND DRINK TO; NURSE A DRINK.

  drink like a fish Consume large amounts of alcoholic beverages, as in He always drinks like a fish at holiday dinners. The expression, first recorded in the mid-1600s, alludes to the way fish obtain oxygen, which causes them to be open-mouthed and appear to be constantly drinking. A 20th-century variant is drink under the table, that is, outlasting someone’s drinking companion(s) who became far more intoxicated, although perhaps not literally falling under the table.

  drink to Salute a person or occasion with a toast, as in Let’s drink to our continued success. [Early 1500s]

  drive a hard bargain Be severe in negotiating a transaction, make an agreement to one’s advantage. For example, It’s more than I planned to pay, but you drive a hard bargain. This expression, first recorded in 1836, uses the verb drive in the sense of “forcefully carry through.”

  drive at Mean to do or say, as in I don’t understand what he’s driving at. Today this idiom, first recorded in 1579, is used mainly with the participle driving.

  drive home Make clearly understood, make a point, as in The network news programs drive home the fact that violence is part of urban life. This expression uses the verb drive in the sense of “force by a blow or thrust” (as in driving a nail). Samuel Hieron used it in Works (1607): “That I may... drive home the nail of this exhortation even to the head.”

  driven → See PURE AS THE DRIVEN SNOW.

  driver → See BACKSEAT DRIVER; IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT.

  drive someone crazy Also, drive someone mad or bananas or bonkers or nuts or up the wall; drive someone to drink. Greatly exasperate someone, annoy to distraction. For example, His habitual lateness drives me crazy, or Apologizing over and over drives me bananas, or These slovenly workmen drive me up the wall, or Your nagging is driving me to drink. All of these hyperbolic expressions describe a person’s extreme frustration, supposedly to the point of insanity (crazy, mad, nuts, bonkers, and bananas all mean “insane”); up the wall alludes to climbing the walls to escape and to drink to imbibing alcohol to induce oblivion.

  drive to drink → See under DRIVE SOMEONE CRAZY.

  driving force The impetus, power, or energy behind something in motion, as in He was clearly the driving force in the new administration. This term transfers the force that sets in motion an engine or vehicle to other enterprises. Ralph Waldo Emerson was among the first to use it figuratively (English Traits, 1856): “The ability of its journals is the driving force.”

  drop → In addition to the idioms beginning with DROP, also see AT THE DROP OF A HAT; BOTTOM DROPS OUT OF; GET THE DROP ON; HEAR A PIN DROP; LET DROP; WAIT FOR THE OTHER SHOE TO DROP.

  drop a bombshell Make an unexpected or shattering announcement. For example, Bill dropped a bombshell when he said he was quitting. This expression, which alludes to the destruction caused by a falling bomb, dates from World War I.

  drop a brick Also, drop a clanger. Say something indiscreet, commit a social gaffe. For example, John dropped a brick when he called her by his ex-wife’s name. [Slang; 1920s]

  drop a dime Inform on or betray someone, as in No one can cheat in this class—someone’s bound to drop a dime and tell the teacher. This expression, alluding to the ten-cent coin long used for making a telephone call, originated as underworld slang for phoning the police to inform on a criminal and occasionally is extended to any kind of betrayal. [1960s]

  drop a line Correspond, write a short letter or note. For example, I hope you’ll drop me a line soon. This idiom uses line in the sense of “a few words in writing,” a usage first recorded in 1647.

  drop back Step back, retreat. For example, When it was time for a group picture, Mary dropped back.

  drop behind Fall short of the normal pace or progress. For example, The teacher said Greg was dropping behind the class and needed extra help.

  drop by Also, drop in or over. Pay a brief, casual, and usually unannounced visit. For example, I asked her to drop by whenever she was in the neighborhood, or Joan loves to have friends drop in, or We’d love to drop over but we haven’t time on this trip. The first term dates from the first half of the 1900s; drop in is from the mid-1600s and drop over from the late 1800s.

  drop dead An expression of anger, rejection, or indignation toward someone. For example, I should do all that work for you? Drop dead! This rude imperative is usually hyperbolic, that is, the speaker is not literally asking someone to die on the spot. [c. 1930] Curiously, the adjective (and adverb) drop-dead is not at all insulting. Rather, it means “dazzling” or “awe-inspiring,” as in She wore a drop-dead outfit that all the other women admired. This usage originated in slangy journalism in the 1960s.

  drop in one’s tracks Collapse from weariness or illness; also, die suddenly. For example, I packed all day until I could have dropped in my tracks, or Grandfather’s died; he just dropped in his tracks. The phrase in one’s tracks has meant “where one is at the moment,” and by extension, “instantly,” since the early 1800s.

  drop in someone’s lap Give to someone suddenly or without warning. What is given may be desirable, as in I’m just going to drop the promotion in her lap this afternoon, or it may be burdensome, as in They simply dropped the employment problem in our laps. The former usage dates from the mid-1500s, the latter from the mid-1900s.

  drop in the bucket A very small quantity, especially one that is too small. For example, These contributions are just a drop in the bucket; the new church wing will cost thousands more. John Wycliffe’s followers used this seemingly modern phrase in their translation of the Bible (1382), and it also appears in the 1611 King James version (Isaiah 40:15): “Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance.”

  drop like a hot potato → See HOT POTATO.

  drop like flies Rapidly collapse, die, or drop out, usually referring to a group rather than an individual. For example, The words were so difficult that the spelling bee contestants were dropping like flies. The simile like flies has meant “in large numbers,” as it does in this expression, since about 1600.

  drop names Refer to important persons as acquaintances in order to impress the listener. For example, Her habit of dropping names made everyone very skeptical about her veracity. [Mid-1900s]

  drop off 1. Fall asleep, as in When I looked at Grandma, she had dropped off. [Early 1800s] 2. Decrease; also, become less frequent. For example, Sales have dropped off markedly, or Over the year her visits dropped off. [Early 1800s] 3. Deliver, unload, as in Bill dropped off the package at the office. 4. Die, as in He is so ill he could drop off any time. [Early 1800s]

  drop one’s guard → See under OFF GUARD.

  drop out Withdraw from participation in a group such as a school, club, or game; also, withdraw from society owing to disillusionment. For example, He couldn’t afford the membership dues and had to drop out,
or She planned to drop out from college for a year. [Late 1800s]

  drop the ball Make an error; miss an opportunity. For example, She really dropped the ball when she forgot to call back, or He dropped the ball, turning down their offer. This expression comes from sports where a player who fails to catch a ball is charged with an error. Its use for more general kinds of mistakes dates from about 1950.

  drown → In addition to the idioms beginning with DROWN, also see LIKE A DROWNED RAT.

  drown one’s sorrows Drink liquor to escape one’s unhappiness. For example, After the divorce, she took to drowning her sorrows at the local bar. The notion of drowning in drink dates from the late 1300s.

  drown out Overwhelm with a louder sound, as in Their cries were drowned out by the passing train. [Early 1600s]

  drug on the market A commodity whose supply greatly exceeds the demand for it. For example, Now that asbestos is considered dangerous, asbestos tile is a drug on the market. The use of the noun drug in the sense of “something overabundant” (as opposed to a medicine or narcotic) dates from the mid-1600s, but the first record of the full expression, put as drug in the market, dates only from the 1830s.

  drum into someone’s head → See BEAT INTO ONE’S HEAD.

  drummer → See MARCH TO A DIFFERENT BEAT (DRUMMER).

  drum out Expel or dismiss publicly and in disgrace, as in They drummed him out of the club. This usage, which alludes to dismissal from a military service to the beat of a drum, began to be applied to civilian expulsions in the mid-1700s.

  drum up 1. Bring about by persistent effort, as in I’m trying to drum up more customers, or We have to drum up support for this amendment. This expression alludes to making repeated drumbeats. [Mid-1800s] 2. Devise, invent, obtain, as in He hoped to drum up an alibi. [Mid-1800s]

  drunk as a lord Also, drunk as a fiddler or skunk; falling-down or roaring drunk. Extremely intoxicated, as in He came home drunk as a lord. The three similes have survived numerous others. The first was considered proverbial by the mid-1600s and presumably alludes to the fact that noblemen drank more than commoners (because they could afford to). The fiddler alludes to the practice of plying musicians with alcohol (sometimes instead of pay), whereas skunk, dating from the early 1900s, was undoubtedly chosen for the rhyme. The most graphic variant alludes to someone too drunk to keep his or her balance, as in He couldn’t make it up the stairs; he was falling-down drunk. And roaring drunk, alluding to being extremely noisy as well as intoxicated, was first recorded in 1697. Also see DEAD DRUNK.

  druthers → See HAVE ONE’S DRUTHERS.

  dry → In addition to the idioms beginning with DRY, also see CUT AND DRIED; HANG OUT TO DRY; HIGH AND DRY; KEEP ONE’S POWDER DRY; NOT A DRY EYE IN THE HOUSE; WELL’S RUN DRY.

  dry as dust Dull, boring, as in This text is dry as dust; it’s putting me to sleep. [c. 1500]

  dry behind the ears, not → See under WET BEHIND THE EARS.

  dry out Undergo a cure for alcoholism, as in After years of constant drinking, he realized that he needed to dry out. [1960s]

  dry run A trial exercise or rehearsal, as in Regard this as a dry run for tonight’s ceremony. This term, using dry in the sense of “unproductive,” was at first employed mainly in the military for ­simulated bombings in which no bombs were dropped. [c. 1940]

  dry up 1. Gradually become unproductive, as in ­After two collections of short stories, his ability to write fiction dried up. Also see WELL’S RUN DRY. 2. Stop talking; also, cause to stop talking. For example, Dry up! You’ve said enough. [Slang; mid-1800s]

  duck → In addition to the idioms beginning with DUCK, also see DEAD DUCK; GET ONE’S DUCKS IN A ROW; LAME DUCK; LIKE WATER OFF A DUCK’S BACK; SITTING DUCK; TAKE TO (LIKE A DUCK TO WATER); UGLY DUCKLING.

  duck out Leave hurriedly or secretly; evade responsibility. For example, If I can I’ll duck out of the office early, or He simply ducked out on his entire family. This slangy expression originated in the late 1800s simply as duck, out being added about 1930.

  duck soup An easily accomplished task or assignment, a cinch to succeed, as in Fixing this car is going to be duck soup. This expression gained currency as the title of a hilarious popular movie by the Marx Brothers (1933). The original allusion has been lost. [Early 1900s]

  dudgeon → See IN HIGH DUDGEON.

  due → In addition to the idiom beginning with DUE, also see GIVE CREDIT (WHERE CREDIT IS DUE); GIVE SOMEONE HIS OR HER DUE; GIVE THE DEVIL HIS DUE; IN DUE COURSE; PAY ONE’S DUES; WITH ALL DUE RESPECT.

  due to 1. Likely to, announced as, as in Betty bought more of the stock, believing it was due to rise, or The play is due to open next week. [Early 1900s] 2. Attributable to, because of, as in Due to scanty rainfall, we may face a crop failure. This ­usage has been criticized by some authorities, but today it is widely considered standard. [Early 1900s] Also see ON ACCOUNT OF. 3. Owing or payable to, as in We must give our staff whatever vacation is due to them.

  dull → In addition to the idiom beginning with DULL, also see NEVER A DULL MOMENT.

  dull as dishwater Boring, tedious, as in That lecture was dull as dishwater. The original simile, dull as ditchwater, dating from the 1700s, alluded to the muddy water in roadside ditches. In the first half of the 1900s, perhaps through mispronunciation, it became dishwater, that is, the dingy, grayish water in which dirty dishes had soaked.

  dumb bunny A stupid person, as in She was a bit of a dumb bunny but very nice. This expression implies some toleration or endearment of the person. [c. 1920]

  dumps → See DOWN IN THE DUMPS.

  dust → In addition to the idiom beginning with DUST, also see BITE THE DUST; DRY AS DUST; GATHER DUST; IN THE DUST; MAKE THE DUST FLY; SHAKE THE DUST FROM ONE’S FEET; THROW DUST IN SOMEONE’S EYES; WATCH MY DUST; WHEN THE DUST HAS SETTLED.

  dust off 1. Restore to use. For example, I’ve dusted off last year’s menu for the party. This usage alludes to cleaning and thereby renewing some object. [Mid-1900s] 2. Pitch a baseball dangerously close to the batter’s head, as in I’m sure he dusted him off on purpose. [Slang; 1920s] 3. Finish off, kill; also, easily defeat. For example, They vowed to dust off the old man, or We’ll dust off this team in no time. [Slang; c. 1940] 4. Thrash, beat up, as in If he ­didn’t hand over his wallet, they threatened to dust him off. [Slang; 1920s]

  Dutch → In addition to the idioms beginning with DUTCH, also see BEAT ALL (THE DUTCH); DOUBLE DUTCH; IN DUTCH.

  Dutch courage False courage acquired by drinking liquor, as in He had a quick drink to give him Dutch courage. This idiom alludes to the reputed heavy drinking of the Dutch, and was first referred to in Edmund Waller’s Instructions to a Painter (1665): “The Dutch their wine, and all their brandy lose, Disarm’d of that from which their courage grows.”

  Dutch treat An outing or date in which each person pays his or her own expenses. For example, Her parents agreed that she might date if it were a Dutch treat. The related expression go Dutch means “to go on a date with each person paying their own way,” as in Students often elect to go Dutch. The first term dates from about 1870, and the variant from the early 1900s.

  Dutch uncle A stern, candid critic or adviser, as in When I got in trouble with the teacher again, the principal talked to me like a Dutch uncle. This ­expression, often put as talk to one like a Dutch ­uncle, presumably alludes to the sternness and sobriety attributed to the Dutch. [Early 1800s]

  duty → In addition to the idiom beginning with DUTY, also see ABOVE AND BEYOND (THE CALL OF DUTY); ACTIVE DUTY; DO ONE’S DUTY; DOUBLE DUTY; OFF DUTY; ON DUTY.

  duty bound Obliged, as in You’re duty bound to help your little brother. [c. 1900]

  dwell on Also, dwell upon. Linger over; ponder, speak or write at length. For example, Let’s not dwell on this topic too long; we have a lot to cover today. [c. 1500]

  dyed in the wool Thorough, complete. The term, dating from the late 1500s, alludes to wool that was dyed before being spun and made into cloth, ensuring that the color was
completely imbued throughout. The term began to be used figuratively in the first half of the 1800s, and sometimes as an adjective. For example, There’s no question that Harry is a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat.

  dying → In addition to the idiom beginning with DYING, also see under DIE.

  dying day, to one’s For the rest of one’s life. The adjective “dying” in this hyperbolic expression does not here refer to the process, but to the time. For example, That aria was so beautifully sung I’ll remember it to my dying day. [Mid-1800s]

  e

  each → In addition to the idioms beginning with EACH, also see AT EACH OTHER’S THROATS; MADE FOR EACH OTHER.

  each and every one Also, every last one; every single one. Every individual in a group, as in Each and every student must register by tomorrow, or I’ve graded every last one of the exams, or Every single one of his answers was wrong. All of these phrases are generally used for emphasis. The first, although seemingly redundant, has replaced all and every, first recorded in 1502. The first variant dates from the late 1800s, and both it and the second are widely used. Also see EVERY TOM, DICK, AND HARRY. Every mother’s son (late 1500s) and every man Jack (mid-1800s) are earlier versions that refer only to males.

  each other Also, one another. Each one the other, one the other, as in The boys like each other, or The birds were fighting one another over the crumbs. Both of these phrases indicate a reciprocal relationship or action between the subjects preceding (the boys, the birds). Formerly, many authorities held that each other should be confined to a relationship between two subjects only and one another used when there are more than two. Today most do not subscribe to this distinction, which was never strictly observed anyway. [Late 1300s] Also see AT EACH OTHER’S THROATS.

  eager beaver An exceptionally zealous person, one who habitually takes on more tasks or works harder than others. For example, Bill is a real eager beaver, always volunteering to stay late. This expression became especially popular during World War II, applied to recruits anxious to impress their commanding officers by such behavior. [First half of 1900s]