The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

by Christine Ammer

  mind like a steel trap, have a Be very quick to understand something, as in Aunt Ida may be old, but she still has a mind like a steel trap. This simile likens the snapping shut of an animal trap to a quick mental grasp.

  mind of one’s own, have a Think independently, reach one’s own opinions or conclusions. For example, You can’t tell Karen what she should wear—she has a mind of her own. Also see KNOW ONE’S OWN MIND.

  mind one’s own business Keep from meddling, pay attention to one’s own affairs, as in If she would only mind her own business, there would be a lot fewer family quarrels. Already described as a wise course by the ancients (Seneca had it as Semper meum negotium ago, “I always mind my own business”), this precept has been repeated in English since about 1600.

  mind one’s p’s and q’s Practice good manners, be precise and careful in one’s behavior and speech, as in Their grandmother often told the children to mind their p’s and q’s. The origin of this expression, first recorded in 1779, is disputed. Among the more interesting theories advanced is that bartenders kept track of customers’ consumption in terms of pints (p’s) and quarts (q’s) and the phrase referred to an honest accounting; that school-children were taught to be careful in distinguishing the letters p and q; and that French dancing masters cautioned pupils about the correct performance of the figures pieds and queues (either abbreviated or mispronounced in English as p’s and q’s).

  mind over matter Willpower can overcome physical obstacles, as in Margaret was determined to go to the wedding even on crutches—mind over matter. This idea was already expressed by Virgil in the Aeneid (c. 19 B.C.) as Mens agitat molem, “Mind moves matter,” and it appeared in various forms in English by 1700.

  mind the store Attend to local or family matters, as in Ask Dad for permission; he’s minding the store while Mom’s away. This expression transfers looking after an actual business to more general activities. [Colloquial; second half of 1900s]

  mine → See BACK TO THE SALT MINES; GOLD MINE; YOUR GUESS IS AS GOOD AS MINE.

  mint condition, in In excellent condition, unblemished, perfect, as in This car is in mint condition. This expression alludes to the condition of a freshly minted coin. [c. 1900]

  mint money → See COIN MONEY.

  minute → See AT THE LAST MINUTE; EVERY MINUTE COUNTS; JUST A MINUTE; MILE A MINUTE; WAIT A MINUTE.

  miscarriage of justice An unfair decision, especially one in a court of law. For example, Many felt that his being expelled from the school was a miscarriage of justice. This expression, which uses miscarriage in the sense of “making a blunder,” was first recorded in 1875.

  mischief → See MAKE MISCHIEF.

  misery → In addition to the idiom beginning with MISERY, also see PUT SOMEONE OUT OF HIS OR HER MISERY.

  misery loves company Fellow sufferers make unhappiness easier to bear, as in She secretly hoped her friend would fail, too—misery loves company. Words to this effect appeared in the work of Sophocles (c. 408 B.C.) and other ancient writers; the earliest recorded use in English was about 1349.

  miss → In addition to the idioms beginning with MISS, also see HEART MISSES A BEAT; HIT OR MISS; NEAR MISS; NOT MISS A TRICK.

  miss a beat Hesitate momentarily, out of embarrassment or confusion. This expression is most often used in a negative context, as in He sidestepped the reporter’s probe into his personal life without missing a beat, or Not missing a beat, she outlined all the reasons for her decision. This expression alludes to the regular beat of musical time. [Mid-1900s]

  miss by a mile Fall short, fail by a considerable amount, as in Your guess as to the winner missed by a mile. This expression employs miss in the sense of “fail to hit something aimed at,” a usage dating from the late 1400s, and by a mile for a great distance or interval, so used since Shakespeare’s day.

  miss fire Fail to achieve the anticipated result, as in Recycling cardboard seemed like a good idea but it missed fire. First recorded in 1727, this phrase originally described a firearm failing to go off and has been used figuratively since the mid-1800s.

  miss is as good as a mile, a Coming close to success but failing is no better than failing by a lot, as in He was beaten by just one vote, but a miss is as good as a mile. This proverbial expression, first recorded in 1614, is a shortening of the older form, “An inch of a miss is as good [or bad] as a mile of a miss.”

  miss much → See under NOT MISS A TRICK.

  Missouri → See FROM MISSOURI.

  miss out on Lose a chance for, fail to achieve, as in Ruth came late to the party and missed out on all the fun, or Trudy missed out on the promotion. [First half of 1900s] Also see LOSE OUT, def. 2.

  miss the boat 1. Fail to take advantage of an opportunity, as in Jean missed the boat on that club membership. This expression, which alludes to not being in time to catch a boat, has been applied more widely since the 1920s. 2. Fail to understand something, as in I’m afraid our legislator missed the boat on that amendment to the bill. [Mid-1900s] Also see MISS THE POINT.

  miss the point Overlook or fail to understand the essential or important part of something, as in Chris missed the point of Gwen’s complaint, thinking she was opposed to the date of the next meeting. This expression employs point in the sense of “the salient portion,” a usage dating from the late 1300s.

  mistake → In addition to the idiom beginning with MISTAKE, also see BY MISTAKE; MAKE NO MISTAKE.

  mistake for Take someone or something for someone or something else, as in I’m sorry, I mistook you for her sister, or Don’t mistake that friendly smile for good intentions; he’s a tough competitor. [c. 1600]

  mix and match Combine different items in a number of ways. For example, The store displayed skirts, blouses, and slacks in colors that one could mix and match. [Mid-1900s]

  mixed bag A heterogeneous collection of people, items, activities, or the like; an assortment. For example, The school offers a mixed bag of after-school activities—team sports, band practice, a language class. This idiom calls up the image of a sack full of different items. [First half of 1900s]

  mixed blessing Something that has both good and bad features, as in Being accepted by the college was a mixed blessing, since she couldn’t afford the tuition. [First half of 1900s]

  mixed feelings A partly positive and partly negative reaction to something, as in I have mixed feelings about this trip; I’d love to go but don’t want to ride in that tiny car.

  mix it up Get in a fight, as in The driver got out and began to mix it up with the other driver. This expression uses mix in referring to physical mingling. [c. 1900]

  mix up 1. Confuse, confound, as in His explanation just mixed me up even more, or I always mix up the twins. [c. 1800] 2. Involve or implicate. This usage is usually put in the passive, as in He got mixed up with the wrong crowd. [Mid-1800s] 3. mix things up . Vary a routine, as in I’m alternating swimming and running, just to mix things up. [Colloquial, c. 2000]

  mold → See CAST IN THE SAME MOLD.

  molehill → See MAKE A MOUNTAIN OUT OF A MOLEHILL.

  moment → In addition to the idiom beginning with MOMENT, also see AT THIS POINT (MOMENT); EVERY MINUTE (MOMENT) COUNTS; FOR THE MOMENT; HAVE ONE’S MOMENTS; JUST A MINUTE (MOMENT); LIVE FOR THE MOMENT; NEVER A DULL MOMENT; NOT FOR A MOMENT; OF THE MOMENT; ON THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT; SHORT (AT A MOMENT’S) NOTICE; WEAK MOMENT.

  moment of truth A critical or decisive time, at which one is put to the ultimate test, as in Now that all the bills are in, we’ve come to the moment of truth—can we afford to live here or not? This expression, a translation of the Spanish el momento de la verdad, signifies the point in a bullfight when the matador makes the kill. It was first used in English in Ernest Hemingway’s story Death in the Afternoon (1932).

  Monday-morning quarterback A person who criticizes or passes judgment from a position of hindsight, as in Ethel was a Monday-morning quarterback about all the personnel changes in her department—she always claimed to have known what was g
oing to happen. This expression, first recorded in 1932, alludes to fans who verbally “replay” Sunday’s football game the next day, the quarterback being the team member who calls the plays.

  money → In addition to the idioms beginning with MONEY, also see COIN MONEY; COLOR OF SOMEONE’S MONEY; EASY MONEY; EVEN MONEY; FOOL AND HIS MONEY ARE SOON PARTED; FOR ONE’S MONEY; FUNNY MONEY; GET ONE’S MONEY’S WORTH; HUSH MONEY; IN THE MONEY; MADE OF MONEY; NOT FOR LOVE OR MONEY; ON THE MONEY; PAY YOUR MONEY AND TAKE YOUR CHOICE; PIN MONEY; POCKET MONEY; PUT MONEY ON; PUT ONE’S MONEY WHERE ONE’S MOUTH IS; RUN FOR ONE’S MONEY; THROW GOOD MONEY AFTER BAD; TIME IS MONEY.

  money burns a hole in one’s pocket One can’t keep from spending whatever money one has. For example, As soon as she gets paid she goes shopping; money burns a hole in her pocket. This hyperbolic expression, which alleges that one must take out the money before it actually burns a hole, was stated only slightly differently by Thomas More (c. 1530): “A little wanton money... burned out the bottom of his purse.”

  money is no object Also, expense is no object. It doesn’t matter how much it costs, as in Get the very best fur coat you can find—money is no object. In this expression no object means “something not taken into account or presenting no obstacle.” It was first recorded as salary will be no object in a 1782 newspaper advertisement for someone seeking a job. Both money and expense were so described by the mid-1800s.

  money talks Wealth has great influence, as in Big contributors to campaigns are generally rewarded with important posts—in politics money talks. The idea behind this idiom was stated by Euripides in the fifth century B.C., and some 2,000 years later Erasmus spoke of “the talking power of money” (Adagia, 1532). The precise current locution, however, only began to be used about 1900.

  money to burn More than enough money for what is required or expected, as in After they paid off the creditors, they still had money to burn. This hyperbolic expression implies one has so much that one can afford to burn it. [Late 1800s] This sense of the verb burn is occasionally used in other phrases, such as time to burn (“more than enough time”), but not very often.

  monkey → In addition to the idioms beginning with MONKEY, also see FOOL (MONKEY) AROUND; MAKE A FOOL (MONKEY) OF; MORE FUN THAN A BARREL OF MONKEYS; THROW A MONKEY WRENCH INTO.

  monkey business Silly, mischievous, or deceitful conduct, as in The teacher told the children to cut out the monkey business and get to work, or I don’t trust that lawyer—there’s some monkey business going on. This expression transfers the tricks of monkeys to human behavior. [Late 1800s]

  monkey on one’s back 1. Drug addiction, as in He’d had a monkey on his back for at least two years. [Slang; first half of 1900s] 2. A vexing problem or burden, as in This project has proved to be a monkey on my back—there seems to be no end to it. Both usages allude to being unable to shake off the animal from one’s back.

  monster → See GREEN-EYED MONSTER.

  month → In addition to the idiom beginning with MONTH, also see BY THE DAY (MONTH).

  month of Sundays, a A long time, as in I haven’t seen Barbara in a month of Sundays. This expression, which would literally mean thirty weeks, has been used hyperbolically since it was first recorded in 1832. One writer suggests it originally connoted a long dreary time, since games and other kinds of amusement used to be forbidden on Sunday.

  mood → See IN A BAD MOOD; IN THE MOOD.

  moon → See ASK FOR THE MOON; ONCE IN A BLUE MOON.

  moot point A debatable question, an issue open to argument; also, an irrelevant question, a matter of no importance. For example, Whether Shakespeare actually wrote the poem remains a moot point among critics, or It’s a moot point whether the chicken or the egg came first. This term originated in British law where it described a point for discussion in a moot, or assembly, of law students. By the early 1700s it was being used more loosely in the present sense.

  mop up 1. Clear an area of remaining enemy troops after a victory, as in They left behind just one squadron to mop up. [c. 1900] 2. Perform the minor tasks that conclude a project or activity, as in Go ahead, I’ll mop up these last invoices. [First half of 1900s] Both usages transfer the task of housecleaning with a mop to other kinds of cleanup.

  mop up the floor with Also, wipe the floor with. Defeat thoroughly, overwhelm, as in The young boxer said he was sure to mop up the floor with his opponent, or I just know we’ll wipe the floor with the competition. [Late 1800s]

  moral support Emotional or psychological backing, as opposed to material help. For example, There’s not much I can do at the doctor’s office, but I’ll come with you to give you moral support. [Late 1800s]

  more → In addition to the idioms beginning with MORE, also see BITE OFF MORE THAN ONE CAN CHEW; WEAR ANOTHER (MORE THAN ONE) HAT; WHAT IS MORE.

  more and more Increasingly, to a steadily growing extent or degree. For example, As night came on, we were getting more and more worried, or More and more I lean toward thinking he is right. [c. 1200]

  more bang for the buck Also, more bounce to the ounce. More value for one’s money, a greater return on an investment. For example, Buying a condominium is better than renting for years and years; more bang for the buck, or We always get the largest packages of dog food—more bounce to the ounce. The first term originated in the late 1960s in the military for expenditures for firepower and soon was extended to mean an increased financial return or better value. The variant originated in the mid-1900s as an advertising slogan for a carbonated soft drink.

  more dead than alive Exhausted, in poor condition, as in By the time I got off that mountain I was more dead than alive. This idiom may be used either hyperbolically or literally. [c. 1900]

  more fun than a barrel of monkeys Very amusing or diverting, as in That video game was more fun than a barrel of monkeys. This expression, first recorded in 1895, alludes to the playful behavior of these primates. The synonymous colloquialism barrel of laughs dates from 1915.

  more in sorrow than in anger Saddened rather than infuriated by someone’s behavior. For example, When Dad learned that Jack had stolen a car, he looked at him more in sorrow than in anger. This expression first appeared in 1603 in Shakespeare’s Hamlet (1:2), where Horatio describes to Hamlet the appearance of his father’s ghost: “A countenance more in sorrow than in anger.”

  more often than not Also, often as not. Fairly frequently, more than or at least half the time, as in More often than not we’ll have dinner in the den, or Dean and Chris agree on travel plans, often as not. [First half of 1900s]

  more or less 1. Approximately, as in The truck will hold nine yards of dirt, more or less. This usage was first recorded in 1589. 2. Basically, essentially, as in We more or less agree on the substance of the letter. This usage was first recorded about 1225.

  more power to someone Best wishes to someone, as in He’s decided to climb Mount Everest—well, more power to him. [Mid-1800s] For a more recent synonym, see RIGHT ON.

  more sinned against than sinning Less guilty than those who have injured one, as in It’s true she took the money but they did owe her quite a bit—in a way she’s more sinned against than sinning. This expression comes from Shakespeare’s King Lear (3:2), where the King, on the heath during a storm, so describes his plight.

  more than meets the eye A hidden significance, greater than is first apparent, as in This agreement involves more than meets the eye. [Mid-1800s]

  more than one bargained for An unexpected outcome, especially an unfavorable one, as in Serving on the board this year has involved more work than I bargained for. This expression alludes to a higher than anticipated cost for a transaction. [Mid-1800s]

  more than one can shake a stick at A large quantity, more than one can count, as in Our town has more banks than you can shake a stick at This idiom presumably refers to brandishing a stick as a weapon, but the precise allusion is unclear. [Colloquial; c. 1800]

  more than one way to skin a cat More than one method to reach the s
ame end, as in We can get around that by renting instead of buying a computer—there’s more than one way to skin a cat. This expression may be an American version of the earlier British more ways of killing a cat, but why the death of a cat should be alluded to at all is not clear. [Second half of 1800s]

  more the merrier, the The larger the number involved, the better the occasion. For example, John’s invited all his family to come along, and why not? The more the merrier. This expression was first recorded in 1530, when it was put as “The more the merrier; the fewer, the better fare” (meaning “with fewer there would be more to eat”), an observation that made its way into numerous proverb collections.

  morning → In addition to the idiom beginning with MORNING, also see GOOD DAY (MORNING); MONDAY-MORNING QUARTERBACK.

  morning after, the The unpleasant results of an earlier activity, especially overindulgence in alcohol. For example, A headache is just one of the symptoms of the morning after. This expression originated in the late 1800s as a synonym for a hangover (and was often put as the morning after the night before). By the mid-1900s, however, it was also being used more loosely for the aftereffects of staying up late.

  mortar → See BRICKS AND MORTAR.

  moss → See ROLLING STONE (GATHERS NO MOSS).

  most → See AT MOST; FOR THE MOST PART; MAKE THE MOST OF.

  mothballs → See PUT IN MOTHBALLS.

  mother → In addition to the idiom beginning with MOTHER, also see NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION.