The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

by Christine Ammer

  pigeon → See CLAY PIGEON; STOOL PIGEON.

  pig in a poke An object offered in a manner that conceals its true value, especially its lack of value. For example, Eric believes that buying a used car is buying a pig in a poke. This expression alludes to the practice of substituting a worthless object, such as a cat, for the costly suckling pig a customer has bought and wrapping it in a poke, or sack. It dates from a time when buyers of groceries relied on a weekly farmers’ market and, unless they were cautious enough to check the poke’s contents, would not discover the skullduggery until they got home. The word poke dates from the 13th century but is now used mainly in the southern United States. The idiom was first recorded in John Heywood’s 1562 collection of proverbs. Also see LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG.

  pig it Live in a slovenly way, as in Ten roommates shared that small house, and as you might guess they were pigging it. [Slang; late 1800s]

  pig out Eat ravenously, gorge oneself, as in The kids pigged out on the candy they had collected on Halloween. [Slang; early 1970s]

  pile → In addition to the idioms beginning with PILE, also see MAKE A BUNDLE (PILE).

  pile into Move in a disorderly group into, crowd into, as in The team piled into the bus. The related expression pile in takes no object, as in Jack opened the car door and yelled, “Pile in!” [First half of 1800s]

  pile up 1. Accumulate, as in The leaves piled up in the yard, or He piled up a huge fortune. In this idiom pile means “form a heap or mass of something.” [Mid-1800s] 2. Be involved in a crash, as in When the police arrived, at least four cars had piled up. [Late 1800s]

  pill → See BITTER PILL TO SWALLOW; SUGAR THE PILL.

  pillar to post → See FROM PILLAR TO POST.

  pimple → See GOOSE PIMPLES

  pin → In addition to the idioms beginning with PIN, also see HEAR A PIN DROP; ON PINS AND NEEDLES.

  pin back one’s ears → See PIN SOMEONE’S EARS BACK.

  pinch → In addition to the idioms beginning with PINCH, also see FEEL THE PINCH; IN A PINCH; WITH A GRAIN (PINCH) OF SALT.

  pinch hitter A substitute for another person, especially in an emergency. For example, Pat expected her mother to help with the baby, but just in case, she lined up her mother-in-law as pinch hitter. This expression comes from baseball, where it is used for a player substituting for another at bat at a critical point or in a tight situation (called a pinch since the late 1400s). [Late 1800s]

  pinch pennies Be thrifty or miserly, as in There’s no need to pinch pennies now that you’re working full-time. This term was first recorded in 1942.

  pin down 1. Fix or establish clearly, as in The firefighters finally were able to pin down the source of the odor. [Mid-1900s] 2. Force someone to give precise information or opinions, as in The reporter pinned down the governor on the issue of conservation measures. [c. 1700]

  pink → See IN THE PINK; TICKLED PINK.

  pink slip → See under GET THE AX.

  pin money Small amounts of money for incidental expenses, as in Grandma usually gives the children some pin money whenever she visits. This expression originally signified money given by a husband to his wife for small personal expenditures such as pins, which were very costly items in centuries past. A will recorded at York in 1542 listed a bequest: “I give my said daughter Margarett my lease of the parsonage... to buy her pins.” [Early 1500s]

  pin on Attribute to someone, especially a wrongdoing or crime. For example, They pinned the murder on the wrong man. This expression uses pin in the sense of “attach.” [First half of 1900s]

  pin one’s heart on → See WEAR ONE’S HEART ON ONE’S SLEEVE.

  pin one’s hopes on Also, pin one’s faith on. Put one’s hope or trust in someone or something, as in She’d pinned her hopes on an early acceptance to the college but it didn’t materialize. This term, dating from the 1500s, originated as pin one’s faith on another’s sleeve and may have alluded to the practice of soldiers wearing their leader’s insignia on their sleeves. By the 1800s, however, it acquired its present form.

  pin someone’s ears back Defeat overcome, punish, as in The Red Sox had their ears pinned back by the Yankees, or You’ll get your ears pinned back if you’re late. [c. 1940]

  pipe → In addition to the idioms beginning with PIPE, also see IN THE PIPELINE; LEAD-PIPE CINCH; PUT THAT IN YOUR PIPE AND SMOKE IT.

  pipe down Stop talking, be quiet, as in I wish you children would pipe down. This idiom is also used as an imperative, as in Pipe down! We want to listen to the opera. It comes from the navy, where the signal for all hands to turn in was sometimes sounded on a whistle or pipe. By 1900 it had been transferred to more general use.

  pipe dream A fantastic notion or vain hope, as in I’d love to have one home in the mountains and another at the seashore, but that’s just a pipe dream. Alluding to the fantasies induced by smoking an opium pipe, this term has been used more loosely since the late 1800s.

  piper → See CALL (WHO PAYS THE PIPER CALLS) THE TUNE.

  pipe up Speak up, as in Finally she piped up, “I think I’ve got the winning ticket,” or Pipe up if you want more pancakes. This term originally referred to a high, piping tone. [Mid-1800s]

  piping hot Very hot, as in These biscuits are piping hot. This idiom alludes to something so hot that it makes a piping or hissing sound. [Late 1300s]

  piss away Squander, waste, as in They’ve pissed away a fortune on those horses. This term uses piss in the sense of “discharge something as though it were urine.” [Vulgar slang; first half of 1900s]

  piss off 1. Make very angry, as in That letter pissed me off, or She was pissed off because no one had called her. [Vulgar slang; 1940s] 2. Go away, as in Piss off and stop bothering me. [Vulgar slang; mid-1900s]

  pit → In addition to the idiom beginning with PIT, also see THE PITS.

  pit against Set in direct opposition or competition, as in The civil war pitted brother against brother. This idiom alludes to setting fighting cocks or dogs against one another in a pit. [Mid-1700s]

  pitch → In addition to the idioms beginning with PITCH, also see BLACK AS NIGHT (PITCH); IN THERE PITCHING; MAKE A PITCH FOR; SALES PITCH; WILD PITCH.

  pitched battle, a An intense conflict, as in Their disagreement turned into a pitched battle between the nurses and the physicians’ assistants. This term, dating from about 1600, originally alluded to a military battle in which the array of forces and battleground are predetermined (as opposed to a hasty skirmish).

  pitcher → See LITTLE PITCHERS HAVE BIG EARS.

  pitch in 1. Set to work vigorously, as in We pitched right in and started mowing the field. [Colloquial; second half of 1800s] 2. Join forces with others; help, cooperate. For example, We were hoping you’d pitch in and sort the books. Also see PITCH INTO.

  pitch into Attack, assault, either physically or verbally. For example, Aunt Sally pitched into Uncle Rob when he forgot to go to the bank. [Colloquial; first half of 1800s]

  pitch on Also, pitch upon. Choose, decide on, as in He pitched on the ideal solution. This idiom uses pitch in the sense of “arrange or set something in order.” [Early 1600s]

  pitch woo Court, make love to, flatter, as in They sat on the porch swing, pitching woo, or He’s an ­excellent salesman, adept at pitching woo. This ­idiom, which may be obsolescent, uses pitch in the sense of “talk.” [Slang; early 1800s]

  pity → See FOR THE SAKE OF (PITY’S SAKE); TAKE PITY ON.

  place → In addition to the idiom beginning with PLACE, also see ALL OVER THE PLACE; BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE; FALL IN PLACE; FRIEND IN COURT (HIGH PLACES); GO PLACES; HEART IN THE RIGHT PLACE; IN PLACE; IN SOMEONE’S SHOES (PLACE); INSTEAD (IN PLACE) OF; IN THE FIRST PLACE; JUMPING-OFF PLACE; KNOW ONE’S PLACE; OUT OF PLACE; PRIDE OF PLACE; PUT SOMEONE IN HIS OR HER PLACE; RUN IN PLACE; TAKE PLACE.

  place in the sun A dominant or favorable position or situation, as in The Nobel prizewinners really enjoyed their place in the sun. This term may have been coined about 1660 by the Fr
ench philosopher Blaise Pascal but became well known only in the late 1800s, when it was applied to Germany’s position in world affairs, especially concerning its desire for more lands.

  plague → See AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE.

  plain → In addition to the idioms beginning with PLAIN, also see IN PLAIN ENGLISH.

  plain as day Also, plain as the nose on your face. Very obvious, quite clear, as in It’s plain as day that they must sell their house before they can buy another, or It’s plain as the nose on your face that she’s lying. These similes have largely replaced the earlier plain as a packstaff or pikestaff, from the mid-1500s, ­alluding to the stick on which a peddler carried his wares over his shoulder. The first term, from the late 1800s, is probably a shortening of plain as the sun at midday; the variant dates from the late 1600s.

  plain Jane A physically unattractive girl or woman. For example, In many romance novels the plain Jane rather than the reigning beauty wins the man. [Early 1900s]

  plain sailing Easy going; straightforward, unobstructed progress. For example, The first few months were difficult, but I think it’s plain sailing from here on. Alluding to navigating waters free of hazards, such as rocks or other obstructions, this term was transferred to other activities in the early 1800s. Also see SMOOTH SAILING.

  plan → In addition to the idiom beginning with PLAN, also see BEST-LAID PLANS GO ASTRAY.

  plank → See WALK THE PLANK.

  plan on 1. Have as an aim or purpose, as in We had planned on going to the movies after dinner. 2. Anticipate, prepare for, as in We planned on you to make a speech, or They hadn’t planned on such a big crowd. [Early 1900s]

  plate → See HAND TO ON A SILVER PLATTER (SERVE UP ON A PLATE); HAVE A LOT ON ONE’S PLATE.

  platter → See under HAND TO ON A SILVER PLATTER.

  play → In addition to the idioms beginning with PLAY, also see ALL WORK AND NO PLAY (MAKES JACK A DULL BOY); CHILD’S PLAY; DEVIL’S ADVOCATE, PLAY; FAIR PLAY; FOUL PLAY; GAME THAT TWO CAN PLAY; GRANDSTAND PLAY; IN PLAY; MAKE A PLAY FOR; MUSICAL CHAIRS, PLAY; SQUEEZE PLAY; TRUMP CARD, PLAY ONE’S.

  play along Cooperate or pretend to cooperate, as in They decided to play along with the robbers, at least for a while. [Colloquial; 1920s]

  play a losing game → See under LOSING BATTLE.

  play around Act playfully or irresponsibly, especially in having a casual or extramarital sexual relationship. For example, She got tired of his playing around and filed for divorce. [1920s]

  play at Do or take part in half-heartedly, as in She was just playing at keeping house, letting the others do all the work. [Mid-1800s]

  play a waiting game Delay an action or decision so as to force an opponent to move or to gain additional information. For example, The lawyer advised her to play a waiting game and see if her husband would come up with more alimony. [Late 1800s]

  play back Replay, especially a recorded performance; also, repeat. For example, When we played back the tape of the concert we noticed a lot of missed notes, or He uses the same material again and again, playing back his old speech. [Early 1900s]

  play ball 1. Cooperate, as in The opposing attorneys refused to play ball with us. [Slang; c. 1900] 2. Get going, start, as in It’s time to get a move on; let’s play ball. This usage comes from the baseball umpire’s call to start a game. [Slang; late 1800s]

  play both ends against the middle Also, play one off against another. Gain an advantage by setting opposing parties or interests against one another. For example, Some children are adept at manipulating their parents, playing both ends against the middle, or Aunt Jane had a nasty habit of playing the twins off against each other. The first term may come from a cheating practice used in faro. Minute strips were cut off certain cards, so that one could tell where they lay in the deck. When the cards were cut convex or concave, it was called “both ends against the middle.” The figurative use of the term dates from the first half of the 1900s. The variant originated in the mid-1600s as play against one another, with off being added in the late 1800s.

  play by ear 1. Play a musical instrument without the aid of written music, as in By the time she was four, she could play a dozen songs by ear. [Late 1600s] 2. play it by ear. Proceed gradually, depending on the circumstances; improvise. For example, I’m not sure how much we should say about our plans, so let’s play it by ear. [Mid-1900s]

  play cat and mouse Amuse oneself or trifle with, toy with, as in She loved to play cat and mouse with an admirer, acting by turns friendly, indifferent, and jealous. The analogy of a cat toying with a helpless mouse was drawn centuries earlier, but the precise term dates only from the early 1900s.

  play down 1. Make little of, minimize the importance of, as in A skillful salesman plays down the drawbacks of the product and emphasizes its good features. [First half of 1900s] 2. play down to. Lower one’s standards to meet the demands of someone, as in Some stand-up comics deliberately play down to the vulgar taste of their audiences. [Late 1800s]

  played out 1. See PLAY OUT. 2. Exhausted, worn out, as in This was the third trip the mules had made, and they were utterly played out. [Mid-1800s]

  play fair Behave honestly and honorably, obey the rules, as in Not every supplier we deal with plays fair, or We can’t just leave them to find their own way back—that’s not playing fair. Although this idiom conjures up playing by the rules in some game or sport, it actually has been used in this figurative way since the mid-1400s. Also see PLAY THE GAME.

  play false Deceive or betray one, as in If my memory does not play false, I met them years ago in Italy. [Late 1500s]

  play fast and loose Be recklessly irresponsible, unreliable, or deceitful, as in This reporter is known for playing fast and loose with the facts. This term probably originated in a 16th-century game called “fast and loose,” played at country fairs. A belt was doubled and held with the loop at table’s edge, and the player had to catch the loop with a stick as the belt was unrolled—an impossible feat. The term was already used figuratively by the late 1500s, especially for trifling with someone’s affections.

  play favorites Show a definite preference for a person, group, or organization. For example, It’s not fair to play favorites and always award prizes to the biggest school. [Second half of 1800s] Also see FAIR-HAIRED BOY; TEACHER’S PET.

  play footsie 1. Behave coyly, flirt with, especially secretly. For example, Get to the point, there’s no need to play footsie with us. This expression alludes to two persons surreptitiously rubbing each other’s feet together. [1940s] 2. Cooperate or curry favor with in a sly or secret way, as in The mayor’s been playing footsie with various neighborhood councils. [Mid-1900s]

  play for 1. Take part for a particular reason, as in We’re not playing for money, just for fun. A special usage of this idiom is play for laughs, that is, with the aim of arousing laughter. 2. play someone for. Manage someone for one’s own ends, make a fool of, dupe or cheat. For example, I resent your playing me for a fool, or He suddenly found out she’d been playing him for a sucker. This usage employs play in the sense of “exhaust a hooked fish,” that is, manage it on the line so that it exhausts itself. [Mid-1600s]

  play for keeps → See FOR KEEPS.

  play for laughs → See PLAY FOR, def. 1.

  play for time Use delaying tactics, temporize, as in The defense attorney decided to play for time while they searched for an eyewitness. [c. 1940]

  play games Be evasive or deceptive, as in Don’t play games with me—I want an honest answer. Also see PLAY THE GAME.

  play hardball Act aggressively and ruthlessly, as in It’s only a month before the election, and I’m sure they’ll start to play hardball. This term originated in baseball, where it alludes to using the standard ball as opposed to the slightly larger and minimally softer ball of softball. It was transferred to describe aggressive behavior only in the 1970s.

  play hard to get Pretend to be inaccessible or uninterested; act coy, especially with the opposite sex. For example, I know he has no ap
pointments tomorrow; he’s just playing hard to get, or Nicole is very popular, perhaps because she plays hard to get. [Mid-1900s]

  play havoc Also, raise or wreak havoc. Disrupt, damage, or destroy something, as in The wind played havoc with her hair, or The fire alarm raised havoc with the children, or The earthquake wrought havoc in the town. The noun havoc was once used as a command for invaders to begin looting and killing, but by the 1800s the term was being used for somewhat less aggressive activities. For a synonym, see PLAY THE DEVIL WITH.

  play hide and seek Evade or seem to evade someone. For example, Bill is hard to pin down—he’s always playing hide and seek. This expression ­alludes to the children’s game in which one player tries to find others who are hiding. It has been used figuratively since the mid-1600s.

  play hooky Be absent from school or some other obligation without permission, as in It was such a beautiful day that Herb played hooky from work. In this term, the noun hooky may have come from the phrase hook it, meaning “escape.” [Mid-1800s]

  play in Peoria Be acceptable to the average consumer or constituent. For example, We’ve tested this new soup in several markets, but will it play in Peoria? This expression originated among touring theater companies trying to make sure their productions would win favor in America’s heartland, symbolized by the small city of Peoria, Illinois.

  play into the hands of Act so as to give an advantage to an opponent, as in The senator played right into the hands of her opponents when she backed that unpopular amendment to the tax bill. [c. 1700]

  play it close to one’s chest Be secretive or cautious, give nothing away, as in We’ve no idea how many tickets they sold; they play it close to their chests. This expression, which is also put as play one’s cards close to one’s chest, alludes to holding one’s cards up against one’s chest, so that no one else can see them. [Slang; mid-1900s]

  play it cool 1. Act cautiously and shrewdly, as in When they asked how much she earned, she played it cool. [Slang; 1940s] 2. Become or remain calm, as in When they start to tease you, just play it cool. [Slang; 1940s]