The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

by Christine Ammer

  rake over the coals Also, haul over the coals. Reprimand severely, as in When Dad finds out about the damage to the car, he’s sure to rake Peter over the coals, or The coach hauled him over the coals for missing practice. These terms allude to the medieval torture of pulling a heretic over red-hot coals. [Early 1800s]

  rake up Revive, bring to light, especially something unpleasant, as in She was raking up old gossip. [Late 1500s]

  rally around Also, rally round. Join in a common effort, as in When Mom broke her leg the entire family rallied around to help. This idiom gained currency with George F. Root’s famous Civil War song, “The Battle Cry of Freedom,” which urges troops to rally round the flag that goes with them into battle. [Early 1800s]

  ramble on Speak or write at length and with many digressions, as in As the speaker rambled on for at least two hours, the audience became restless. This idiom was first recorded in 1710.

  ram down someone’s throat Also, shove down someone’s throat. Compel to accept or consider, as in That salesman tried to ram a life insurance policy down my throat, or She has a way of shoving her political views down your throat. These terms transfer forcing one to swallow something to forcing acceptance of an object or idea.

  rampage → See ON A RAMPAGE.

  random → See AT RANDOM.

  range → See AT CLOSE RANGE.

  rank → In addition to the idiom beginning with RANK, also see BREAK RANKS; CLOSE RANKS; PULL RANK; RISE THROUGH THE RANKS.

  rank and file Followers, the general membership, as in This new senator really appeals to the rank and file in the labor unions. This expression comes from the military, where a rank denotes soldiers standing side by side in a row, and file refers to soldiers standing behind one another. The first recorded figurative use of this term was in 1860.

  ransom → See KING’S RANSOM.

  rant and rave Talk loudly and vehemently, especially in anger, as in There you go again, ranting and raving about the neighbor’s car in your driveway. This idiom is a redundancy, since rant and rave mean just about the same thing, but probably survives on account of its alliterative appeal.

  rap → In addition to the idiom beginning with RAP, also see BEAT THE RAP; BUM RAP; NOT GIVE A DAMN (RAP); TAKE THE RAP.

  rap someone’s knuckles Reprimand, as in If I’d seen John take that last piece of cake, I’d have rapped his knuckles. This term transfers a physical punishment to a verbal one. [Late 1600s]

  rare bird, a An exceptional individual, a unique person, as in That wife of yours is a rare bird; you’re lucky to have her. This idiom, generally used as a compliment, is a translation of the Latin rara avis, which itself was used from about 1600 on and began to be translated only in the late 1800s.

  rarely ever → See HARDLY EVER.

  raring to go Very eager to begin, as in The children were all dressed and raring to go. This idiom uses raring for rearing, and alludes to a horse’s standing on its hind legs when it is anxious to get moving. [Early 1900s]

  rat → In addition to the idioms beginning with RAT, also see LIKE A DROWNED RAT; SMELL A RAT.

  rate → See AT ANY RATE; AT THIS RATE; X-RATED.

  rather → See HAD RATHER.

  rat on Betray a comrade by giving information, as in He ratted on his best friend to the police. [Slang; early 1900s]

  rat race Fierce competition to maintain or improve one’s position in the workplace or social life. For example, You may not realize what a rat race it is to get research grants. This term presumably alludes to the rat’s desperate struggle for survival. [Colloquial; first half of 1900s]

  rats abandon a sinking ship → See DESERT A SINKING SHIP.

  rattle off Also, reel off. Utter or perform rapidly or effortlessly, often at length. For example, The treasurer rattled off the list of all those who had not paid their dues, or She reeled off song after song. The verb rattle has been used for fast talking since the late 1300s and for other kinds of fast production since the late 1800s (George Bernard Shaw wrote of “men who rattle off their copy” in a letter of 1896). The verb reel off, which alludes to unwinding from a reel, has been used figuratively since about 1830.

  rave → See RANT AND RAVE; STARK RAVING MAD.

  raw → In addition to the idiom beginning with RAW, also see IN THE ALTOGETHER (RAW).

  raw deal An instance of unfair or harsh treatment, as in After 25 years with the bank Bob got a raw deal—no pension, no retirement benefits of any kind, just a gold watch. Raw here means “crude” or “unfair.” [First half of 1900s]

  razor → See SHARP AS A TACK (RAZOR).

  reach → In addition to the idiom beginning with REACH, also see BOARDINGHOUSE REACH; GET TO (REACH) FIRST BASE; IN REACH.

  reach for the sky 1. Set very high goals, aspire to the best, as in I’m sure they’ll make you a partner, so reach for the sky. The sky here stands for high ­aspirations. Also see SKY’S THE LIMIT. 2. Put your hands up high, as in One robber held the teller at gunpoint, shouting “Reach for the sky!” This usage is always put as an imperative. [Slang; mid-1900s]

  read → In addition to the idioms beginning with READ, also see DO YOU READ ME; OPEN BOOK, READ LIKE AN.

  read a lecture Also, read a lesson. Issue a reprimand, as in Dad read us a lecture after the teacher phoned and complained. The first term dates from the late 1500s, the variant from the early 1600s. Also see READ THE RIOT ACT; TEACH A LESSON.

  read between the lines Perceive or detect a hidden meaning, as in They say that everything’s fine, but reading between the lines I suspect they have some marital problems. This term comes from crypto­graphy, where in one code reading every second line of a message gives a different meaning from that of the entire text. [Mid-1800s]

  read into Find an additional hidden or unintended meaning in something that is said or written, as in What I read into that speech on foreign policy is that the Vice President plans to run for President. [Late 1800s]

  read like an open book → See OPEN BOOK.

  read my lips Listen carefully to what I’m saying because I mean it. Dating from the mid-1900s, this idiom does not allude to a deaf person reading lips. It was the title of a popular song of 1957 but gained wide currency when used by George H. W. Bush in his acceptance speech for the Republican presidential nomination in 1988. “Congress will push me to raise taxes...and I’ll say...Read my lips. No new taxes.” It has since been repeated in numerous contexts, usually negative, such as Read my lips: I won’t sign that chain letter.

  read out of Expel from a group by proclamation, as in After he was convicted for embezzling their funds, the members read him out of the investment club. [First half of 1800s]

  read someone’s mind Discern what someone is thinking or feeling, as in He often finished her sentences for her, almost as though he could read her mind. [Late 1800s]

  read the riot act Warn or reprimand forcefully or severely, as in When he was caught throwing stones at the windows, the principal read him the riot act. This term alludes to an actual British law, the Riot Act of 1714, which required reading a proclamation so as to disperse a crowd; those who did not obey within an hour were guilty of a felony. [First half of 1800s]

  read up Study or learn by reading, as in I don’t know much about childhood illnesses, but I can ­always read up on them. [First half of 1800s]

  ready → In addition to the idiom beginning with READY, also see AT THE READY; GET READY; GOOD AND (READY); ROUGH AND READY.

  ready, willing, and able Well prepared and eager to do something, as in Any time you want me to babysit, I’m ready, willing, and able.

  real → In addition to the idiom beginning with REAL, also see FOR REAL; GET REAL.

  reality check An assessment to determine if one’s circumstances or expectations conform to reality, as in Time for a reality check—wasn’t this supposed to be a money-making enterprise? [Slang; second half of 1900s]

  real McCoy, the Also, the McCoy. The genuine thing, as in That painting’s not a reproduction—it’s
the real McCoy. This idiom has a disputed origin, but the most likely source is its use to distinguish welterweight champion “Kid McCoy,” the name used by Norman Selby (1873–1940), from other boxers using his name to capitalize on his popularity. [c. 1900]

  rear → In addition to the idioms beginning with REAR, also see BRING UP THE REAR.

  rear end 1. The back part of anything, especially a vehicle, as in There’s a large dent in the rear end of the car. 2. The buttocks, as in I’m afraid these pants don’t fit my rear end. The noun rear alone has been used in both these senses, the first since the late 1700s and the second since the mid-1900s. The addition of end occurred in the first half of the 1900s.

  rear its ugly head Appear. This phrase is used only of something undesirable or unpleasant, as in The interview went very well until a question about his academic record reared its ugly head. This expression was first recorded in slightly different form in Anthony Trollope’s Barchester Towers (1857): “Rebellion had already reared her hideous head.”

  reason → See BY REASON OF; IN REASON; IT STANDS TO REASON; LISTEN TO REASON; LOSE ONE’S MIND (REASON); RHYME OR REASON; SEE REASON; WITH REASON.

  reasonable → See BEYOND A (REASONABLE) DOUBT.

  rebound → See ON THE REBOUND.

  recall → See BEYOND RECALL.

  receiving → See ON THE RECEIVING END.

  recharge one’s batteries Restore a person’s physical and/or emotional strength. The literal meaning, restoring an electrical charge to batteries, dates from 1774. The figurative sense was first recorded in 1921. For example, I asked for an extra few days off because after that big project I really needed to recharge my batteries.

  reckon with 1. Take into account, be prepared for, as in The third-party movement is a force to be reckoned with during the primaries. This usage was first recorded in 1885. 2. Deal with, as in Your lost wallet isn’t the only problem we have to reckon with. Also see TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.

  record → See BREAK THE RECORD; GO ON RECORD; JUST FOR THE RECORD; OFF THE RECORD; SET (THE RECORD) STRAIGHT; TRACK RECORD.

  red → In addition to the idioms beginning with RED, also see CATCH RED-HANDED; IN THE RED; NOT WORTH A DAMN (RED CENT); PAINT THE TOWN RED; SEE RED.

  red carpet Honorary treatment, lavish hospitality, as in We’ll have to get out the red carpet for the President’s visit. This term comes from the literal practice of rolling out a carpet to welcome a royal or other esteemed guest, and indeed is often put as roll out the red carpet. [Early 1900s]

  red cent → See under NOT WORTH A DAMN.

  redeeming feature A good quality or aspect that makes up for other drawbacks, as in The house ­isn’t very attractive, but the garden is the redeeming feature. This idiom, first recorded in 1827, uses ­redeem in the sense of “compensate.”

  red herring Something that draws attention away from the central issue, as in Talking about the new plant is a red herring to keep us from learning about downsizing plans. The herring in this expression is red and strong-smelling from being preserved by smoking. The idiom alludes to dragging a smoked herring across a trail to cover up the scent and throw off tracking dogs. [Late 1800s]

  red in the face, be Suffer embarrassment or shame; also, exert oneself to the utmost. For example, He was red in the face from all of the mistakes he made while announcing the winners’ names, or You can try until you’re red in the face, but you still won’t get straight A’s. The phrase red face was already used in the late 1300s to refer to blushing on account of shame. However, the interjection Is my face red! meaning “I am very embarrassed or ashamed,” dates only from about 1930.

  red-letter day A special occasion, as in When Jack comes home from his tour of duty, that’ll be a red-letter day. This term alludes to the practice of marking feast days and other holy days in red on church calendars, dating from the 1400s. [c. 1700]

  redress the balance Readjust matters, restore equilibrium, as in If our party wins in a few big cities, it will redress the balance of urban and rural interests in the House. [Mid-1800s]

  red tape Official forms and procedures, especially those that are complex and time-consuming. For example, There’s so much red tape involved in approving our remodeling that we’re tempted to postpone it indefinitely. This expression alludes to the former British custom of tying up official documents with red ribbon. [Early 1800s]

  reed → See BROKEN REED.

  reel off → See RATTLE OFF.

  reference → See IN REGARD (REFERENCE) TO.

  reflect on 1. Consider or think carefully about, as in She reflected on her country’s role in history. [c. 1600] A closely related phrase is on due reflection, meaning “after careful consideration.” For example, On due reflection I decided to vote for the incumbent. 2. reflect on one. Give evidence of one’s qualities, as in The hasty preparation of this report will reflect on you. [Second half of 1600s]

  regard → See IN REGARD TO.

  region → See IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD (REGION) OF.

  regular as clockwork → See LIKE CLOCKWORK.

  regular guy Also, regular fellow. A nice or agreeable person, as in Luke’s a regular guy, or Hilda’s a regular fellow. [Colloquial; first half of 1800s]

  rein → See DRAW IN THE REINS; FREE HAND (REIN); TIGHT REIN ON.

  reinvent the wheel Do something again, from the beginning, especially in a needless or inefficient effort, as in School committees need not reinvent the wheel every time they try to improve the curriculum. This expression alludes to the invention of a simple but very important device that requires no improvement. [Second half of 1900s]

  rejoice in Have or possess something highly desirable, as in He rejoices in a keen mind. [Late 1400s]

  relation → See POOR RELATION; RELATIVE (IN RELATION) TO.

  relative to Correspondent or proportionate to, as in Relative to its size, Boston has a great many universities, or It’s important to get all the facts relative to the collision. Another form of this idiom is in or with relation to, meaning “in reference or with regard to,” as in Demand is high in relation to supply, or That argument changes nothing with relation to our plans for hiring workers. The usages with relative date from the second half of the 1700s, those with relation from the late 1500s.

  relieve oneself Urinate or defecate, as in The puppy relieved itself in the middle of the floor. The use of relieve for these bodily functions dates from the mid-1800s.

  relieve someone of 1. Take something away from someone, rob someone of something, as in The pickpocket relieved Dean of his wallet. 2. Take away a burden or responsibility, as in The doorman ­relieved her of her packages, or He was relieved of all his duties. [Early 1800s]

  religion → See GET RELIGION.

  repeat oneself Express oneself in the same way or with the same words, as in Grandma forgets she has told us this story before and repeats herself over and over, or This architect tends to repeat himself—all his houses look alike. A well-known version of this idiom is the proverb History repeats itself, first recorded (in English) in 1561. For example, Her mother also married when she was 18—history repeats itself. [Mid-1800s]

  request → See AT SOMEONE’S REQUEST; BY REQUEST; ON REQUEST.

  requirement → See MEET THE REQUIREMENTS.

  resistance → See LEAST RESISTANCE.

  resort → See LAST RESORT.

  resources → See LEAVE SOMEONE TO HIS OR HER ­RESOURCES.

  respect → See IN REGARD (RESPECT) TO; PAY A CALL (ONE’S RESPECTS); WITH ALL DUE RESPECT.

  rest → In addition to the idioms beginning with REST, also see AT REST; LAY AT REST; LAY TO REST; SET ONE’S MIND AT REST.

  rest assured You can be sure, as in Rest assured that the police will recover your diamonds. This ­expression uses assured in the sense of “certain” or “confident,” a usage dating from the early 1500s.

  rest on one’s laurels Rely on one’s past achievements, especially as a way of avoiding the work needed to advance one’s status. For example, Now that Ju
lian’s in his eighties, he’s decided to rest on his laurels and let some of the younger agents do the work. This term alludes to the crown of laurels awarded in ancient times for a spectacular achievement. [Late 1800s]

  retreat → See BEAT A RETREAT.

  return → In addition to the idioms beginning with RETURN, also see IN RETURN; MANY HAPPY RETURNS; POINT OF NO RETURN.

  return the compliment Also, return the favor. Repay someone in kind, as in Her political opponent came out with a smear campaign, and she returned the compliment. Neither the compliment nor the favor in this idiom is necessarily desirable. [First half of 1700s]

  return to the fold Come back to a group after an absence, as in Matthew taught for a number of years, but now he’s returned to the fold as vice-president of the firm. This term employs fold in the sense of “an enclosure for sheep,” which has been used figuratively since the first half of the 1300s.

  rev up Increase the speed or rate of, enliven, stimulate, as in Bill revved up the motor, or They looked for ways to rev up the ad campaign. The verb rev is an abbreviation for revolution, alluding to the rate of rotation of an engine. The idiom dates from about 1920 and has been used figuratively since the mid-1900s.

  rhetorical question A question asked without ­ex­pecting an answer but for the sake of emphasis or effect. The expected answer is often “yes” or “no.” For example, Can we improve the quality of our work? That’s a rhetorical question. [Late 1800s]

  rhyme or reason, no An absence of common sense or reasonableness, as in This memo has no rhyme or reason. Closely related variants are without rhyme or reason, as in The conclusion of her paper was without rhyme or reason, and neither rhyme nor reason, as in Neither rhyme nor reason will explain that lawyer’s objections. This term originated in French about 1475 and began to be used in English about a century later. Sir Thomas More is credited with saying of a mediocre book that a friend had put into verse, “Now it is somewhat, for now it is rhyme; whereas before it was neither rhyme nor reason.”

  rib → See STICK TO THE RIBS.

  rich → In addition to the idiom beginning with RICH, also see EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES; FROM RAGS TO RICHES; STRIKE IT RICH.