The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

by Christine Ammer

  set straight Correct someone by providing accurate information; also, make an arrangement honest or fair. For example, Let me set you straight about Lisa; she’s never actually worked for us, or To set matters straight I’ll pay you back Monday. It is sometimes put as set the record straight, meaning “correct an inaccurate account,” as in Just to set the record straight, we arrived at ten. [First half of 1900s]

  set the pace Establish a standard for others to follow, as in Jim has set the pace for the department, exceeding the monthly quota every time. This expression comes from racing, where it is said of a horse that passes the others and leads the field. It was transferred to other activities in the early 1900s.

  set the record straight → See SET STRAIGHT.

  set the scene for Also, set the stage for. Provide the underlying basis or background for, make likely or inevitable, as in Their fights about money set the scene for a divorce, or The comptroller’s ­assessment of the firm’s finances set the stage for a successful bond issue. These expressions allude to arranging a play’s actors and properties on a theatrical stage. The first term dates from the late 1700s, the variant from the late 1800s.

  set the table Also, lay the table. Arrange a cloth, plates, glasses, silverware and the like for a meal, as in Please set the table for eight tonight. [Late 1300s]

  set the wheels in motion → See SET IN MOTION.

  set the world on fire Perform an outstanding feat and win fame, as in An ambitious man, be longed to set the world on fire with his inventions. This hyperbolic expression uses set on fire in the sense of “arouse excitement in.” Also see SET ON FIRE, def. 2.

  settle a score Also, settle or wipe out an old score or scores. Get even, avenge a grievance or an injury. For example, Wendy settled an old score with Bill when she made him wait for half an hour in the rain. These expressions, dating from the mid-1800s to early 1900s, all use score in the sense of “an ­account” or “bill.” Also see PAY OFF, def. 3.

  settle down 1. Begin living a stable, orderly life; also, marry. For example, After traveling all over the world for years, he decided to settle down in his home town, or Her parents wished she would settle down and raise a family. [Early 1600s] 2. Become calm, less nervous, or less restless, as in Come on, children, it’s time to settle down. [Mid-1800s] 3. Apply oneself seriously, as in If you don’t settle down to your homework, you’ll never get it done. [First half of 1800s]

  settle for Accept or be satisfied with as a compromise, as in He really wanted a bigger raise but ­decided to settle for what they offered. [Mid-1900s]

  settle on Also, settle upon. 1. Decide something, as in They finally settled on Bermuda for their vacation. [Second half of 1700s] 2. Give property or a title to someone, as in She settled an annuity on her husband. [Mid-1600s]

  settle someone’s hash Subdue or get rid of someone, deal with a troublemaker, as in If John starts another argument we know just how to settle his hash. This term, dating from about 1800, uses hash in the sense of “a mess.”

  settle up Also, settle with someone. Pay a debt or one’s share of the cost, as in When can you settle up for the tickets I bought for us? or Jean said she’d settle with the bank next month.

  set to 1. Apply oneself, begin, work energetically, as in We set to revamping our policy on child care, or She set to studying for the bar exam. [Early 1400s] 2. Begin fighting, as in Both of them were furious, and they set to immediately. [First half of 1700s]

  set tongues wagging → See TONGUES WAG.

  set to rights Also, put to rights. Place in proper condition or order. For example, The caterer promised to set the room to rights before he left, or Don’t worry, the lawyer will put the will to rights. These terms date from the second half of the 1600s, although to rights in the sense of “in proper ­order” was first recorded about 1330. Also see SET RIGHT.

  set up 1. Place in an upright position, as in I keep setting up this lamp but it won’t stay up. [c. 1200] 2. Elevate, raise; also, put in a position of authority or power, as in They set him up as their leader. [Late 1300s] 3. Put oneself forward, claim to be, as in He set himself up as an authority on the banking system. [Mid-1800s] 4. Assemble, erect, make ready for use, as in They set up the sound system last night. [c. 1200] 5. Establish, found, as in They set up a new charity for the homeless. [Early 1400s] 6. Establish in business by providing capital or other backing, as in His father set her up in a new dental practice. [First half of 1500s] 7. Treat someone to drinks, pay for drinks, as in Please let us set you up tonight. [Colloquial; late 1800s] 8. Stimulate or exhilarate, as in That victory really set up our team. [c. 1600] 9. Lay plans for, as in I think they set up the kidnapping months ago. [First half of 1900s] 10. Prepare someone for a deception or trickery or joke, as in They set up their victim for the usual real estate scam, or Her friends set her up so that she was the only person in costume. [Mid-1900s] 11. Cause, bring about, as in The new taxes set up howls of protest. [Mid-1800s]

  set up housekeeping Move in together, as in Couples today often set up housekeeping long before they marry. [Mid-1800s]

  set upon → See SET ON.

  set up shop Open a business, start a profession, as in Now that you’ve got your degree, where do you plan to set up shop? This idiom was first recorded about 1570.

  seven → See AT SIXES AND SEVENS; IN SEVENTH HEAVEN.

  sew up 1. Complete successfully, as in Our team has sewn up the championship. [Colloquial; c. 1900] 2. Gain complete control of, monopolize, as in Our restaurant hopes to sew up the town’s takeout business. [Colloquial; first half of 1900s]

  sex → See FAIR SEX.

  shack up 1. Sleep together or live in sexual intimacy without being married. For example, They had been dating for two months and then decided to shack up. [Slang; first half of 1900s] 2. Stay or reside with, as in I’m shacking up with my cousin till I find a place of my own. [Slang; first half of 1900s]

  shades of A reminder of a person or situation in the past. For example, He really played a fine game for a fifty-year-old—shades of his high school ­triumphs, or They found themselves alone on the beach—shades of their childhood summers together. [Mid-1800s]

  shadow → In addition to the idiom beginning with SHADOW, also see AFRAID OF ONE’S OWN SHADOW; BEYOND (THE SHADOW OF) A DOUBT.

  shadow of one’s self Also, shadow of one’s former or old self. A person, group, or thing that has become weaker in physical or mental capacities or in power or authority. For example, After that long battle with the flu, he was just a shadow of his old self, or This new administration is but a shadow of itself, or The revised constitution is a shadow of its former self. The use of shadow for an emaciated person dates from the late 1500s, and by about 1800 the word began to be used for other kinds of attenuation.

  shaggy-dog story A long drawn-out anecdote with an absurd or anticlimactic ending. For example, At first he had us laughing wildly at his shaggy-dog stories, but after the third or fourth we found them tiresome. The term alludes to a well-known series of such stories, which involved a talking dog. [c. 1940]

  shake → In addition to the idioms beginning with SHAKE, also see ALL SHOOK UP; FAIR SHAKE; IN TWO SHAKES; MORE THAN ONE CAN SHAKE A STICK AT; MOVER AND SHAKER; NO GREAT SHAKES; QUAKE (SHAKE) IN ONE’S BOOTS.

  shake a leg 1. Dance, as in Whenever there was music he was eager to shake a leg. [Colloquial; first half of 1800s] 2. Hurry up, as in Shake a leg or we’ll miss the plane. [Colloquial; first half of 1800s]

  shake a stick at → See MORE THAN ONE CAN SHAKE A STICK AT.

  shake down 1. Extort money from, as in They had quite a racket, shaking down merchants for so-called protection. [Slang; second half of 1800s] 2. Make a thorough search of, as in They shook down all the passengers, looking for drugs. [Slang; early 1900s] 3. Subject a new vehicle or machine to a tryout, as in We’ll shake down the new model next week. 4. Become acclimated or accustomed, to a new place, job, or the like, as in Is this your first job? You’ll soon shake down. [Mid-1800s]


  shake hands 1. Also, shake someone’s hand. Clasp another’s hand in greeting, farewell, or congratulation or as a sign of friendship or goodwill. For example, Stop fighting, boys; shake hands and be done with it, or You won first prize? Let me shake your hand. [Early 1500s] 2. shake hands on. Confirm a promise or bargain, as in We didn’t sign a contract; we simply shook hands on our agreement. [Early 1900s]

  shake in one’s boots → See QUAKE IN ONE’S BOOTS.

  shake off Free oneself or get rid of something or someone, as in I’ve had a hard time shaking off this cold, or She forged ahead, shaking off all the other runners. It is also put as give someone the shake, as in We managed to give our pursuers the shake. The first term dates from the late 1300s; the slangy variant dates from the second half of the 1800s.

  shake one’s head Express disapproval, dissent, or doubt, as in That announcement had us shaking our heads in dismay. This expression, which can be used both literally (for moving one’s head from side to side) and figuratively, dates from about 1300.

  shaker → See MOVER AND SHAKER.

  shake someone’s tree Arouse to action or reaction, disturb, as in He really shook Hollywood’s tree.

  shake the dust from one’s feet Depart in a hurry, especially from an unpleasant situation; also, leave forever. For example, I couldn’t wait to shake the dust from my feet; I never wanted to see either of them again. This metaphoric term, alluding to moving one’s feet fast enough to shake off dust, appears in several books of the Bible. [c. 1600]

  shake up 1. Agitate in order to mix or loosen, as in This cough medicine needs to be thoroughly shaken up, or Please shake up these pillows. 2. Upset greatly, as in Even though no one was hurt, he was greatly shaken up by the accident. This usage alludes to being agitated like a liquid being shaken. Also see ALL SHOOK UP. [Late 1800s] 3. Subject to drastic rearrangement or reorganization, as in New management was bent on shaking up each division.

  shake with laughter Convulse with the humor of something, as in When asked if he was planning to give away the bride, he shook with laughter at the very thought. [Early 1700s]

  shame → In addition to the idiom beginning with SHAME, also see CRYING SHAME; FOR SHAME; PUT TO SHAME.

  shame on you → See under FOR SHAME.

  shape → In addition to the idiom beginning with SHAPE, also see BENT OUT OF SHAPE; IN CONDITION (SHAPE); LICK INTO SHAPE; TAKE SHAPE.

  shape up 1. Turn out, develop; see TAKE SHAPE. 2. Improve so as to meet a standard, as in The coach told the team that they’d better shape up or they’d be at the bottom of the league. This usage was first recorded in 1938. 3. shape up or ship out Behave yourself or be forced to leave, as in The new supervisor told Tom he’d have to shape up or ship out. This expression originated in the 1940s, during World War II, as a threat that if one didn’t behave in an appropriate military manner one would be sent overseas to a combat zone. After the war it was transferred to other situations calling for improved performance.

  share → In addition to the idiom beginning with SHARE, also see LION’S SHARE.

  share and share alike Mete out or partake of something equally, as in Mom told the children to share and share alike with their Halloween candy. This term, first recorded about 1566, alluded to the equal apportioning of spoils and soon was broadened to include equal sharing in the costs of a venture and other undertakings or possessions.

  sharp → In addition to the idioms beginning with SHARP, also see KEEP AN EYE OUT (A SHARP LOOKOUT) FOR; LOOK SHARP.

  sharp as a tack Also, sharp as a razor. Mentally acute. For example, She’s very witty—she’s sharp as a tack. These similes are also used literally to mean “having a keen cutting edge” and have largely replaced the earlier sharp as a needle or thorn. The first dates from about 1900, the variant from the mid-1800s.

  sharp practice Crafty or deceitful dealings, especially in business. For example, That firm’s known for its sharp practice, so I’d rather not deal with them. This expression, first recorded in 1836, uses sharp in the combined sense of “mentally acute” and “cutting.”

  shave → See CLOSE CALL (SHAVE).

  shed blood Also, spill blood. Wound or kill someone, especially violently. For example, It was a bitter fight but fortunately no blood was shed, or A great deal of blood has been spilled in this family feud. Both of these terms allude to causing blood to flow and fall on the ground. The first dates from the 1200s. The variant amplifies the verb spill, which from about 1300 to 1600 by itself meant “slay” or “kill”; it was first recorded about 1125.

  shed light on Also, throw light on. Clarify or explain, as in I was hoping the professor would shed light on how he arrived at his theory, or Can anyone throw some light on where these plants came from? Originally, from about 1200, these expressions were used literally, in the sense of “illuminate,” but they soon were used figuratively as well.

  sheep → See BLACK SHEEP; HANGED FOR A SHEEP AS A LAMB; SEPARATE THE SHEEP FROM THE GOATS; WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING.

  sheet → See THREE SHEETS TO THE WIND; WHITE AS A SHEET.

  shelf → See OFF THE SHELF; ON THE SHELF.

  shell → In addition to the idiom beginning with SHELL, also see IN ONE’S SHELL.

  shellacking → See TAKE A SHELLACKING.

  shell out Pay, hand over, as in We had to shell out $1,000 for auto repairs. This expression transfers taking a seed such as a pea or nut out of its pod or shell to taking money out of one’s pocket. [Colloquial; c. 1800]

  shift for oneself Also, fend for oneself. Provide for one’s own needs, as in Don’t worry about Anne; she’s very good at shifting for herself, or The children had to fend for themselves after school. The first term, using shift in the now obsolete sense of “manage,” was first recorded about 1513; the variant, using fend for in the sense of “look after,” was first recorded in 1629.

  shilling → See CUT OFF (WITH A SHILLING).

  shine → In addition to the idiom beginning with SHINE, also see MAKE HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES; RAIN OR SHINE; RISE AND SHINE; TAKE A FANCY (SHINE) TO.

  shine up to Try to impress or please, be attentive to, as in George was always shining up to the teacher, or Her father warned her about men shining up to her for her money. [Colloquial; late 1800s]

  shingle → See HANG OUT ONE’S SHINGLE.

  ship → In addition to the idioms beginning with SHIP, also see DESERT A SINKING SHIP; ENOUGH TO SINK A SHIP; SHAPE UP (OR SHIP OUT); TIGHT SHIP; WHEN ONE’S SHIP COMES IN.

  ship of state The nation, as in We can’t help but wonder who will be steering our ship of state a hundred years from now. This metaphoric expression was first recorded in English in a translation of Niccolò Machiavelli’s The Prince (1675).

  ship out 1. Leave, especially for a distant place, as in The transport planes carried troops shipping out to the Mediterranean. Although this usage originally meant “depart by ship,” the expression is no longer limited to that mode of travel. [c. 1900] 2. Send, export, especially to a distant place, as in The factory shipped out many more orders last month. [Mid-1600s] 3. Quit a job or be fired; see SHAPE UP, def. 3.

  ships that pass in the night Individuals who are rarely in the same place at the same time. For example, Jan works the early shift and Paula the late shift—they’re two ships that pass in the night. This metaphoric expression comes from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem “The Theologian’s Tale” (published in Tales of a Wayside Inn, 1873).

  shirt → See GIVE THE SHIRT OFF ONE’S BACK; HAIR SHIRT; KEEP ONE’S SHIRT ON; LOSE ONE’S SHIRT; STUFFED SHIRT.

  shit on Treat with malice or disrespect, as in I’m tired of all these administrators shitting on me every time I want to try something new. This usage is vulgar slang.

  shit or get off the pot → See under FISH OR CUT BAIT.

  shit will hit the fan, the Also, when or then the shit hits the fan. There will be major trouble, often following the disclosure of a piece of information. For example, When they find out they were firi
ng on their own planes, the shit will hit the fan. This idiom calls up the graphic image of feces spread by a rapidly revolving electric fan. [Vulgar slang; c. 1930]

  shock → See CULTURE SHOCK.

  shoe → In addition to the idiom beginning with SHOE, also see COMFORTABLE AS AN OLD SHOE; FILL SOMEONE’S SHOES; GOODY TWO-SHOES; IF THE SHOE FITS; IN SOMEONE’S SHOES; STEP INTO SOMEONE’S SHOES; WAIT FOR THE OTHER SHOE TO DROP.

  shoe is on the other foot, the The circumstances have reversed, the participants have changed places, as in I was one of his research assistants, subject to his orders, but now that I’m his department head the shoe is on the other foot. This metaphoric term first appeared in the mid-1800s as the boot is on the other leg. Literally wearing the right shoe on the left foot would be quite uncomfortable, and this notion is implied in this idiom, which suggests that changing places is not equally beneficial to both parties.

  shoestring → See ON A SHOESTRING.

  shook up → See ALL SHOOK UP.

  shoot → In addition to the idioms beginning with SHOOT, also see LIKE SHOOTING FISH IN A BARREL; SURE AS SHOOTING; WHOLE BALL OF WAX (SHOOTING MATCH). Also see under SHOT.

  shoot down 1. Ruin the aspirations of, disappoint, as in Bill was hoping Sharon would go out with him, but she shot him down. 2. Reject, defeat; also, expose as false. For example, It was the best idea I could come up with, but they unanimously shot it down, or It was inevitable that they would shoot down any claim made by the opposing candidate. This colloquial expression, which alludes to bringing down an aircraft or game bird by shooting, is sometimes intensified as shoot down in flames, originally (in World War I) referring to bringing down enemy aircraft but by the late 1950s extended to decisively defeating anyone or anything.

  shoot for Strive or aim for, as in We’re shooting for higher production by spring. This term, alluding to aiming at something with a weapon, has largely replaced the earlier shoot at, which dates from the 1400s.

  shoot from the hip Speak or act recklessly or impulsively, as in Steve isn’t very tactful; indeed, he’s known for shooting from the hip. This expression transfers the fast shooting accomplished by drawing a gun from a holster and shooting without raising it to quick speaking or acting. [Slang; mid-1900s] For a similar transfer, see SHOOT OFF ONE’S MOUTH.