sick → In addition to the idiom beginning with SICK, also see CALL IN SICK; GET SICK; MAKE ONE SICK; WORRIED SICK.
sick and tired Also, sick or tired to death. Thoroughly weary or bored, as in I’m sick and tired of these begging phone calls, or She was sick to death of that endless recorded music. These hyperbolic expressions of exasperation imply one is weary to the point of illness or death. The first dates from the late 1700s, the first variant from the late 1800s, and the second variant from the first half of the 1700s.
sick as a dog Very ill, especially from a stomach malady. For example, I don’t know what was in that stew but I was sick as a dog all night. This simile was first recorded in 1705. Why a dog should be viewed as particularly sick remains unclear.
sick at heart Grieving, very disappointed, dejected, as in We were sick at heart when we learned of her predicament. This idiom, which transfers heart disease to unhappiness, was first recorded in 1581.
sick in bed → See LAID UP, def. 1.
sick joke An anecdote intended to be humorous but actually in very bad taste, as in His stories turn out to be sick jokes about people who are handicapped in some way. [Colloquial; mid-1900s]
sick to one’s stomach Also, sick at one’s stomach. Nauseated, vomiting, as in I always get sick to my stomach in the back seat of a car. [Mid-1600s]
sic transit gloria mundi Nothing on earth is permanent, as in His first three novels were bestsellers and now he can’t even find an agent—sic transit gloria mundi. This expression, Latin for “Thus passes the glory of the world,” has been used in English since about 1600, and is familiar enough so that it is sometimes abbreviated to sic transit.
side → In addition to the idioms beginning with SIDE, also see BLIND SPOT (SIDE); BRIGHT SIDE; CAN’T HIT THE BROAD SIDE OF A BARN; GET ON SOMEONE’S GOOD SIDE; GET UP ON THE WRONG SIDE OF BED; IN GOOD WITH (GET ON SOMEONE’S GOOD SIDE); KNOW WHICH SIDE OF ONE’S BREAD IS BUTTERED; LAUGH OUT OF THE OTHER SIDE OF ONE’S MOUTH; LET SOMEONE (THE SIDE) DOWN; ON SOMEONE’S SIDE; ON THE SAFE SIDE; ON THE SIDE; ON THE SIDE OF THE ANGELS; OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN; RIGHT SIDE OF THE TRACKS; RIGHT-SIDE OUT; RIGHT-SIDE UP; SEAMY SIDE; SPLIT ONE’S SIDES; SUNNY SIDE (UP); TAKE ASIDE (TO ONE SIDE); TAKE SIDES; THIS SIDE OF; THORN IN ONE’S FLESH (SIDE); WORK BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET; WRONG SIDE OF SOMEONE.
side against Refuse to support, oppose in a dispute, as in The older club members sided against the new program director and her strenuous exercise programs. [First half of 1700s] For the antonym, see SIDE WITH.
side by side Next to each other, close together, as in They were walking down the street side by side when the taxi jumped the curb, or In the new Russia communism and capitalism are trying to live side by side. [c. 1200]
sidelines → See ON THE SIDELINES.
side of the tracks → See under RIGHT SIDE OF THE TRACKS.
side street A minor thoroughfare that carries little traffic, as in Our favorite hotel is on a quiet little side street. The side in this idiom means “off to one side, away from the main street.” [c. 1600] Also see BACK STREET.
sideways → See KNOCK FOR A LOOP (SIDEWAYS); LOOK SIDEWAYS AT.
side with Support or favor, as in The Armenians traditionally side with the Greeks against the Turks. This idiom was first recorded in 1600. For the antonym, see SIDE AGAINST.
sight → In addition to the idioms beginning with SIGHT, also see AT FIRST BLUSH (SIGHT); AT SIGHT; CAN’T STAND (THE SIGHT OF); CATCH SIGHT OF; HEAVE INTO SIGHT; IN SIGHT; KNOW BY SIGHT; LOSE SIGHT OF; LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT; LOWER ONE’S SIGHTS; ON SIGHT; OUT OF SIGHT; RAISE ONE’S SIGHTS; SECOND SIGHT; SEE THE SIGHTS; SET ONE’S SIGHTS ON; TWENTY-TWENTY HINDSIGHT.
sight for sore eyes, a One whom it is a relief or joy to see, as in Linda, who had not seen him in 15 years, told him he was a sight for sore eyes. This idiom implies an appearance so welcome that it heals ailing eyes. [First half of 1700s]
sight unseen Without having viewed the object in question, as in He bought the horse sight unseen. This seeming oxymoron—how can a sight, which means something seen, be not seen?—dates from the late 1800s.
sign → In addition to the idioms beginning with SIGN, see HIGH SIGN; SHOW SIGNS OF.
signed, sealed, and delivered Completed satisfactorily, as in The house is sold—signed, sealed, and delivered. This idiom refers to a legal deed, which to be valid had to be signed by the seller, sealed with a wax seal, and delivered to the new owner. It began to be used more loosely in the first half of the 1900s.
significant other A person very close to one; a romantic or sexual partner. Originally the term simply meant someone very important to one, but from the 1970s on it denoted an intimate partner. For example, Jane wondered what wording she should use to indicate that significant others were also invited to the wedding.
sign in Record one’s arrival by signing a register, as in He signed in both himself and his wife. [c. 1930] For the antonym, see SIGN OUT.
sign off 1. Announce the end of a communication, especially a broadcast. For example, There’s no one there now; the station has signed off for the night. [c. 1920] 2. Stop talking, become silent, as in Every time the subject of marriage came up, Harold signed off. [Colloquial; mid-1900s] 3. Express approval formally or conclusively, as in The President got the majority leader to sign off on the tax proposal. This usage is colloquial.
sign of the times Something that is typical of a particular historical period. This term originated in the 16th century and appears in the Bible’s Gospel of St. Matthew, “Can ye not discern the signs of the times?” (16:3). Today it is often used disparagingly, as in Many copy editors don’t correct erroneous divisions of words, sloppiness that‘s a sign of our times.
sign on 1. Enlist oneself as an employee, as in Arthur decided to sign on with the new software company. [Late 1800s] 2. Begin radio or television broadcasting, especially at the beginning of the day, as in What time does the station sign on? [c. 1920]
sign one’s own death warrant Bring about one’s own downfall, do oneself irreparable harm, as in In taking his secretary to a risqué nightclub, the parish priest was signing his own death warrant. This expression may refer to acts that ensure someone’s later murder, as when, in 1921, the Irish revolutionary leader Michael Collins signed the peace treaty he had negotiated with England and said, “I tell you, I have signed my death warrant.” Thirteen months later Collins was assassinated by political opponents. The expression is also used hyperbolically, however, for severe repercussions or punishments. [First half of 1900s] Also see SHOOT ONESELF IN THE FOOT.
sign on the dotted line Agree formally or fully, as in The deal is just about fixed; all they have to do is sign on the dotted line. This idiom refers to the broken line traditionally appearing at the bottom of a legal document, indicating the place for one’s signature. [Early 1900s]
sign out Record the departure of a person or the removal of an object, as in He turned in his room key and signed out about an hour ago, or I asked the librarian how many books I could sign out. [c. 1930]
sign over Legally dispose of or make over to a different owner, as in She signed over nearly all of her property to the church. [Early 1700s]
sign up Enlist in an organization; also, register or subscribe to something. For example, He signed up for four years in the navy, or Are you planning to sign up for that pottery class? [Early 1900s]
silence is golden Keeping one’s mouth shut is a great virtue, as in Don’t tell anyone else about it—silence is golden. Although this precise phrase was first recorded only in 1848, it is part of a much older proverb, “Speech is silver and silence is golden.”
silent majority A group that makes up a majority of voters but does not widely express its views through marches or demonstrations. For example, They thought they had a convincing case, but they hadn’t counted on the silent majority. This idiom was first recorded in 1874 but gained currency in the 1960s, when President Richard Nixon claimed that his policies were supported by a majority
of citizens who did not bother to make their views known.
silk → See CAN’T MAKE A SILK PURSE OUT OF A SOW’S EAR; SMOOTH AS SILK.
silver → In addition to the idiom beginning with SILVER, also see BORN WITH A SILVER SPOON; CROSS SOMEONE’S PALM WITH SILVER; HAND TO ON A SILVER PLATTER.
silver lining An element of hope or a redeeming quality in an otherwise bad situation, as in The rally had a disappointing turnout, but the silver lining was that those who came pledged a great deal of money. This metaphoric term is a shortening of Every cloud has a silver lining, in turn derived from John Milton’s Comus (1634): “A sable cloud turns forth its silver lining on the night.”
simmer down Become calm after anger or excitement, as in Simmer down, Mary; I’m sure he’ll make it up to you, or I haven’t time to look at your report now, but I will when things have simmered down a bit. This idiom derives from simmer in the sense of “cook at low heat, below the boiling point.” [Second half of 1800s]
simon pure Absolutely genuine, quite authentic, as in That laboratory test was simon pure; none of the specimens was adulterared. This expression comes from the name of a character in a play, Susannah Centilivre’s A Bold Stroke for a Wife (1717), who is the victim of an impersonation but turns up in the end and proves that he is “the real Simon Pure.”
simple → See PURE AND SIMPLE.
sin → See LIVE IN SIN; MORE SINNED AGAINST THAN SINNING; MULTITUDE OF SINS; UGLY AS SIN; WAGES OF SIN.
since → See GREATEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD.
sine qua non An essential element or condition, as in A perfect cake is the sine qua non of a birthday party. This phrase is Latin for “without which not” and has been used in English since about 1600. It appears more in writing than in speech.
sing a different tune Also, sing another tune. → See CHANGE ONE’S TUNE.
sing for one’s supper Work for one’s pay or reward, as in Entertaining visiting scientists is part of the job; you know I have to sing for my supper: This metaphoric term alludes to wandering minstrels who performed in taverns and were paid with a meal. First recorded in 1609, it gained currency with the familiar nursery rhyme, “Little Tommy Tucker, sings for his supper” (c. 1744).
single → In addition to the idioms beginning with SINGLE, also see EACH AND EVERY (EVERY SINGLE) ONE.
single file, in Also, in Indian file. Aligned one behind the other, as in We have to bike in single file here, or The children were told to march in Indian file. Both usages are associated with military formations; the first term was first recorded in 1670; the variant, alluding to the usual marching order of Native Americans, was first recorded in 1758.
single out Choose or distinguish from others, as in We singled him out from all the other applicants. This idiom was first recorded in 1629.
sing out Call out loudly, shout, as in One of them fell in the stream and sang out for help. [Early 1800s]
sing someone’s praises Commend someone, especially to others, as in They were singing her praises to the entire community. [Mid-1500s] Also see PRAISE TO THE SKIES.
sink → In addition to the idioms beginning with SINK, also see DESERT A SINKING SHIP; ENOUGH TO SINK A SHIP; EVERYTHING BUT THE KITCHEN SINK; HEART SINKS.
sinker → See HOOK, LINE, AND SINKER.
sink in Penetrate the mind, be absorbed, as in The news of the crash didn’t sink in right away. [Late 1300s]
sinking feeling, a A sense of dread or apprehension, as in I had a sinking feeling that I’d forgotten my ticket. This expression employs sink in the sense of “become depressed,” a usage dating from the early 1600s.
sink one’s teeth into Also, get one’s teeth into. Become fully engaged in, as in He couldn’t wait to sink his teeth into that problem. This metaphoric expression alludes to an animal biting vigorously into its prey. [Early 1900s]
sink or swim Succumb or succeed, no matter what, as in Now that we’ve bought the farm, we’ll have to make a go of it, sink or swim. This expression alludes to the former barbaric practice of throwing a suspected witch into deep water, often weighted down. In case of sinking, the victim died; in case of swimming, the victim was considered in league with the devil and therefore was executed. A related idiom, float or sink, was used by Chaucer in the late 1300s; Shakespeare had the current form in 1 Henry IV (1:3): “Or sink or swim.”
sink through the floor Suffer extreme embarrassment, as in When she called our name on the list of those who owed dues, I sank through the floor. This hyperbolic term dates from the early 1900s.
sit → In addition to the idioms beginning with SIT, also see AT A SITTING.
sit at one’s feet → See AT SOMEONE’S FEET.
sit back 1. Relax, as in Now that the work’s finished, we can just sit back. 2. Refrain from interfering or taking part, as in Mom and Dad just sat back and watched Meg try to decide whether or not she should tell on her friends. [Mid-1900s] Also see SIT BY.
sit bolt upright → See BOLT UPRIGHT.
sit by Also, sit idly by. Refrain from interfering, remain passive, as in I can’t just sit by and let her get in trouble.
sit down 1. Take a seat, as in Won’t you sit down? I won’t be long. [c. 1200] 2. sit down to. Prepare to eat a meal, as in At six we all sat down to dinner. [Late 1500s]
sit in 1. Attend or take part as a visitor, as in My son’s jazz group asked me to sit in tonight. It is often put as sit in on, as in They asked me to sit in on their poker game. [Mid-1800s] 2. Take part in a sit-in, that is, an organized protest in which seated participants refuse to move. For example, The students threatened to sit in unless the dean was reinstated. [c. 1940] 3. sit in on. Visit or observe, as in I’m sitting in on his class, but not for credit. [Early 1900s] 4. sit in for. Substitute for a regular member of a group, as in I’m just sitting in for Harold, who couldn’t make it.
sit on Also, sit upon. 1. Confer about or deliberate over, as in Another attorney was called to sit on the case. [Mid-1400s] 2. Suppress or repress, as in I know they were sitting on some evidence. [Early 1900s] 3. Postpone action or resolution regarding, as in I don’t know why the city council is sitting on their decision. [Early 1900s] 4. Rebuke sharply, reprimand, as in If he interrupts one more time I’m going to sit on him. [Slang; second half of 1800s]
sit on one’s hands Take no action; also, fail to applaud. For example, Instead of making a new will, George is sitting on his hands, or The matinee audience was apathetic, sitting on their hands for the whole performance. Both usages of this metaphor for passivity date from the first half of the 1900s.
sit out 1. Also, sit through. Stay until the end of, as in We decided to sit out the lecture instead of leaving early, or He was only eight when he sat through an entire opera—and it lasted nearly five hours. [Early 1700s] 2. Refrain from taking part in, as in Jane’s foot hurt so she sat out the last three dances. [Mid-1600s] 3. Outlast, outstay, as in He sat out all the other guests, hoping to get a word alone with the host. [Mid-1700s]
sit pretty → See SITTING PRETTY.
sit through → See SIT OUT, def. 1.
sit tight Be patient, take no action, as in If you just sit tight I’m sure your passport will be returned to you. [Colloquial; first half of 1700s]
sitting duck An easy target, as in If you park in front of a fire hydrant, you’re a sitting duck for a ticket. This term alludes to the ease with which a hunter can shoot a duck that remains in one spot, in contrast to one in flight. [First half of 1900s]
sitting on a powder keg In imminent danger, in an explosive situation, as in Our office is sitting on a powder keg while management decides whether or not to close us down. This metaphoric term alludes to sitting on a keg of gunpowder that could go off at any moment. [First half of 1900s]
sitting pretty In an advantageous position; also, financially well off. For example, The terms of the will left Mary sitting pretty. Although the use of pretty in the sense of “advantageous” is much older, this colloquialism dates only from the early 1900s. It was
given extra currency as the title of two different musicals, Sittin’ Pretty (M. Moore, 1921) and Sitting Pretty (G. Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, 1924).
situation → See NO-WIN SITUATION.
sit up 1. Rise to a sitting position from lying down, as in The sick child sat up and asked for a drink of water. [Early 1200s] 2. Stay up later than usual, as in The nurse sat up with her all night long. [Mid-1500s] 3. Sit with the spine erect, as in She was always telling the students to sit up. [Early 1700s] 4. Become suddenly alert, as in The students sat up when he brought up the test. The same sense appears in the related sit up and take notice, as in When he mentioned the arrival of a movie star, they all sat up and took notice. [Late 1800s]
sit well with Please, fit or suit, be acceptable to, as in I don’t think that explanation sits well with the headmaster, or His sense of humor does not sit well with this elderly audience. [Early 1700s]
six → In addition to the idioms beginning with SIX, also see AT SIXES AND SEVENS; DEEP SIX; JOE SIX-PACK.
six feet under Dead and buried, as in No, you can’t read my diary—not until I’m six feet under. Although this expression alludes to what has long been the traditional depth of a grave, that is, approximately the same as the length of the coffin, it dates only from the mid-1900s.
six of one, half a dozen of the other The two alternatives are effectively the same, as in Either Route 2 or Long Avenue will get you there—it’s six of one, half a dozen of the other. This term simply equates two different ways of saying “six.” [First half of 1800s]
sixth sense Keen intuition, as in She had a sixth sense that they would find it in the cellar. This term alludes to a sense in addition to the five physical senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. [c. 1800]
size → In addition to the idiom beginning with SIZE, also see CUT DOWN (TO SIZE); PICK ON (SOMEONE YOUR OWN SIZE); THAT’S ABOUT THE SIZE OF IT; TRY ON (FOR SIZE).
size up Make an estimate, opinion, or judgment of, as in She sized up her opponent and decided to withdraw from the election. This usage transfers measuring the size of something to broader meaning. [Late 1800s]
The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms Page 108