smell a rat Suspect something is wrong, especially a betrayal of some kind. For example, When I didn’t hear any more from my prospective employer, I began to smell a rat. This expression alludes to a cat sniffing out a rat. [c. 1550]
smell fishy Be suspect or suspicious, as in His explanation definitely smells fishy; my guess is that he’s lying. This idiom alludes to the fact that fresh fish have no odor but stale or rotten ones do. [Early 1800s]
smell to high heaven → See STINK TO HIGH HEAVEN.
smell up Also, stink up. Cause a bad odor, as in These onions smell up the whole house, or Your old sneakers are stinking up the closet; throw them out. [Mid-1900s]
smile → In addition to the idiom beginning with SMILE, also see CRACK A SMILE.
smile on Look with favor or approval on, as in The current administration smiles on anyone who gives it helpful publicity. [c. 1400]
smoke → In addition to the idioms beginning with SMOKE, also see CHAIN SMOKER; GO UP IN FLAMES (SMOKE); HOLY COW (SMOKE); NO SMOKE WITHOUT FIRE; WATCH ONE’S DUST (SMOKE).
smoke like a chimney, to To smoke cigars, cigarettes, or other tobacco products in large quantities. Comparing the habit to smoke rising from a chimney, this term usually is employed disapprovingly, as in Bernice still smokes like a chimney; she just can’t give it up. This seemingly modern term was first recorded in 1840.
smoke out Expose, reveal, bring to public view, as in Reporters thrive on smoking out a scandal. This expression alludes to driving a person or animal out of a hiding place by filling it with smoke. [Late 1500s]
smoking gun Something that serves as indisputable evidence or proof, especially of a crime. For example, There is no smoking gun in the Oval Office; the President had no role in tampering with the evidence. This expression alludes to the smoke coming from a recently discharged firearm, a normal occurrence until the invention of smokeless powder. [Mid-1900s]
smooth → In addition to the idioms beginning with SMOOTH, also see TAKE THE ROUGH WITH THE SMOOTH.
smooth as silk Lacking impediments or obstacles, unhindered, as in The negotiations went smooth as silk. This simile alludes to the slippery quality of silk. [c. 1900] Also see SMOOTH SAILING.
smooth over Rid of obstructions or difficulties, as in We tried to smooth things over between the families before the wedding but did not succeed. [Late 1600s]
smooth sailing Easy progress, as in We had a hard time setting up the new computer system but it’ll be smooth sailing from here on. The smooth in this idiom alludes to calm waters, free from big waves or roughness, a usage dating from the late 1300s. The transfer to other kinds of easy progress dates from the second half of the 1900s. Also see PLAIN SAILING.
snag → See HIT A SNAG.
snail mail Ordinary postal service, as opposed to electronic communications. For example, He hasn’t taken to his computer so he’s still using snail mail. This slangy idiom, alluding to the alleged slowness of the snail, caught on at least partly for its rhyme. [1980s]
snail’s pace A very slow pace, as in They’re making progress with testing the new vaccine, but at a snail’s pace. [c. 1400]
snake in one’s bosom → See VIPER IN ONE’S BOSOM.
snake in the grass A treacherous person, as in Ben secretly applied for the same job as his best friend; no one knew he was such a snake in the grass. This metaphor for treachery, alluding to a poisonous snake concealed in tall grass, was used in 37 B.C. by the Roman poet Virgil (latet anguis in herba). It was first recorded in English in 1696 as the title of a book by Charles Leslie.
snake oil A useless medical remedy. This term alludes to the quack medicines touted by salesmen who claimed snake oil or other potions were effective remedies for many ailments. The usage dates from the early 1900s but was later extended to mean worthless cures for any kind of problem, as in The Fed’s trying to help the economy by bailing out various corporations is a form of snake oil.
snap at Speak irritably or abruptly to someone, as in This teacher was always snapping at the children. This use of snap transfers an animal’s sudden bite at something to a verbal attack. [Late 1500s]
snap back Rebound from a setback, recover quickly, as in I think we’ll snap back quickly from this business downturn. This idiom transfers the sudden release of tension on, for example, a branch to other kinds of recovery. [First half of 1900s]
snap judgment A hurried or impetuous decision or finding, as in George was known for making snap judgments on personnel questions; he rarely bothered to investigate further. This expression, which uses snap in the sense of “quick,” was first recorded in 1841.
snap one’s fingers at Treat with contempt, scorn, disregard, as in Peter just snapped his fingers at the speed limit and drove as fast he liked, or Joanne snapped her fingers at the rumor about their bankruptcy. This expression alludes to the gesture of striking one’s finger against one’s thumb, thereby making a sharp noise. [Early 1800s]
snap out of Suddenly recover, as in You can’t expect an entire economy to snap out of the doldrums overnight. This expression is also put as an imperative, Snap out of it! telling someone to return to his or her normal state of mind from an undesirable condition such as grief, self-pity, or depression; for example, Snap out of it, Stella; it’s over and done with. [1920s]
snappy → See under MAKE HASTE.
snap someone’s head off → See BITE SOMEONE’S HEAD OFF.
snap to Move swiftly and smartly to an action, as in The troops snapped to attention. This phrase is sometimes expanded to snap to it, as in You’d better snap to it if we’re going to finish today. [Early 1900s]
snap up Snatch for one’s own use, as in As soon as they lower the price we intend to snap up the house; it’s exactly what we want. [Mid-1500s]
sneak preview An advance showing of something, as in It was supposed to be bad luck but she gave the bridegroom a sneak preview of her wedding gown. This expression originated in the 1930s for a single public showing of a motion picture before its general release, and in succeeding decades was transferred to other undertakings.
sneeze at → See NOT TO BE SNEEZED AT.
sniff out Uncover, as If there’s anything to that rumor, Gladys will sniff it out. This expression alludes to an animal sniffing for prey. [First half of 1900s]
snit → See IN A SNIT.
snow → In addition to the idioms beginning with SNOW, also see PURE AS THE DRIVEN SNOW.
snowball’s chance in hell, a No chance at all, as in He hasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell of getting there in two hours. This idiom, nearly always used negatively, alludes to the traditional view of hell as extremely hot, causing snow to melt at once. [Late 1800s]
snow job An effort to deceive, persuade, or overwhelm with insincere talk. For example, Peter tried to give the officer a snow job about an emergency at the hospital but he got a speeding ticket all the same. This slangy expression, originating in the military during World War II, presumably alludes to the idiom SNOW UNDER.
snow under Overwhelm, overpower, as in I can’t go; I’m just snowed under with work, or We were snowed under by more votes than we could have anticipated. This expression alludes to being buried in snow. [Late 1800s]
snuff → In addition to the idiom beginning with SNUFF, also see UP TO PAR (SNUFF).
snuff out 1. Extinguish, put a sudden end to, as in Three young lives were snuffed out in that automobile accident. This usage alludes to snuff in the sense of “put out a candle by pinching the wick,” whose burned portion was called snuff from the late 1300s on. [Mid-1800s] 2. Kill, murder, as in If he told the police, the gang would snuff him out. [Slang; first half of 1900s] 3. Also, snuff it. Die or be killed, as in He looked very ill indeed, as though he might snuff out any day, or Grandpa just snuffed it. [Slang; second half of 1800s]
snug as a bug in a rug Very cozy and comfortable, as in During the blizzard we had plenty of firewood and stayed in the cottage, snug as a bug in a rug. This expression, thought to allude to a moth larv
a happily feeding inside a rolled-up carpet, was first recorded in 1769 and probably owes its long life to the rhyme.
so → In addition to the idioms beginning with SO, also see AND SO FORTH (AND SO ON); AS (SO) FAR AS; AS (SO) FAR AS POSSIBLE; AS (SO) FAR AS THAT GOES; AS (SO) LONG AS; AS (SO) MUCH AS; EVEN SO; EVERY NOW AND THEN (SO OFTEN); GO SO FAR AS TO; HOW COME (SO); IN SO MANY WORDS; IS THAT A FACT (SO); I TOLD YOU SO; JUST SO; NEVER HAD IT SO GOOD; NOT (SO) BAD; ON ONE’S SAY-SO; OR SO; TAKE IT (JUST SO MUCH); WITHOUT SO MUCH AS.
soaked to the skin Also, soaked through. Drenched, extremely wet, as in What a downpour; I’m soaked to the skin, or She fell in the stream and was soaked through. This idiom implies that water has penetrated one’s clothing, so one is thoroughly wet. The phrase to the skin has been so used since about 1600; it and the variant were combined in Randle Cotgrave’s Dictionary (1611) as “Wet through, or (as we say) to the skin.”
soak up 1. Absorb, take in, as in I lay there, soaking up the sun, or She often went to hear poets read their work, soaking up every word. This usage, alluding to absorbing a liquid, dates from the mid-1500s. 2. Drink to excess, as in She can really soak up her beer.
soap → In addition to the idiom beginning with SOAP, also see NO DICE (SOAP); ON ONE’S SOAPBOX; SOFT SOAP.
soap opera 1. A radio or television serial with stock characters in domestic dramas that are noted for being sentimental and melodramatic. For example, She just watches soap operas all day long. This term originated in the mid-1930s and was so called because the sponsors of the earliest such radio shows were often soap manufacturers. 2. Real-life situation resembling one that might occur in a soap opera, as in She just goes on and on about her various medical and family problems, one long soap opera. [1940s]
so as to In order to, as in We took off our shoes so as to avoid scratching the newly finished floors. This idiom is always followed by an infinitive. For a synonym, see IN ORDER, def. 5.
so be it Let it be so, I accept it as it is. For example, If you can’t change the reservation, so be it; I’ll travel on Monday. This phrase, often given as a translation of the Hebrew (and Greek and Latin) amen, has been employed in the current sense since about 1600.
sober as a judge Not at all intoxicated, quite clear-headed, as in Even after three drinks he was sober as a judge. Why judges should be equated with sobriety is not known, but the simile was first recorded in 1694.
sob story A tale of personal hardship, true or invented, that is intended to arouse pity in the listener. For example, She always came up with some sob story to excuse her absences, but no one believed her. [Early 1900s]
society → See under MUTUAL ADMIRATION SOCIETY.
sock away Put money in a safe place for future use, as in I’ve got about $2,000 socked away for a new car. This usage presumably alludes to putting one’s savings in a sock. [Colloquial; first half of 1900s]
sock in Surround with thick fog or other weather conditions impeding visibility, as in The airport was socked in all morning and air traffic was at a standstill, or We finally got to the peak and were totally socked in—there was no view at all. The sock referred to here is probably a windsock, as decisions to close an airport are made in part on the basis of observations of windsocks, which indicate wind direction. The expression was first recorded in 1944.
sock it to Deliver a physical blow, forceful comment, or reprimand to, as in The judge often socks it to the jury in a murder case. This idiom uses sock in the sense of “strike hard.” It is also put as an imperative, as in Sock it to them, kid! or Sock it to me!, which is sometimes used to give encouragement but can also have sexual overtones. [Second half of 1800s]
so far Also, thus far. Up to this point, as in So far we haven’t seen him in the crowd, or They’ve made very little progress on their report thus far. [c. 1300]
so far as → See under AS FAR AS.
so far, so good Matters are satisfactory up to this point, as in You’ve knitted the main portion of the sweater but not the sleeves? Well, so far, so good. This idiom was first recorded in James Kelly’s Scottish Proverbs (1721), where it is defined: “So far, so good. So much is done to good purpose.”
soft → In addition to the idioms beginning with SOFT, also see HARD (SOFT) SELL.
soften up Reduce resistance, as in His sales motto was: a fine lunch and a few drinks often will soften up a prospective customer. This expression transfers lessening of physical hardness to lessening mental resistance. It was first used, however, in World War II, where it meant “reduce the enemy’s defenses by preliminary bombing.” [c. 1940]
soft in the head Mentally deficient; also, silly, foolish. For example, He’s nice enough but a bit soft in the head. The soft in this idiom, first recorded in 1775, alludes to a weakness in mental capacity.
soft job An easy job or task, as in He really has a soft job—his assistants do nearly all the work. This colloquial expression uses soft in the sense of “involving little or no hardship or discomfort.” It was first put as soft employment in 1639.
soft on 1. Attracted to or emotionally involved with, as in He’s been soft on Margaret for years. This usage was first recorded in 1840. 2. Not stern, lenient, especially too much so. For example, Some think the court has been soft on violent protesters. This usage was first recorded in 1883.
soft pedal Something that de-emphasizes, restrains, or plays down, as in The mayor put a soft pedal on this potentially explosive situation. This expression alludes to the una corda or soft pedal of the piano, which reduces the volume of the sound. It gave rise to the verb soft-pedal, meaning both “reduce the volume of” or “make less emphatic, downplay.” [Early 1900s]
soft sell → See HARD SELL, def. 1.
soft soap Flattery, cajolery, as in She’s only six but she’s learned how to get her way with soft soap. This colloquial expression alludes to liquid soap, likening its slippery quality to insincere flattery. Its figurative use was first recorded in 1830. It is also used as a verb, as in Soft-soaping the teacher is not going to make him raise your grade.
soft spot 1. A weak or vulnerable point, as in That’s the soft spot in his argument. [Mid-1900s] 2. have a soft spot for. Have a tender or sentimental feeling for, as in Grandpa had a soft spot for Brian, his first grandson. This expression, first recorded in 1753 as “a soft place in one’s heart,” uses soft in the sense of “tender.”
soft touch Someone easily persuaded or taken advantage of, especially in giving away money. For example, Ask Dan for the money; he’s always a soft touch. [First half of 1900s]
so help me Also, so help me God. I swear that what I am saying is true, as in So help me, I haven’t enough cash to pay for the tickets, or I wasn’t there, so help me God. This idiom became a formula for swearing a formal oath and is still so used in courts of law for swearing in a witness (I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God). It was first recorded in 1508 as “So help me, our Lord.”
soil one’s hands → See DIRTY ONE’S HANDS.
sold on, be → See SELL SOMEONE ON.
sold out → See SELL OUT.
so long Good-bye, as in So long, we’ll see you next week. The allusion here is puzzling; long presumably means “a long time” and perhaps the sense is “until we meet again after a long time,” but the usage has no such implication. [Colloquial; first half of 1800s]
so long as → See AS LONG AS, defs. 1 and 2.
so many 1. Such a large number, as in There were so many guests that we didn’t have enough chairs. [First half of 1200s] 2. An unspecified number, as in There allegedly are so many shrimp per pound, but of course the exact number depends on their size and weight. [First half of 1500s] 3. Forming a group, as in The reporters turned on the speaker like so many tigers let loose. [c. 1600]
some → See AND THEN SOME; CATCH SOME RAYS; CATCH SOME Z’S; DIG UP (SOME DIRT); IN A (SOME) SENSE; IN SOME MEASURE; ONE OF THESE DAYS (SOME DAY); TAKE (SOME) DOING; TO SOME DEGREE; WIN SOME, LOSE SOME.
somebody up there loves me I am having very good luck right now; also, someone with influence is favoring me. For example, I won $40 on that horse—somebody up there loves me, or I don’t know how I got that great assignment; somebody up there loves me. This idiom, generally used half-jokingly, alludes either to heavenly intervention or to the help of a temporal higher authority. [Colloquial; mid-1900s] Also see FRIEND IN COURT.
somehow → See under OR OTHER.
something → In addition to the idioms beginning with SOMETHING, also see BUY SOMETHING; GET (HAVE) SOMETHING ON SOMEONE; HAVE SOMETHING AGAINST; HOLD (SOMETHING) OVER; LOOK LIKE SOMETHING THE CAT DRAGGED IN; MAKE SOMETHING OF; NOT PUT SOMETHING PAST SOMEONE; ON THE BALL, HAVE SOMETHING; (SOMETHING) OR OTHER; PULL SOMETHING; START SOMETHING; TAKE SOMETHING; YOU KNOW SOMETHING?
something else A person, thing, or event that is quite remarkable, as in That pitcher is something else, or Her new film is something else. The else in this idiom means “other than ordinary.” [Colloquial; early 1900s]
something else again A different case entirely, as in If he’d called to cancel, we wouldn’t mind, but not showing up, that’s something else again. [Mid-1800s]
something in the wind A secret plan or undertaking, as in I think there’s something in the wind for Mom and Dad’s anniversary. This expression alludes to the carrying of a scent by the wind. [First half of 1500s]
something like Similar to, resembling, as in They want a flower garden something like the ones they saw in England. [Mid-1600s]
something of a To some extent, as in Our professor is something of an eccentric. [Early 1700s]
something or other → See under OR OTHER.
something tells me I suspect, I have an intuition, as in Something tells me that she’s not really as ill as she says, or Something told him that it was going to snow.
sometime thing, a Something occasional or transient, as in For most free-lance musicians, work is a sometime thing. This idiom gained currency in the title of a song by George Gershwin, “A Woman Is A Sometime Thing” (1935), introduced in the folk opera Porgy and Bess.
The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms Page 110