[about time]{n. phr.} Finally, but later than it should have been; at last. •/Mother said, "It’s about time you got up, Mary."/ •/The basketball team won last night. About time./
[about to] 1. Close to; ready to. — Used with an infinitive. •/We were about to leave when the snow began./ •/I haven’t gone yet, but I’m about to./ Compare: GOING TO, ON THE POINT OF. 2. {informal} Having a wish or plan to. — Used with an infinitive in negative sentences. •/Freddy wasn’t about to give me any of his ice-cream cone./ •/"Will she come with us?" asked Bill. "She’s not about to," answered Mary./
[above all]{adv. phr.} Of first or highest importance; most especially. •/Children need many things, but above all they need love./ Syn.: FIRST AND LAST.
[above suspicion]{adj. phr.} Too good to be suspected; not likely to do wrong. •/The umpire in the game must be above suspicion of supporting one side over the other./
[absent without leave (AWOL)]{adj.} Absent without permission; used mostly in the military. •/Jack left Fort Sheridan without asking his commanding officer, and was punished for going AWOL./
[absentia] See: IN ABSENTIA.
[Acapulco gold]{n., slang} Marijuana of an exceptionally high quality. •/Jack doesn’t just smoke pot, he smokes Acapulco gold./
[accord] See: OF ONE’S OWN ACCORD or OF ONE’S OWN FREE WILL.
[according as]{conj.} 1. Depending on which; whichever. •/You may take an oral or written exam according as you prefer./ 1. Depending on whether; if. •/We will play golf or stay home according as the weather is good or bad./
[according to]{prep.} 1. So as to match or agree with; so as to be alike in. •/Many words are pronounced according to the spelling but some are not./ •/The boys were placed in three groups according to height./ 2. On the word or authority of. •/According to the Bible, Adam was the first man./
[according to one’s own lights]{adv. phr.} In accordance with one’s conscience or inclinations. •/Citizens should vote according to their own lights./
[account] See: CALL TO ACCOUNT, CHARGE ACCOUNT, LEAVE OUT OF ACCOUNT, ON ACCOUNT, ON ACCOUNT OF, ON ONE’S ACCOUNT, ON ONE’S OWN ACCOUNT, SAVINGS ACCOUNT, TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.
[ace] See: WITHIN AN ACE OF.
[ace in the hole]{n. phr.} 1. An ace given to a player face down so that other players in a card game cannot see it. •/When the cowboy bet all his money in the poker game he did not know that the gambler had an ace in the hole and would win it from him./ 2. {informal} Someone or something important that is kept as a surprise until the right time so as to bring victory or success. •/The football team has a new play that they are keeping as an ace in the hole for the big game./ •/The lawyer’s ace in the hole was a secret witness who saw the accident./ Compare: CARD UP ONE’S SLEEVE.
[Achilles' heel]{n. phr.}, {literary} A physical or psychological weakness named after the Greek hero Achilles who was invulnerable except for a spot on his heel. •/John’s Achilles' heel is his lack of talent with numbers and math./
[acid head]{n.}, {slang} A regular user of LSD on whom the hallucinogenic drug has left a visible effect. •/The reason John acts so funny is that he is a regular acid head./
[acid rock]{n.}, {slang} A characteristic kind of rock in which loudness and beat predominate over melody; especially such music as influenced by drug experiences. •/John is a regular acid rock freak./
[acorn] See: GREAT OAKS PROM LITTLE ACORNS GROW.
[acoustic perfume]{n.}, {slang} Sound for covering up unwanted noise, such as music over loudspeakers in a noisy construction area. •/Let’s get out of here — this acoustic perfume is too much for my ears./
[acquire a taste for]{v. phr.} To become fond of something; get to like something. •/Jack acquired a taste for ripe cheeses when he went to France./
[across the board]{adv. phr.} 1. So that equal amounts of money are bet on the same horse to win a race, to place second, or third. •/I bet $6 on the white horse across the board./ — Often used with hyphens as an adjective. •/I made an across-the-board bet on the white horse./ 2. {informal} Including everyone or all, so that all are included. •/Thе President wanted taxes lowered across the board./ — Often used with hyphens as an adjective. •/Thе workers at the store got an across-the-board pay raise./
[across the tracks] See: THE TRACKS.
[act] See: READ THE RIOT ACT.
[act high and mighty]{v. phr.} To wield power; act overbearingly; order others around; look down on others. •/Paul is an inexperienced teacher and he acts high and mighty with his students./
[actions speak louder than words] What you do shows your character better and is more important than what you say. — A proverb. •/John promised to help me, but he didn’t. Actions speak louder than words./ •/Joe is very quiet, but actions speak louder than words. He is the best player on the team./
[act of faith]{n. phr.} An act or a deed that shows unquestioning belief in someone or something. •/It was a real act of faith on Mary’s part to entrust her jewelry to her younger sister’s care./
[act of God]{n.} An occurrence (usually some sort of catastrophe) for which the people affected are not responsible; said of earthquakes, floods, etc. •/Hurricane Andrew destroyed many houses in Florida, but some types of insurance did not compensate the victims, claiming that the hurricane was an act of God./ See: FICKLE FINGER OF FATE.
[act one’s age] or [be one’s age]{v. phr.} To do the things that people expect someone of your age to do, not act as if you were much younger than you are. •/Mr. O’Brien was playing tag with the children at the party. Then Mrs. O’Brien said, "Henry! Act your age!" and he stopped./
[actor] See: BAD ACTOR.
[act out]{v.} 1. To show an idea, story, or happening by your looks, talk, and movements. •/He tried to act out a story that he had read./ 2. To put into action. •/All his life he tried to act out his beliefs./
[act up]{v.}, {informal} 1. To behave badly; act rudely or impolitely. •/The dog acted up as the postman came to the door./ 2. To work or run poorly (as a after all machine); skip; miss. •/Thе car acted up because the spark plugs were dirty./
[add fuel to the flame]{v. phr.} To make a bad matter worse by adding to its cause; spread trouble, increase anger or other strong feelings by talk or action. •/By criticizing his son’s girl, the father added fuel to the flame of his son’s love./ •/Bob was angry with Ted and Ted added fuel to the flame by laughing at him./
[add insult to injury]{v. phr.} 1. To hurt someone’s feelings after doing him harm. •/He added insult to injury when he called the man a rat after he had already beaten him up./ 2. To make bad trouble worse. •/We started on a picnic, and first it rained, then to add insult to injury, the car broke down./
[addition] See: IN ADDITION.
[address] See: PUBLIC-ADDRESS SYSTEM.
[add the finishing touches]{v. phr.} To complete; finish. •/Mary’s first novel promised to be excellent; however, her editor suggested that she should add some finishing touches before accepting it./
[add up]{v.} 1. To come to the correct amount. •/The numbers wouldn’t add up./ 2. {informal} To make sense; be understandable. •/His story didn’t add up./