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Today's Phrases.

Posted by ESC on August 19, 2003

In Reply to: Today's Phrases. posted by kathaab on August 18, 2003

: hi..here's what I have for you today..thank you all.

: 1.he lived hand-to‑mouth

: 2."hopped out" of the car

: 3. at first light

: 4."staked out" someone with tow ropes tied to trees

: 5.struck point blank in the chest

: 6.put out an all-points bulletin for someone's arrest.

: 7.cordoned off all routes out of the city

: 8.lived a cult-like lifestyle

: 9.they look down their nose at someone.

: 10.he ranted about something.

1. he lived hand-to mouth. He had no extra money. The literal idea is that whatever food one has on hand, it is eaten. There is not enough to save for another day. A similar phrase: Living from paycheck to paycheck.

2."hopped out" of the car. Got out of the car rapidly.

3. at first light. At dawn, early morning.

4. "staked out" someone with tow ropes tied to trees. Tied someone up in this manner.

5. struck point blank in the chest. Shot directly in the chest.

6. put out an all-points bulletin for someone's arrest. Put out a notice over the police radio or whatever they use these days.

7. cordoned off all routes out of the city. Closed off all routes out with a police blockade.

8. lived a cult-like lifestyle. Lived like someone in a cult. I take it to mean single-minded, devoted to one ideal. Not a lot of luxuries or frills.
* a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents
* great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad b : a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion

9. they look down their nose at someone. They thought they were superior to another.

10. he ranted about something.
Main Entry: 1rant
Pronunciation: 'rant
Function: verb
Etymology: obsolete Dutch ranten, randen
Date: 1602
intransitive senses
1 : to talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner
2 : to scold vehemently
transitive senses : to utter in a bombastic declamatory fashion

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