Next few (to 40)

Posted by Lewis on November 21, 2003

In Reply to: Help if you can. posted by ESC on November 21, 2003

: : hi,
: : I need to know the meaning for the following phrases. I thank you very much.

: : 1.gears up to run for re-election.

: : 2.a washington think-tank.

: : 3.to knock off Saddam.

: : 4.pulled the plug on something.

: : 5.got off to a bad start.

: : 6.to create common ground.

: : 7.to seeth over the affair.

: : 8.took the oath of office.

: : 9.swept into office.

: : 10.ceremony was steeped in tradition.

: : 11.to put a damper on livelier festivities.

: : 12.political high ground.

: : 13.stalking out.

: : 14.something remained in effect.
it continued to apply

: : 15.defied the prophets of doom.
succeeded despite predictions that it would fail

: : 16.have a wedge issue to use against someone.
(tricky) could use a divisive debating tactic which would cause dissent amongst the opposition

: : 17.trying to find their footing.
seeking to establish a stable postion

: : 18.to mow down someone.
usually to kill in a massive amount of shots - or to drive into somebody with intention to kill them

: : 19.pried something open.
levered - pried to past tense of to 'pry'

: : 20.bemoaned the fate of something.
expressed sorrow at the outcome/what happened

: : 21.hands-on familiarity.
regular practical experience

: : 22.chord of disquiet in the american soul.
(figurative) a feeling of unease in the American public

: : 23.girlie bar.
(multiple uses) strip club/pick-up joint/place where prostitutes or 'easy' women congregate looking for partners

: : 24.sexual pit stops.
(figurative) pit stop = place where racing cars are refuelled and have quick repairs carried out - so a place where immediate sexual release may be obtained

: : 25.crop up in any boomtown.
crop up = unexpectedly appear
boomtown = place where there has been rapid increase in wealth for some

: : 26.to be no outcast.
to be included - to be an outcast is to be excluded from society

: : 27.wattzed off your feet.
waltz is a dance - to be charmed

: : 28.tuned-up calendar.

: : 29.gear up to do something.
to prepare (can mean to get appropriately dressed)

: : 30.knock your socks off.
create surprise - astound

: : 31.next time around.
next time

: : 32.went out on a limb.
(figurative) climbed out on the branch of a tree - exposed self to risk

: : 33.winging into some place.
arriving by plane 9or just quickly)

: : 34.blow out.
multiple uses - to call off an appointment, to explode, to leave rapidly

: : 35.fly-overs.
where a road is supported by pillars and above ground-level

: : 36.ad hoc.
Latin - to/for now/the time being - informal and not proscribed in form

: : 37.going wobbly.
unsteady

: : 38.kicked down the road.
kicked in the direction of the street/kicked forcefully

: : 39.a watershed event.
a breakthrough (as in water spilling over the top of something)

: : 40.the name rang a bell.
the name sounded familiar

: : 41.monument-stippled mall.

: : 42.to lie low.

: : 43.a wake up call.

: : 44.to read between the lines.

: : 45.set off the bombshell.

: : 46.our military around the world is tapped out.

: : 47.mentioned in the same breath as someone.

: : 48.he had been eclipsed by his son.

: : 49.to sail off to somewhere.

: : 50.leapt to its feet.

: : 51.wacky women.

: : 52.slyly boasted.

: : 53.with all due respect to ...

: : 54.make someone a token.

: : 55.gatekeeping.

: : 56.somebody is cooking the books.

: : 57.with the economy taking off.

: : 58.bureaucratic foul-ups.

: : 59.pencilling in a date for election.

: : 60.to hunt down terrorists.

: : 61.brushing off warnings.

: : 62.to stamp out the terrorist threat.

: : 63.thrash out their views.

: : 64.cement an image.

: : 65.she opt for a wheelchair.

: : 66.missing out on the opportunity to get better.

: : 67.in limbo.

: : 68.dreaft dodgers.

: : 69.break-ins.

: : 70.armed offshoot.

: : 71.backed off.

: : 72.set out on a tour.

: : 73.to add insult to injury.

: : 74.to draw up a plan.

: : 75.a sham speech.

: : 76.to kick off his tour.

: : 77.to keep the schedule under wraps.

: : 78.to shrugg off the anouncement.

: : 79.to mend fences with someone.

: : 80.to hold off any action.

: : 81.well-to-do man.

: : 82.to stay the course with someone.

: : 83.wishfull thinking.

: : 84.steered the whale around the pool.

: : 85.tucked his daughter into bed.

: : 86.an effort is in full swing.

: : 87.one-on-one play.

: : 88.down to earth subjects.

: : 89.to keep the ball up and in play.

: : 90.putting someone on the spot.

: : 91.sort out his ideas.

: : 92.wandered off into the evening.

: : 93.hot-wire your ignition.

: : 94.buzzing off.

: : 95.hopping up and down with rage.

: : 96.ripped off.

: : 97.clambered down into the pool.

: : 98.hands-on study.

: : 99.the case thrown out on techicality.

: : 100.a shoo-in-ticket for the presidency.

: : 101.so out of character.

: : 102.voted out of office.

: : 103.just for starters.

: : 104.fit in with other kids.

: : 105.wee hours of the morning.

: : 106.for the life of me.

: : 107.fired off a string of allegations.

: : 108.at stake.

: : 109.waded into the raw.

: : 110.took a sides wipe at her critics.

: : 111.salted away more than $5 billion.

: : 112.i will take him on that offer.

: : 113.struck a chord with me.

: : 114.an hour whizzes by.

: : 115.goofing around on his boogie board.

: : 116.dorsal fin.

: : 117.throw off the yoke of colonial oppression.

: : 118.relegious right is on the act.

: : 119.fire up my internet.

: : 120.the resistence got so heated up.

: : 121.domestic strife.

: : 122.self-immolation.

: : 123.bluffed his way into the reception.

: : 124.full-fledged state visit.

: : 125.morphed into something.

: : 126.miffed at.

: : 127.dapper career diplomat.

: : 128.raged out of control.

: : 129.filibustered someone.

: : 130.quasi-democracy.

: : 131.cozied up to exile.

: : 132.a litmus test for authenticity.

: : 133.up for grabs.

: : 134.the army rounded up thousands of people.

: : 135.to spook the stock market.

: : 136.he has shoved out.

: : 137.two statesmen are tying their ties without pomp.

: : 138.will go into high gear.

: : 139.to pull off something.

: : 140.get someone off the hook.

: : 141.root someone out.

: : 142.the fact of the matter is.

: : 143.to snap up jobs.

: : 144.swooped on someone.

: : 145.spearheaded by.

: : 146.set the wheel in motion.

: : 147.common ground.

:
: 1. gears up to run for re-election. Does the preparation work before running for election to an office he or she already holds.

: 2.a washington think-tank. Washington, D.C. Think tank (from Merriam-Webster online):
: Main Entry: think tank
: Function: noun
: Date: 1959
: : an institute, corporation, or group organized for interdisciplinary research (as in technological and social problems) -- called also think factory
: 3.to knock off Saddam. Kill him.
: 4.pulled the plug on something. Stop it.
: 5.got off to a bad start. Things didn't go well in the beginning of a project.
: 6.to create common ground. Decide what issues people/groups agree on.
: 7.to seeth over the affair. Angry within about something. Affair sometimes means a sexual affair.
: 8.took the oath of office. Swore the required oath ( a solemn usually formal calling upon God or a god to witness to the truth of what one says or to witness that one sincerely intends to do what one says before) before assuming the duties of a political office.
: 9.swept into office. Won by a big margin.
: 10.ceremony was steeped in tradition. Lots of tradition, customs.
: 11.to put a damper on livelier festivities. Spoiled the fun, high spirits.
: 12. political high ground. Acting on a higher moral level. Not getting down in the dirt.
: 13.stalking out. Getting angry and walking out.

• Next few (to 40) Bill Smith 21/November/03
• A few more ESC 21/November/03
  • A few more Shae 21/November/03
  • That's all folks ESC 21/November/03
    • Correcting a few typos ESC 21/November/03
      • Correcting a few typos Bill Smith 22/November/03