American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

ceremony

hand. see STAND ON (CEREMONY).

certain

see FOR CERTAIN.

chain

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with CHAIN, also see BALL AND CHAIN; PULL

SOMEONE'S CHAIN.

chain reaction

A series of events in which each influences or gives rise to the next event, as in If one person collects substantial damages by suing a company, you can expect a chain reaction of such lawsuits.

The term originated in the physical sciences, first (1920s) chemistry and later (1940) physics; in the latter it denotes a process of nuclear fission. By the 1940s it had been transferred to more general use.

chain smoker

One who smokes continually by lighting a new cigarette from the one being finished, as in Before they forbade smoking, bridge tournaments often attracted players who are chain smokers. [c. 1930]

chair

hand. see MUSICAL CHAIRS.

chalk up

1. Score or earn, as in She chalked up enough points to be seeded first in the tournament. This term alludes to recording accounts (and later, scores) in chalk on a slate. [c. 1700] 2. Credit or ascribe, as They chalked their success up to experience. [First half of 1900s]

champ

In addition to the idiom beginning with CHAMP, also see LIKE A CHAMP.

champ at the bit

Show impatience at being held back or delayed, as in The dismissal bell hadn't rung, but they were champing at the bit to leave. This term transfers the action of a horse that impatiently bites the bit in its mouth to human behavior. [Mid-1600s]

chance

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with CHANCE, also see BY CHANCE;

change of pace

A shift in normal routine, a variation in usual activities or pattern, as in She's smiling in that one photo, just for a change of pace, or After six hours at my desk I need a change of pace, so I'm going for a swim. This term originated in a number of sports where strategy can involve altering the speed of, for example, a pitched or struck ball or a horse's gait. By the mid-1900s it was being transferred to other enterprises.

change one's mind

Alter one's views or intentions, as in I can always change my mind about going on this trip. [Early 1600s]

change one's stripes

see under LEOPARD CANNOT CHANGE ITS SPOTS.

change one's tune Also, sing another or a different tune. Reverse one's views or behavior, switch sides, as in When she realized she was talking to the bank president, she quickly changed her tune, or I bet Dan will sing a different tune when he finds out what the salary is. A version of this term, sing another song, dates from about 1300, and it has been theorized that it alludes to itinerant minstrels who changed the words of their songs to please their current audience. The first locution was already in use by 1600. Also see DANCE TO ANOTHER TUNE.

change the subject

Deliberately talk about another topic, as in If someone asks you an embarrassing question, just change the subject. This term uses subject in the sense of "a topic of conversation," a usage dating from the late 1500s.

channel

hand. In addition to the idiom beginning with CHANNEL, also see GO THROUGH

CHANNELS.

channel surfing

Switching from one television station (channel) to another frequently, either to search for an interesting program or to keep track of several programs at once. For example, What did you see on TV last night??

Nothing much; I was just channel surfing. The term transfers the surfer's search for good waves to the viewer's search for programs. This practice became widespread with the use of remote-control devices for changing channels while remaining seated some distance from the television set.

[1980s] A 1990s version is Internet surfing, a similar process for searching cyberspace.

chapter and verse

The precise authority backing up a statement or view; established rules for or detailed information about something. For example, You can't withdraw a card after you've played it; I'll cite you the rules, chapter and verse. The term alludes to the chapter and verse of a quotation from the Bible,

long regarded as an ultimate authority. [Early 1600s] character

hand. see IN CHARACTER; OUT OF CHARACTER.

charge

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with CHARGE, also see CARRYING CHARGE;

GET A BANG (CHARGE) OUT OF; IN CHARGE; IN CHARGE OF; TAKE CHARGE.

charge off

1. Hurriedly depart, run away, as in After a few minutes, she charged off to the next exhibit. This term alludes to the military meaning of charge, "attack impetuously." [Early 1500s] 2. Also, charge against. Consider or count as an accounting loss or expense, as in I'm charging off this purchase to overhead, or Let's charge the new computer against office supplies. [Late 1800s] Also

see WRITE OFF. 3. Attribute to, blame something for, as in We can charge off these errors to inexperience.

charge up

Excite, agitate, stimulate, as in The new preacher can really charge up the congregation, or Planning Beth's wedding got her mom all charged up. This term originally was used for narcotic stimulation but now is used more broadly. [Slang; early 1900s]

charge with

1. Impose a duty or task on, as in He was charged with getting this message to the commissioners.

[c. 1300] 2. Accuse of a crime, as in He was charged with creating a disturbance. [Mid-1500s]

charity begins at home

Be generous to your family before helping others. For example, She spends hours and hours on volunteer work and neglects the children, forgetting that charity begins at home. This proverb was first recorded in English, in slightly different form, in John Wycliffe's Of Prelates (c. 1380): "Charity should begin at himself."

Charley horse

Cramp or stiffness in a muscle, most often in the thigh, as in After working in the garden I frequently get a bad charley horse. First used in the 1880s among baseball players, the term was soon extended to more general use. Its true origin is disputed. Among the more likely theories proposed is that it alludes to the name of either a horse or an afflicted ball player who limped like one of the elderly draft horses formerly employed to drag the infield.

charm

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with CHARM, also see (CHARM THE) PANTS

OFF; WORK LIKE A CHARM.

charmed life

An existence that seems protected by extreme good luck, as in Robert came out of that accident without a scratch; he must lead a charmed life. The adjective charmed once meant "magical," which is no doubt what Shakespeare had in mind when he used the term in Macbeth (5:8): "Let fall thy blade on vulnerable crests, I bear a charmed life, which must not yield To one of woman born." Later it was extended to anyone who narrowly escaped from danger or was similarly lucky. [Late 1500s]

charm the pants off

hand. see under PANTS OFF.

chase

hand. see AMBULANCE CHASER; CUT TO THE CHASE; GIVE CHASE; GO FLY A KITE (CHASE YOURSELF); LEAD A MERRY CHASE; RUN (CHASE) AFTER; WILD GOOSE CHASE.

chat up

1. Talk flirtatiously to, as in Leave it to Charlie to chat up the girls. This usage is mostly but not entirely British. [Late 1800s] 2. Engage in light, friendly talk, as in He was soon chatting up all the board members. [Mid-1900s]

cheap

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with CHEAP, also see DIRT CHEAP; ON THE

CHEAP.

cheap at twice the price

Very inexpensive, a good value for the money. For example, Pete got a $3,000 rebate on his new car?it was cheap at twice the price. For a synonym see DIRT CHEAP.

cheap shot

An unfair or unsporting verbal attack, as in You called him an amateur? That's really taking a cheap shot. The term originated in sports, especially American football, where it signifies deliberate roughness against an unprepared opponent. [Slang; second half of 1900s]

cheap skate

A stingy person, as in He's a real cheap skate when it comes to tipping. This idiom combines cheap

(for ''penurious") with the slang usage of skate for a contemptible or low individual. It has largely replaced the earlier cheap John. [Slang; late 1800s]

cheat on

Be sexually unfaithful to, as in They broke up right after she found he was cheating on her.

checked out completely.

check over

hand. see CHECK ON.

checks and balances

System whereby each branch of an organization can limit the powers of the other branches, as in

The union has used a system of checks and balances to prevent any large local from dominating its policies. This system was enacted through the Constitution of the United States in order to prevent any of its three branches from dominating the Federal government. The term is occasionally transferred to other mechanisms for balancing power.

check up

hand. see under CHECK ON.

cheek

hand. In addition to the idiom beginning with CHEEK, also see TONGUE IN CHEEK;

TURN THE OTHER CHEEK.

cheek by jowl

Side by side, close together, as in In that crowded subway car we stood cheek by jowl, virtually holding one another up. This term dates from the 16th century, when it replaced cheek by cheek.

cheer

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with CHEER, also see THREE CHEERS.

cheer on

Encourage, as in The crowd was cheering on all the marathon runners. Originating in the 1400s simply as cheer, this usage was augmented by on in the early 1800s.

cheer up

Become or make happy, raise the spirits of, as in This fine weather should cheer you up. This term may also be used as an imperative, as Shakespeare did (2 Henry IV, 4:4): "My sovereign lord, cheer up yourself." [Late 1500s]

cheese

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with CHEESE, also see BIG CHEESE.

cheesed off

Angry, fed up, annoyed, as in I'm cheesed off about watering their plants twice a week. This term

was originally military slang and sometimes put simply as cheesed. [Slang; mid-1900s]

cheese it

Stop, look out, as in Cheese it! Here come the cops! This term, generally stated as an imperative, may have been a replacement for the earlier "Stop at once." Eric Partridge speculated that it may have been a corruption of Cease! but its true origin is not known. [Slang; mid-1800s]

chest

hand. see OFF ONE'S CHEST; PLAY ONE'S CARDS CLOSE TO ONE'S CHEST.

chestnut

hand. see OLD CHESTNUT.

chew

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with CHEW, also see BITE OFF MORE THAN

ONE CAN CHEW.

chew out

Scold harshly, as in Dad will chew you out for taking the car without permission. Originating in the military, this slangy term began to be used during World War I and soon spread to civilian life. Several vulgar versions, such as chew someone's ass out, should be avoided in polite speech.

Also see EAT OUT, def. 2.

chew the cud Also, chew over. Ponder over, meditate, as in John tends to chew the cud before he answers, or Let me chew that over and let you know. The first term, first recorded in 1382, transfers the appearance of a patiently ruminating cow to a person deep in thought. The variant was first recorded in 1696.

chew the fat Also, chew the rag. Chat in a friendly, leisurely way, as in Let's get together for coffee and chew the fat, or John and Dave spend hours just chewing the rag. Before the 1880s in Britain, chew the fat meant "to grumble or complain," and chew the rag also has been used in this way. Today both expressions are largely synonyms for a friendly talk or gossip session. Why this idiom uses fat and rag is not known, but some speculate that fat refers to juicy items of gossip and rag to ladies' sewing circles and the cloth they worked on while chatting.

chicken

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with CHICKEN, also see COUNT ONE'S

CHICKENS; GO TO BED WITH (THE CHICKENS); LIKE A CHICKEN WITH ITS HEAD CUT OFF; NO SPRING CHICKEN.

chicken feed

Trifling amount of money, as in I'm not going to mow lawns for $5 an hour?

that's chicken feed. This expression alludes to the fact that chickens can be fed corn and wheat grains too small for other uses. [Slang; early 1800s]

chicken out

Back out from fear, lose one's nerve, as in In the end I chickened out and took the easier route down the mountain. Chicken is a popular synonym for "cowardly," a usage arising in the 1600s and 1700s but then apparently abandoned until the 20th century. [Slang; c. 1930]

chickens come home to roost

The consequences of doing wrong always catch up with the wrongdoer, as in Now that you're finally admitting your true age, no one believes you?

chickens come home to roost. The fact that chickens usually come home to rest and sleep has long been known, but the idea was used figuratively only in 1809, when Robert Southey wrote, "Curses are like young chickens, they always come home to roost" (The Curse of Kehama).

chicken shit

1. Contemptibly petty or insignificant. For example, He has spent his life making up chicken shit rules that nobody follows anyway. This expression gained currency during World War II, when it was often applied to the enforcement of petty and disagreeable military regulations. [Vulgar slang; c. 1930] 2. Cowardly, as in You're not too chicken shit to come along, are you? [Vulgar slang; mid-1940s]

chicken with its head cut off

hand. see LIKE A CHICKEN WITH ITS HEAD CUT OFF.

chief cook and bottlewasher

A person in charge of numerous duties, both vital and trivial, as in We have no secretaries or clerks; the department head is chief cook and bottlewasher and does it all. [Slang; c. 1840]

child

hand. In addition to the idiom beginning with CHILD, also see SECOND CHILDHOOD.

child's play

Something easily done, a trivial matter. For example, Finding the answer was child's play for Robert, or The fight we had was child's play compared to the one I had with my mother!

Originating in the early 1300s as child's game, the idiom was already used in its present form by Chaucer in The Merchant's Tale: "It is no child's play to take a wife."

chilled to the bone Also, chilled to the marrow. Extremely or bitterly cold, as in After skiing in the wind for five hours straight, I was chilled to the bone. These hyperboles replaced the earlier idea of one's blood freezing and are more picturesque than the current synonym frozen.

chill out