American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

Produce, especially mechanically or rapidly, as in I don't know how he can crank out a novel a year. [Colloquial; mid-1900s]

crank up

1. Get started, as in The theater season is cranking up with four benefit performances. This expression transfers the literal sense of crank, "operate a motor by turning a crank," to starting any activity. [Slang; 1930s] 2. Stimulate or intensify one's efforts. For example, We've got to crank up enthusiasm for this new product, or Close to the election the campaign really cranked up. [Slang; mid-1900s]

cranny

hand. see NOOK AND CRANNY.

crap

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with CRAP, also see CUT THE COMEDY

(CRAP); FULL OF CRAP.

crap around

1. Waste time, act foolishly, as in Stop crapping around and get to work. This usage derives from crap in the sense of "defecate." [Vulgar slang; 1930s] 2. Trifle with, as in It's time that we all stopped crapping around with the environment. [Vulgar slang; 1940s]

crap out

1. Back down, quit, When it got to the point of putting up some money, Jack crapped out. This expression originated in the game of craps, where it means to make a first throw (of the dice) of two, three, or twelve, thereby losing. [Slang; 1920s] 2. Go to sleep. This usage was military slang for sleeping during work hours or during a crap game. [Slang; c. 1940] 3. Die, as in He's really sick; he could crap out any time. This usage is less common than def. 1 or def. 2. [Slang; 1920s]

crap up

1. Burden or clutter up, as in Jane crapped up the garden with plastic pink flamingos. [c. 1946] 2. Ruin or foul up, as in I've really crapped up this speech; can I just start over again? This idiom employs crap in the sense of "defecate." [Vulgar slang; c. 1950]

crash and burn

1. Fail utterly, as in Dale crashed and burned three times before passing the bar exam. This idiom alludes to a car or airplane that has crashed and caught fire. [Slang; 1970s] 2. In skateboarding and other sports, be taken out of competition by a collision, accident, or fall, as in Although she was favored to win the downhill race, she crashed and burned on her first run. [Slang; 1980s]

crash course

A short, intensive training course, as in Daisy planned to take a crash course in cooking before she got married. [Colloquial; mid-1900s]

crash pad

A free, temporary lodging place, as in The company maintains several crash pads for employees from out-of-town divisions. This expression originally referred to a place affording runaways, drug addicts, and the like somewhere to crash in the sense of "sleep." In time it also was used more broadly, as in the example. [Slang; 1960s]

crash the gate

Gain admittance, as to a party or concert, without being invited or without paying. For example,

The concert was outdoors, but heavy security prevented anyone from crashing the gate. This term originally applied to persons getting through the gate at sports events without buying tickets. By the 1920s it was extended to being an uninvited guest at other gatherings and had given rise to the noun gatecrasher for one who did so. [Early 1900s]

craw

hand. see STICK IN ONE'S CRAW.

crazy

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with CRAZY, also see DRIVE SOMEONE

CRAZY; LIKE CRAZY.

crazy about, be Also, be mad about. Be immoderately fond of or infatuated with, as in I'm crazy about lobster, or George is mad about his new saxophone. The first expression dates from the early 1900s. The second, with mad, is much older; Shakespeare had it as mad for in All's Well That Ends Well (5:3): "madde for her"; and mad about was common by the mid-1700s.

crazy like a fox

Seemingly foolish but actually very shrewd and cunning. For example, You think Bob was crazy to turn it down? He's crazy like a fox, because they've now doubled their offer. This usage gained currency when humorist S.J. Perelman used it as the title of a book (1944). [Early 1900s] Also see

SLY AS A FOX.

cream of the crop, the

The best or choicest of anything, as in The apples from this orchard are definitely the cream of the crop. The noun cream has been used to mean "the best" since the 16th century. The French equivalent of the present term, la crème de la crème ("the cream of the cream") was familiar in English by 1800.

create a scene

hand. see MAKE A SCENE.

creature comfort

Something that contributes to physical comfort, such as food, clothing, or housing. For example,

Dean always stayed in the best hotels; he valued his creature comforts. This idiom was first

Hymns to the Virgin and Christ (c.

A closely cropped haircut, usually for a male, as in The boys all think crew cuts are cooler in summer. This term presumably originated in the navy (crew referring to a ship's crew), where such a haircut was mandatory. [c. 1940]

cricket

hand. see NOT CRICKET.

crime does not pay

Lawbreakers do not benefit from their actions. For example, Steve didn't think it mattered that he stole a candy bar, but he's learned the hard way that crime does not pay. This maxim, originating

as a slogan of the F.B.I. and given wide currency by the cartoon character Dick Tracy, was first recorded in 1927. There have been numerous jocular plays on it, as in Woody Allen's screenplay for Take the Money and Run (1969): "I think crime pays. The hours are good, you travel a lot."

crisp

hand. see BURN TO A CINDER (CRISP).

crocodile tears

An insincere display of grief, as in When the play's star broke her leg, her understudy wept crocodile tears. This term comes from the mistaken notion that crocodiles weep while eating their prey, one held in ancient Roman times. The actual term was picked up by Shakespeare and many other writers after him, and remains current. [Late 1500s]

Croesus

hand. see RICH AS CROESUS.

crook

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with CROOK, also see BY HOOK OR CROOK.

crook one's elbow Also, bend one's elbow. Drink liquor, especially a great deal. For example,

Bill is known to crook his elbow now and then, or Uncle Joe rather overdoes it with bending his elbow. Both slangy expressions allude to the motion of lifting a drink to one's lips, which involves bending the elbow. The first dates from about 1820, and the second from about 1900.

crop

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with CROP, also see CREAM OF THE CROP.

crop out

Rise to the surface, become visible or evident, as in These superstitions crop out time and again. This term originated in mining, where a stratum or vein of ore is said to crop out when it comes to the surface. [Mid-1800s]

crop up

Appear unexpectedly or occasionally, as in One theory that crops up periodically is the influence of sunspots on stock prices, or We hope new talent will crop up in the next freshman class.

[Mid-1800s]

cross

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with CROSS, also see AT CROSS PURPOSES;

AT

THE CROSSROADS; CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE (CROSS-FIRE); DOT ONE'S I'S AND

CROSS ONE'S T'S; DOUBLE CROSS; GET ONE'S WIRES CROSSED; LOOK CROSS-EYED AT.

cross a bridge when one comes to it Also, cross that bridge when you come to it. Deal with a situation when, and not before, it occurs. For example, If we can't sell the house?

well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. The ultimate origin of this proverb, a caution not to anticipate trouble and often put as don't cross a bridge till you come to it, has been lost. The earliest recorded use is in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's The Golden Legend (1851): "Don't cross the bridge till you come to it, is a proverb old and of excellent wit."

cross as a bear

Grumpy, ill-humored, annoyed, as in Stay away from Claire; she's cross as a bear this morning.

Unlike the earlier cross as two sticks, this survives even though the adjective cross for "ill-tempered" is otherwise not used much in America. It is sometimes amplified as cross as a bear with a sore head. [Early 1700s]

cross my heart and hope to die

Attest to the truth of something; solemnly assure someone that the truth has been spoken. For example,

I did lock the door?

cross my heart and hope to die! This phrase most likely originated as a religious oath based on the sign of the cross; it is generally accompanied by hand gestures such as crossing one's hands over one's breast and then pointing the right hand skyward (a variant is cross my heart and point to God). Today most often uttered by children, it was first recorded in 1908.

cross one's fingers Also, keep one's fingers crossed. 1. Wish for luck by crossing two fingers of one hand. For example, I'm crossing my fingers that I get the job, or Keep your fingers crossed that the hurricane goes out to sea. This superstitious statement presumably alludes to the much older practice of making the sign of the cross to ward off evil. [Early 1900s] 2. Tell a white lie that doesn't matter. For example, I told Mom I didn't eat any cookies but I had my fingers crossed. The childish belief that if one keeps one's fingers crossed one may lie with impunity probably comes from children's games in which one was "safe" if one crossed one's fingers, and the ultimate allusion may be the same as in def. 1.

cross one's mind Also, pass through one's mind. Suddenly occur to one, as in It never crossed my mind that they would turn the proposal down, or It passed through her mind that he might have gotten lost. [Mid-1700s]

cross over

1. Change from one field or affiliation to another, as in Graham Greene crossed over from the Anglican to the Roman Catholic Church, or If he doesn't run I'm going to cross over to the Democratic Party. [First half of 1900s] 2. Also, cross over to the other side. Die, as in It's a year since my grandmother crossed over to the other side. [c. 1930]

cross someone's palm with silver

hand. see FOLLOW THE CROWD; THREE'S A CROWD.

crown jewels

1. A prized possession or asset, as in The Iliad and Odyssey are the crown jewels of ancient literature, or The software products are the company's crown jewels. This usage transfers the value of royal jewels to some other object. [Late 1800s] 2. Also, family jewels. The male genitals, especially the testicles. For example, She gave the would-be mugger a hard kick in the family jewels. A slang euphemism, the term dates from the 1970s, and the variant from the early 1900s.

crow over

Exult loudly about, especially over someone's defeat. For example, In most sports it's considered bad manners to crow over your opponent. This term alludes to the cock's loud crow. [Late 1500s]

crumble

hand. see THAT'S HOW THE BALL BOUNCES (COOKIE CRUMBLES).

crunch numbers

Perform numerous calculations or process a large amount of numerical data. For example,

Preparing John's presentation to the Federal Reserve Board required many hours of crunching numbers. This term originated with the computer age and indeed still applies mostly to the operations of computers. [Slang; second half of 1900s]

crunch time

A period when pressure to succeed is great, often toward the end of an undertaking. For example,

It's crunch time?

we only have two more days to finish. This term employs crunch in the sense of "a critical situation or test." [Slang; 1970s]

crush

hand. see HAVE A CRUSH ON.

crust

hand. see UPPER CRUST.

crux of the matter Also, heart of the matter. The basic, central or critical point of an issue. For example, In this trial the bloodstains represent the crux of the matter, or We think the second clause is the heart of the matter. Although crux is Latin for "cross," in English it means "difficulty" or "puzzle," and it is from the latter that this expression is thought to be derived. The variant employs heart in the sense of "a vital part" (as it is in the body). The first term dates from the late 1800s, the variant from the early 1500s.

cry, crying

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with CRY, also see BURST INTO (OUT

CRYING); FAR CRY; FOR CRYING OUT LOUD; HUE AND CRY; IN FULL SWING.

cry for Also, cry out for; have a crying need for. Be in urgent need of, as in This wall cries for a second coat of paint, or This car is crying out for a good washing, or There is a crying need for order in this house. The figurative use of cry for, literally meaning "implore" or "weep for," dates from the late 1500s, as does the use of crying for "demanding attention." The first variant, alluding to actually shouting out one's needs or desires, dates from the second half of the 1800s.

cry havoc

Sound an alarm or warning, as in In his sermon the pastor cried havoc to the congregation's biases against gays. The noun havoc was once a command for invaders to begin looting and killing the defenders' town. Shakespeare so used it in Julius Caesar (3:1): "Cry 'Havoc' and let slip the dogs of war." By the 19th century the phrase had acquired its present meaning.

crying shame, a

An unfortunate situation, as in It's a crying shame that Bob can't find a job. This term may well come from the now obsolete to cry shame upon, meaning "express vigorous disapproval or censure," current from about 1600 to the mid-1800s.

crying towel

A figurative towel for wiping the tears of a self-pitying individual. For example, So you didn't make the first team? Get out the crying towel. This expression is always used sarcastically. [Slang; 1920s]

cry off

Break or withdraw from a promise or agreement, as in We thought we'd bought the car, but the owner cried off at the last minute. [Late 1700s]

cry one's eyes out Also, cry one's heart out. Weep inconsolably. For example, Wendy was so homesick that she was crying her eyes out, or At funerals Ruth always cries her heart out. [c. 1700]

cry on someone's shoulder

Tell one's problems to someone so as to gain sympathy or consolation, as in When James had a problem at the office he generally cried on his sister's shoulder. It is also put as a shoulder to cry on, as in When Mom came home, Jane had a shoulder to cry on. [Late 1930s]

cry out for

hand. see CRY FOR.

cry over spilt milk, don't Also, no use crying over spilt milk. Don't regret what cannot be undone or rectified, as in The papers you wanted went out in last week's trash, so don't cry over spilt milk. This metaphor for the inability to recover milk once it has been spilled is very old indeed, already appearing as a proverb in James Howell's Paroimiografia (1659). It is sometimes shortened

to spilt milk.

crystal ball

A means of predicting the future, as in So what does your crystal ball say about the coming election? The term is a figurative use of the crystal or glass ball used by fortune-tellers. [c. 1900]

crystal clear, be Also, be clear as crystal. Be easy to understand, have a very obvious meaning. For example, The directions for installing the door are crystal clear, or Her intentions are clear as crystal. Allusions to crystal's very high degree of transparency have been made since the 15th century.

cry uncle Also, say uncle. Concede defeat, as in The Serbs want the Bosnians to cry uncle,

or If you say uncle right now, I'll let you go first in the next game. This phrase originated about 1900 as an imperative among school-children who would say, "Cry uncle when you've had enough (of a beating)." By the mid-1900s it was being used figuratively, as in the examples.

cry wolf

Raise a false alarm, as in Helen's always crying wolf about attempted break-ins, but the police can never find any evidence. This term comes from the tale about a young shepherd watching his flock who, lonely and fearful, called for help by shouting "Wolf!" After people came to his aid several times and saw no wolf, they ignored his cries when a wolf actually attacked his sheep. The tale appeared in a translation of Aesop's fables by Roger L'Estrange (1692), and the expression has been applied to any false alarm since the mid-1800s.

cuckoo

hand. see CLOUD-CUCKOO LAND.

cucumber

hand. see COOL AS A CUCUMBER.

cudgel one's brains

hand. see RACK ONE'S BRAINS.

cue in

Give information or instructions, for example, She said she'd cue us in on their summer plans. This verbal use of the noun cue in the sense of "guiding suggestion" dates from the 1920s.

cuff

hand. see OFF THE CUFF; ON THE CUFF.

culture shock

A state of confusion and anxiety experienced by someone upon encountering an alien environment. For example, It's not just jet lag?

it's the culture shock of being in a new country. This term was first used by social scientists to describe, for example, the experience of a person moving from the country to a big city. It is now used more loosely, as in the example. [Late 1930s]

culture vulture

An individual with a consuming or excessive interest in the arts. For example, A relentless culture vulture, she dragged her children to every museum in town. This slangy term may have been originated by Ogden Nash, who wrote: "There is a vulture Who circles above The carcass of culture" (Free Wheeling, 1931). [1940s]

cup

hand. In addition to the idiom beginning with CUP, also see IN ONE'S CUPS.

cupboard is bare, the

The desired resources are not available, as in The schools are asking for a budget increase but the cupboard is bare. This metaphoric expression may have come from the nursery rhyme: "Old Mother Hubbard, went to the cupboard, to fetch her poor dog a bone, And when she went there, the cupboard was bare, and so the poor dog had none" (Sarah Catherine Martin, The Comic Adventures of Old Mother Hubbard, 1805).

cup of tea, one's

Something that is in accord with one's liking or taste. For example, Quiz shows are just my cup of tea, or Baseball is not her cup of tea. The origin of this metaphorical expression has been lost, but the positive version???

"he's my cup of tea"has been used since the late 1800 and the negativenot one's cup of tea?

since the 1920s.

cure

hand. see KILL OR CURE; OUNCE OF PREVENTION (IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE); SURE CURE.

curiosity killed the cat

It's best to mind one's own business. For example, Don't ask about his divorce?

curiosity killed the cat. This cautionary expression sounds like the moral of some fable or folktale, but any such origin for it has been lost. The first recorded use was in O. Henry's Schools and Schools (1909).

curl one's hair