American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

[Late 1800s]

look on the bright side

hand. see BRIGHT SIDE.

lookout

hand. see KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR (SHARP LOOKOUT); ON THE LOOKOUT. Also see entries beginning with LOOK OUT.

look out Also, watch out. Be careful, be watchful, as in Look out that you don't slip and fall on the ice, or Watch out! There's a car coming. [c. 1600] Also see LOOK OUT FOR.

look out for

1. See to the welfare of, as in Mary was assigned to look out for the youngsters on the playground.

Similar to LOOK AFTER, this expression appears in such terms as look out for number one, meaning "see to one's own best interests," as in Looking out for number one is Barbara's first priority. Versions of this expression, such as take care of number one, date from 1700. 2. Be careful of or watchful for something or someone, as in Look out for broken glass on the floor, or Look out for Mary?

she'll be coming any minute. [Second half of 1600s] Also see LOOK OUT.

look over Also, look up and down. Examine or inspect something or someone. For example,

Jerry was looking over the books when he found an error, or They looked the new boy up and down. The first expression dates from the mid-1400s, the variant from the late 1800s.

look sharp

Get moving, be alert, as in The coach told the team they would have to look sharp if they wanted to win. This colloquial expression, dating from the early 1700s, originally meant "to keep a strict watch" but acquired its present sense in the early 1800s.

look sideways at

Glance at suspiciously or amorously, as in I'm sure the detective was looking sideways at me, and it made me very nervous, or They were looking sideways at each other, and I don't think it was innocent. [Mid-1800s] Also see LOOK ASKANCE.

look someone in the face Also, look someone in the eye. Face someone directly and forthrightly. These expressions imply honesty??

or at least the appearance of honestyin what is said, as in Can you look me in the face and tell me you don't want that prize? or John looked me in the eye and told me he didn't break the window.

The first term was first recorded in 1566, the variant in 1931. Also see STARE IN THE FACE.

look the other way

Deliberately overlook something, especially something of an illicit nature. For example, They're not really entitled to a discount but the sales manager decided to look the other way. This expression uses the other way in the sense of "away from what is normal or expected."

look through rose-colored glasses

hand. see SEE THROUGH ROSE-COLORED GLASSES.

look to

1. Pay attention to, take care of, as in You'd best look to your own affairs. [c. 1300] 2. Anticipate or expect, as in We look to hear from her soon. [c. 1600] 3. look to be. Seem to be, promise to be, as in This looks to be a very difficult assignment. [Mid-1700s]

look to one's laurels

Protect one's preeminent reputation or position, especially against a threat of being surpassed. For example, Your opponent's done very well in the practice, so you'd better look to your laurels in the actual game. This idiom alludes to laurels as the traditional material for making a victor's crown.

[Late 1800s]

look up

1. Search for in a book or other source, as in I told her to look up the word in the dictionary. [Late 1600s] 2. Call on or visit, as in I'm going to look up my friend in Chicago. [Mid-1800s] 3. Become better, improve, as in Business is finally looking up. [c. 1800] 4. look up to. Admire, respect, as in

The students really looked up to Mr. Jones. [Early 1700s]

look up and down

hand. see under LOOK OVER.

look up to

hand. see LOOK UP, def. 4.

look who's talking

You're in no position to criticize, as in I wish Kate would be on time for once.?

You do? Look who's talking! This colloquial idiom dates from the mid-1900s, although another version, you can't talk, is a century or so older.

loom large

Appear imminent in a threatening, magnified form. For example, The possibility of civil war loomed large on the horizon, or Martha wanted to take it easy for a week, but the bar exam loomed large.

This term employs loom in the sense of "come into view," a usage dating from the late 1500s.

loop

hand. see IN THE LOOP; KNOCK FOR A LOOP.

loose

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with LOOSE, also see AT LOOSE ENDS;

BREAK

LOOSE; CAST LOOSE; CUT LOOSE; FOOTLOOSE AND FANCY-FREE; HANG LOOSE; HAVE A SCREW LOOSE; LET LOOSE; ON THE LOOSE; PLAY FAST AND LOOSE.

loose cannon

One who is uncontrolled and therefore a serious and unpredictable danger. For example, We can't trust her to talk to the press?

she's a loose cannon. This metaphoric expression alludes to cannon mounted on the deck of a sailing ship, which if dislodged during combat or a storm could cause serious damage to both vessel and crew by sliding about. Its figurative use dates from the first half of the 1900s.

loose ends

Unfinished details, incomplete business. For example, We've not quite finished the project; there are still some loose ends. This expression alludes to the ends of a rope or cable that should be fastened. [Mid-1800s] Also see AT LOOSE ENDS.

lord

hand. In addition to the idiom beginning with LORD, also see DRUNK AS A LORD.

lord it over

Domineer over, act arrogantly toward, as in After Mary was elected president, she tried to lord it over the other girls. [Late 1500s] Also see QUEEN IT.

lose

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with LOSE, also see GET (LOSE) ONE'S

BEARINGS; KEEP (LOSE) ONE'S COOL; KEEP (LOSE) TRACK; WIN SOME, LOSE SOME. Also see under LOSING; LOST.

lose face

Be embarrassed or humiliated, especially publicly. For example, Terry lost face when his assistant was promoted and became his boss. Both this expression and the underlying concept come from Asia; the term itself is a translation of the Chinese tiu lien and has been used in English since the late 1800s. Also see SAVE FACE.

lose ground

lose one's heart to

Fall in love with, as in I totally lost my heart to the new puppy. This expression uses heart in the sense of "the seat of love or affection." [First half of 1600s]

lose one's lunch

Vomit, as in When Anne saw the wound, she thought she'd lose her lunch. This expression does not usually refer to a specific meal and probably survives because of alliteration. [Colloquial; c. 1940]

lose one's marbles

hand. see under HAVE ALL ONE'S BUTTONS.

lose one's mind Also, lose one's reason. Go crazy, lose one's sanity, as in I thought she'd lost her mind when she said she was going ice-fishing, or That assignment is enough to make me lose my reason. The first expression dates from the late 1500s; the second employs reason in the sense of "unimpaired mental faculties," a usage dating from the late 1300s. Also see under

ONE'S MIND; HAVE ALL ONE'S BUTTONS.

lose one's nerve

Become frightened or timid, lose courage. For example, I wanted to ski down the expert slope but then I lost my nerve. This expression employs nerve in the sense of "courage or boldness." [Early 1900s]

lose one's shirt

Face financial ruin, go bankrupt, as in He lost his shirt in the last recession. This expression implies one has lost even one's shirt. [Early 1900s]

lose one's temper Also, lose it. Give way to violent anger, lose self-control. For example, When she found out what Ann had done, she lost her temper, or He arrived without that important check, and then I just lost it completely. The first term dates from the early 1800s; the second slangy locution dates from the mid1900s.

lose one's touch

No longer be able to do or handle something skillfully. For example, I used to make beautiful cakes but I seem to have lost my touch, or Dad had a real knack for letting someone down gently, but he's lost his touch. This expression alludes to the older sense of touch as a musician's skill on an instrument or an artist's skill in using a brush or chisel. [First half of 1900s] Also see LOSE

TOUCH.

lose out

1. Fail to succeed, be defeated, as in The election's over, and you've lost out. [Mid-1800s] 2. Also, lose out on or in. Miss an opportunity to participate, as in We came so late that we lost out on our chance to see her dance, or The Republicans lost out in last fall's elections. [Colloquial;

lost

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with LOST, also see GET LOST; HE WHO

HESITATES IS LOST; MAKE UP FOR LOST TIME; NO LOVE LOST; YOU' VE LOST ME. Also see LOSE.

lost cause

A hopeless undertaking, as in Trying to get him to quit smoking is a lost cause. In the 1860s this expression was widely used to describe the Confederacy. [Mid-1800s] Also see LOSING

BATTLE.

lost in the shuffle

Failing to stand out among others, as in In that huge economics class Jane's afraid she'll get lost in the shuffle. This metaphoric term alludes to mixing playing cards before dealing them. [c. 1900]

lost in thought

Concentrating on or pondering over something. For example, Gwen didn't hear a word you said; she was lost in thought.

lost on one

Have no effect or influence on one, as in Ned's attempts at humor were lost on Meg, or David's kindness was not lost on his aunt. This expression uses lost in the sense of "wasted." [c. 1600]

Also see YOU' VE LOST ME.

lot

hand. see A LOT; CARRY (A LOT OF) WEIGHT; CAST ONE'S LOT WITH; FAT CHANCE (LOT); HAVE (A LOT) GOING FOR ONE; HAVE A LOT ON ONE'S PLATE; LEAVE A LOT TO BE DESIRED; QUITE A BIT (LOT); THINK A LOT OF.

loud

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with LOUD, also see ACTIONS SPEAK

LOUDER THAN WORDS; BIG (LOUD) MOUTH; FOR CRYING OUT LOUD; OUT LOUD; THINK ALOUD; (LOUD ENOUGH) TO WAKE THE DEAD.

loud and clear

Easily audible and understandable. For example, They told us, loud and clear, what to do in an emergency, or You needn't repeat it?

I hear you loud and clear. This expression gained currency in the military during World War II to acknowledge radio messages (I read you loud and clear) although it originated in the late 1800s.

loud mouth

hand. see BIG MOUTH.

louse up

Spoil, ruin, bungle. For example, The bad weather loused up our plans, or Your change of mind really loused me up. This slangy expression originated in World War I, when infestation with lice was the common lot of soldiers in the trenches; its figurative use dates from the 1930s.

lousy with

Abundantly supplied, as in He's lousy with money. Like LOUSE UP, this expression alludes to being infested with lice. [First half of 1800s]

love

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with LOVE, also see ALL'S FAIR IN LOVE AND

WAR; COURSE OF TRUE LOVE; FALL IN LOVE; FOR THE LOVE OF; LABOR OF LOVE; MAKE LOVE; MISERY LOVES COMPANY; NO LOVE LOST; NOT FOR LOVE OR MONEY; PUPPY LOVE; SOMEBODY UP THERE LOVES ME.

love affair

1. An intimate sexual relationship, as in They had a torrid love affair many years ago. This expression dates from about 1600, when it referred merely to the experiences connected with being in love. The current sense dates from the second half of the 1800s. 2. A strong enthusiasm, as in We can't ignore America's love affair with the automobile. [Mid-1900s]

love at first sight

An instantaneous attraction to someone or something. For example, With Peter and Constance, it was a case of love at first sight, or When Dave saw that car, it was love at first sight. This expression was already used by Chaucer for romantic attraction in Troilus and Cressida: "She loved right from the first sight." The transfer to objects dates from the first half of the 1900s.

lovers' lane

A secluded road or area sought out by lovers seeking privacy. For example, The police loved to embarrass youngsters parked in lovers' lane. [Late 1800s]

loving

hand. see TENDER LOVING CARE.

low

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with LOW, also see AT A LOW EBB; (LOW) BOILING POINT; HIGH AND LOW; KEEP A LOW PROFILE; LAY SOMEONE LOW; LIE LOW.

low blow

An unscrupulous attack; an insult. For example, When my roommate moved out without a word of warning, leaving me to pay the entire rent, that was a low blow, or She wanted to win the argument, but bringing up his failed marriage was a low blow. This term alludes to the illegal practice of hitting an opponent in boxing BELOW THE BELT. [c. 1950]

low boiling point

hand. see BOILING POINT, def. 2.

lower one's sights

Reduce one's goals or aspirations, as in Once he got the job I'd applied for, I had to lower my sights. This expression alludes to taking aim through the sights of a firearm. Also see RAISE ONE'S SIGHTS; SET ONE'S SIGHTS ON. [Second half of 1900s]

lower the boom on

Scold harshly or punish severely; also, put a stop to something. For example, If you're caught smoking in school, the principal is bound to lower the boom on you, or The new radar equipment enabled the police to lower the boom on speeding.

This expression refers to the boom of a sailboat?

a long spar that extends from the mast to hold the foot of the sail. In a changing wind, the boom can swing wildly, leaving one at risk of being struck. [Slang; first half of 1900s]

low man on the totem pole

Low in rank, least important person, as in I just joined the board so I'm low man on the totem pole. This slangy expression is thought to have been invented by the American comedian Fred Allen about 1940 and caught on despite its lack of application to a genuine totem pole.

low profile

hand. see KEEP A LOW PROFILE.

luck

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with LUCK, also see AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT; BEGINNER'S LUCK; DOWN ON ONE'S LUCK; GOOD LUCK; HARD LUCK; IN LUCK; OUT OF LUCK; PUSH ONE'S LUCK; RUN OF LUCK; TAKE POT LUCK; TOUGH BREAK (LUCK); TRY ONE'S HAND (LUCK).

luck into

hand. see LUCK OUT.

luck of the devil Also, luck of the Irish. Extraordinarily good fortune, as in

You've the luck of the devil?

that ball landed just on the line, or Winning the lottery?

that's the luck of the Irish. These superstitious attributions of good fortune date from the first half of the 1900s.