American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms
.pdfplay safe
hand. see PLAY IT SAFE.
play second fiddle
Assume a subsidiary role to someone, as in Mary resented always playing second fiddle to her older sister. This term alludes to the part of second violin in an orchestra. Although many would argue it is as important as first violin, it is the idea of subordinacy that was transferred in the figurative term, so used since about 1800.
play the devil with
Upset, ruin, make a mess of, as in This weather plays the devil with my aching joints, or Wine stains play the devil with a white tablecloth. This allusion to diabolical mischief is heard more in Britain than in America. [Mid-1500s] Also see the synonym PLAY HAVOC.
play the field
Date more than one person; avoid an exclusive commitment. For example, All of Joe's friends are married now, but he continues to play the field. This term originated in British horseracing, where it meant "to bet on every horse in a race except the favorite." It was transferred to other activities about 1930.
play the fool
Act in a silly or stupid way, as in Helen deliberately played the fool so they wouldn't realize she understood their strategy. [First half of 1500s]
play the game
Behave according to accepted customs, obey the rules. For example, Not every foreign company can be counted on to play the game. The game here alludes to a sport with a set of rules. [Late 1800s] Also see PLAY GAMES.
play the heavy
Act the part of a villain; take the blame for unkind behavior. For example, She can't bear firing an employee, so she relies on Jim to play the heavy. This colloquial term comes from the theater, where heavy has been used for a stern, serious role or that of a villain since the early 1800s.
play the market
Trade in securities in order to make money, as in He is always playing the market with only mixed results. This term uses play in the sense of "gamble," a usage dating from about 1500.
play to the gallery
Appeal to spectators for maximum approval, as in He peppers his speeches with humor and wisecracks about his opponent, clearly playing to the gallery. In this term gallery refers to the cheapest seats in a British theater and hence the least sophisticated audience. [Late 1800s]
enterprises. [First half of 1900s]
plow into
Strike with force, crash into; also, attack vigorously. For example, The truck plowed into the retaining wall, or Carol plowed into the pile of correspondence. This expression transfers the force of the farmer's plow to other enterprises. [Late 1800s]
plow under
Cause to vanish, overwhelm, as in The independent bookstores are being plowed under by the large chains. This term alludes to the farmer's burying vegetation by turning it into the soil with a plow. [Second half of 1900s]
pluck up one's courage Also, screw up one's courage. Force oneself to overcome fear or timidity, as in He was really afraid of slipping on the ice, but he plucked up his courage and ventured down the driveway, or I screwed up my courage and dove off the high board. The first term uses pluck in the sense of "make a forcible effort"; Shakespeare put it as "Pluck up thy spirits" (The Taming of the Shrew, 4:3). The variant derives from the use of screw to mean ''force or strain by means of a screw."
plug
hand. In addition to the idiom beginning with PLUG, also see PEG (PLUG) AWAY AT;
PULL THE PLUG ON.
plug away at
hand. see PEG AWAY AT.
plugged in, be
Be closely attuned or responsive, as in He couldn't make any important social connections because he just wasn't plugged in. The related expression be plugged into takes an object, as in These connoisseurs are plugged into the local art scene. These terms allude to inserting a plug into an electrical socket. [Colloquial; c. 1970]
plume oneself
Congratulate oneself, boast, as in He plumed himself on his victory. This idiom transfers the bird's habit of dressing its feathers to human self-satisfaction. [First half of 1600s]
plunge
hand. see TAKE THE PLUNGE.
plunk down
Throw or place or drop heavily, as in He plunked down the money and walked out, or It was hot work, so after an hour we plunked ourselves down in the shade. [Late 1800s]
The place in a course of action beyond which reversal is not possible. For example, Once the contract is signed, we've reached the point of no return. This expression comes from aviation, where it signifies the point where an aircraft does not have enough fuel to return to the starting point. [c. 1940]
point of view
An attitude or standpoint, how one sees or thinks of something. For example, From the manufacturer's point of view, the critical issue is cost. This expression, originally alluding to one's vantage point in seeing a building or painting or other object, dates from the early 1700s.
point out
Identify or bring to notice, as in He pointed out the oldest buildings in the city, or She pointed out an error in our reasoning. [Late 1400s]
point the finger at
Attach blame to, accuse, as in When they asked her who broke the window, she pointed the finger
at Tom. Also see PUT THE FINGER ON.
point up
Emphasize, draw attention to, as in Her comments point up the need for more security at the store. [First half of 1900s]
poison
hand. In addition to the idiom beginning with POISON, also see ONE MAN'S MEAT IS
ANOTHER MAN'S POISON.
poison-pen letter
A letter, usually anonymous, that makes malicious statements about the recipient or a third party. For example, She told the police about the poison-pen letters, but they said they couldn't pursue the matter. [Early 1900s]
poke
hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with POKE, also see MAKE FUN OF (POKE
FUN AT); PIG IN A POKE; TAKE A POKE AT.
poke around Also, poke about. Look through things; also, make an investigation. For example, I was poking around the attic when I found these old photos, or The detective was poking about, tracking where she went on that fatal day. [Early 1800s] Also see NOSE ABOUT; POKE ONE'S
NOSE INTO.
poke fun at
hand. see under MAKE FUN OF.
poke one's nose into
Pry into or meddle in another's affairs, as in I told her to stop poking her nose into our business.
This usage replaced the earlier thrust one's nose into in the mid-1800s.
poker
hand. In addition to the idiom beginning with POKER, also see STIFF AS A BOARD
(POKER).
poker face
A visage lacking any expression that can be interpreted, as in Whenever Betty attended one of her children's performances, she managed to keep a poker face. This term alludes to the facial expression of a poker player who is expert at concealing his feelings about his hand. [c. 1880]
pole
hand. see LOW MAN ON THE TOTEM POLE; NOT TOUCH WITH A TEN-FOOT POLE.
poles apart
In complete opposition, as in The two brothers were poles apart in nearly all their views. This expression alludes to the two extremities of the earth's axis, the North and South poles. [Early 1900s]
polish
hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with POLISH, also see SPIT AND POLISH.
polish off
Finish or dispose of, especially quickly and easily. For example, We polished off the pie in no time, or If everyone helps, we can polish off this job today. This usage, dating from the early 1800s, came from boxing, where it originally meant "to defeat an opponent quickly and easily." By the 1830s it was used more generally.
polish the apple
Try to win favor through flattery, as in It may help your standing with the boss if you polish the apple. This expression gave rise to the phrase apple polishing. The idiom alludes to the practice of schoolchildren bringing their teacher the gift of a bright, shiny apple. [c. 1920]
politically correct Also, PC or p.c. Showing an effort to make broad social and political changes to redress injustices caused by prejudice. It often involves changing or avoiding language that might offend anyone, especially with respect to gender, race, or ethnic background. For example,
Editors of major papers have sent out numerous directives concerning politically correct language.
This expression was born in the late 1900s, and excesses in trying to conform to its philosophy gave rise to humorous parodies.
hand. see HOT POTATO; MEAT AND POTATOES; SMALL BEER (POTATOES).
pot calling the kettle black, the
Accusing someone of faults that one has oneself, as in Tom's criticizing Dexter for dubious line calls is a case of the pot calling the kettle black, since Tom's about the worst line judge I've ever seen.
This expression dates from the days of open-hearth cooking, which blackens practically all the utensils used. [Early 1600s]
potluck
hand. see TAKE POTLUCK.
pound
hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with POUND, also see IN FOR A PENNY, IN
FOR A POUND; PENNY WISE, POUND FOOLISH.
pound of flesh
A debt whose payment is harshly insisted on, as in The other members of the cartel all want their pound of flesh from Brazil. This expression alludes to the scene in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice (4:1) where the moneylender Shylock demands the pound of flesh promised him in payment for a loan, and Portia responds that he may have it but without an ounce of blood (since blood was not promised). [c. 1600]
pound out
Produce, especially on a keyboard, as in I can pound out another résumé, or She was pounding out song after song on the piano. [c. 1900]
pound the pavement
Walk the streets, especially in search of employment. For example, He was fired last year and he's been pounding the pavement ever since. A similar usage is pound a beat, meaning "to walk a particular route over and over"; it is nearly always applied to a police officer. [Early 1900s]
pour
hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with POUR, also see IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT
POURS.
pour cold water on Also, throw cold water on. Discourage or deter, as in Cutting my year-end bonus poured cold water on my loyalty to the company, or Hearing about the outbreak of cholera threw cold water on our plans to visit Bolivia. This term, with its image of putting out a fire with water, at one time meant "defame" or "slander"; the modern meaning dates from about 1800.
pour oil on troubled waters
Soothe or calm down something or someone, as in The twins are quarreling so I'd best go pour oil
on troubled waters. This term alludes to an ancient practice of pouring oil on ocean waves to calm their turbulence, which was mentioned in the eighth century. [Mid-1800s]
pour on the coal
Speed up, as in They keep passing us so pour on the coal, Mom! or We can get this issue of the paper out on time if we pour on the coal. This slangy expression originated in aviation in the 1930s but must have been an allusion to the coal-burning engines of trains and ships, since aircraft were never so powered. It has since been transferred to other vehicles and other endeavors.
pour out one's heart
Express one's innermost thoughts and feelings to someone else, as in Upset over the breakup, she poured out her heart to her mother. Also see OPEN ONE'S HEART.
powder
hand. see KEEP ONE'S POWDER DRY; SITTING ON A POWDER KEG; TAKE A POWDER.
power
hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with POWER, also see CORRIDORS OF
POWER; MORE POWER TO SOMEONE; STAYING POWER.
power behind the throne
A person with great influence who stays behind the scenes and has no apparent authority. For example, Harry may be the
throne. [Mid-1800s]
powers that be, the
Those in control, the authorities, as in Our plan was vetoed by the powers that be. This expression appeared in William Tyndale's 1526 translation of the Bible (Romans 13:1): "The powers that be are ordained of God."
practical
hand. see TO ALL INTENTS AND (FOR ALL PRACTICAL) PURPOSES.
practice
hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with PRACTICE, also see IN PRACTICE; MAKE
A PRACTICE OF; OUT OF PRACTICE; PUT INTO PRACTICE; SHARP PRACTICE.
practice makes perfect
Frequently doing something makes one better at doing it, as in I've knit at least a hundred sweaters, but in my case practice hasn't made perfect. This proverbial expression was once put as