American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

short notice, on Also, at short notice. With little advance warning or time to prepare, as in

They told us to be ready to move out on short notice. The noun notice here is used in the sense of "information" or "intelligence." [Late 1700s]

short of

1. Having an inadequate supply of, as in We're short of cash right now. [Late 1600s] Also see

FALL SHORT OF. 2. Less than, inferior to, as in Nothing short of her best effort was needed to make the team. [Mid-1500s] 3. Other than, without resorting to, as in Short of yelling, I had no other way of getting his attention. 4. See STOP SHORT, def. 3.

hand. see under LONG RUN.

short shrift, give Also, get short shrift. Give (or receive) cursory attention or little time. For example, The architect made elaborate plans for the entry but gave short shrift to the back of the house. Literally, shrift refers to confession to a priest, who gives absolution and penance, and short shrift to the brief time allowed for this sacrament to a prisoner before execution. Shakespeare so

used it in Richard III (3:4), but it came to be used more loosely in succeeding centuries. [Late 1800s]

shot

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with SHOT, also see BIG CHEESE (SHOT);

CALL THE SHOTS; CHEAP SHOT; GIVE IT ONE'S BEST SHOT; HAVE A CRACK (SHOT) AT; LIKE A SHOT; LONG SHOT; PARTING SHOT. Also see under SHOOT.

shotgun

hand. In addition to the idiom beginning with SHOTGUN, also see RIDE SHOTGUN.

shotgun wedding

An agreement or compromise made through necessity, as in Since neither side won a majority, the coalition government was obviously a shotgun wedding. This expression alludes to a marriage precipitated by a woman's pregnancy, causing her father to point a literal or figurative gun at the responsible man's head. Its figurative use dates from the mid-1900s.

shot in the arm, a

A stimulus or booster, something vitalizing or encouraging, as in Getting a new concertmaster was a real shot in the arm for the orchestra. This colloquial expression alludes to a stimulant given by injection. [c. 1920]

shot in the dark

A wild, unsubstantiated guess; also, an attempt that has little chance for success. For example, It was a shot in the dark, but the engineers had a hunch that replacing the valve would make the system work, or You can try looking for your key on the beach, but I think it's a shot in the dark.

[Colloquial; late 1800s] shot to hell

Worn out, ruined, as in This carpet is shot to hell, or My privacy's been shot to hell, what with all these reporters. This term alludes to being shot by gunfire. [Slang; late 1800s]

shot up

1. Severely wounded by gunfire; see SHOOT UP, def. 2. 2. Drugged; see SHOOT UP, def. 3.

should

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

HEAD EXAMINED.

shoulder

hand. In addition to the idiom beginning with SHOULDER, also see BROAD

SHOULDERS; CHIP ON ONE'S SHOULDER; COLD SHOULDER; CRY ON SOMEONE'S SHOULDER; GOOD HEAD ON ONE'S SHOULDERS; HEAD AND SHOULDERS ABOVE; ON ONE'S SHOULDERS; PUT ONE'S SHOULDER TO THE WHEEL; RUB ELBOWS (SHOULDERS) WITH; SHRUG ONE'S SHOULDERS; SQUARE ONE'S SHOULDERS; STRAIGHT FROM THE SHOULDER; WEIGHT OF THE WORLD ON ONE'S SHOULDERS.

shoulder to shoulder

In close proximity or cooperation, as in The volunteers worked shoulder to shoulder in the effort to rescue the miners. This expression originated in the late 1500s in the military, at first signifying troops in close formation. Its figurative use dates from the late 1800s.

should have stood in bed, I

I've had such a bad day that I should never have gotten up at all. For example, And then I got rear-ended at the stop sign??

show signs of

Exhibit indications or hints of, as in She definitely shows signs of accepting the appointment, or Terry's health shows no signs of improvement. [Late 1400s]

show someone a good time

Entertain someone, as in I know Aunt Dorothy will show us a good time when we visit San Francisco. This idiom uses the verb show in the sense of "accord or grant something," a usage dating from about 1200.

show someone out Also, show someone to the door. Escort someone who is leaving to the exit door, as in Thanks for coming; please excuse me for not showing you out, or Please show Mr.

Smith to the door. [Second half of 1700s] Also see SEE OUT, def. 1; SHOW SOMEONE THE DOOR.

show someone the door

Order someone to leave, as in I never should have listened to him; I should have shown him the door at once. This expression, first recorded in 1778, is not the same as show someone to the

door (see under SHOW SOMEONE OUT).

show someone the ropes

hand. see under KNOW THE ROPES.

show the way

Guide, as in This division has shown the way to bigger profits. This expression transfers the physical sense of guiding one in a particular direction. [Early 1500s] Also see LEAD THE WAY.

show the white feather

Display cowardice, as in The minute Bob put up his fists, Bill showed the white feather and backed down. This expression comes from cockfighting, where a white feather in a bird's tail is considered a sign of inferior breeding. [Early 1800s]

show to advantage Also, show to good or one's advantage. Display in a flattering way, benefit, as in This lighting shows the paintings to advantage, or Your extensive use of quotations shows your learning to good advantage. [Mid-1300s]

show up

1. Be clearly visible, as in The print doesn't show up against this dark background. [Late 1800s] 2.

Put in an appearance, arrive, as in I wonder if he'll show up at all. [Late 1800s] 3. Expose or reveal the true character of, as in This failure showed up their efforts as a waste of time. [Early 1800s] 4.

Also, show someone up. Surpass someone in ability, outdo someone, as in John's high score on that math test really showed up the rest of the class. [Colloquial; first half of 1900s]

shrift

hand. see SHORT SHRIFT.

shrinking violet, a

An extremely shy person, as in She was a shrinking violet until she went away to college. This metaphoric idiom refers to the flower, but the precise allusion is unclear, since violets thrive under a variety of conditions and often are considered a garden weed. [Early 1900s]

shrug off

1. Minimize the importance of, as in That nasty review didn't bother him at all; he just shrugged it off. [Early 1900s] 2. Get rid of, as in She managed to shrug off her drowsiness and keep driving.

[Mid1900s] 3. Wriggle out of a garment, as in He shrugged off his coat. [First half of 1900s]

shrug one's shoulders

Show indecision or indifference, as in When I asked her if she minded staying home, she just shrugged her shoulders. This redundant idiom??

shrug means "to raise and contract the shoulders"dates from about 1450.

shuffle off

1.Get rid of, act evasively, as in They've tried to shuffle off public inquiries about the safety of their planes. This usage, dating from about 1600, also appears in the oft-quoted shuffle off this mortal coil, from Shakespeare's Hamlet (3:1), where it means "become freed from the turmoil of life," that is, "die."

2.Move away reluctantly, dragging one's feet, as in The prisoners shuffled off to their work detail. [Late 1500s]

shut

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with SHUT, also see CLOSE (SHUT) DOWN;

CLOSE (SHUT) ONE'S EYES TO; CLOSE (SHUT) THE DOOR ON; KEEP ONE'S MOUTH SHUT; OPEN AND SHUT CASE; PUT UP OR SHUT UP.

shut down

1. See CLOSE DOWN, def. 1. 2. Stop or switch off machinery, as in They shut down all the machines for one week a year. [Late 1800s]

shut off

1. Stop the flow or passage of, as in They shut off the water while repairs were being made. [Early 1800s] 2. Close off, isolate, as in Loners shut themselves off from the community. [First half of 1800s]

shut one's eyes to

hand. see CLOSE ONE'S EYES TO.

shut out

1. Exclude, deny entry to, block, as in Anyone convicted of a crime is shut out from the legal profession, or These curtains shut out all the light. [Late 1300s] 2. Prevent an opponent from scoring, as in They were shut out of the last two games, or Reagan shut out Ford in the Texas primary in 1976. Originating in baseball about 1880, this usage was later transferred to other sports and then even broader usage.

shut the door

hand. see CLOSE THE DOOR.

shut up

1. Imprison, confine, enclose, as in The dog was shut up in the cellar for the night, or She shut up her memories and never talked about the past. [c. 1400] 2. Close completely, as in The windows were shut up tightly so no rain came in. [Early 1500s] This usage also occurs in shut up shop, meaning "close the premises of a business," as in It's late, let's shut up shop now. [Late 1500s]

CLOSE UP, def. 3. 3. Cause someone to stop speaking, silence someone, as in It's time someone shut him up. [Early 1800s] 4. Stop speaking, as in I've told you what I think and now I'll shut up. This usage also occurs as a rather rude imperative, as in Shut up! You've said enough. [First half of 1800s]

shy

hand. In addition to the idiom beginning with SHY, also see BRICKS SHY OF A LOAD;

FIGHT SHY OF; ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY.

shy away from

Avoid, evade, as in He shied away from all questions concerning his private life. [Late 1700s] sick

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with SICK, also see CALL IN SICK; GET SICK;

MAKE ONE SICK; WORRIED SICK.

sick and tired Also, sick or tired to death. Thoroughly weary or bored, as in I'm sick and tired of these begging phone calls, or She was sick to death of that endless recorded music. These hyperbolic expressions of exasperation imply one is weary to the point of illness or death. The first dates from the late 1700s, the first variant from the late 1800s, and the second variant from the first half of the 1700s.

sick as a dog

Very ill, especially from a stomach malady. For example, I don't know what was in that stew but I was sick as a dog all

night. This simile was first recorded in 1705. Why a dog should be viewed as particularly sick remains unclear.

sick at heart

Grieving, very disappointed, dejected, as in We were sick at heart when we learned of her predicament. This idiom, which transfers heart disease to unhappiness, was first recorded in 1581.

sick in bed

hand. see LAID UP, def. 1.

sick joke

An anecdote intended to be humorous but actually in very bad taste, as in His stories turn out to be sick jokes about people who are handicapped in some way. [Colloquial; mid-1900s]

sick to one's stomach Also, sick at one's stomach. Nauseated, vomiting, as in I always get sick to my stomach in the back seat of a car. [Mid-1600s]

sic transit gloria mundi

Nothing on earth is permanent, as in His first three novels were bestsellers and now he can't even find an agent?

sic transit gloria mundi. This expression, Latin for "Thus passes the glory of the world," has been used in English since about 1600, and is familiar enough so that it is sometimes abbreviated to sic transit.

side

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with SIDE, also see BLIND SPOT (SIDE);

BRIGHT SIDE; CAN'T HIT THE BROAD SIDE OF A BARN; CHOOSE UP (SIDES); GET ON SOMEONE'S GOOD SIDE; GET UP ON THE WRONG SIDE OF BED; IN GOOD WITH (ON SOMEONE'S GOOD SIDE); KNOW WHICH SIDE OF BREAD IS BUTTERED; LAUGH OUT OF THE OTHER SIDE OF ONE'S MOUTH; LET SOMEONE (THE SIDE) DOWN; ON SOMEONE'S SIDE; ON THE SAFE SIDE; ON THE SIDE; ON THE SIDE OF THE ANGELS; OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN; RIGHT SIDE OF THE TRACKS; RIGHT-SIDE OUT; RIGHT-SIDE UP; SEAMY SIDE; SPLIT ONE'S SIDES; SUNNY SIDE UP; TAKE ASIDE (TO ONE SIDE); TAKE SIDES; THIS SIDE OF; THORN IN ONE'S FLESH (SIDE); WORK BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET; WRONG SIDE OF.

side against

Refuse to support, oppose in a dispute, as in The older club members sided against the new program director and her strenuous exercise programs. [First half of 1700s] For the antonym, see

SIDE WITH.

side by side

Next to each other, close together, as in They were walking down the street side by side when the

taxi jumped the curb, or In the new Russia communism and capitalism are trying to live side by side. [c. 1200]

sidelines

hand. see ON THE SIDELINES.

side of the tracks

hand. see under RIGHT SIDE OF THE TRACKS.

side street

A minor thoroughfare that carries little traffic, as in Our favorite hotel is on a quiet little side street. The side in this idiom means "off to one side, away from the main street." [c. 1600] Also see

BACK STREET.

sideways

hand. see KNOCK FOR A LOOP (SIDEWAYS); LOOK SIDEWAYS AT.

side with

Support or favor, as in The Armenians traditionally side with the Greeks against the Turks. This idiom was first recorded in 1600. For the antonym, see

sight

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with SIGHT, also see AT FIRST BLUSH

(SIGHT); AT SIGHT; CAN'T STAND THE SIGHT OF; CATCH SIGHT OF; HEAVE INTO SIGHT; IN SIGHT; KNOW BY SIGHT; LOSE SIGHT OF; LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT; LOWER ONE'S SIGHTS; ON SIGHT; OUT OF SIGHT; RAISE ONE'S SIGHTS; SECOND SIGHT; SEE THE SIGHTS; SET ONE'S SIGHTS ON; TWENTY-TWENTY HINDSIGHT.

sight for sore eyes, a

One whom it is a relief or joy to see, as in Linda, who had not seen him in 15 years, told him he was a sight for sore eyes. This idiom implies an appearance so welcome that it heals ailing eyes. [First half of 1700s]

sight unseen

Without having viewed the object in question, as in He bought the horse sight unseen. This seeming oxymoron??

how can a sight, which means something seen, be not seen?dates from the late 1800s.

sign

hand. In addition to the idioms beginning with SIGN, see HIGH SIGN; SHOW SIGNS

OF.

signed, sealed, and delivered

Completed satisfactorily, as in The house is sold?

signed, sealed, and delivered. This idiom refers to a legal deed, which to be valid had to be signed by the seller, sealed with a wax seal, and delivered to the new owner. It began to be used more loosely in the first half of the 1900s.

sign in

Record one's arrival by signing a register, as in He signed in both himself and his wife. [c. 1930] For the antonym, see SIGN OUT.

sign off

1. Announce the end of a communication, especially a broadcast. For example, There's no one there now; the station has signed off for the night. [c. 1920] 2. Stop talking, become silent, as in Every time the subject of marriage came up, Harold signed off. [Colloquial; mid-1900s] 3. Express approval formally or conclusively, as in The President got the majority leader to sign off on the tax proposal. This usage is colloquial.

sign on

1. Enlist oneself as an employee, as in Arthur decided to sign on with the new software company.

[Late 1800s] 2. Begin radio or television broadcasting, especially at the beginning of the day, as in

What time does the station sign on? [c. 1920]

sign one's own death warrant

Bring about one's own downfall, do oneself irreparable harm, as in In taking his secretary to a risqué nightclub, the parish priest was signing his own death warrant. This expression may refer to acts that ensure someone's later murder, as when, in 1921, the Irish revolutionary leader Michael Collins signed the peace treaty he had negotiated with England and said, "I tell you, I have signed my death warrant." Thirteen months later Collins was assassinated by political opponents. The expression is also used hyperbolically, however, for severe repercussions or punishments. [First

half of 1900s] Also see SHOOT ONESELF IN THE FOOT.

sign on the dotted line

Agree formally or fully, as in The deal is just about fixed; all they have to do is sign on the dotted line. This idiom refers to the broken line traditionally appearing at the bottom of a legal document, indicating the place for one's signature. [Early 1900s]

sign out

Record the departure of a person or the removal of an object, as in He turned in his room key and signed out about an hour ago, or I asked the librarian how many books I could sign out. [c. 1930]