Term
the damage(s)
A fine meal, waitress! Now, what’s the damage? |
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Definition
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Term
dame(pejorative)
Sorry, honey—no dames allowed in the men’s section. |
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Definition
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Term
one's damnedest/darnedest
She tried her damnedest but just couldn’t make it. |
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Definition
| one's utmost, one's best effort |
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Term
dandy ^^
I’ve got a dandy idea for our vacation.
Isn’t their new car a dandy? |
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Definition
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Term
dark meat/darky (pejorative)
=/ white meat
He said he cruised the boulevard lookin’ for dark meat. |
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Definition
| black person/people (seen as sex object) |
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Term
darn near
That stupid driver darn near hit us. |
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Definition
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Term
from day one
I didn’t like that clown from day one.
He was cool from day one. |
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Definition
| from the very beginning, from the first day |
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Term
beat/knock the (living) daylights out of
The girl’s boyfriend beat the living daylights out of Frank when he tried to kiss her. |
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Definition
| beat unconscious, beat severely |
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Term
scare the (living) daylights out of
It scared the daylights out of me when I heard that growl behind me. |
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Definition
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Term
D-day
Tomorrow’s D-day—my comprehensive exams. |
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Definition
| day of special meaning, day of a significant occurrence |
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Term
dead
I’ve been on my feet all day—I’m dead! |
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Definition
| extremely tired, exhausted |
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Term
dead/dead meat
If you touch my car, you’re dead! |
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Definition
| doomed, assured of being killed or hurt |
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Term
as dead as a doornail
The lightning bolt knocked him dead as a doornail. |
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Definition
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Term
dead to the world
Nothing can wake him up—he’s dead to the world. |
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Definition
| sound asleep, unconscious |
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Term
wouldn't be caught dead
That snob wouldn’t be caught dead in a discount store.
I wouldn’t be caught dead driving that piece of junk. |
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Definition
| would under no circumstances be in a situation, would be very embarrassed or humiliated to be in a situation |
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Term
deadbeat
I want those deadbeats evicted!
Why doesn’t that deadbeat get a job? |
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Definition
1. person who does not pay his/her debts
2. loafer, lazy person |
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Term
deal
The deal is I just can’t afford those payments.
What’s the deal? Why the crowd? |
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Definition
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Term
deal
You got a lousy deal from that teacher. Why’d he flunk you? |
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Definition
| treatment, disposition toward sb |
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Term
It's a deal
Meet you at Victor’s at nine? It’s a deal. |
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Definition
| I agree to that, that’s all right with me |
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Term
no deal
I asked him to give me a chance, but no deal. |
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Definition
| (it is/was) unsuccessful or futile, sb refuses it |
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Term
Dear John letter
Pete got a Dear John letter from her when he was overseas. |
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Definition
| letter in which a woman breaks off a relationship with a man |
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Term
debug
I got to debug the program before it will run right. |
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Definition
| detect and correct defects or minor problems (esp. in sth electronic or mechanical) |
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Term
decent (colloq.)
Are you decent? Can I come in? |
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Definition
| sufficiently dressed (to be seen) |
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Term
decent (slang)
It was a pretty decent movie, but not great. |
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Definition
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Term
deck
The trucker decked him with one punch. |
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Definition
| knock to the floor (esp. with a fist) |
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Term
go off the deep end
Billings is in the boss’s office threatening him with an umbrella. He’s really gone off the deep end this time. |
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Definition
| go crazy, start behaving very irrationally |
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Term
in deep (colloq.)
He’s really in deep with some loan shark. |
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Definition
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Term
in deep (sl.)
It’s gonna be hard for him to get outta the gang, ‘cause he’s in deep.
I think he’s in deep—he’s seen her every night for the last three weeks. |
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Definition
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Term
deli
Don’t fix dinner—I’ll pick up something at the deli on the way home. |
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Definition
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Term
deliver (the goods)
You can count on Chuck, because he always delivers the goods.
Just tell me what you want done—I’ll deliver. |
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Definition
| do or provide what was promised or expected, perform well, come through |
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Term
make a dent (in)
I’ve been working on that stack of papers all day, and I haven’t even made a dent in it. |
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Definition
| reduce in the least notable amount or number, make some progress (in completing a task) (freq. used in the neg.) |
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Term
desk jockey
Some desk jockey in the tax department probably lost the paperwork. |
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Definition
| office worker, petty bureaucrat |
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Term
(have) dibs on
Our team has dibs on this basket.
Dibs on the aisle seat! |
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Definition
| (I) claim, (I) have a right to |
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Term
no dice
We tried to convince him to come with us, but no dice.
I already asked the boss about it, and he said no dice. |
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Definition
| unsuccessful or futile, sb refuses it |
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Term
dicey
Sending in troops is a pretty dicey proposition. |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
diddle around
Why don’t you boys find a nice hobby instead of diddling around all day?
You’d better not diddle around with me.
Don’t diddle with those gauges! |
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Definition
1. jerk around
2. fiddle about |
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Term
(neg.) diddly
That lazy bum did diddly to help. |
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Definition
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Term
different strokes for different folks
So he’s got a pet snake. Different strokes for different folks, isn’t that so? |
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Definition
| there is a great variety of people and their preferences |
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Term
dig
Yeah, I dig—I know the feeling, man.
Do ya dig what I’m sayin’? |
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Definition
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Term
dig
She digs modern jazz.
I could really dig that beautiful chick. |
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Definition
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Term
dig down (deep)
They have to dig down deep to send their kid to that exclusive school. |
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Definition
| make sacrifices (to pay for sth) |
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Term
dig into
The defense lawyer can hardly wait to dig into the case.
OK, everyone, dig in while it’s hot. |
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Definition
| attack with enthusiasm, consume vigorously |
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Term
dig up
Where’d you dig up these records?
I’ll see if I can dig up something on the suspect. |
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Definition
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Term
digs ^^
Let’s go to your place—my digs are on the other side of town.
Nice digs ya got here! |
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Definition
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Term
dilly/doozie
That was a dilly of a game.
Their new cook’s a dilly. |
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Definition
| extraordinary or remarkable thing or person |
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Term
a dime a dozen
Applicants with college degrees are a dime a dozen these days. |
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Definition
| cheap, abundant, readily available |
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Term
on sb's dime
You do the project with your own money, not on my dime. |
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Definition
| at sb's expense, paid by sb |
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Term
one/a thin dime
The best thing is that it won’t cost me one thin dime. |
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Definition
| the least amount of money |
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Term
dimwit
That dimwit just don’t get what I’m sayin’.
Don’t ya see how it works, dimwit? |
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Definition
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Term
din-din
Come on, Bobby—let’s have din-din. |
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Definition
| dinner, a meal (used esp. with small children) |
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Term
dinero
I’d like to buy it, but I ain’t got the dinero. |
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Definition
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Term
ding
The car’s in pretty good shape, even if it’s got a few dings on it. |
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Definition
| small dent, nick (esp. on an automobile) |
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Term
dip
Let’s go for a dip in the ocean before eating. |
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Definition
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Term
dirt on sb
That busybody has dirt on everyone in the front office.
What’s the dirt on Peabody that’s making him so nervous? |
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Definition
| embarrassing or scandalous information about sb, compromising information about sb |
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Term
dirt-cheap
They’re dirt-cheap, but they don’t last.
Old man Boggs’ll clear out that dead brush for you dirt-cheap. |
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Definition
| very inexpensive (also adv.) |
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Term
dirty
He loves telling dirty jokes.
She said he talked dirty to her.
That dirty guy cheated me!
Watch out for number nine. He plays dirty. |
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Definition
1. obscene, vulgar
2. mean, unfair |
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Term
dirty old man
Some dirty old man on the bus tried to touch me. |
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Definition
| lecherous or obscene middle-aged or older man |
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Term
dirty work
Anne just sits there giving orders while we do all the dirty work. |
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Definition
| unpleasant or menial task or work |
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Term
disaster area
This room is a disaster area! And I just cleaned it three days ago. |
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Definition
| very messy or disorderly place |
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Term
diss
You diss my sister again and there’s gonna be trouble! |
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Definition
| speak disrespectfully to/about, insult, belittle |
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Term
go the distance
He lost the fight, but he went the distance—all fifteen rounds.
No backing out! We’re going the distance on this project. |
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Definition
| complete (a difficult or challenging task) |
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Term
ditto (for)
Beth wants chocolate fudge—ditto for me.
Bob’s against the idea. Greg, ditto. |
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Definition
| the same for, sb wants or thinks the same |
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Term
dive
Sid met her in some dive down by the harbor. |
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Definition
| cheap bar or café, low-class nightclub |
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Term
take a dive
That company’s stock took a dive when they announced their big third-quarter losses. |
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Definition
| decrease rapidly in value |
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Term
divine
This cheesecake is divine!
Doesn’t the bride look divine? |
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Definition
| wonderful, excellent, beautiful |
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Term
dizzy
He’s fallen for some dizzy blonde whose goal in life is to be on a game show. |
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Definition
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Term
do
I was doing eighty, but he passed me flying. |
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Definition
| travel (at a certain speed) |
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Term
do
We’re going to do Sally’s room in yellow.
She did her whole house in Early American. |
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Definition
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Term
do
She’s doing time in the state pen.
He did eight years for armed robbery. |
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Definition
| spend (time in prison), serve a prison term (of a certain amount of time) |
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Term
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Definition
| have (a meal) (with sb, esp. as an informal meeting) |
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Term
do in
All that drinking finally did him in.
She did in her husband for the insurance money.
All that yard work today has done me in.
After the 10-K race, she was done in. |
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Definition
1. kill
2. exhaust, tire out |
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Term
do it
Have you and your new boyfriend done it yet? |
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Definition
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Term
do nothing/not do anything for
She says my little jokes do nothing for her.
Most people like his singing, but it doesn’t do anything for me. |
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Definition
| have no appeal to, be of no interest to |
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Term
DOA
The guy that overdosed was D.O.A. at the E.R. |
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Definition
| dead on arrival (at the hospital) |
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Term
be the doctor
OK, you’re the doctor—we do it your way. |
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Definition
| be the authority, be the one whose orders must be followed |
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Term
(just) what the doctor ordered
Our new secretary is great—just what the doctor ordered. |
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Definition
| exactly what is/was needed, the perfect solution |
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Term
play doctor
The kids were out behind the garage playing doctor. |
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Definition
| explore (one another’s) naked bodies, experiment with nudity (said of people of opposite sexes, esp. children) |
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Term
dodo
That guy’s such a dodo—he’ll fall for any trick. |
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Definition
| simpleton, dull-witted or stupid person |
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Term
dog and pony show ^^
Does the candidate really expect to get votes with that dog and pony show he brought to town? |
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Definition
| elaborate publicity presentation, elaborate show designed to impress |
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Term
doggy bag
Oh, I can’t finish this now. I’ll ask for a doggy bag and eat the rest tomorrow. |
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Definition
| bag to take leftovers home in (from a restaurant) |
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Term
in the doghouse (with)
Marvin’s in the doghouse with his wife because he forgot their anniversary. |
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Definition
| in disfavor (with), having sb mad at (one) |
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Term
do-gooder
We get do-gooders wanting to help out sometimes, but they get scared off pretty quick by some of the rough characters that come in. |
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Definition
| idealistic but naive reformer, sincere but self-righteous helper of the less fortunate |
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Term
dogs
My dogs are killin’ me after walkin’ around town all day. |
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Definition
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Term
take some doing
It’ll take some doing, but we’ll get it approved by Friday. |
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Definition
| require special effort or planning |
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Term
... dollars/bucks says
Twenty dollars says you can’t do it again.
Five bucks says he strikes out. |
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Definition
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Term
done deal
Once we get the go-ahead from Alvarez, it’ll be a done deal. |
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Definition
| completed arrangement, agreed-upon deal |
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Term
doo-doo
Don’t walk in the doo-doo, Tommy!
Daddy, that bird doo-dooed on our car! |
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Definition
1. excrement, dung (used esp. with small children)
2. defecate (used esp. with small children) |
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Term
donkey/doofus
That doofus just asked her how she’d gotten so fat.
How’d that donkey make it to supervisor? |
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Definition
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Term
doohickey
I need one of those doohickeys that help you get tight lids off jars. |
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Definition
| gadget, object (for which one does not know the name) |
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Term
do-or-die
It’s a do-or-die situation, so let’s win it! |
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Definition
| calling for (one’s) best effort, allowing only complete success or complete failure |
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Term
doped up
They say the guy that pulled the robbery was all doped up.
The doctors have her so doped up she can hardly speak. |
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Definition
| under the influence of drugs |
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Term
dos and don'ts
Now here are a few dos and don’ts while you’re here at camp. |
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Definition
| rules, regulations, recommendations |
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Term
on the dot
He got here at eight-thirty on the dot. |
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Definition
| precisely (with hours and minutes) |
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Term
on the double
He knocked the guy cold on the double. |
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Definition
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Term
double cross
What a double cross when Bubba left town with all the dough!
He’ll never forget how his so-called buddies double-crossed him.Wait till I get my hands on that double-crossing bastard! |
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Definition
| betrayal or cheating of an associate |
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Term
double date
Me and Marge went on a double date with Paul and his girl. |
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Definition
| go on a date that includes two couples |
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Term
dough
You need to marry a lil' honey whose daddy got dough! |
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Definition
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Term
down
We have a computer down in the main office.
The express elevator is down today. |
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Definition
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Term
down on
Why are you so down on Cary? What’s he ever done to you? |
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Definition
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Term
down the hatch!
Here’s to my buddies—down the hatch! |
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Definition
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Term
down the line
I figure this house will be worth a lot a few years down the line. |
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Definition
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Term
down to the wire
I went down to the wire, but I met the deadline.
This thing’s coming down to the wire. If we don’t book the place by tonight, we’ll have to call the party off. |
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Definition
| right to the last minute, very near the deadline |
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Term
get down
Me and my chick really got down at the party. |
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Definition
| start dancing, start having a great time, enjoy (oneself) without inhibition |
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Term
downer
He was actin’ real hyper, so they gave him a downer.
Seein’ that old man die was a real downer. |
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Definition
1. depressant drug (esp. a barbiturate in pill form)
2. depressing person or experience |
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Term
downside
=/ upside
You might make a bundle of money on this deal, but the downside is that it’s real risky. |
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Definition
| negative side, drawback, cons (of a situation or matter) |
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Term
down under
I hear you raise a lot of sheep down under.
They went down under to see the Great Barrier Reef. |
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Definition
| in/to Australia or New Zealand |
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Term
drag
That boring jerk’s a real drag.
Ya gotta work on Sunday? What a drag! |
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Definition
| unpleasant or bothersome person or thing, irritating or boring situation |
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Term
drag
He tried to get me to take a drag on his cigar. |
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Definition
| puff, inhalation (of smoke from a smoking material) |
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Term
drag
He showed up at the party in drag. |
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Definition
| women’s clothing (worn by a man) |
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Term
drag sb somewhere
My wife dragged me to some artsy-fartsy jewelry designer’s show last night. |
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Definition
| take sb somewhere against their will, force sb to accompany one |
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Term
drag one's feet
I would have had this settled months ago, but my lawyer’s been dragging his feet. |
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Definition
| proceed slowly, be slow or uncooperative (in some venture) |
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Term
drag sth out of
The cops’ll drag it out of you.
It took me an hour to drag the whole story out of Rose. |
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Definition
| extract (information) from (s/one who is reluctant or uncooperative) |
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Term
(go) down the drain
The shirt fell apart the first time I wore it—that’s twenty bucks down the drain.
The poor guy’s business is going down the drain. |
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Definition
| (become) wasted or ruined, (be) lost or squandered |
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Term
draw sb a picture
Do I have to draw you a picture? You push in the clutch before you shift gears! |
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Definition
| explain sth to sb in extremely simple terms |
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Term
dreamboat
The guy ya introduced me to is a real dreamboat! |
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Definition
| very attractive or desirable person (for a romantic relationship) (esp. a man) |
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Term
dress to kill
Laura must spend a fortune on clothes—she’s always dressed to kill.
He dresses to kill and really catches the women’s eyes. |
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Definition
| dress exceedingly elegantly, dress so as to be irresistible |
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Term
know the drill
You don’t need to explain it to me—I know the drill. |
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Definition
| be familiar with (a routine), know standard procedure |
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Term
drink like a fish
Her old man drinks like a fish, but she won’t touch a drop. |
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Definition
| drink alcohol excessively |
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Term
drink under the table
She can drink most men I know under the table. |
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Definition
| hold (one’s) liquor better than sb, to be able to drink more alcohol than another |
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Term
in the driver's seat
They fired the manager, so Murray’s in the driver’s seat now. |
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Definition
| in control or authority, in charge |
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Term
drool (over)
She drooled over those expensive Italian shoes.
That beautiful model’s got all the guys drooling. |
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Definition
| show great desire (for), covet sth |
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Term
(about) drop one's teeth
He about dropped his teeth when she lit up a cigar. |
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Definition
| be very surprised, be astonished |
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Term
at the drop of a hat
He loves to fish—he’ll go fishing at the drop of a hat. |
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Definition
| with the slightest motivation, (reacting) without hesitation |
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Term
drop sb a line
Drop me a line every now and then and let me know how you’re doing. |
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Definition
| write and send sb a note or short letter |
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Term
drop dead
Drop dead, dummy!
You want me to go out with that stupid brother of yours? Drop dead! |
|
Definition
| interj. to express great anger or contempt to sb |
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Term
drop out
He quit his job, left his wife, and joined a commune—completely dropped out. |
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Definition
| leave a conventional life-style, remove (oneself) from conventional pursuits |
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Term
drop the ball
This deal’s up to you, Thomas—don’t drop the ball or we’ll lose big bucks. |
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Definition
| fail in (one’s) responsibility, perform poorly |
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Term
drop the f-bomb
I can’t believe the senator dropped the f-bomb right there on the senate floor! |
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Definition
| use the word “fuck” (or one of its derivatives) (a euphemism) |
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Term
as drunk as a skunk
Old Bowers came in drunk as a skunk and passed out right on the floor |
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Definition
| very drunk, blitzed, blotto, bombed |
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Term
if one had his/her druthers
If Mathers had his druthers, he’d be living back in Texas.
If I had my druthers we'd leave on Thursday. |
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Definition
| if one could have his/her preference, if one could choose |
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Term
dry
Old Claude used to be quite a boozer, but he’s been dry now for over two years.
This here’s a dry town—not a drop to be bought anywhere. |
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Definition
1. having abstained from alcohol (for a certain period), on the wagon
2. prohibiting the sale or consumption of alcohol |
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Term
as dry as a bone
I hope it rains soon—things are as dry as a bone around here. |
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Definition
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Term
dry out
She’d been drinking pretty heavy, so they sent her to some clinic to dry out. |
|
Definition
| become detoxified from alcohol used abusively |
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Term
dud
Let’s take off—this party’s a dud.
Sidney’s been a dud at every job he’s tried.
All the firecrackers went off except for a couple of duds. |
|
Definition
1. person or thing that is ineffective or unsuccessful
2. explosive that does not detonate |
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Term
duke it out
They pushed each other a couple of times, then started dukin’ it out. |
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Definition
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|
Term
play dumb
Ben knows about this, but he’s playing dumb.
She plays dumb, and the guys love it. |
|
Definition
| pretend not to know, pretend to be stupid |
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Term
dum-dum/dummy
Why does that dum-dum insist on repeating his dum-dum ideas? |
|
Definition
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|
Term
dump
Who would want to live in this dump?
What’s a nice girl like you doing in a dump like this? |
|
Definition
| messy place, disreputable establishment |
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Term
dump on
Why does Myra always dump on me when she’s depressed? |
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Definition
| tell all one’s problems to (esp. inconsiderately) |
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Term
(down) in the dumps
He’s really been down in the dumps since he lost his job. |
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Definition
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Term
go Dutch
He doesn’t have a lot of money, so I said we could go Dutch to the movies. |
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Definition
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Term
in Dutch with
He’s running because he’s in Dutch with the law. |
|
Definition
| in trouble or disfavor with |
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