People readily believe what they want to believe. Julius Caesar 49 B.C.
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BABE IN THE WOODS---An innocent; someone in a situation he is too unsophisticated to handle.---"When it comes to women, he is like a babe in the woods."---From a popular tale of the 16th century concerning a wealthy man who dies, leaving his property to his very young son and daughter. They are to be taken care of by their uncle until they are old enough to inherit the property, but should they die before that time the uncle is to inherit. The temptation is too much for the uncle, who hires two men to do away with the children. One of the men can't bring himself to do it, so he murders his partner and leaves the children on their own in the woods. They die, being incapable of taking care of themselves in such a harsh environment, and from then on the uncle suffers one calamity after another. The truth is revealed much later when the surviving hireling is arrested for robbery and tells of the uncle's plot against the children.
BACK TO SQUARE ONE---Start over.---"Well I guess it's back to square one."---In board games you often get sent back to the start or square one.
BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD---A redesign or change is necessary.---"That didn't work, I guess it's back to the drawing board."---Peter Arno (Cartoon) In the cartoon a man is walking away from an aircraft that had crashed, the caption: "Well back to the old drawing board."
BACK TO THE SALT MINE---Return to work.---"It's Monday and back to the old salt mine."---In Russia certain prisoners were sent to the salt mines in Siberia to do hard labor.
BACKHANDED COMPLIMENT---A compliment phrased in such a way as to suggest that it is really a criticism.---"That was a backhanded compliment if I ever heard one."---Hunt (1813) Examiner "A back handed pat on the cheek."
BAD PENNY ALWAYS RETURNS---A bad person always seems to return again to the place from wence he originated.---(1766) Adams Family Correspondence
BAD TO WORSE---A bad situation gets worse.---"It's one thing after another, things are going from bad to worse."---Bunyan (1678) Pilgrims Progress "Thou hast done in this according to the proverb, changed a bad for a worse."
BAKERS DOZEN---A little extra, usually meaning 13---"Make it a bakers dozen and you have a deal."---Traced to an act of the English Parliament in 1266, laying down standards of weight for bread. In order to make certain of meeting the standard, bakers adopted the practice of giving 13 loaves to vendors for each dozen they bought to sell to consumers.
new!BALDERDASH---Ridiculous and often pretentious type of nonsense or obscene language.---"I couldn't make any sense out of it, it was just a lot of balderdash."---Possibly from balductum an odd mixing or adulteration of liquor such as buttermilk and beer, wine and milk. Heywood (1640) "Where sope hath fayl'd without, balderdash wines within will worke no doubt."---Jamison Scottish Dictionary "Foolish, noisy talk, poured out with great fluency."
BALLS TO THE WALL---As fast as it will go.---"It is a great race, they have their cars balls to the wall."---Aviation term. It alluded to the knobs or balls on the throttle levers of an aircraft. When you had the levers at full throttle they were literally against the firewall or instrument panel.
BAPTISM OF FIRE---One's first taste of battle; first introduction to a tough situation.---"This is going to be his baptism of fire."---Cassell (1902) Cassell's encyclopaedic Dictionary "During the Franco-German war of 1870, Prince Louis Napoleon was first exposed, by direction of his father, Napoleon III, to the fire of the enemy at Saarbruck, the event was called a 'baptism of fire'"
BARE FACED LIAR---Lies without expression; pathological liar.---"He is just a bare faced liar."---Also "bald faced liar"---Originally meant "white faced from shame."---Anglo Saxon bald meant bold.
BARKING DOGS SELDOM BITE---Those who talk the most often do the least.---T. Howell (1581) Devises "Those dogs byte least, that greatest barkings keepe."
BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE---A misdirected effort.---"He is barking up the wrong tree this time."---Originally referred to hunting raccoons. The raccoon would usually take to a tree, the dogs used to hunt them would on occasion be barking up the wrong tree and the hunter would lose his prey. Davy Crockett (1833) Sketches and Eccentricities "I told him.....that he reminded me of the meanest thing on God's earth, and old coon dog barking up the wrong tree."
BATS IN THE BELFRY---Unsound mind; crazy; weird.---"I fear she has bats in her belfry."---Phillpotts (1926) Peacock House "His father's sister had bats in her belfry and was put away." Belfry (belfrey) originally meant a movable tower from which projectiles were launched during a seige, later a watchman's tower and by association became a part of church architecture.
BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES---Prepare for trouble.---"A storm is coming, better batten down the hatches."---Nautical term meaning to secure the cargo hatches.
BATTLE ROYAL---A big fight; a fight with a number of participants.---"Last night the family across the street had a party, it turned into a battle royal."---The expression started in cock fighting. Sixteen started and fought down to the winner.
BE ALL THINGS TO ALL MEN---Show different attitudes to different people in an effort to please everybody or avoid controversy.---"I can't be all things to all men."---Bible: I Corinthians 9:22 "To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak. I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
BE BUFFALOED---To be overwhelmed; cowed.---"I think she has got him buffaloed."---(1904) New York Evening Post "The newspapers were what we used to term in the Southwest 'buffaloed' by the McKinley myth, that is, silenced by the fear of incurring the resentment of a people taught to regard McKinley as a saint."
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR YOU MIGHT GET IT---Think about what you wish for, it might not be what you really want.--- Harrington (1596) Metam. of Ajax "Yet he would feel, to seek that he would not find, for fear lest they should find that they did not seek."
BE CAREFUL WHO'S ASS YOU KICK ON THE WAY UP, YOU MAY HAVE TO KISS IT ON THE WAY DOWN!
BE THAT AS IT MAY---Accept that point as given and leave it aside.---"Be that as it may, I think we need to move on."---Dobson Rose Leaves "Rose kissed me today, will she kiss me tomorrow? Let it be as it may, Rose kissed me today."
BEAR THE BRUNT---Take the main load or thrust.---"You are going to have to bear the brunt of this."---Soldiers in the first ranks took the heaviest fighting.---Robert Barret (1598). The Theorike and Practike of Modern Warres "The first three, five or seven rankes do beare the chiefe brunt."
BEAT AROUND THE BUSH---Approach an objective indirectly.---"Let's not beat around the bush."---(1532) Early example: English author George Gascoigne, "We beat about the bush, while others caught the birds."
BEAT THE BAND---Out does anything around.---"It was raining to beat the band."---In the early 1900's band concerts were popular and bands often played at ceremonial events. The band would be the most audible and conspicuous entity around. Any action or performance which out did the band was remarkable.---Geraldine Bonner (1900) Hard Pan "Doesn't that beat the band?"
BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER---What is beautiful to one may not be to another.---Harper (1906) Brighton Road "It is not true that it is the prettiest place, but, of course....every eye form it's own beauty."
BEAUTY IS ONLY SKIN DEEP---One's real beauty comes from within.---Davies (1606) Select Sec. Husb. "Beauty is but skin deep." W. H. Hudson (1921) Traveller in Little Things "Beauty's only skin deep, but ugly goes to the bone."
BED OF ROSES---Soft or enviable situation.---"This ain't no bed of roses we're in."---Marlow (1593) The Passionate Shepherd to His Love "Come live with me and be my love....And I will make thee beds of roses."
BEGGARS SHOULD NOT BE CHOOSERS---One who has received something gratis should not be choosey about what he receives.---Heywood (1546) Proverbs Beggars cannot be choosers."
BEHIND EVERY GREAT (SUCCESSFUL) MAN THERE IS A GREAT WOMEN---Men often owe their success to the woman who supports them.---1001 Insults "Behind every broke man there's a woman."
BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL---In a difficult position.---"I am really behind the eight ball now, I can't see anyway out of this."---In one version of Kelly pool the balls must be pocketed in numerical order except for the 8, which is to be last. A player who causes another ball to touch the 8 is penalized. If he is supposed to pocket a ball that is behind the 8, he is in difficult position, since it is unlikely he can pocket his ball without hitting the 8.
BELIEVE NOTHING YOU HEAR AND ONLY HALF OF WHAT YOU SEE---Question everything; take nothing at it's face value.---(1300) Proverbs of Alfred
BELL THE CAT (Who will)---Who has the nerve to take on a dangerous job.---"We've decided to do it, now who is going to bell the cat."---Aesop fable, The Mice in Council The short of it is that the mice held Council because they were loosing too many of their members to the cat. They proposed to put a bell on the cat so they would know it was coming. Everyone applauded but the old mouse said, "That is a fine idea but who is going to put the bell around the cat's neck."
new!BENEFICUM ACCIPERE---To except favors is to sell one's freedom.
BESIDE ONE'S SELF---Angry; severely upset.------"When I saw what was happening I was beside myself."---Bible: Acts 26:24 The Roman governor Festus says: "Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad."
BESIDE THE POINT---Not relevant.---"Who cares, that's beside the point."---Laurence Minot (1352) Poems "But how has Sir David missed of his merkes."
BEST LAID PLANS---Things don't always go well no matter how well we plan.---"The best laid plans of mice and men."---Robert Burns To a Mouse "The best laid plans o' mice and men gang aft a-gley." He was writing of a mouse's winter home destroyed by the plow.
BEST OF MY ABILITY---Do as well as you can.---"I will finish it to the best of my ability.---Lord Berners (1530) The History of Arthur of Little Britain "I shall do the best of my power."
BETTER A BIG FISH IN A LITTLE POND THAN A LITTLE FISH IN A BIG POND.---It's better to be an important person in a small community or company than to be a unimportant person in a large community or company.
BETTER DEATH THAN DISHONOR---Better to die fighting than to give up.---P. Wylie (1931) Murderer Invisible
BETTER HALF---One's spouse.---"I will have to ask the better half."---Sir Philip Sidney (1590) The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia "My deare, my deare, my better half, I find that I must now leave thee."
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER---Chaucer (1386) Canon's Yeoman's Tale For bet than never is late."
BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY---Steer clear of obvious risks.---Rory O'More (1837) "It's better to be sure than sorry."
BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW THAN THE DEVIL YOU DON'T KNOW---It is better to deal with something bad you know than with something new you don't; the new thing might be worse.---R. Taverner (1539.) Proverbs.
BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE ---In difficulty no matter which way you turn.---"I'm between a rock and a hard place right now."
BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA.---In a difficult position.---"I am between the devil and the deep blue sea."---(1637) Notes and Queries "Betwixt the devill and the deepe sea."
BETWEEN YOU AND ME AND THE POST---Just between ourselves.---"Just between you and me and the bedpost I think he will make it this time."---Dickens (1839) Nickleby "Between you and me and the post."
BETWIXT AND BETWEEN---Neither one thing or the other.---"It is betwixt and between."---Marryat (1832) Newton Forster "He took the lease of a house in a betwixt and between fashionable street."
BIB AND TUCKER---Ones best clothes.---"Put on your best bib and tucker, we're going to go to the wedding."---(17th Century) Bib was an article of clothing worn over the breast. Tucker was a narrow piece of cloth at the top of a women's gown and went around the neck. Sometime in the 19th century the saying became popular. Either a man or women was said to be in their best bib and tucker if they were dressed up.
BIDE YOUR TIME---Wait for a good opportunity.---"I am just going to bide my time and see what happens."---Fredrick W. Robertson (1850). Sermons "They bide their time and then suddenly present themselves."
BIG BUTTER AND EGG MAN FROM THE CITY---Someone over inflated with his own ego.---(Early 1900's) A farmers saying, referring to a "city slicker" who thinks he is "hot stuff" because he has his own business and doesn't rely on farming for his livelihood. (Sub. by Marjorie C.)
BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH---Don't give up what you have in hopes that something better will come along.---Aesop fable, The Hawk and the Nightingale "Pray let me go," said the Nightingale; "I am such a mite for a stomach like yours. I sing so nicely too. Do let me go, it will do you good to hear me." "Much good it will do to an empty belly," replied the Hawk; "and besides, a little bird that I have is more to me than a great one that has yet to be caught." Heywood (1530) Witty and Witless "Better one bird in hand than ten in the wood."
BIRD'S EYE VIEW---A mode of perspective drawing in which the artist is supposed to be over the objects drawn, in which case he beholds them as a bird in the air would; A good view.---"We have a bird's eye view from here."---Horace Walpole Anecdotes of Painting in England "It exhibits an almost bird's eye view of an extensive country."
BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER---People with similar interests or views associate with one another.---Birds of the same species always fly with each other.---John Bunyan (1680) The Life and Death of Mr. Badman "They were birds of a feather, they were so well met for wickedness."
BITE OFF MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW---Take on a task that is more than you can handle.---"I think I bit off more than I could chew on this job."---J. H. Beadle (1878) Western Wilds "Men, you've bit off more'n you can chew."
BITE THE BULLET---Brace yourself for an unpleasant experience.---"I don't want to go see my mother in law, but I guess I will have to bite the bullet."---The term originated in battlefield surgery before anesthesia. A surgeon about to operate on a wounded soldier would urge him to bite on a lead bullet to distract him from his pain and minimize his ability to scream.---Rudyard Kipling (1890). The Light that Failed "Bite on the bullet, old man, and don't let them think you are afraid."
BITE THE DUST---To die or suffer a severe setback.---"I think our team is going to bite the dust this weekend."---Homer Iliad "May his fellow warriors fall round him to the earth and bite the dust."
BITTER END---Stay with something to its conclusion.---"He will hang in there to the bitter end."---Refers to the timber on early sailing ships to which the anchor rope or chain were fastened. It was called the "bitt" and when the anchor was let as far as the line or chain would go, it was played out "to the bitter end."---Capt. John Smith (1627) A Sea Grammer "A bitter is but the turne of a cable about the bits [bitts], the stout posts on a ship's deck to which ropes and cables are fastened]. And the bitters end is that part of the cable doth stay within board."
new!BLACK BALLED---An old way of voting someone in or out of a club or organization. Members would drop a white or black ball in a container and according to the number of black balls the person was either accepted or denied. If you were denied you were "black balled".
BLACK SHEEP---Someone who stands unfavorably in a group; oddball.---"Bob is the black sheep in our family."---Sir Walter Scott (1816) "The curates (rector, vicar) know best the black sheep of the flock."
BLESSING IN DISGUISE---An apparent misfortune that turns out to have some useful purpose.---"This is a great job, if I hadn't lost my old job I never would have found this one, it was a blessing in disguise."---Cassell's Magazine (1873) "Like many similar disasters, this great calamity was in truth only a blessing in disguise."
BLOOD IS THICKER THAN WATER---Being related is a strong bond. Sir Walter Scott (1815) Guy Mannering "Weel, blud's thicker than water, she's welcome to the cheeses."
BLOOD WILL TELL---What is inherited cannot be hidden; it will come to the surface sooner or later.---(15th Century)
BLOW OFF STEAM---To vent one's anger or frustration.---"You need to blow of a little steam."---Old steam boilers would release excess pressure by releasing steam. Frederick Marryat (1837) Snarleyvow; or the Dogfiend "The widow sat fuming and blowing off her steam."
BLOW ONE'S OWN HORN---Brag.---"Gary certainly likes to blow his own horn."---T. Knight (1799) Turnpike Gate "Or I should not blush so often as I do, by blowing the trumpet of my own praise."
BLOW YOUR STACK---To show sudden anger.---"He blew his stack when he found out about it."---Originally the phrase described clearing a smokestack or the stack on a steamship by blowing air up through it.
BLOWING SMOKE---Boasting without being able to back it up; deceiving.---"I don't pay any attention, I know he is just trying to blow smoke up my ---."---Magicians used to use smoke to help hide their deception.
BLOWN TO SMITHEREENS---Destroyed.---"He said he is going to blow that old car to smithereens if it don't start."---Smithereens is a variant of "smithers," a word of obscure origin meaning fragments or atoms. When the expression first appeared in print, toward the middle of the 19th century, it was sometimes "gone to smithers"; it was also split, knocked, or broken into smithereens.
BLUE BLOOD---An aristocrat.---"He acts like a blue blood."---The skin of the commoners often times were ruddy and weather worn, unlike the fair skin of the aristocracy. The veins in a fair skinned person are often visibly blue.
BONE OF CONTENTION---A topic of dispute.---"I guess we have a little bone of contention."---William Lambard (1576) A Perambulation of Kent "This was such a bone of dissention between these deere friends."
BOOBY HATCH---Mental institution; psychiatric hospital.---"Van has been behaving very strangely, they may have to put him in the booby hatch."---Sailing ships had deck openings, or hatchways, that led to sections below. Each hatch took on the name of the contents found below. On long voyages, sailors sometimes became delirious. Such "boobies" were kept in a compartment below decks for their own protection. The boobie hatch.---boobie (latin: balbus) "stammering", passed to spanish as "bobo", meaning fool, passed to modern as "booby", a foolish fellow.
new!BOONDOCKS---Rural; secluded place; wilderness."Now we are stuck way out here in the boondocks."---WWII military slang.
BOOT LICKER---One who sucks up to someone for favors.---"He is a real boot licker, he would do anything for a promotion."---Drake (1633) "The dog waggeth his taile, not for you, but for your bread."
BORN WITH A SILVER SPOON IN HIS MOUTH---Wealth by inheritance; unearned.---"He has never done a days work in his life, he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth."---It was a tradition among the wealthy for the god parents to give a silver spoon to the god child at the time of christening. Don Quixote (1615) "Every man was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth."
BOSOM BUDDY---Extremely close friend.---"He is my bosom buddy."---Old concept - Bible: St. John is portrayed as the bosom friend of Jesus. Bosom connotes the seat of one's thoughts or feelings.---Robert Green (1590) Never Too Late "There is nothing better than a bosom friend with whom to conferre."
BOTTOMS UP---To drink a mixed drink or beer in one drink; till the bottom is up.
BOUGHT THE FARM---To die or be killed.---It once was government policy to pay off the mortgage of any serviceman killed in action. If you were killed in action, you bought the farm.
BOYS WILL BE BOYS---By nature boys will do what boys do.---W. Robinson Pheaseol Generazis "Children will do like children."
BRAIN TRUST---The main thinkers or policy makers in an organization; often used in a negative context.---"We have some dandy leaders in our company, a real brain trust."---Newsweek (1933). "The President's Brain Trust, a little band of intellectuals, sat at the center of action as similar bands have done in revolutions of the past."
BRAND-NEW---New; freshly made.---"Jim has a brand-new car"---Brand (flame, torch, to burn). Originally had to do with things made of metal, now covers anything new generally. When a blacksmith made a new piece it was taken out of the fire and hammered into shape and thus a new part or piece was made, it was brand-new. Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost "A man of fire-new words."---The Twelfth Night "Fire-new from the mint."
BREAK A LEG---Expression used by performers in the theater, a wish for good luck. (Possible) It was considered bad luck to wish a performer good luck so the term "break a leg" was used to wish good luck. If wishing good luck brought bad luck, wishing something bad would bring good luck.
BREAK THE ICE---Make the first overture; remove an impediment.---"Go over and talk to her, break the ice."---Nashe (1592) Works "He that hath once broke the ice of impudence, need not care how deepe he wade in discredite."
BREVITY IS THE SOUL OF WIT---Speakers are better appreciated when they keep their presentations short.---Shakespeare (1600) Hamlet "Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit, and tediousness the limbs and outward flourishers, I will be brief....."
BRIGHT EYED AND BUSHY TAILED---Alert; ready for action.---"You look bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning."---(1930's) A squirrel, sitting on his haunches and looking about brightly for food or the approach of trouble, is surely the inspiration for the term.
BRING HOME THE BACON---To provide for oneself and family.---"I am really going to bring home the bacon today."---It was once a practice at country fairs to grease a pig and let it loose among blindfolded contestants. The man who successfully caught the pig could keep it. He would "Bring home the bacon."
BRONX CHEER---Sound made by placing the tongue between the lips and blowing vigorously.---Also known as giving someone the "raspberries".---In Yankee Stadium, located in the Bronx, fans were known for this exercise, usually after a bad call by the umpire, and in mass it became known as the bronx cheer.
BROWN NOSER---Overly praise someone, usually a boss or superior.---"Charlie just can't do enough for the boss, what a brown noser."---Alludes to where you might have your nose to get it brown.
BROWNIE POINTS---Going out of one's way to gain approval or favors usually from a supervisor or superior.---"Jerry took the boss to lunch today, he is trying to rack up some more brownie points."---An old Scottish superstition about a house spirit they called "Browine". He would do little good deeds around the house for the family when they were sleeping. The family would leave little offerings out for Browine in hopes that he would continue. Also the Brownies, a club for young girls, which rewarded the girls points for good behavior and achievements.
BUILT LIKE A BRICK SHIT HOUSE---Well built.---"She is built like a brick shit house."---Usually referring to a well proportioned woman.
BULL SESSION---Idle talk; usually by men.---"While we were waiting in the lounge, we had a real bull session."---Confined to a pen together, bulls are likely to devote much of their energy to bellowing back and forth at each other. Men assembled in one area devote a lot of their energy to idle talk, and so the parallel between this chatter and the noise of the bull pen. Spinoff word: "bullshit", worthless talk uttered in a bull session.
BUMBERSHOOT---Umbrella.---Slang: Merging of Umbr(ella) and (pata)chute.
BUMP ON A LOG---A non participant in activities; has no get up and go; lazy.---"That boy is a bump on a log."---A bump or knot on a log in not very interesting.
BUMPED OFF---Come to a violent end; be murdered.---"He opposed the mob and they had him bumped off."---During boat races in England, boats were launched one at a time. When a crew caught up with a rival and bumped it, the bumped boat was disqualified. London's underworld borrowed the term and began to say that a person coming to a violent end had been "bumped off". It became fixed in American speech during the prohibition era.
BURN THE CANDLE AT BOTH ENDS---Overwork oneself.---"He's been working twelve hours a day, he's burning the candle at both ends."---There are conflicting origins to this saying. One is that he was staying up after dark working and up before daylight burning the candle again.
BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL---Staying up late studying or working.---"She's burning the midnight oil tonight."---English poem, Emblems by Francis Quarles (1635) "We spend our midday sweat, our midnight oil; We tire the night in thought, the day in toil."
BURNING QUESTION---A topic that provokes heated discussion.---"What to do about taxes, that's the burning question."
BURY THE HATCHET---End a dispute.---"Enough fighting, let's bury the hatchet."---17th century, Samuel Sewall wrote: "Meeting with the Sachem (Indian chiefs), they came to an agreement and buried two axes in the ground, which ceremony to them is more significant and binding than all the Articles of Peace, the hatchet being the principal weapon."
BUSH LEAGUE---Small enterprise; not professional.---"That is a bush league operation."---Bush referred to a sparsely settled area. Small towns in rural areas, unable to support a professional baseball team, formed their own teams and leagues. A small enterprise is is likely to be disparaged as "bush league".
BUSTING ONE'S CHOPS---Saying things meant to harass; hitting someone in the face or head.---"Larry has been busting my chops all day."---In the early 1900's and again in the 1960's long sideburns were in fashion. They resembled mutton or lamb chops.
BUSY AS A BEE---Chaucer (1386) Merch. Tale "For ay as bisy as bees Ben they."
BUSIER THAN A ONE ARMED PAPER HANGER---Very busy.---"He is busier than a one armed paper hanger.
BUSIER THAN A THREE LEGGED CAT COVERING SHIT---Very busy.
BUSINESS BEFORE PLEASURE---Focus on your duties first and take life's pleasures later.---(1640) Grobiana's Nuptials
BUTTER WOULDN'T MELT IN HER MOUTH---A cold, aloof person.---Heywood (1546) Proverbs "She looketh as butter would not melt in her mouth." (It was so cold in New York City this winter that people were actually gathering around Hilary Clinton to get warm!)
BUY IT FOR A SONG---Get something cheaply.---"He got that car for a song."---Jim Crowne (1694) Regulus "I bought it for a song."
new!BY GOLLY---Minced oath for "by God".
BY THE SAME TOKEN---For the same reason; making able to associate one thing with another.---"He took a chance, by the same token he went broke."---Shakespeare Troilus and Cressida Pandarus says he will return with "a token from Troilus." Cressida replies, "By the same token, you are a bawd."
BY THE SKIN OF YOUR TEETH---Very close; barely making or averting something.---"I just got here by the skin of my teeth."---Bible: Job 19:20 "My bone cleaveth to my skin and my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth."
BY THE SWEAT OF YOUR BROW---Through your own hard work.---One of the punishments God lays on Adam for eating the forbidden fruit. "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground." Henry David Thoreau (1854) Walden "It is not necessary that a man should earn his living by the sweat of his brow unless he sweats easier than I do."
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