idiomN.htm
Collected from various sources by U Kyaw Tun (UKT), M.S. (I.P.S.T., U.S.A.), and staff of TIL (Tun Institute of Learning, http://www.tuninst.net ) for staff and students of TIL Computing and Language Center, Yangon, Myanmar. Not for sale.
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Eidiom-txt-indx.htm
• nada • nag • nail-biter • nail down • nail him • nail in your coffin • nail it down • naked as a jay bird • naked eye • name-dropper • name is cleared • name is mud • nary a word • natural high • nature calls • navel-gazing • nay • neat • necessity is the mother of invention •
From Magnuson
nada
-- naked eye
Internet link
nada
nada -- nothing, none, zero,
zip
"How much for the baseball cap?" "Nada - it was free."
From Magnuson
nag --
horse, race horse
Pat bet on a nag in the sixth race and it came in second!
From Magnuson
nag --
complain too much,
a hassle
Poor Erik. His wife nags him about his first marriage.
From Magnuson
nail-biter --
(See
a nail-biter)
From Magnuson
nail down --
get a clear answer,
find out,
pin down
I've checked the books, but I can't nail down the reason for the loss. I can't
find the error.
From Magnuson
nail him --
hit him, hurt him, stop him
They want to nail him because he beat up on Tommy.
From Magnuson
nail in your coffin --
(See
another nail in your coffin)
From Magnuson
nail it down --
complete it, finalize it,
close a deal
Don't spend too long on a sale. Try to nail it down quickly.
From Magnuson
naked as a jay bird --
no clothes on, bare naked,
in the nude
A boy had taken my clothes, so there I stood, naked as a jay bird!
From Magnuson
naked eye --
(See
the naked eye)
From Magnuson
name-dropper
--
necessity is the mother of invention Internet
link
name-dropper
name-dropper -- one who implies famous people are his friends,
drop a name
That name-dropper! He spoke of Gordon Lightfoot as his friend.
From Magnuson
name is cleared --
name is not involved in a scandal or a crime
The lawyer thinks I should leave town until my name is cleared.
From Magnuson
name is mud --
name is bad, name is not respected
If you don't pay for the support of your child, your name is mud.
From Magnuson
nary a word --
not a word, nothing
When I asked the boy a question, he said nothing - nary a word.
From Magnuson
natural high --
feeling good from having nutritious food or exercise
After swimming, she would often experience a natural high.
From Magnuson
nature calls --
need to go the washroom,
have to go
When nature calls, just say you have an important appointment.
From Magnuson
navel-gazing --
sitting and looking at your own navel, contemplating
your own existence
"Have you nothing better to do than to sit there navel-gazing?" "No."
From Magnuson
nay --
no,
nope
"Should Tom be our team leader?" "Nay."
From Magnuson
neat --
fine, well designed,
cool
What a neat car! It's small but roomy - and comfortable!
From Magnuson
necessity is the mother of invention --
our needs cause us to invent
devices,
build a better mousetrap
Do you think the invention of TV proves that necessity is the mother of
invention?
N03. neck -- nerves of steel Internet link neck
neck -- kiss and hug,
make out,
make whoopee
For me, necking is a memory from my teenage years.
neck and neck -- running at the same speed,
even-steven,
side by side
It was neck and neck all the way - then Jordy won the race by leaning forward at
the finish line!
neck of the woods -- area, part of the country,
in these parts
In our neck of the woods, a man doesn't hit a woman.
necktie party -- (See a necktie party)
need money to make... -- (See you need money to make money)
needle -- ask bothersome questions,
a hassle
She needled him with questions about his former girlfriends.
needless to say -- it is obvious,
it goes without saying
Needless to say, there are many idioms in the English language.
neither fish nor fowl -- not clearly separated, a little of both
Our experiment produced a being that was neither fish nor fowl.
nerd -- weird person,
nut
That nerd! He spit on my toe!
nerves of steel -- able to speak or act calmly when facing risk or
danger
Percy has nerves of steel. He persuaded the gunman to leave.
N04. nervous breakdown -- new legs Internet link nervous breakdown
nervous breakdown -- (See breakdown)
nest egg -- money for retirement, life savings
After selling the farm, they had their nest egg - about $200,000.
Net surfer -- a person who frequently uses the
Internet
Lisa is a Net surfer. She can help you get on the Internet.
Netwar -- an attack on computer systems via the Internet, terrorist
attacks on the Net
After 9-11, the fear is Netwar. How do we defend against attacks on computer
systems that control a city's water and electricity?
never mind -- do not bother to do it, do not worry,
forget it
Will you help me find an idiom? Never mind. I found it.
never say die -- never quit, never
give up
Set your goals and try to achieve them. Work hard. Never say die.
new blood -- different person, someone with new ideas
Armid retired because he feels the company needs new blood.
new kid on the block -- new person in the office or in the class etc.
I'm the new kid on the block. I come from Portugal.
new lease on life -- (See a new lease on life)
new legs -- young runners or players, rested players
The Geritols have a lot of old players. They need new legs.
N05. new money -- nitty-gritty Internet link new money
new money -- money earned recently, money that is not inherited
Bill's got a million or two - it's mostly new money.
new wave -- new trend, the latest idea or fashion
Tony loves new-wave music. He buys only new-wave CD's.
Newfie -- person from
The Rock; from Newfoundland
Is Gordon Pinsent a Newfie? Was he born in Newfoundland?
next of kin -- closest relatives, members of the family
The police are trying to find the man's next of kin - his family.
nine lives -- avoiding death often, lucky to survive
Some race-car drivers have nine lives. They often escape death.
nine times out of ten -- 90% of the time, very often
Jack wins at cribbage nine times out of ten. He's very lucky.
nip and tuck -- a close race, having just enough to win or finish
It was a close race - nip and tuck all the way - but we won!
nip it in the bud -- stop it before it grows, prevent it from
spreading
If the students plan a revolt, we'll nip it in the bud.
nitpick -- find unfinished details, see flaws or small errors
Deborah can find the errors. She likes to nitpick.
nitty-gritty -- (See the nitty-gritty)
N06. nitwit -- no fair Internet link nitwit
nitwit -- fool,
dumbbell,
hairbrain,
half-there
When he's drunk he acts like a nitwit - like he has no sense!
no bloody way -- (See no way)
no bones about it -- (See make no bones about it)
no business -- (See got no business)
no can do -- we cannot do it,
no way
We can't sell you a pet tiger. Sorry, no can do.
no chancy -- there is no chance of it, it cannot be done,
no dice
When I asked Bill for a loan, he said, "No chancy."
no contest -- one player or team wins easily,
hands down
Compare the speed of light to the speed of sound. It's no contest.
no dice -- no, no chance, not approved,
no way
I asked Dad if we could use the car, but no dice.
no doubt -- it is certain, without a doubt,
no question
No doubt, you will inherit his fortune. You are the only heir.
no fair -- it is not fair, one person or team has an advantage
You have six players and we have five. No fair!
N07. no-frills -- no match for Internet link no-frills
no-frills -- without unnecessary additions or luxuries
We just booked a no-frills motel room in Toronto.
no fucking way [B] -- (See no way)
no great shakes -- not special, not superior,
not so hot
I've tasted Granny apples. They're no great shakes.
no guff -- it is the truth,
no kidding,
no shit [B]
I swam across the lake. No guff.
no hard feelings -- no feelings of anger or resentment, no grudges
Dad and Paul argue about politics but there are no hard feelings.
no holds barred -- try anything, no rules apply
In a street fight, it's no holds barred. There are no rules.
no kidding -- I am serious, I am not joking
Keith's my brother. No kidding. I'm telling you the truth.
no let-up -- continuing strong, not diminishing
There was no let-up in the traffic. The cars kept coming.
no love lost -- (See there's no love lost)
no match for -- not as strong as, not an equal competitor
European basketball teams were no match for the Dream Team.
N08. no matter how you slice it -- no rest for the wicked Internet link no matter how you slice it
no matter how you slice it -- it does not matter how you look at it
No matter how you slice it, we have to hire more help.
no news is good news -- if there is no news there is still a chance of
good news
The doctor hasn't phoned. No news is good news.
no nonsense -- serious, not joking,
strictly business
Gil is a very serious person - a no-nonsense kind of guy.
no offense, but... -- do not be insulted but...,
don't get me wrong
No offense, but I was here first. I hope you understand.
no pain, no gain -- to improve, exercise until your muscles ache
A sign on our gym wall reads No Pain, No Gain!
no problem (no prob) -- it was not a problem,
don't mention it
"Thank you," I said. "No problem," she replied.
no qualms -- no doubts, no hesitation
She has no qualms about dating married men. She doesn't care.
no question -- it is certain,
no doubt
"No question of its quality," he said, examining the watch.
no questions asked -- you will not be asked to explain or pay
If he returns the stolen car, there will be no questions asked.
no rest for the wicked -- wicked people must work long hours as a
penalty,
what did I do to deserve...
When I told the men there was another truck to unload, Per said, "No rest for
the wicked, eh."
N09. no rhyme or reason -- no use for Internet link no rhyme or reason
no rhyme or reason -- no sense, no logical plan
There's no rhyme or reason to the game of golf. It's stupid!
no rush -- do not hurry,
take your time
"When does he want his car?" "He left a note saying no rush, so do the
other cars first."
no shit [B] -- it is true,
no kidding
We drove from Calgary to Regina in seven hours - no shit.
no-show -- someone who does not attend
There were two no-shows on the class list. All but two attended.
no shrinking violet -- a bold woman, not a timid woman
Barb will defend her rights. She's no shrinking violet.
no skin off my nose -- no bother to me, will not hurt me
If he doesn't come to my party it's no skin off my nose.
no slouch -- quite skilled or talented,
not half bad
Cora doesn't brag, but she's no slouch when it comes to tennis.
no sweat -- not a problem, no trouble,
no prob
"Thanks for the help, Ryan." "No sweat, man."
no truth to it -- lacking any reliable information,
a pack of lies
When Gary tells you about his hiking adventures, don't believe a word. There's
no truth to it.
no use for -- no respect for, no desire to own
I have no use for STAR products because they are not reliable.
N10. no way -- not Internet link no way
no way -- no, do not try, it is not possible
When he told me to jump off the train, I said, "No way, man."
no word -- no news, no reply, no phone call or letter
We've had no word from Denise and Guy. I hope they're okay.
nobody's fool -- wise or intelligent person,
been around
Joe is nobody's fool. He's intelligent and experienced.
none of your lip -- do not be rude, don't
talk back
"You can't boss me," Bobby said. "None of your lip, boy!" I replied.
none the worse for wear -- not hurt or damaged, still in good
condition,
okay
The immigrants were none the worse for wear after their wagon trip across the
prairie.
nookie [B] -- intercourse, sex,
poontang
My man! All he wants is nookie!
nope -- no,
nay
"Want to paint the fence?" "Nope."
nose is out of joint -- she is upset, he is not pleased
Ed's nose is out of joint because the Liberals lost the election.
nosebag -- food, something to eat,
fill your face
I'm hungry. It's time to put on the nosebag.
not -- not a good idea,
forget it
"Maybe we should buy a Lada." "Not."
N11. not a question of -- not likely Internet link not a question of
not a question of -- (See it's not a question of)
not all it's cracked up... -- (See all it's cracked up to be)
not all there -- retarded, slow to learn,
one brick short...
Sometimes Vincent acts kind of strange - like he's not all there.
not at all -- it was no trouble at all,
don't mention it,
no prob
"Thank you for helping us find our dog," Dad said. "Not at all," the man
replied.
not by a long shot -- very little chance,
not likely
That horse won't win, not by a long shot. It's old and slow.
not by any stretch of the imagination -- not adding to the story, not
stretching it
Gigi wasn't his only girl, not by any stretch of the imagination.
not feeling myself -- not feeling well,
under the weather
I'm not feeling myself these days. I'm tired all the time.
not for all the tea in China -- no; never; not if you gave me all the
tea in China
"Would you like to live in space?" "No. Not for all the tea in China!"
not half bad -- quite good, better than expected
Have you seen Honey, I Ate The Kids? It's not half bad, actually.
not likely -- very little chance, improbable,
a slim chance
"Do you think we'll win the prize?" the boy asked. "Not likely," his dad
replied.
N12. not long for this world -- not worth a plugged nickel Internet link not long for this world
not long for this world -- soon will die, do not have long to live
When Lee had the flu, he said, "I'm not long for this world."
not on your life -- no; it is dangerous;
no way
"Can I shoot your gun?" I asked. "Not on your life," she replied.
not on your tintype -- no, never,
not on your life
Mom said, "You're not going to Vegas - not on your tintype!"
not playing with a full deck -- not rational,
not all there
People say he's not stable - that he's not playing with a full deck.
not so hot -- not special, not superior,
no great shakes
I went to hear Le Gang last night. They're not so hot.
not speaking -- not friendly, not speaking to each other
Emily and Pam had a fight. They're not speaking.
not to worry -- do not worry,
no sweat
"I dropped my ice cream!" "Not to worry. There's more."
not too shabby -- quite good, better than average
Have you seen the new Camaro? It's not too shabby.
not with it -- not feeling right,
out of it
I'm just not with it these days. I lack energy and confidence.
not worth a plugged nickel -- worthless, good for nothing
In 1930, stocks weren't worth a plugged nickel - nothing!
N13. notch below -- number is up Internet link notch below
notch below -- (See a notch below)
nothing succeeds like success -- one success leads to more success
This is the first rule of learning: Nothing succeeds like success.
nothing to it -- (See there's nothing to it)
nothing to sneeze at -- of good quality, do not ignore it
That was a nice apartment - nothing to sneeze at.
nothing to write home about -- not special or spectacular,
no great shakes
He's a nice guy, but nothing to write home about.
nothing ventured, nothing gained -- if you try nothing, you will gain
nothing;
go for it
We've decided to start a business. As the old saying goes, Nothing
ventured, nothing gained.
now or never -- (See it's now or never)
nuke -- heat in a microwave oven,
zap
If you nuke a potato, it cooks in about seven minutes.
nukes -- nuclear arms, nuclear weapons
He opposes the building of more nukes - like nuclear bombs.
number is up -- (See your number is up)
N14. number one -- nutty as a fruit cake Internet link number one
number one -- the best, the winner,
top dog
"We're number one!" the crowd shouted when we won the game.
numbskull -- idiot, foolish person,
dimwit,
dipstick
Why did he call me a numbskull? I'm not stupid.
nut -- a person who acts crazy or foolish
You nut! Wearing that wig makes you look like a British judge.
nut bar, nut case -- (See a nut case)
nut house -- mental hospital, psychiatric ward,
loony bin
They took Hans to the nut house when he taped paper wings to his arms and tried
to fly.
nuts -- crazy,
around the bend,
off your rocker
If that phone rings once more I'll go nuts!
nuts -- oh no,
darn,
rats,
sheesh
When he doesn't catch the ball, he says, "Nuts!"
nuts about -- likes a lot, passionate,
crazy about
Helen is nuts about Mozart. She loves his piano concertos.
nutty as a fruit cake -- funny,
kooky,
mad as a hatter
Do I know Karl? Yes, I do. He's nutty as a fruit cake!