P -Idioms

 
pack a punch/wallop

- to provide a burst of energy/power/excitement

The storm packed a wallop and did much damage to the coast.
a pack of lies

- a series of lies

Everything that the man said was a pack of lies and nobody believed him.
pack them in

- to attract a lot of people

The new restaurant is able to pack them in with its new and exciting menu.
packed in like sardines

- to be packed very tightly

The commuters on the train were packed in like sardines during the morning rush hour.
pad the bill

- to add false expenses to a bill

The salesman always pads the bill when he goes on a business trip.
paddle one's own canoe

- to do something by oneself

I was forced to paddle my own canoe when the rest of the staff went away for a seminar.
a pain in the neck/ass

- an annoying/bothersome thing or person

Dealing with my neighbor is always a pain in the neck.
paint oneself into a corner

- to get into a bad situation that is difficult or impossible to get out of

My friend has painted himself into a corner now that he has begun to fight with his supervisor.
paint the town red

- to go out and party and have a good time

We decided to go out and paint the town red after we passed our exams.
pal around (with someone)

- to be friends with someone

I have begun to pal around with a friend from my evening language class.
pale around the gills

- to look sick

My colleague was looking a little pale around the gills when he came to work today.
palm (something) off on (someone)

- to deceive someone by a trick or a lie, to sell or give something by tricking

The man palmed off his old television set as one that was new and reliable.
pan out

- to end or finish favorably, to work out well

"I hope that your plans to go back to school pan out."
paper over the cracks (in/of something)

- to try to hide faults or difficulties

Our boss is trying to paper over the cracks in the office and will not deal with the problems of the staff.
par for the course

- to be just what was expected, to be nothing unusual

That was par for the course. He always comes late when there is a lot of work to do.
paradise (on earth)

- a place on earth that is as lovely as paradise

The resort in the mountains was paradise on earth.
part and parcel of (something)

- a necessary or important part of something

The house that we bought is part and parcel of a much larger piece of property.
part company (with someone)

- to leave someone, to depart from someone

The two business partners decided to part company and begin their own businesses.
partake of (something)

- to eat or drink something

I decided not to partake of the large dinner before the golf tournament.
partial to (someone or something)

- favoring or preferring someone or something

Our boss is partial to the new person who recently began to work in our company.
the particulars of (something)

- the specific details about something

I have no knowledge of the particulars of my father's business dealings.
parting of the ways

- a point at which people separate and go their own ways

I had a parting of the ways with my closest friend from high school.
party line

- the official ideas of a group (usually political) that must be followed by all members

The members of the political party were forced to follow the party line on most issues.
the party's over

- a happy or good time has come to an end

The party's over and I must now begin to work after my long holiday.
pass Idioms
pass away

- to die

His father passed away when he was 96 years old.
pass for/as (someone or something)

- to succeed in being accepted as someone or something

The young woman was trying to pass for a reporter when she went to the concert.
pass muster

- to pass a test or checkup, to measure up to a certain standard

The player was not able to pass muster and was not included on the team.
pass off (something) as (something else)

- to sell or give something by false claims, to offer something as genuine when it is not

The man passed off the watch as a diamond watch and received more money than it was worth.
pass on

- to die

My grandmother passed on when she was 92 years old.
pass on (something)

- to give away something that you don`t use anymore

The girl always passes on her old clothes to her younger sister.
pass oneself off as (someone or something) else

- to claim to be someone one is not, to pretend to be someone else

My friend passed himself off as a reporter and was able to get into the concert free.
pass out

- to faint

Three teenage girls passed out at the rock concert.
pass the buck

- to shift responsibility to someone else

Our supervisor always tries to pass the buck if someone tries to criticize his work.
pass the hat

- to attempt to collect money for some project

We passed the hat in order to raise money for the movie projector.
pass the time

- to fill up time by doing something

My grandfather usually passes the time reading and working in his garden.
pass through (someone's) mind

- to think about something briefly, to remember something briefly

It passed through my mind that I would need to go to the bank and get more money before my holiday.

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a passport to (something)

- something that allows something good to happen

A university education is often a passport to a better job.
a past master at (something)

- someone who is extremely good or skillful at something

The chef is a past master at cooking with various kinds of sauces.
past (someone or something's) prime

- to be beyond the most useful or productive period of someone or something

The young skater is past her prime as a figure skater.
a pat on the back

- praise

My boss gave me a pat on the back after I finished the project.
patch up (something)

- to fix something

I have been trying to patch up my differences with my friend for many months.
path of least resistance

- the easiest way

I took the path of least resistance and decided to quit the class rather than try to pass the course.
pave the way for (someone or something)

- to prepare someone or something for something

The new company policy is designed to pave the way for more effective communication in the company.

pay Idioms
pay a call on (someone)

- to visit someone

I went to the head office to pay a call on the accounting manager.
pay a king's ransom for (something)

- to pay a great deal of money for something

My friend paid a king's ransom for his new stereo system.
pay an arm and a leg (for something)

- to pay too much money for something

I paid an arm and a leg for the new frames for my glasses.
pay as you go

- to pay costs as they occur or as you buy some goods

The small business was forced to pay as they go when the bank began to look at their loan.
pay attention to (someone or something)

- to look at something with full attention, to listen to someone with full attention

The man never pays attention to what his supervisor tells him.
pay dirt

- dirt in which much gold is found, a profitable or useful discovery or venture

The company hit pay dirt when they published the new computer software.
pay for (something)

- to pay money for something

I paid for dinner for my friends.
pay homage to (someone)

- to praise/respect/honor someone

The entire country paid homage to their dead leader.
pay in advance

- to pay for something before it is received or delivered

I paid in advance to get the frames for my pictures.
pay lip service to (something)

- to express loyality or support for something insincerely

The city council paid lip service to the concerns of the taxpayers.
pay off

- to yield good results

My risks in starting the new business finally paid off.
pay off (something)

- to pay something in full and be free from a debt

She finally paid off her car loan so she now has some extra money to spend.
a pay-off

- the results of one`s work, a bribe

The young man expects to get a big pay-off from his university education when he begins to look for a job.
pay one's debt to society

- to serve a sentence for a crime (usually in prison)

The young man spent several years in prison in order to pay his debt to society.
pay one's dues

- to earn one's right to something through hard work or suffering

The young athlete worked hard to pay his dues in order to get on the best team in the city.
pay one's last respects

- to attend the funeral of someone

Our family gathered to pay their last respects to our grandmother.
pay one's own way

- to pay the costs for something by oneself

The young man was forced to pay his own way during college.
pay (someone) a back-handed compliment

- to give someone a false compliment that is really an insult

The woman paid her colleague a back-handed compliment when she told her what a good job she was doing.
pay (someone) a compliment

- to compliment someone

My supervisor paid me a compliment for the work that I was doing.
pay (someone or something) a visit

- to visit someone or something

I paid the tax office a visit to try and resolve my tax problem.
pay (someone) off

- to pay someone a bribe

The man tried to pay off the customs agent to quickly get his products into the country.
pay (someone) respect

- to have and show respect to someone

The children refuse to pay their teacher respect.
pay the piper

- to face the results of one's actions

The city government was forced to pay the piper after many years of bad management.
pay through the nose (for something)

- to pay a lot of money for something

My uncle always pays through the nose when he buys a new car.
pay to (do something)

- to be beneficial to do something

I decided that it would pay to buy a new car rather than fix my old car.
pay up

- to pay someone immediately

My friend told me to pay up because he needed the money.

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pecking order

- the way people are ranked in relation to each other

The pecking order in my company is very difficult for others to understand.
a peeping Tom

- someone who looks in the windows of strangers

The police arrested a peeping Tom near our apartment building last week.
peg away (at something)

- to keep working at something, keep trying something

My friend has been pegging away at his job for many years now.
a penny for one`s thoughts

- the telling to others of what you are thinking about

"A penny for your thoughts," the girl said as she saw her boyfriend looking out the window.
a penny saved is a penny earned

- money saved through being thrifty is the same as money earned by working

A penny saved is a penny earned and trying not to spend a lot of money is as good as trying to earn money.
penny-wise and pound-foolish

- wise or careful in small things/purchases but not wise or careful about bigger things/purchases

He is penny-wise and pound-foolish and is always wasting his money on things that he does not need.
people who live in glass houses should not throw stones

- do not complain about other people if you yourself are not perfect

"You should not criticize other people. Remember, people who live in glass houses should not throw stones."
pep (someone or something) up

- to make someone or something more active and energetic

I drank a cup of coffee in order to pep myself up for my afternoon class.
a pep talk

- a speech to encourage people to try harder and not give up

The coach gave his team a pep talk after they lost three games last month.
to perk up

- to become energetic or happy after being sad or tired

My sister began to perk up after she had a chance to rest after her long drive.
persist in (doing something)

- to continue to do something with determination

The young child persisted in making noise that disturbed his father.
persist with (something)

- to continue with something

I am going to persist with my demand that my boss transfer me to another department.
perspective on (something)

- a way of looking at a situation and determining what is important

My friend has a very different perspective on what recently happened in his company.
to peter out

- to die down gradually, to grow less strong

The large crowd from the football game has begun to peter out and the streets around the stadium are quiet now.
pick Idioms
pick a fight with (someone)

- to start a fight with someone (usually on purpose)

The man tried to pick a fight with his old friend.
pick a lock

- to open a lock without a key

The robbers picked the lock and entered the store.
pick a quarrel with (someone)

- to start a quarrel with someone (usually on purpose)

I do not like that woman because she likes to pick a quarrel with others.
pick and choose

- to choose very carefully from a number of possibilities

The company made an effort to pick and choose the best people for the new project.
pick at (someone)

- to be very critical of someone

The woman is always picking at her husband for very small things.
pick at (something)

- to eat only little bits of something

The boy was sick and would only pick at his food.
pick holes in (something)

- to find all the flaws and falsehoods in an argument, criticize something severely

My supervisor picked holes in my argument to buy a new computer for the office.
a pick-me-up

- food or a drink that one takes when one feels tired or lacks energy

I stopped at the restaurant on my way home from work for a quick pick-me-up.
the pick of (something)

- the best of the group

The members of the Olympic team were the pick of the best athletes in the country.
pick off (someone or something)

- to kill with a carefully aimed shot from a gun or other weapon

The police were easily able to pick off the man who was shooting the rifle.
pick on (someone)

- to do or say bad things to someone

The boy always picked on his sister when they were children.
pick on someone your own size

- to abuse/bully someone who is big enough to fight back

The older boy told the other boy to pick on someone his own size when he was fighting with the smaller boy.
pick one's way through (something)

- to work slowly through written material

I picked my way through the material that I had to study for the exam.
pick out (something)

- to choose or select something

I tried to pick out a nice necktie for my father.
pick (someone`s) brains

- to extract ideas or information from someone for one`s own use

They are always picking my brains to get new ideas for their business.
pick (something) over

- to sort through something

The customers picked the best clothes over at the department store sale.
pick up a radio wave etc.

- to catch or receive the sound of a radio etc.

We could not pick up any radio stations when we were travelling through the mountains.
pick up a trail/scent

- to recognize the trail of a hunted person or animal

The tracking dogs were easily able to pick up the trail of the criminal.
pick up (someone)

- to take someone to the police station, to arrest someone

The police picked up the man for drinking and driving.
pick up (someone)

- to take on passengers in a bus/car/train etc.

The bus picked up my mother at six o`clock in the morning.
pick up (something)

- to get/receive/claim/buy something

I picked up my dry cleaning after I finished work yesterday.
I picked up some milk after work.
pick up (something)

- to learn something without formal study

I picked up a lot of French when I lived in France for a year.
pick up (something)

- to take something that has fallen on the floor/ground and put it somewhere else

"Could you please pick up my pen from the floor."
pick up (something)

- to collect or gather something

We picked up some beautiful seashells on the beach.
pick up (something)

- to start again after an interruption

It was getting late so we decided to stop work and pick up where we left off the next day.
pick up speed

- to increase the speed of something

The car picked up speed as it began to go down the hill.
pick up the tab

- to pay the bill for someone else

I picked up the tab for the dinner at the restaurant.

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picked over

- rejected, worn

All of the best shoes were picked over in the shoe sale.
the picture of (something)

- the perfect example of something

My father was the picture of health when I saw him last month.
pie in the sky

- a goal/plan that is too optimistic, a future reward after death

The boy's plans for his summer were pie in the sky. He would never complete them.
a piece of cake

- easy

That job was a piece of cake. It was the easiest thing that I ever did.
a piece of the action

- a share in a scheme or project

The small company was able to get a piece of the action with the large building contract.
a pig in a poke

- something accepted or bought without looking at it carefully

The stereo system that he bought was a pig in a poke. He has no idea if it will work well.
a piggy bank

- a small bank (sometimes in the shape of a pig) for saving coins

Her daughter put all of her spare money into her piggy bank.
piggyback

- sitting or being carried on the back and shoulders

The man was carrying his child around the room piggyback style.
pile into (something)

- to climb into something roughly

The teenagers piled into the old car after school.
pile out of (something)

- to get out of something roughly

The passengers quickly piled out of the bus when it arrived at the station.
pile up

- to accumulate, to put things on top of each other

I piled up the magazines on top of the small table.
a pillar of strength/support

- someone who provides strong support for someone, a strong/powerful person

The man is a pillar of strength in the community.
pin one's hopes/faith on (someone or something)

- to put one's hope/trust/faith in someone or something

I am not going to pin my hopes on getting a promotion next month.
pin (someone) down

- to keep someone from moving, to make someone stay in a place or position

The wrestler won the match after he pinned his opponent down for almost a minute.
pin (someone) down

- to make someone tell the truth or make a commitment

I could not pin my friend down as to exactly when he would pay back the money that he owed me.
pin (something) on (someone)

- to place the blame for something on someone

My friend tried to pin the blame for breaking the computer on me.
pinch-hit for (someone)

- to substitute for someone

The best batter on the team was asked to pinch-hit for the injured player.
pinch pennies

- to be careful with money, to be thrifty

He has been pinching pennies for many months in order to save money for his vacation.
a pink slip

- a dismissal notice from a job

He received his pink slip yesterday and no longer has a job.
pins and needles

- a tingling feeling in one's arms and legs, feeling excitement

I was on pins and needles all day as I waited to hear the results of the exam.
pipe down

- to be quiet, to get quiet

The teacher asked the children to pipe down in the classroom.
a pipe dream

- an unrealistic plan

He always has a lot of pipe dreams about what he wants to do in the future.
pipe up

- to speak louder

We asked the speaker to pipe up so that we could hear him.
pipe up with (something)

- to speak up and say something

The student piped up with a comment from the back of the class.
piping hot

- extremely hot

The food from the kitchen was piping hot when the waiter brought it to the table.
a pip-squeak

- a small and unimportant person

The boy called his friend a pip-squeak which made him very angry.
pique (someone's) interest/curiosity

- arouse interest/curiosity

The conversation with the filmmaker piqued my interest and I begin to watch more movies.
piss (someone) off

- to bother or annoy someone, to make someone angry

My supervisor pissed me off when he asked me to work late again last night.
pit (someone or something) against (someone or something)

- to set one group/person against another

The fight over the new shopping center pit the property owners against the local businesses.
pitch a tent

- to put up a tent

We pitched the tent in a field beside a stream.
pitch-black

- to be very black

It was pitch-black when we left the restaurant to return home.
pitch camp

- to set up or arrange a campsite

We stopped for the night next to a small river and pitched camp.
pitch-dark

- very dark

It was pitch-dark when I took the garbage out to the garbage can.
pitch in

- to give help or money for something

My friends pitched in and helped me finish the job quickly.
pitch (someone) a curve (ball)

- to surprise someone with an unexpected act or event

The lawyer pitched the woman a curve when he began to ask questions unrelated to the court case.
place an order

- to submit an order

I recently placed an order for a new and smaller refridgerator.
place (someone)

- to recall someone's name

I could not place the woman at the meeting but I knew that I had met her before.
place the blame on (someone or something)

- to blame someone or something

The teacher placed the blame on the boys for breaking the flower vase.
plain and simple

- absolutely, without further complication or elaboration

It was plain and simple. I decided to buy the car and I did not want to talk about it further.

play Idioms
play a joke/trick on (someone)

- to do a joke/trick that affects someone

The boy played a trick on his teacher.
play along with (someone or something)

- to agree to cooperate with someone's plan

I decided to play along with my friend and his crazy plan to buy a horse.
play around/about with (someone or something)

- to engage in some play with someone or something

The little boy was playing around with the dog when his mother entered the room.
play ball with (someone)

- to cooperate with someone, to join in an effort with others

"If you play ball with the new manager things should go well for you."
play both ends (against the middle/center)

- to scheme in a way that pits two sides against each other

The man was trying to play both ends against the middle when he tried to negotiate with the two departments in his company.
play by ear

- to play a musical instrument by remembering the tune and not by reading the music

Although the woman can't read music she can play by ear and is a very good musician.
a play-by-play description

- a description of an event as it is taking place

The announcer gave a play-by-play description of the championship game.
play cat and mouse with (someone)

- to tease or fool someone/something by pretending to let them go free and then catching him/her/it again

The boxer was playing cat and mouse with his opponent although he could have won the match easily.
play down (someone or something)

- to give less emphasis to someone or something, to make someone or something seem less important

The politician played down the survey that showed that he was becoming less popular.
play dumb/ignorant

- to pretend to be ignorant

I played dumb when my boss asked me if I knew about the problems with the telephone.
play fair

- to do something by the rules

The politician was not playing fair during the election campaign.
play fast and loose with (someone or something)

- to act carelessly/thoughtlessly/irresponsibly

The witness began to play fast and loose with the facts of his case and was severely criticized by the judge.
play footsie with (someone)

- to touch the feet of someone under the table while flirting

The couple in the restaurant were playing footsie during their dinner.
play footsie with (someone)

- to engage in some kind of collaboration in a political situation

The opposition party was playing footsie with the government in order to try and influence their policy.
play for keeps

- to do something that is permanent and a serious move

My friend was playing for keeps when he refused to give his boss the information that he had requested.
play hard to get

- to be coy and shy

The young woman was playing hard to get but actually she wanted to go on a date with the young man.
play hooky

- to stay away from school or work without permission

When he was a student he often played hooky and did not go to school.
play innocent

- to pretend to be innocent and not concerned about something

The little boy played innocent when the teacher asked him about the broken window.
play into (someone`s) hands

- to do something that gives someone else an advantage

If you walk out of the meeting in anger you will only play into the hands of the other side.
play it by ear

- to decide to do something according to the situation

Let`s play it by ear and decide where to eat after we see the movie.
play it cool

- to act calm and not concerned

I tried to play it cool when the policeman stopped me when I was driving my car.
play it safe

- to avoid taking a risk

The father always plays it safe when he goes swimming with his son.
play off

- to settle a score between two teams or contestants by playing another game/match

Our team had to play off against the other team before we went to the championship.
play off (one group against another)

- to match opposing persons/forces/interests for one`s own gain

Nobody likes the supervisor because he is always trying to play off one group of workers against another.
play on/upon (something)

- to cause an effect on something, to influence something

The company played on the feelings of loneliness of the people to get them to buy more products.
a play on words

- a humorous use of a word to suggest a different meaning

Newspaper headlines often use a play on words to give a different meaning to a sentence.
play one's cards close to one's chest

- to work or negotiate in a careful and private manner

I played my cards close to my chest when I went to the bank to negotiate for a loan.
play one`s cards right

- to take advantage of one's opportunities

"If you play your cards right you will probably get a promotion soon."
play one's trump card

- to use one's most powerful or effective strategy or device

I played my trump card when I told my boss that I would quit if I did not get an increase in salary.
play politics

- to negotiate politically, to allow politics to control a situation where principle should prevail

The government leaders were playing politics with the issue of changing the tax rate.
play possum

- to pretend to be inactive/asleep/dead

My friend was playing possum and did not respond to the conversation around him.
play second fiddle to (someone)

- to be second in importance to someone

He has been playing second fiddle to his boss for many years and has finally decided to change jobs.
play (someone) for (something)

- to treat/handle someone as something else

He was trying to play me for a fool but I could easily see what he was doing.
play (someone) off against (someone)

- to scheme in a manner that pits two of your opponents against each other

Our supervisor is always trying to play one group of employees off against another group.
play the devil's advocate

- to argue against something even if you may agree with it

I was playing the devil's advocate when I asked my friend some questions about his plan to change jobs.
play the field

- to date many different people, to avoid steady dates with the same person

After my sister stopped dating her boyfriend she decided to play the field until she met someone new.
play the fool

- to act like a fool, to act in a silly manner

My friend forced me to play the fool when he left me waiting in the supermarket for two hours.
play the market

- to invest in the stock market

My father has been playing the market for many years now.
play to the gallery

- to perform in a manner that will get the strong approval of the audience

The politician always plays to the gallery and tells his supporters what they want to hear.
play tricks on (someone)

- to trick or confuse someone

The little boy liked to play tricks on his friends.
play up (someone or something)

- to call attention to someone or something, to emphasize someone or something

During the job interview I played up my experience as a computer operator.
play up to (someone)

- to flatter or please someone to try and gain their favor

He is always playing up to his boss so he can get more free time.
play with fire

- to invite danger or trouble

"You are playing with fire if you get involved with that new project. You may lose much money."

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to be played out

- to be tired/worn out, to be exhausted

I was played out last night so I went to bed early.
pleased as punch

- to be very pleased with oneself

I was pleased as punch when I learned about the money that I had won.
plenty of something

- lots of something

There was plenty of food to eat at the party.
the plot thickens

- things are becoming more complicated or interesting

"The plot thickens," I thought as the situation at my company became more and more complicated.
plow into (someone or something)

- to crash into someone or something with force

The truck plowed into the group of people waiting for the bus.
plow into (something)

- to attack/eat/do something vigorously

We plowed into the food as soon as the waiter brought it to our table.
plow through (something)

- to work through something with determination

I had much homework to do but I was able to plow through most of it by early evening.
pluck up one's courage

- to make oneself have courage

He plucked up his courage and went over to ask the woman for a date.
plug away at (something)

- to keep working at something

My friend has been plugging away at his job for several years now.
plug in (something)

- to place a plug into a receptacle

We plugged in the coffee pot before the meeting began.
plug up (something)

- to stop or fill up a hole/crack/gap

We used some special cement to plug up the leak in the bathtub.
plumb loco

- to be completely crazy

The man is plumb loco and everyone tries to stay away from him.
poetic justice

- the chance but appropriate receiving of rewards/punishments by those who deserve them

It was poetic justice when the man lost most of the money that he had got illegally.
point of no return

- the halfway point, the point where it is too late to turn back

We reached the point of no return on our journey and decided that it would be impossible to turn back.
point of view

- one's way of thinking about something

I find it difficult to understand my friend's point of view on many issues.
point out (someone or something)

- to explain or call attention to someone or something

My teacher was very kind when she pointed out the mistakes that I had made.
point the finger at (someone)

- to blame someone, to identify someone as the guilty person

I tried not to point the finger at anyone but I still wanted to discover who broke the computer.
a pointed remark

- a remark clearly aimed at a particular person or thing

He made a pointed remark during the meeting that was designed to get my attention.
poised for (something)

- to be ready and waiting for something

The army was poised for an attack early in the morning.
poised to do (something)

- to be ready to do something

Our basketball team is poised to win its third championship this evening.
poke about/around

- to look or search for something or just look at things

I was poking about in several antique stores last weekend.
poke fun at (someone)

- to joke about someone, to laugh at someone, to tease someone

The woman is always poking fun at the way her husband plays golf.
poke one's nose into something

- to interfere with something

I wish that my neighbor would not always poke her nose into my business.
poles apart

- to be very different, to be far from coming to an agreement

The union and management were poles apart in their attempt to reach a contract agreement.
polish off (something)

- to finish doing something quickly/completely

We polished off the work early and went to the beach for the day.
polish the apple

- to try to win someone's favor by flattering him or her

The teacher does not like students who try to polish the apple with her.
to pony up

- to pay

It is time for my friend to pony up and pay for the exercise equipment that he bought from me.
pooped out

- to be worn out, to be exhausted

We spent all day painting the house so we were pooped out when we got home.
pop the question

- to ask someone to marry you

He finally popped the question to his girlfriend after they had been dating for two years.
pop up

- to appear suddenly or unexpectedly

I had not seen my friend for a year but suddenly he popped up for a visit last week.
pose a question

- to ask a question

The professor stopped to pose a question to his audience.
pose as (someone)

- to pretend to be someone

The man was posing as a reporter in order to get information about the company.
possessed by (something)

- to be under the control of something, to be obsessed with something

The woman seemed to be possessed by her desire to be the best actress on the movie set.
to be possessed of (something)

- to have something

The man was possessed of an ability to clearly understand and repeat what others had said.
postage and handling

- charges for handling and sending something by mail

We bought several things over the Internet but we found that the postage and handling was very expensive.
the pot calling the kettle black

- a person who is criticizing someone else may be as guilty as the person he or she criticizes

It was like the pot calling the kettle black when the woman who is always late for work criticized her coworker for also coming late.
pound a beat

- to walk a route

The policeman has been pounding a beat for many years now.
pound (something) out

- to type something on a typewriter, to play a song on a piano

I spent several hours trying to pound an essay out on my computer.
pound the pavement

- to look for a job

He has been pounding the pavement for a few months now but he still has not found a job.
pour cold water on (something)

- to discourage something

My boss poured cold water on my idea to change the time of our coffee breaks.
pour it on thick

- to flatter someone greatly

The man has been pouring it on thick but the woman still does not like him.
pour money down the drain

- to waste money

The city was pouring money down the drain when they built the new subway line.
pour oil on troubled waters

- to calm down a quarrel, to say something to lessen anger and bring peace to a situation

The teachers tried to pour oil on troubled waters when they noticed the fight among the students.
pour out

- to come out in great number or quantity, to stream out of a place

After the football game thousands of fans poured out of the stadium.
pour out one's heart to (someone)

- to tell everything about something to someone

The girl poured out her heart to her mother when she returned home from work.
pouring rain

- very heavy rain

I went outside in the pouring rain and became very wet.
power behind the throne

- the person who controls the person who seems to be in charge of something

The general is the power behind the throne in the small country and he has much influence.
the powers that be

- the people who are in authority

The powers that be have decided that the summer festival will not be held this year.
praise (someone or something) to the skies

- to give someone or something much praise

The teachers praised the principal to the skies for the new policies at the school.
preach to the converted

- to praise or speak to those who already agree with you

I was preaching to the converted when I told my friends about the advantages of the new car.
precious few/little

- very few, very little

I had precious little time to prepare for my final exam.
a prelude to (something)

- an event that comes and signals another event

The strong wind was a prelude to the large storm that would soon follow.
press one`s luck

- to depend too much on luck, to expect to continue to be lucky

My uncle is pressing his luck if he thinks that he will continue to make a lot of money on the stock market.
to be pressed for time

- to have barely enough time

My boss was pressed for time so I did not have a chance to speak to him.
pretty state of affairs

- an unpleasant state of affairs

The mess in the kitchen was a pretty state of affairs which the woman had to return to.
prevail upon (someone)

- to ask or beg someone (for a favor)

I had to prevail upon my friend to lend me some money for my holiday.
prey on/upon (someone)

- to cheat/rob someone

Criminals often prey on people who are the weakest members of society.
prey on/upon (something)

- to catch something for food, to kill and eat something

Cats usually prey on mice and small birds for food.
prick up one's ears

- to listen more closely (like an animal moving its ears to hear better)

I pricked up my ears and listened to what the speaker was saying.
pride and joy

- someone or something that one is very proud of

The little boy is the pride and joy of his grandparents.
pride oneself on/in (something)

- to take special pride in something

My father prides himself on the fact that he has never been absent from work in his life.
prime mover

- the force or person that starts something off

The group of executives were the prime movers behind the decision to close the small factory in our city.
privy to something

- to be uniquely knowledgeable about something

I was not privy to the decision of my friend to suddenly quit his job.
promise (someone) the moon

- to promise something that is impossible

Before the election the politicians promised everybody the moon but after they were elected they began to talk differently.
prone to (something)

- to be likely to do something

Our manager is prone to saying some very strange things.
the proof is in the pudding/the proof of the pudding is in the eating

- you can only find out if an idea or plan is good by seeing what the results of trying it will be

The proof is in the pudding and if the business idea is good then many people will support it. If it is not good then people will not support it.
propose a toast

- to make a toast before drinking

We proposed a toast to our friend who was going away to study for a year.
prove to be (someone or something)

- to be shown or found to be someone or something

The problem with the computer proved to be much easier to fix than we had thought.
provided that (something is so)

- on the condition that something is so

We plan to go hiking this weekend provided that the weather is nice.
to psych (someone) out

- to find out the real motives/intentions of someone

I tried to psych out the salesman to see how much he would sell the car for.
to be psyched out

- to be confused and disoriented

The young man was totally psyched out when the robber entered his apartment.
psyched up (for something)

- to be mentally alert, to be ready to do something

Our team was psyched up for the game but they lost anyway.
publish or perish

- university professors often have to publish books or articles in journals or they will not be successful in their jobs at the university

The professor was forced to publish or perish if he wanted to advance in his career at the university.

pull Idioms pull a boner

- to do something stupid or silly

I pulled a boner when I sent the E-mail message to the wrong person.
pull a fast one on (someone)

- to cheat/deceive someone

They pulled a fast one on me when they sold me the broken stereo.
pull a gun/knife on (someone)

- to bring out a gun or knife quickly so that you can use it against someone

The robber pulled a knife on the woman in the dark street.
pull a stunt/trick on (someone)

- to deceive someone

If the boy pulls a stunt like he did last weekend he is going to be in much trouble with his parents.
pull down (someone)

- to humiliate someone

The scandal pulled down the local politician from his position in the government.
pull down (something)

- to demolish something

The city decided to pull down the old office building rather than rebuild it.
pull down (something)

- to lower or reduce the amount of something (a school grade etc.)

The difficult chemistry course pulled down my grade average during the fall semester.
pull one's punches

- to hold back in one's criticism, for a boxer to hit with light punches

The manager was not pulling his punches when he began to criticize his workers.
pull one`s socks up

- to make a greater effort to do something

"You had better pull your socks up or you will not be able to continue working here."
pull one`s weight

- to do one`s fair share of the work

"If everyone pulls their weight we can quickly finish and go home."
pull oneself together

- to become emotionally stabilized

The woman tried hard to pull herself together after learning about her boyfriend's accident.
pull oneself up by one's bootstraps

- to better oneself through one's own efforts

The boy pulled himself up by his bootstraps and decided to go back to university.
pull out all the stops

- to use all of one's energy and effort to achieve something

My mother pulled out all the stops to make a great graduation party for my sister.
pull over

- to drive to the side of the road and stop

I was very tired so I pulled over to the side of the road to rest.
pull over (someone)

- to make a car drive to the side of the road and stop

The police pulled over the man because he had been drinking and driving.
pull rank on (someone)

- to assert one`s superior position or authority on a person of lower rank in order to get a privilege or favor

The navy officer pulled rank on the other officers and was able to stay in the best room in the hotel.
pull (some) strings

- to secretly use influence and power

Our boss was able to pull some strings and get his son a job for the summer.
pull (someone`s) leg

- to trick or fool someone in a playful way

My grandfather is always pulling my leg when he comes to visit us.
pull (something) off

- to accomplish something remarkable

My friend is lucky that he pulled off the new business venture with no problems.
pull (something) out of a hat

- to get something as if by magic, to invent/imagine something

The team was able to pull victory out of a hat and win the tournament.
pull (something) together

- to organize something, to arrange something

We were able to pull everything together and the convention was a great success.
pull the plug

- to quit a job

The cashier suddenly decided to pull the plug and is no longer working here.
pull the plug on (someone or something)

- to expose someone`s secret activities

The company pulled the plug on the salesman and everyone learned about his illegal sales activities.
pull the rug out from under (someone)

- to spoil someone`s plans, to withdraw support from someone

Our boss pulled the rug out from under our plans to open another branch office.
pull the wool over (someone`s) eyes

- to deceive or fool someone

"Don`t let that man pull the wool over your eyes with his excuses."
pull through

- to recover from an illness or misfortune

It looked like my uncle was going to die from cancer but he pulled through and is now doing very well.
pull up stakes

- to move to another location

We have decided to pull up stakes and move to London.

.


punch a hole in something

- to make a hole in something

I used a hole puncher to punch a hole in the sheet of paper.
pure and simple

- absolutely, without further complication

It was pure and simple. I did not want to go away for the weekend.
push off

- to start, to leave

The boat pushed off from the dock and started out to sea.
push one's luck

- to expect to continue to escape bad luck or a negative situation

The woman was pushing her luck to continue to bother her neighbors with her loud music. Someone was going to complain someday.
push (someone) around

- to make someone do what you want

The sales manager is always pushing around his salespeople.
push the panic button

- to become very frightened or excited at a time of danger or worry

He thought that his wallet had been stolen so he pushed the panic button and told everyone that it was missing.
pushing up daisies

- to be dead and buried

My uncle has been pushing up daisies for several years now.

put Idioms put a bee in (someone's) bonnet

- to give someone an idea (about something)

I put a bee in my friend's bonnet with my plans to go to Germany to study.
put a cap on (something)

- to put a limit on something

The university was forced to put a cap on the number of new students that they could accept.
put a damper on (something)

- to discourage something, to spoil a person`s fun

The death of the company president put a damper on the anniversary celebrations.
put a hold on (something)

- to place a restriction on something to show that it is reserved/delayed

I put a hold on several books at the library.
put a spin on (something)

- to interpret an event to make it seem favorable to oneself

The politician tried to put a spin on the bad publicity that she had recently been receiving.
put a stop/end to (something)

- to bring something to an end

The company is trying to put an end to the personal use of computers during office hours.
put across (something)

- to make oneself understood, to communicate something

The speaker spends much effort trying to clearly put across what he wants to say.
put all one`s eggs in one basket

- to place all one`s efforts/interests/hopes in a single person or thing

You should not put all your eggs in one basket and invest all of your money in the stock market.
put away

- to put an animal to death, to kill an animal

We put away our dog because he tried to bite the small girl next door.
put down (an airplane)

- to land an aircraft

The pilot put down the airplane very gently when they reached the airport.
put down (an animal)

- to take the life of an animal that is suffering

The farmer decided to put down the sick horse.
put down (someone)

- to criticize someone, to make someone feel bad

He is always putting down his girlfriend in front of his friends.
put down (something)

- to stop something by force, to crush something

The government easily put down the rebellion by the rebel army.
put down (something)

- to write a record of something, to write down something

He was asked by his company to put down his request for a transfer in writing.
put ideas into (someone's) head

- to suggest something (often bad) to someone

My mother was angry because I was putting ideas into my sister's head.
put in a good word for (someone)

- to say something in support of someone

I put in a good word for my friend when I was meeting with my boss and supervisor.
put in an appearance

- to appear somewhere for a short time

I was forced to put in an appearance at the party although I was very tired.
put in for (something)

- to apply for something

I put in for a transfer to another department of our company.
put in one`s two cents

- to give one`s opinion

The girl likes to put in her two cents when she has a chance.
put in (something)

- to submit something

I plan to put in my job application next Monday.
put in (something)

- to plant flowers/plants/vegetables

We decided to put in some roses in our garden last year.
put in (something)

- to add to what has already been said

Suddenly my friend put in that he was tired and wanted to go home.
put in (somewhere)

- to stop at a port on a journey by water

The ship put in at several ports during the cruise.
put in time

- to spend time doing something

He put in a lot of time fixing up his house and now it looks very beautiful.
put off (someone or something)

- to cause a bad feeling for someone, to repel someone

He put off the other members of the class by complaining all of the time.
put off (something)

- to postpone/delay something

They put off the game because of the rain.
put on a brave face

- to try to appear happy when faced with a bad situation

My friend put on a brave face even though he had suddenly lost his job.
put on a performance/play

- to produce or arrange a play or other performance

My sister helped put on the school play.
put on airs

- to act superior to others

The girl was accused of putting on airs by her friends.
put on an act

- to pretend that one is something other than what one is

The girl was putting on an act when she said that she no longer loved her boyfriend.
put on clothes

- to get into and wear a piece of clothing

I put on my sweater before I went outside.
put on one`s thinking cap

- to think hard and long about something

I will put on my thinking cap and try and decide what to do about finding a new job.
put on the dog

- to dress or entertain in an extravagant manner

The couple put on the dog for the visit of their old college friend.
put on the feed bag

- to eat a meal

I put on the feed bag as soon as I got home last night.
put on weight

- to gain weight

He has put on a lot of weight since he stopped going to the gym.
put one through one's paces

- to make someone demonstrate what they can do

The coach put the team through its paces as they prepared for the championship game.
put one's best foot forward

- to act or appear at one's best

I tried to put my best foot forward when I talked to my boss about getting more money.
put one`s cards on the table

- to be frank, to tell everything

I put my cards on the table and told my boss about my plans for next year.
put one's dibs on (something)

- to lay a claim to something

I put my dibs on the most comfortable chair when I went to my friend's house.
put one`s finger on (something)

- to locate something precisely, to remember something exactly

I was unable to put my finger on the exact date of my friend's arrival.
put one`s foot down

- to object strongly to something, to take firm action

Our boss put his foot down and did not allow any more money to be spent on company entertainment.
put one`s foot in one`s mouth

- to say something that is the wrong thing to say in a situation

He put his foot in his mouth when he told his girlfriend about the surprise party.
put one's head on the block for (someone or something)

- to take great risks for someone or something

Our supervisor was always willing to put his head on the block for any member of the staff.
put one's mind to (something)

- to give one's complete attention to something

The boy can do anything if he puts his mind to it.
put one's money where one's mouth is

- to stop talking and do something

I want the man to put his money where his mouth is and begin to do more than talk about things.
put one's nose to the grindstone

- to keep busy doing one's work

I put my nose to the grindstone and worked all weekend on my history essay.
put one`s own house in order

- to organize one`s own private affairs

Our boss should put his own house in order before he tells others what to do.
put one's shoulder to the wheel

- to get busy and start working

I put my shoulder to the wheel and tried to finish my work so I could go home early.
put one's thinking cap on

- to start thinking in a serious manner

I put my thinking cap on and tried to think of a name for the student newspaper.
put one's two cents (worth) in

- to add one's comments to (something)

I tried to put my two cents in at the meeting but nobody would listen to me.
put oneself in (someone) else's place

- to allow oneself to see or experience something from someone else's point of view

It was difficult to put myself in the woman's place after she had lost her only child.
put our/your heads together

- to confer about something, to discuss something

We put our heads together to think of a new name for the football team.
put out a fire/a light

- to make a flame or light stop burning, to extinguish a flame/fire

The police were able to put out the fire before the fire department arrived.
put out about (something)

- to be inconvenienced or irritated about something

My friend was put out that her sister did not call her when she was in town.
put out (some) feelers

- to attempt to find out something without being too obvious about it

I put out some feelers to see if it would be easy to find another job.
put out (something)

- to produce/make something

The company decided to put out a newsletter for the employees.
The band will put out another record soon.
put some teeth into (something)

- to increase the power of something

The government plans to put some teeth into the new laws against property crime.
put (someone or something) at (someone's) disposal

- to make someone or something available to someone

I put myself at my friend's disposal when he visited me last summer.
put (someone) away

- to put someone in a mental institution/hospital

The man was doing much damage to himself and had to be put away in a mental institution.
put (someone) down as (something bad)

- to judge that someone is bad or undesirable in some way

The store clerk immediately put the young man down as someone who may steal something in the store.
put (someone) down for (something)

- to put someone's name on a list of people who volunteer to do something/give money for something/wait for something

The salesman put me down for one of the new cars that will soon arrive at the car dealership.
put (someone) in his or her place

- to scold someone for rude or bad behavior, to rebuke someone

Our teacher was very angry and put the student in his place for his rude remark.
put (someone) in the picture

- to tell someone what the situation is

The supervisor has finally decided to put me in the picture about the new policy at work.
put (someone) off

- to make someone feel uneasy, to avoid responding to someone

He put me off with his complaints about our company.
put (someone) on

- to fool or joke with someone, to tease someone

I think that my friend is putting me on. I do not believe that he will move to Italy.
put (someone) on a pedestal

- to respect/admire/worship a person

My father used to put my mother on a pedestal when I was young.
put (someone) on hold

- to leave someone waiting during a telephone call

I phoned the bank and the receptionist put me on hold.
put (someone) on the spot

- to ask someone embarrassing questions

The teacher put me on the spot with her questions during the class.
put (someone) out

- to inconvenience/bother someone

I do not want to put my aunt out so I plan to stay in a hotel when I visit her.
put (someone or something) out of one`s head/mind

- to try not to think about someone or something

My friend has been trying to put his girlfriend out of his mind since they stopped seeing each other.
put (someone or something) out to pasture

- to retire someone or something

We finally decided to put the old horse out to pasture and stop riding him.
put (someone) through the wringer

- to cause a lot of stress for someone

The man put his wife through the wringer during their long divorce.
put (someone) to bed

- to help/make someone (often a child) go to bed

We put our child to bed early last night.
put (someone) to shame

- to be much better than someone else, to embarrass someone

The school project of my neighbor's child put our child to shame.
put (someone or something) to sleep

- to cause someone to sleep/die through drugs or anesthesia

The doctor put the woman to sleep before the operation began.
put (someone or something) to the test

- to see what someone or something can achieve or do

I put my boss to the test when I asked him to replace our sales manager at work.
put (someone) up

- to provide lodging for someone

I always put my friend up when he comes to visit.
put (someone) up to (something)

- to persuade or cause someone to do something

The boy's friend put him up to cheat on the examination.
put (something) down in black and white

- to write something on paper, to write the details of something down on paper, to write down the terms of an agreement/contract

I had to put my proposal down in black and white.
put (something) down to (something)

- to explain something as being caused by something else

The police put the accident down to the bad road conditions at the time.
put (something) forward

- to state or advance an idea

I put my new plan forward at the meeting to see if anyone was interested in it.
put (something) in mothballs

- to put something in storage

The government decided to put the old ferry in mothballs.
put (something) into practice

- to start using a plan or idea

I think that our supervisor should put some of his ideas into practice.
put (something) into print

- to have something printed and published

It was difficult to get the company to put the information pamphlets into print.
put (something) into words

- to find a way to express a feeling with words

It was difficult to put my sadness at my aunt's death into words.
put (something) on hold

- to postpone something, to stop the progress of something

We decided to put the weekend trip on hold.
put (something) on ice

- to delay or postpone something

The city put the plans for the new stadium on ice as they tried to get more money for the project.
put (something) on paper

- to write something down

I put my ideas for the new business on paper.
put (something) on the back burner

- to delay or postpone something

We have put our plans for a holiday on the back burner as we try to do some repairs to our house.
put (something) on the line

- to speak very firmly and directly about something

I put my reputation on the line when I supported my friend and his business proposal.
put (something) over on (someone)

- to fool/trick someone

He was trying to put something over on his boss when he said that he was sick and could not come to work.
put (something) past (someone)

- to be surprised by what someone does (usually used in the negative)

I would not put it past my friend to try and change jobs for the second time this year.
put (something) plainly

- to state something firmly and explicitly

My supervisor put his ideas very plainly when we gathered for the monthly meeting.
put (something) straight

- to clarify something

I tried to put our communication problems straight when I met my friend last evening.
put (something) to good use

- to be able to use something

We were able to put the new computer to good use when we finally got it.
put (something) to rest

- to put an end to a rumor, to finish dealing with a problem and forget about it

I want to put the rumor to rest that I will soon leave my company.
put (something) together

- to consider some facts and arrive at a conclusion

The police were able to put the boy's story together after they interviewed him for several hours.
put (something) up

- to build a building/sign/fence/wall

They are putting some new apartments up near our house.
put (somewhere) on the map

- to make a place well-known

The new museum has put our city on the map.
put the bite on (someone)

- to ask someone for money or favors

He is always trying to put the bite on his friends to collect money for charity.
put the blame on (someone)

- to blame someone

The teacher put the blame on the young boys for breaking the school desks.
put the cart before the horse

- to do things in the wrong or usual order

I think that he is putting the cart before the horse to talk about remodeling the house before he even buys it.
put the finger on (someone)

- to accuse someone, to identify someone as the one who did something

The woman put the finger on the young man as the person who took the CD player.
put the heat/squeeze on (someone)

- to put pressure on someone

The hospital is putting the heat on the insurance company to pay them the money.
put the kibosh on (something)

- to put an end to something

I put the kibosh on my friend's plan to change our travel plans.
put the screws to (someone)

- to try to force someone to do or say what you want

The police put the screws to the criminal to try and get some information from him.
put the words into (someone`s) mouth

- to say/suggest something for someone else, to speak for someone else without his or her permission

My friend always wants to put the words into my mouth before I have a chance to speak.
put two and two together

- to understand or figure something out after learning all the facts

I put two and two together and realized why my boss was absent last month.
put up a good fight/struggle

- to try hard, to struggle hard

We put up a good fight but we were unable to win the game.
put up a good/brave front

- to pretend to be happy, to fool people about one`s feelings

My friend always puts up a good front but actually he is very unhappy.
put up at a hotel/motel

- to stay at a hotel/motel

We decided to put up at a hotel and continue our trip the next day.
put up money for (something)

- to provide money for something

The telephone company put up most of the money for the new science center.
put up or shut up

- to prove/do something or stop saying it, to bet money on what one says or stop saying it

The politician was forced to put up or shut up over his plans to build a new convention center.
put up with (someone or something)

- to patiently accept or endure someone or something

The man makes a great effort to put up with his wife`s complaints.
put upon by (someone)

- to be made use of to an unreasonable degree

I am always put upon by my boss to do more work than the other members of the staff.
put weight on

- to gain weight

My friend has been putting weight on since he stopped working.
put words in (someone`s) mouth

- to say/suggest something for someone else, to speak for someone else without his or her permission

The man always puts words in his wife's mouth which makes her very angry.
.


putty in (someone's) hands

- to be easily influenced by someone else

The children are like putty in the hands of the new teacher.
puzzle (something) out

- to try to figure something out

We spent a lot of time trying to puzzle out a solution to our problems.