[queen] See: HOMECOMING QUEEN.
[queer fish] <n.> A strange or unusual person who does odd things. * /Uncle Algernon dresses in heavy furs in the summer and short-sleeved shirts in the winter. No wonder everyone considers him a queer fish./
[queer oneself] <v. phr.> To act in such a manner as to offend others and thus one's own chances or position. * /Phil has queered himself with many girls by his erratic behavior./
[quest] See: IN SEARCH OF also IN QUEST OF.
[question] See: BEG THE QUESTION, BESIDE THE POINT or BESIDE THE QUESTION, BEYOND QUESTION also WITHOUT QUESTION, CALL IN QUESTION, IN QUESTION, INTO QUESTION, OUT OF THE QUESTION, POP THE QUESTION.
[quick buck] See: FAST BUCK.
[quick on the draw] See: QUICK ON THE TRIGGER.
[quick on the trigger] or [trigger happy] <adj. phr.> Ready to shoot without warning; fast with a gun. * /He's a dangerous criminal quick on the trigger./ 2. <informal> Fast at answering questions or solving problems. * /In class discussions John is always quick on the trigger./
[quick on the uptake] <adj. phr.> Smart; intelligent. * /Eleanor is very witty and quick on the uptake./
[quick study] <n. phr.> One who acquires new skills and habits in record time. * /Sue is new at her job but people have confidence in her because she is a quick study./
[quit] See: CALL IT QUITS.
[quite a bit] See: QUITE A LITTLE.
[quite a few] or [quite a number] also <formal> [not a few] <n.> or <adj. phr.> Rather a large number; more than a few. * /Quite a few went to the game./ * /The basket had quite a few rotten apples in it./ - The phrase "quite a number" is used like an adjective only before "less", "more". * /Few people saw the play on the first night but quite a number more came on the second night./ - Sometimes used like an adverb. * /We still have quite a few more miles to go before we reach New York./ Syn.: GOOD MANY, NOT A FEW. Compare: A FEW, A NUMBER.
[quite a little] or <informal> [quite a bit] also <formal> [not a little] <n.> or <adj. phr.> Rather a large amount; rather much; more than a little. * /We are not finished; quite a little is left to do./ * /Cleaning the backyard needed quite a little work./ - The phrase "quite a bit" is used like an adjective only before "less", "more". * /Six inches of snow fell today, and quite a bit more is coming tonight./ - Sometimes used like an adverb. * /Harry was sick quite a little last winter./ Compare: A LITTLE, A LOT, QUITE A PEW.
[quite a number] See: QUITE A FEW.
[quite the thing] <n. phr.> The socially proper thing to do. * /In polite society it is quite the thing to send a written thank you note to one's host or hostess after a dinner party./
R
[rabbit] See: JACK-RABBIT START.
[race] See: DRAG RACE, RAT RACE.
[race against time] <v. phr.> To be in a great hurry to finish a given project by a specified deadline. * /The workers were racing against time to finish the campus modernization project./
[race to stand still] <v. phr.> To be so far behind in one's work that one must exert an effort similar to that needed to win a race in order simply not to fall even further behind. * /"Could you review this book for us, Professor Brown?" the editor asked. "Unfortunately, no," the professor answered. "I'm so behind in my work that I am racing to stand still."/
[rack and ruin] <n. phr.> Complete decay; condition of decline. * /The entire house had been so neglected that it had gone to rack and ruin./
[rack one's brain] <v. phr.> To try your best to think; make a great mental effort; especially: to try to remember something you have known. * /Bob racked his brain trying to remember where he left the book./ * /Susan racked her brain trying to guess whom the valentine came from./ * /John racked his brain during the test trying to solve the problem./
[radio ham] <n. phr.> Someone whose hobby is the operating of shortwave radio. * /The code letters C.Q. are used by radio hams to invite other radio hams to join in the conversation./
[rag] See: CHEW THE FAT or CHEW THE RAG, GLAD RAGS.
[rag doll] <n.> A doll made of cloth and filled with soft stuffing. * /My baby brother won't go to bed without his rag doll./
[ragged] See: RUN RAGGED.
[rag trade] <n. phr.> The clothing industry. * /My brother is working in the rag trade, manufacturing dresses./
[railroad] <v.> To force through; push through by force. * /The bill was railroaded through the state legislature due to the influence of some very wealthy sponsors./
[rain] See: IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS, KNOW ENOUGH TO COME IN OUT OF THE RAIN.
[rain cats and dogs] or [rain buckets] or [rain pitchforks] <v. phr.>, <informal> To rain very hard; come down in torrents. * /In the middle of the picnic it started to rain cats and dogs, and everybody got soaked./ * /Terry looked out of the window and said, "It's raining pitchforks, so we can't go out to play right now."/
[rain check] <n.> 1. A special free ticket to another game or show which will be given in place of one canceled because of rain. * /When the drizzle turned into a heavy rain the manager announced that the baseball game would be replayed the next day. He told the crowd that they would be given rain checks for tomorrow's game as they went out through the gates./ 2. <informal> A promise to repeat an invitation at a later time. * /Bob said, "I'm sorry you can't come to dinner this evening, Dave. I'll give you a rain check."/
[rained out] <adj.> Stopped by rain. * /The ball game was rained out in the seventh inning./ * /The Friday night rally in the stadium was rained out./
[rain on] <v. phr.>, <slang> To bring misfortune to (someone); to complain to (someone) about one's bad luck. * /Don't rain on me./
[rain or shine] <adv. phr.> 1. If the weather is stormy or if it is fair. * /The parade will start promptly, rain or shine./ 2. No matter; if your luck is good or bad. * /Sam knows he can depend on his family, rain or shine./
[rainproof] <adj.> Resistant to rain; something that will not soak in water; referring to a material that repels water. * /"I don't need an umbrella," she said, "as my coat is rainproof."/
[rainy day] <n.> A time of need; especially: a time when you really need money. * /Squirrels gather acorns for a rainy day./ * /Each week Mrs. Carlson saved a little money for a rainy day./
[raise a hand] See: LIFT A FINGER.
[raise a row] <v. phr.> To cause a disturbance, a fuss, or a scene. * /He raised quite a row when he noticed that someone had scratched his brand new car./
[raise a stink] <v. phr.> To cause a disturbance; complain; protest strongly. * /Quite a stink was raised in the office when the boss discovered that several employees had left early./
[raise Cain] <v. phr.>, <slang> To be noisy; cause trouble. * /When John couldn't go on the basketball trip with the team he raised Cain./ * /The children raised Cain in the living room./ Compare: KICK UP A FUSS, RAISE THE DEVIL.
[raise eyebrows] <v. phr.> To shock people; cause surprise or disapproval. * /The news that the princess was engaged to a commoner raised eyebrows all over the kingdom./
[raise funds] or [money] <v. phr.> To solicit donations for a charity or a specific project. * /Our church is trying to raise the funds for a new organ./
[raise hackles] or [raise one's hackles] <v. phr.> To make (someone) upset or annoyed; arouse hostility. * /Attempts to add new ingredients to the beer raised hackles among all the old brew masters./
[raise havoc] See: PLAY HAVOC WITH.
[raise heck] See: RAISE THE DEVIL.
[raise hob] See: RAISE THE DEVIL.
[raise one's sights] <v. phr.> To aim high; be ambitious. * /Teenage boys sometimes think too much of themselves and have a tendency to raise their sights too high./
[raise one's voice] <v. phr.> To speak loudly, as if in anger or in protest. * /"I'm sorry, Mom," Peter said. "I didn't mean to raise my voice."/