[swear off] <v.>, <informal> To give up something you like or you have got in the habit of using by making a promise. * /Mary swore off candy until she lost ten pounds./ * /John has sworn off dessert for Lent./
[swear out] <v.> To get (a written order to do something) by swearing that a person has broken the law. * /The policeman swore out a warrant for the suspect's arrest./ * /The detectives swore out a search warrant./
[sweat] See: BY THE SWEAT OF ONE'S BROW.
[sweat blood] <v. phr.>, <slang> 1. To be very much worried. * /The engine of the airplane stopped, and the pilot sweated blood as he glided to a safe landing./ 2. To work very hard. * /Jim sweated blood to finish his composition on time./
[sweat out] <v.>, <informal> To wait anxiously; worry while waiting. * /Karl was sweating out the results of the college exams./ * /The search plane signaled that help was on the way. The men in the lifeboat just had to sweat it out./
[Sweeney] See: TELL IT TO THE MARINES or TELL IT TO SWEENEY.
[sweep] See: NEW BROOM SWEEPS CLEAN.
[sweep off one's feet] <v. phr.> To make (someone) have feelings (as love or happiness) too strong to control; overcome with strong feeling; win sudden and complete acceptance by (someone) through the feelings. * /The handsome football captain swept Joan off her feet when he said so many things to her at the dance./ * /Joan was swept off her feet when the football captain started flirting with her./ * /Mary is swept off her feet whenever she hears a band start playing./ * /John was swept off his feet when he won the contest./ Compare: BOWL OVER (2), CARRY AWAY.
[sweep out of] <v. phr.> To leave in an impressive, majestic manner. * /Offended by Tim's remark, Mary swept out of the room with her head high in the air./
[sweep the city] or [country] or [nation] or [world] <v. phr.> To gain great attention or popularity throughout the city, country, etc. * /Pavarotti's unmatched tenor voice swept the world in an unprecedented manner./
[sweep under the rug] <v. phr.> To hide or dismiss casually (something one is ashamed of or does not know what to do about). * /In many places, drug abuse by school children is swept under the rug./
[sweet] See: SHORT AND SWEET.
[sweetie pie] <n.>, <informal> A person who is loved; darling; sweetheart. * /Arnold blushed with pleasure when Annie called him her sweetie pie./ * /Nancy is Bill's sweetie pie./
[sweet on] <adj. phr.>, <informal> In love with; very fond of. * /John is sweet on Alice./
[sweet talk] 1. <n.>, <informal> Too much praise; flattery. * /Sometimes a girl's better judgment is overcome by sweet talk./ 2. <v.>, <informal> To get what you want by great praise; flatter. * /Polly could sweet talk her husband into anything./
[sweet tooth] <n. phr.> A great weakness or predilection for sweets. * /Sue has such a sweet tooth that she hardly eats anything else but cake./
[swelled head] <n.>, <informal> A feeling that you are very important or more important than you really are. * /When John won the race, he got a swelled head./ * /Pretty girls shouldn't get a swelled head about it./ - [swell-headed] <adj. phr.> * /After he was elected captain of the team, Bob became swell-headed./ Compare: BIG HEAD.
[swell-headed] See: SWELLED HEAD.
[swim] See: IN THE SWIM, SINK OR SWIM.
[swim against the current] or [swim against the stream] <v. phr.> To do the opposite of what most people want to do; go against the way things are happening; struggle upstream. * /The boy who tries to succeed today without an education is swimming against the stream./
[swine] See: CAST PEARLS BEFORE SWINE or CAST ONE'S PEARLS BEFORE SWINE.
[swing] See: IN FULL SWING.
[swing one's weight] <v. phr.> To use your personal power to get something done * /The President swings his weight to get laws passed./ * /Mr. Thomas swung his weight to get his son a job with the company./
[switch] See: ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH.
[switched on] <adj.>, <slang> 1. In tune with the latest fads, ideas, and fashions. * /I dig Sarah, she is really switched on./ 2. Stimulated; as if under the influence of alcohol or drugs. * /How come you're talking so fast? Are you switched on or something?/
[swoop] See: AT ONE FELL SWOOP.
[sword] See: AT SWORDS' POINTS, PUT TO THE SWORD.
[sword rattling] See: SABER RATTLING.
[sworn enemies] <n. phr.> People or groups or nations that have a long-standing dislike for each other. * /The Israelis and the Arabs used to be sworn enemies but hopefully they will sign a lasting peace accord./
[syllable] See: WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE.
[system] See: PUBLIC-ADDRESS SYSTEM.
T
[T] See: TO A T.
[tab] See: KEEP TAB ON or KEEP TABS ON.
[table] See: AT THE TABLE or AT TABLE, COFFEE TABLE, PUT ONE'S CARDS ON THE TABLE or LAY ONE'S CARDS ON THE TABLE, TURN THE TABLES, WAIT AT TABLE or WAIT ON TABLE.
[tack] See: GET DOWN TO BRASS TACKS, GO SIT ON A TACK, SHARP AS A TACK.
[tackle] See: FLYING TACKLE
[tack on] <v. phr.> To append; add. * /We were about to sign the contract when we discovered that the lawyer had tacked on a codicil that was not acceptable to us./
[tag end] or [tail end] <n.>, <informal> The end, farthest to the rear, last in line, nearest the bottom, or least important. * /John was at the tail end of his class./ * /Mary's part in the play came at the tag end, and she got bored waiting./ * /Bill waited at the crossing for the tag end of a freight to go by./
[tail] See: COW'S TAIL, HEADS I WIN, TAILS YOU LOSE, MAKE HEAD OR TAIL OF, TURN TAIL.
[tail between one's legs] <n. phr.> State of feeling beaten, ashamed, or very obedient, as after a scolding or a whipping. * /The army sent the enemy home with their tails between their legs./ * /The boys on the team had boasted they would win the tournament, but they went home with their tails between their legs./ (So called because a beaten dog usually puts his tail down between his legs and slinks away.)
[tail end] See: TAG END.
[taillight] <n.> The rear red light of a car. * /My father was fined $15 for driving without a taillight./
[tailor-made] See: MADE-TO-MEASURE.
[tailspin] See: GO INTO A TAILSPIN.
[tail wags the dog] Said of situations in which a minor part is in control of the whole. * /He is just a minor employee at the firm, yet he gives everyone orders, a case of the tail wagging the dog./
[take] See: CAN TAKE IT WITH ONE, GIVE AND TAKE, GIVE ONE AN INCH AND HE WILL TAKE A MILE, GIVE OR TAKE, SIT UP AND TAKE NOTICE.
[take aback] See: TAKEN BACK.
[take a back seat] <v. phr.>, <informal> To accept a poorer or lower position; be second to something or someone else. * /During the war all manufacturing had to take a back seat to military needs./ * /She does not have to take a back seat to any singer alive./ Compare: PLAY SECOND FIDDLE.