[tip the scales] <v. phr.>, <informal> 1. To weigh. * /Martin tips the scales at 180 pounds./ 2. or [tip the balance] To have important or decisive influence; make a decision go for or against you; decide. * /John's vote tipped the scales in our favor, and we won the election./ Compare: TURN THE TIDE.
[tired] See: DEAD TIRED, SICK AND TIRED.
[tire out] See: WEAR OUT(2).
[tit for tat] <n. phr.> Equal treatment in return; a fair exchange. * /Billy hit me, so I gave him tit for tat./ * /I told him if he did me any harm I would return tit for tat./ * /They had a warm debate and the two boys gave each other tit for tat./ Compare: GET BACK AT, EYE FOR AN EYE AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.
[to a conclusion] See: JUMP TO A CONCLUSION.
[to a crisp] See: BURN TO A CRISP.
[to a degree] <adv. phr.> 1. <Chiefly British> Very; to a large extent. * /In some things I am ignorant to a degree./ 2. Somewhat; slightly; in a small way; rather. * /His anger was, to a degree, a confession of defeat./ * /To a degree, Mary was to blame for Bob's failing mathematics, because he spent much time with her when he should have been studying./
[to advantage] <adv. phr.> So as to bring out the good qualities of; favorably; in a flattering way. * /The jeweler's window showed the diamonds to advantage./ * /The green dress showed up to advantage with her red hair./
[to a fault] <adv. phr.> So very well that it is in a way bad; to the point of being rather foolish; too well; too much. * /Aunt May wants everything in her house to be exactly right; she is neat to a fault./ * /Mary acts her part to a fault./ * /John carries thoroughness to a fault; he spends many hours writing his reports./
[to a halt] See: GRIND TO A HALT.
[to a large extent] See: IN GREAT MEASURE.
[to all intents and purposes] <adv. phr.> In most ways; in fact. * /The president is called the head of state, but the prime minister, to all intents and purposes, is the chief executive./
[to a man] <adv. phr.> Without exception; with all agreeing. * /The workers voted to a man to go on strike./ * /To a man John's friends stood by him in his trouble./ Compare: EVERY LAST MAN.
[to and fro] <adv. phr.> Forward and back again and again. * /Father pushed Judy in the swing, and she went to and fro./ * /Busses go to and fro between the center of the city and the city limits/ * /The man walked to and fro while he waited for his phone call./ Compare: BACK AND FORTH.
[to another tune] See: DANCE TO ANOTHER TUNE.
[to a T] or [to a turn] <adv. phr.> Just right; to perfection; exactly. * /The roast was done to a turn./ * /His nickname, Tiny, suited him to a T./ Compare: TO THE LETTER.
[to bat] See: GO TO BAT FOR.
[to bay] See: BRING TO BAY.
[to-be] <adj.> That is going to be; about to become. - Used after the noun it modifies. * /Bob kissed his bride-to-be./ * /The principal of the high school greeted the high school students-to-be on their last day in junior high./
[to bed] See: PUT TO BED, PUT TO BED WITH A SHOVEL.
[to be on the safe side] <adv. phr.> To take extra precautions; reduce or eliminate the possibility of a mistake, an error, or even danger. * /Dad always keeps his valuables in a bank's safe deposit box, just to be on the safe side./ Compare: JUST IN CASE.
[to be sure] <adv. phr.> Without a doubt; certainly; surely. * /"Didn't you say Mr. Smith would take us home?" "Oh, yes. To be sure, I did."/ - Often used before a clause beginning with "but". * /He works slowly, to be sure, but he does a good job./ * /To be sure, Jim is a fast skater, but he is not good at doing figures./ Syn.: OF COURSE.
[to blame] <adj. phr.> Having done something wrong; to be blamed; responsible. * /John was to blame for the broken window./ * /The teacher tried to find out who was to blame in the fight./
[to boot] <adv. phr.> In addition; besides; as something extra. * /He not only got fifty dollars, but they bought him dinner to boot./ Compare: FOR GOOD MEASURE, IN THE BARGAIN, THROW IN.
[to date] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> Up to the present time; until now. * /To date twenty students have been accepted into the school./ * /The police have not found the runaway to date./ * /Jim is shoveling snow to earn money, but his earnings to date are small./ Syn.: SO FAR.
[to death] <adv. phr.>, <informal> To the limit; to the greatest degree possible. - Used for emphasis with verbs such as "scare", "frighten", "bore". * /Cowboy stories bore me to death, but I like mysteries./ * /Sara is scared to death of snakes./ * /John is tickled to death with his new bike./
[to do] See: HAVE TO DO WITH.
[toe] See: CURL ONE'S HAIR or CURL ONE'S TOES, ON ONE'S TOES, STEP ON THE TOES OF.
[toe the line] or [toe the mark] <v. phr.> To be very careful to do just what you are supposed to do; obey the rules and do your duties. * /The new teacher will make Joe toe the line./ * /Bill's father is strict with him and he has to toe the mark./ Compare: WALK THE CHALK.
[to first base] See: GET TO FIRST BASE.
[together] See: GET IT ALL TOGETHER.
[together with] <prep.> In addition to; in the company of; along with. * /John, together with his brother, has gone to the party./ * /The police found a knife, together with the stolen money, hidden in a hollow tree./
[to grips] See: COME TO GRIPS WITH.
[to heart] See: TAKE TO HEART also LAY TO HEART.
[to heel] <adj. phr.> 1. Close behind. * /The dog ran after a rabbit, but Jack brought him to heel./ 2. Under control; to obedience. * /When Peter was sixteen, he thought he could do as he pleased, but his father cut off his allowance, and Peter soon came to heel./
[to hell with] or [the hell with] <prep. phr.>, <informal> Used to express disgusted rejection of something. * /It's slop; the hell with what the cook calls it./ Compare: FED UP, GIVE A HANG.
[to it] See: PUT ONE'S BACK TO IT.
[to light] See: BRING TO LIGHT, COME TO LIGHT.
[toll] See: TAKE ITS TOLL.
[toll call] <n. phr.> A long distance telephone call for which one has to pay. * /We had several toll calls on last month's telephone bill./
[toll free] <adv. phr.> Calling an (800) telephone number with the call paid by the business whose number one has dialed. * /You can call us day and night, seven days a week, toll free./
[Tom] See: PEEPING TOM.
[Tom, Dick, and Harry] <n. phr.> People in general; anyone; everyone. - Usually preceded by "every" and used to show scorn or disrespect. * /The drunk told his troubles to every Tom, Dick and Harry who passed by./
[tone down] <v.> To make softer or quieter; make less harsh or strong; moderate. * /He toned down the sound of the TV./ * /She wanted the bright colors in her house toned down./ * /When the ladies arrived, he toned down his language./ * /The strikers were asked to tone down their demands for higher pay so that there might be a quicker agreement and an end to the strike./
[tong] See: GO AT IT HAMMER AND TONGS.
[tongue] See: AT THE TIP OF ONE'S TONGUE, CAT GET ONE'S TONGUE, HOLD ONE'S TONGUE, KEEP A CIVIL TONGUE IN ONE'S HEAD, SLIP OF THE TONGUE.
[tongue-in-cheek] <adj. phr.> In an ironic or insincere manner. * /When the faculty complained about the poor salary increments, the university's president said that he was not a psychiatrist, thus making an inappropriate tongue-in-cheek remark./
[tongue-lashing] <n.> A sharp scolding or criticism. * /Jim's mother gave him a tongue-lashing for telling family secrets./ Syn.: PIECE OF ONE'S MIND.
[tongues wag] <informal> People speak in an excited or gossipy manner; people spread rumors. * /If married women go out with other men, tongues will wag./ * /When the bank clerk showed up in an expensive new car, tongues wagged./