[far-out] <adj.> 1. Very far away; distant. * /Scientists are planning rocket trips to the moon and far-out planets./ 2. <informal> Very different from others; queer; odd, unusual. * /He enjoyed being with beatniks and other far-out people./ * /Susan did not like some of the paintings at the art show because they were too far-out for her./
[fashion] See: AFTER A FASHION, HIGH FASHION or HIGH STYLE.
[fast] See: HARD-AND-FAST, PLAY FAST AND LOOSE.
[fast and furious] <adj.> or <adv. phr.> Very fast; with much speed and energy. * /He was mowing the grass at a fast and furious rate./ * /When I last saw her she was driving fast and furious down the street./ Compare: GREAT GUNS.
[fast buck] or [quick buck] <slang> Money earned quickly and easily, and sometimes dishonestly. * /You can make a fast buck at the golf course by fishing balls out of the water trap./ * /He isn't interested in a career; he's just looking for a quick buck./
[fast talker] <n.>, <slang>, <informal> A con artist or a swindler, one who is particularly apt to get away with illegitimate transactions because of the clever way he talks. * /I wouldn't trust Uncle Joe if I were you, - he is a fast talker./
[fast time] See: DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME.
[fasten on] <v. phr.> To attach; tie something to make it secure. * /"Fasten on your life jackets when you get into the life boats," the captain said./
[fat] See: CHEW THE FAT.
[fat chance] <n. phr.>, <slang> Little or no possibility; almost no chance. * /A high school team would have a fat chance of beating a strong college team./ * /Jane is pretty and popular; you will have a fat chance of getting a date with her./ Compare: GHOST OF A.
[fat city] <n.>, <slang> A state of contentment due to wealth and position. * /Bully for the Smiths; they have arrived in Fat City./
[fate] See: TEMPT FATE or TEMPT THE FATES.
[father] See: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON.
[Father Christmas] <n.>, <British> The joyful spirit of Christmas; Santa Claus. * /English children look forward to the visit of Father Christmas./
[Father's Day] <n.> The third Sunday in June set aside especially to honor fathers whether living or dead. * /The children gave nice presents to their father on Father's Day./
[fat is in the fire] Something has happened that will cause trouble or make a bad situation worse. * /He found out you took it? Well, the fat's in the fire now./
[fat of the land] <n. phr.> The best and richest food, clothes, everything. * /When I'm rich I'll retire and live off the fat of the land./
[fault] See: AT FAULT, FIND FAULT, TO A FAULT.
[faultfinding] <n.> Recrimination; nagging; criticism. * /All of this constant faultfinding will only to lead to trouble between you and your wife./
[favor] See: CURRY FAVOR, IN FAVOR OF.
[favorite son] <n.> A man supported by his home state for President. * /At a national convention, states often vote for their favorite sons first; then they change and vote for another man./
[fear] See: FOR FEAR.
[fear and trembling] or [fear and trepidation] <n. phr.> Great fear. * /He came in fear and trembling to tell his father he had a bad report card./
[feast one's eyes on] <v. phr.> To look at and enjoy very much. * /He feasted his eyes on the beautiful painting./
[feast or a famine] <n. phr.> Plenty or very little; big success or bad failure. * /In this business it's either a feast or a famine./ * /He is very careless with his money, it is always a feast or a famine with him./
[feather] See: BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER, TAR AND FEATHER, FINE FEATHERS DO NOT MAKE FINE BIRDS, FUSS AND FEATHERS, MAKE THE FEATHERS FLY, RUFFLE FEATHERS.
[feather in one's cap] <n. phr.> Something to be proud of; an honor. * /It was a feather in his cap to win first prize./ (From the medieval practice of placing a feather in the helmet of one who won honors in battle.)
[feather one's nest] <v. phr.>, <informal> 1. To use for yourself money and power, especially from a public office or job in which you are trusted to help other people. * /The rich man told his lawyer to use his money after he died to build a hospital for poor people, but the lawyer feathered his own nest with the money instead./ * /The man feathered his nest in politics by getting money from contractors who built roads./ Syn.: LINE ONE'S POCKETS. 2. To make your home pleasant and comfortable; furnish and decorate your house. * /Furniture stores welcome young couples who want to feather their nests./
[fed up] (<informal>) also (<slang>) [fed to the gills] or [fed to the teeth] <adj. phr.> Having had too much of something; at the end of your patience; disgusted; bored; tired. * /People get fed up with anyone who brags all the time./ * /I've had enough of his complaints. I'm fed up./ * /He was fed to the teeth with television and sold his set to a cousin./ * /John quit football because he was fed to the gills with practice./ Compare: SICK AND TIRED.
[feed] See: BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS ONE, CHICKEN FEED, OFF FEED or OFF ONE'S FEED, SPOON FEED.
[feel] See: GET THE FEEL OF and HARD FEELING.
[feel a draft] <v. phr.>, <slang> To have the sensation that one is not welcome in a place; that one has gotten a cold reception. * /Let's go, Suzie, I feel a draft./
[feel for someone] <v. phr.>, <informal> To be able to sympathize with someone's problems. * /I can really feel for you, John, for losing your job./
[feel free to do] <v. phr.> To take the liberty to engage in an activity. * /Please feel free to take off your jackets; this is an informal party./
[feel in one's bones] or [know in one's bones] <v. phr.> To have an idea or feeling but not know why. * /I feel in my hones that tomorrow will be a sunny day./ * /I know in my bones that God will protect us./
[feel like] <v.>, <informal> To want to do or have. * /I don't feel like running today./ * /I just don't feel like pancakes this morning./
[feel like a million] or [feel like a million dollars] <v. phr.>, <informal> To be in the best of health and spirits. * /I feel like a million this morning./ * /He had a headache yesterday but feels like a million dollars today./ Compare: LOOK LIKE A MILLION.
[feel like a new man] <v. phr.> To feel healthy, vigorous, and well again after a major physical illness or emotional upheaval. * /Ted felt like a new man after his successful heart bypass operation./
[feel like two cents] See: TWO CENTS.
[feel low] <v. phr.> To be depressed; be in low spirits. * /I don't know what's the matter with Mary, but she says she has been feeling very low all afternoon./
[feel no pain] <v. phr.>, <slang> To be drunk. * /After a few drinks, the man felt no pain and began to act foolishly./
[feel one's oats] <v. phr.>, <slang> 1. To feel frisky or playful; be eager and excited. * /The horses were feeling their oats./ * /When they first got to camp, the boys were feeling their oats./ 2. To act in a proud or important way. * /The new gardener was feeling his oats and started to boss the other men./
[feel one's way] <v. phr.> To proceed cautiously by trial and error; probe. * /I won't ask her to marry me directly; I will feel my way first./
[feel] or [look small] <v. phr.> To have the impression that one is insignificant, foolish, or humiliated. * /"I feel small next to Hemingway," the young student of creative writing said./
[feel out] <v.> To talk or act carefully with someone and find what he thinks or can do. * /The pupils felt out the principal about a party after the game./ * /John felt out his father about letting him have the car that evening./ * /At first the boxers felt each other out./ Compare: SOUND OUT.
[feel out of place] <v. phr.> To experience the sensation of not belonging in a certain place or company. * /Dave felt out of place among all those chess players as he knows nothing about chess./
[feel the pinch] <v. phr.> To be short of money; experience monetary difficulties. * /If we are going to have a recession, everybody will feel the pinch./
[feel up] <v. phr.>, <vulgar>, <avoidable> To arouse sexually by manual contact. * /You mean to tell me that you've been going out for six months and he hasn't ever tried to feel you up?/ Contrast: COP A FEEL.
[feel up to something] <v. phr.>, <informal> To feel adequately knowledgeable, strong, or equipped to handle a given task. * /Do you feel up to jogging a mile a day with me?/ Contrast: BE UP TO SOMETHING.