[a pretty pass] <n. phr.> An unfortunate condition; a critical state. * /While the boss was away, things at the company had come to a pretty pass./
[apron] See: TIED TO ONE'S MOTHER'S APRON STRINGS.
[apropos of] <prep.>, <formal> In connection with; on the subject of, about; concerning. * /Apropos of higher tuition, Mr. Black told the boy about the educational loans that banks are offering./ * /Mr. White went to see Mr. Richards apropos of buying a car./
[arm] See: GIVE ONE'S RIGHT ARM, KEEP AT A DISTANCE Or KEEP AT ARM'S LENGTH, SHOT IN THE ARM, TAKE UP ARMS, TWIST ONE'S ARM, UP IN ARMS, WITH OPEN ARMS, COST AN ARM AND A LEG.
[arm and a leg] <n.>, <slang> An exorbitantly high price that must be paid for something that isn't really worth it. * /It's true that to get a decent apartment these days in New York you have to pay an arm and a leg./
[armed to the teeth] <adj. phr.> Having all needed weapons; fully armed. * /The paratroopers were armed to the teeth./
[arm in arm] <adv. phr.> With your arm under or around another person's arm, especially in close comradeship or friendship. * /Sally and Joan were laughing and joking together as they walked arm in arm down the street./ * /When they arrived at the party, the partners walked arm in arm to meet the hosts./ Compare: HAND IN HAND.
[around one's ears] See: ABOUT ONE'S EARS.
[around the clock] also [the clock around] <adv. phr.> For 24 hours a day continuously all day and all night. * /The factory operated around the clock until the order was filled./ * /He studied around the clock for his history exam./ - [round-the-clock] <adj.> * /That filling station has round-the-clock service./
[around the corner] <adv. phr.> Soon to come or happen; close by; near at hand. * /The fortuneteller told Jane that there was an adventure for her just around the corner./
[arrest] See: UNDER ARREST.
[as] See: FOR AS MUCH AS, IN AS MUCH AS.
[as a last resort] <adv. phr.> In lieu of better things; lacking better solutions. * /"We'll sleep in our sleeping bags as a last resort," John said, "since all the motels are full."/
[as a matter of fact] <adv. phr.> Actually; really; in addition to what has been said; in reference to what was said. - Often used as an interjection. * /It's not true that I cannot swim; as a matter of fact, I used to work as a lifeguard in Hawaii./ * /Do you think this costs too much? As a matter of fact, I think it is rather cheap./
[as an aside] <adv. phr.> Said as a remark in a low tone of voice; used in theaters where the actor turns toward the audience as if to "think out loud." * /During the concert Tim said to his wife as an aside, "The conductor has no idea how to conduct Beethoven."/
[as a rule] <adv. phr.> Generally; customarily. * /As a rule, the boss arrives at the office about 10 A.M./
[as an old shoe] See: COMFORTABLE AS AN OLD SHOE, COMMON AS AN OLD SHOE.
[as --- as ---] - Used with an adjective or adverb in a comparison or with the effect of a superlative. * /John is as tall as his father now./ * /I didn't do as badly today as I did yesterday./ * /John's father gave him a hard job and told him to do as well as possible./ * /The sick girl was not hungry, but her mother told her to eat as much as she could./ - Also used in the form "so --- as" in some sentences, especially negative sentences. * /This hill isn't nearly so high as the last one we climbed./ - Often used in similes (comparisons that are figures of speech). * /The baby mouse looked as big as a minute./ * /Jim's face was red as a beet after he made the foolish mistake./ Most similes in conventional use are cliches, avoided by careful speakers and writers.
[as best one can] <adv. phr.> As well as you can; by whatever means are available; in the best way you can. * /The car broke down in the middle of the night, and he had to get home as best he could./ * /George's foot hurt, but he played the game as best he could./ * /The girl's mother was sick, so the girl got dinner as best she could./
[as catch can] See: CATCH AS CATCH CAN.
[as far as] or [so far as] <adv. phr.> 1. To the degree or amount that; according to what, how much, or how far. * /John did a good job as far as he went, but he did not finish it./ * /So far as the weather is concerned, I do not think it matters./ * /As far as he was concerned, things were going well./ 2. To the extent that; within the limit that. * /He has no brothers so far as I know./ Compare: FOR ALL(2).
[as far as that goes] or [as far as that is concerned] or [so far as that is concerned] also [so far as that goes] <adv. phr.> While we are talking about it; also; actually. * /You don't have to worry about the girls. Mary can take care of herself, and as far as that goes, Susan is pretty independent, too./ * /I didn't enjoy the movie, and so far as that is concerned, I never like horror movies./ Syn.: FOR THAT MATTER, IN FACT. Compare: COME TO THINK OF IT.
[as follows] A list of things that come next; what is listed next. - Followed by a colon. * /My grocery list is as follows: bread, butter, meat, eggs, sugar./ * /The names of the members are as follows: John Smith, Mary Webb, Linda Long, Ralph Harper./ * /The route is as follows: From City Hall go south on Main Street to Elm Street, east on Elm to 5th Street, and south on 5th two blocks to the school./
[as for] <prep.> 1. In regard to; speaking of; concerning. * /We have plenty of bread, and as for butter, we have more than enough./ 2. Speaking for. * /Most people like the summer but as for me, I like winter much better./ Compare: FOR ONE'S PART.
[as good as] <adv. phr.> Nearly the same as; almost. * /She claimed that he as good as promised to marry her./ * /He as good as called me a liar./ * /We'll get to school on time, we're as good as there now./ * /The man who had been shot was as good as dead./ - Often used without the first "as" before adjectives. * /When the car was repaired, it looked good as new./
[as good as a mile] See: MISS IS AS GOOD AS A MILE.
[as good as one gets] See: GIVE AS GOOD AS ONE GETS.
[as good as one's promise] See: AS GOOD AS ONE'S WORD.
[as good as one's word] or [good as one's word] <adj. phr.> Trustworthy; sure to keep your promise. * /The coach said he would give the players a day off if they won, and he was as good as his word./ * /We knew she was always good as her word, so we trusted her./
[as hard as nails] <adj. phr.> Very unfeeling; cruel, and unsympathetic. * /Uncle Joe is as hard as nails; although he is a millionaire, he doesn't help his less fortunate relatives./
[aside] See: JOKING ASIDE, SET ASIDE.
[aside from] See: APART FROM.
[aside of] <prep.>, <dialect> Beside; by the side of. * /Mary sits aside of her sister on the bus./
[as if] or [as though] <conj.> 1. As (he, she, it) would if; in the same way one would if seeing to show. * /The baby laughed as if he understood what Mother said./ * /The book looked as though it had been out in the rain./ * /The waves dashed on the rocks as if in anger./ 2. That. * /It seems as if you are the first one here./
[as if one has come out of a bandbox] See: LOOK AS IF ONE HAS COME OUT OF A BANDBOX.
[as is] <adv.> Without changes or improvements; with no guarantee or promise of good condition. - Used after the word it modifies. * /They agree to buy the house as is./ * /He bought an old car as is./ Compare: AT THAT(1).
[as it were] <adv. phr.> As it might be said to be; as if it really were; seemingly. - Used with a statement that might seem silly or unreasonable, to show that it is just a way of saying it. * /In many ways children live, as it were, in a different world from adults./ * /The sunlight on the icy branches made, as it were, delicate lacy cobwebs from tree to tree./ Compare: SO TO SPEAK.
[ask] See: FOR THE ASKING.
[ask for] <v.>, <informal> To make (something bad) likely to happen to you; bring (something bad) upon yourself. * /Charles drives fast on worn-out tires; he is asking for trouble./ * /The workman lost his job, but he asked for it by coming to work drunk several times./ Compare: HAVE IT COMING, SERVE RIGHT, SIGN ONE'S OWN DEATH WARRANT.
[ask for one's hand] <v. phr.> To ask permission to marry someone. * /"Sir," John said timidly to Mary's father, "I came to ask for your daughter's hand."/
[ask for the moon] or [cry for the moon] <v. phr.> To want something that you cannot reach or have; try for the impossible. * /John asked his mother for a hundred dollars today. He's always asking for the moon./ Compare: PROMISE THE MOON.
[asleep at the switch] <adj. phr.> 1. Asleep when it is one's duty to move a railroad switch for cars to go on the right track. * /The new man was asleep at the switch and the two trains crashed./ 2. <informal> Failing to act promptly as expected, not alert to an opportunity. * /When the ducks flew over, the boy was asleep at the switch and missed his shot./
[as likely as not] <adv. phr.> Probably. * /As likely as not, he will disappear forever./
[as long as] or [so long as] <conj.> 1. Since; because; considering that. * /As long as you are going to town anyway, you can do something for me./ 2. Provided that; if. * /You may use the room as you like, so long as you clean it up afterward./
[as luck would have it] <adv. clause> As it happened; by chance; luckily or unluckily. * /As luck would have it, no one was in the building when the explosion occurred./ * /As luck would have it, there was rain on the day of the picnic./
[as much] <n.> The same; exactly that. * /Don't thank me, I would do as much for anyone./ * /Did you lose your way? I thought as much when you were late in coming./
[as much as] <adv. phr.> 1. or [much as] Even though; although. * /As much as I hate to do it, I must stay home and study tonight./ 2. or [so much as] Just the same as; almost; practically; really. * /By running away he as much as admitted that he had taken the money./ * /You as much as promised you would help us./ * /The clerk as much as told me that I was a fool./ Compare: AS GOOD AS. 3. See: FOR AS MUCH AS.
[as of] prep. At or until (a certain time). * /I know that as of last week he was still unmarried./ * /As of now we don't know much about Mars./
[as one goes] See: PAY AS ONE GOES.