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Caesar’s Hors d’oeuvres--The Powerful and Maybe forgotten American Idioms--Letter A

Hors d'oeuvres #012

The Powerful and Maybe Forgotten American Idioms

Letter A

  1. ABOUT FACE: A sudden change of course, or to an opposite decision: --"His choice of that house was a complete about-face from his original intention."
  2. ABOVE BOARD: Straightforward, honest, and open, sometimes expressed as "open and Above Board':-- "All his business dealings were above board."
  3. ACE, WITHIN AN ACE: Within a very short distance of: --"The car came within an inch of hitting the child."
  4. AD LIB: Improvise and interpolate while speaking. --"When the actor forgot his lines, he ad-libbed convincingly."
  5. AFTER ONE'S OWN HEART: To like someone because of kindred interests: --"With his love for the great outdoors, he is a man after my own heart."
  6. AGAIN, AS MUCH AGAIN: Twice as much, double --"These shoes cost me as much again as the last pair I bought."
  7. AGAINST THE GRAIN: Irritating, contrary to one's natural inclinations: --It goes against the grain to have to pay him for such a poor job.
  8. AIR-MINDED: Advocating travel by air:-- "America has become air-minded during the past decade."
  9. AIR-HOT AIR: Exaggerated talk without substance or foundation. --"Don't pay any attention to him; what he said was a lot of air."
  10. AIR, GIVE ONESELF AIR: Art in a superior, conceited manner--" Ever since her husband was elected mayor, Mrs. Allen's neighbors resent the way she gives herself airs."
  11. ALIVE WITH: Full of, infested with: "When we opened our picnic basket, our lunch was alive with ants."
  12. ALL AT SEA: Completely confused: "When I try to compute my income tax, I am all at sea."
  13. ALL TOLD: Counting everything: "He owns fifteen horses all told."
  14. ANTE UP: To pay--Usually unwillingly:--When his wife was awarded alimony by the court, Kerr had to ante up.
  15. APPLE, BE THE APPLE OF ANOTHER'S EYE: To be greatly treasured and valued highly: --She is the apple of her mother's eye."​
  16. UPSET THE APPLECART: Spoil through clumsiness, cause to fail: --"The moment he referred to that incident last summer, he upset the apple cart, and the whole deal fell through."
  17. APPLE-PIE ORDER: In neat and perfect condition: --"Before her guests arrived, the hostess had put her house in apple-pie order."
  18. APPLESAUCE: Pretense, not to be hot air:-- "A lot of those campaign promises to lower taxes were so much applesauce."
  19. ARM, GIVE ONE'S RIGHT ARM: To sacrifice, give something of great value: --"During the long sermon, I would have given my right arm for a smoke." 
  20. ARM'S LENGTH: Keep at a distance, away from one: --"She kept him at arm's length, thinking that he might try to kiss her."
  21. ARMS, UP IN ARMS: Angry, annoyed, ready to fight: "Everyone was up in arms about the new parking restrictions."
  22. AS IT WERE: In other words, so to speak, "He became, as it were, a kind of hero from a strange land."
  23. AXE, GET THE AXE: Be discharged from one job: "Henry got the axe when he arrived late from work three days in succession."
  24. AXE, HAVE AN AXE TO GRIND: Have an interested or selfish motive: --"In suggesting the sale of the building, he had an axe to grind because it meant a big commission for him."

The end for letter A.

Reference

Whitford, H. C. & Dixson, R. J. (1953). Handbook of American Idioms and Idiomatic Usage. New York, N.Y.: Regents Publishing Co., Inc.