be full of beans—(coll.) 1. be full of energy; be in high spirits: I had a good night’s sleep in a hotel and was feeling very full of beans. 2. (U.S. also: be full of prunes) exaggerate or talk nonsense: While I often think that you are full of beans I have to say that […]
Category: Confusing Phrases
Difference between Be for sale and Be on sale
be for sale —(also: be up for sale) said of a house, car, etc. that an owner wants to sell: I wonder how he heard the house was for sale. be on sale— 1. be available for buying in shops, etc.: Local delicacies, such as cheeses and wines, are on sale here at a very […]
Difference between Be eyeball to eyeball and See eye to eye
be eyeball to eyeball— 1. sit opposite each other; be face to face: We’re eyeball to eyeball and I think the other fellow just blinked. 2. be in the state of defiant confrontation: Once again, it seems, Mr. Rumsfeld and the defense bureaucracy are eyeball to eyeball. see eye to eye—(often negat.) be of one […]
Difference between Be evident and Be in evidence
be evident—be obvious; be easy to see or understand: It was evident to me that writing must be in God’s great plan for my life. be in evidence— 1. be actually present: He was not about, so I looked outside, but he was not in evidence. He had not yet risen. 2. be prominent or […]
Difference between Be empty-handed and Have one’s hands full
be empty-handed— 1. having received or gained nothing: Due to three successive droughts, most farmers are emptyhanded. 2. be unarmed: You will learn not only to use weapons, but also to defend against someone who has one while you are empty-handed. have one’s hands full—have much work to do; be very busy: The plumber had […]
Difference between Be dressed in rags and Have the rags on
be dressed in rags—be dressed in old torn clothes: The work was carried out manually by wretched, scarecrow figures dressed in rags. have the rags on—(sl.) 1. wear a special kind of clothes: He had the rags on, getting into character, and it just took me aback for a minute. Cf.: have the glad rags […]
Difference between Be down for something and Be down to something
be down for something—said of a person or thing listed for some activity: Mr. Stansfield’s bill was down for second reading on Wednesday. be down to something—have only a little money or goods left: On the seventh day after the wreck, he was down to his last pint of water. See also: be up for […]
Difference between Be death on someone and Be the death of someone
be death on someone—(coll.) 1. be fatal to a person; be very effective in acting against smb.: The new teacher is death on students who come late to class. 2. be very fond of a person: Fanny hasn’t forgotten you … she was always death on you English chaps. Note: The expression does not correlate […]
Difference between Be dead nuts on something and Be dead set on something
be dead nuts on something— 1. (coll.) placed precisely on the surface of smth.: He caught me dead nuts on the chin, Pepe thought as he lay on the ground. 2. (coll.) exactly correspond to smth.: The styling of the new convertible is dead nuts on what a car in this class should be: bold […]
Difference between Be dead in the water and Sleep with the fishes
be dead in the water —(of a task, project, etc.) be unable to make progress; be a failure: Without an effective leader, our plans for expansion are dead in the water. sleep with the fishes—(Underworld) be murdered and have the body disposed of (also: swim with the fishes): I think I could persuade you to […]
Difference between Be cut out for the work and One’s work is cut out for one
be cut out for the work—be entirely suited for some work or activity: There’s no better way to tell if you’re cut out for the work than hands-on experience. one’s work is cut out for one—(also: have one’s work cut out for one) have a lot of work to do; have a hard task ahead: […]
Difference between Be crowded out of something and Crowd out of something
be crowded out of something— 1. be forced out of premises for lack of room: They were crowded out of the room, but sat in the next peering in at the door eagerly. 2. be ousted from an office, market, etc.: Low-skilled adults are often crowded out of their jobs as better-educated teenagers are drawn […]