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[by no means] or [not by any means] also [by no manner of means] or [not by any manner of means] <adv. phr.> Not even a little; certainly not. * /He is by no means bright./ * /"May I stay home from school?" "By no means."/ * /Dick worked on his project Saturday, but he is not finished yet, by any means./ Contrast: BY ALL MEANS.

[B.Y.O.] (Abbreviation) <informal> Bring Your Own. Said of a kind of party where the host or hostess does not provide the drinks or food but people ring their own.

[B.Y.O.B.] (Abbreviation) <informal> Bring Your Own Bottle. Frequently written on invitations for the kind of party where people bring their own liquor.

[by oneself] <adv. phr.> 1. Without any others around; separate from others; alone. * /The house stood by itself on a hill./ * /Tom liked to go walking by himself./ * /Betty felt very sad and lonely by herself./ 2. Without the help of anyone else; by your own work only. * /John built a flying model airplane by himself./ * /Lois cleaned the house all by herself./

[by one's own bootstraps] See: PULL ONE SELF UP BY THE BOOTSTRAPS.

[by storm] See: TAKE BY STORM.

[by surprise] See: TAKE BY SURPRISE.

[by the board] See: GO BY THE BOARD also PASS BY THE BOARD.

[by the bootstraps] See: PULL ONESELF UP BY THE BOOTSTRAPS.

[by the bye] See: BY THE WAY.

[by the dozen] or [by the hundred] or [by the thousand] <adv. phr.> Very many at one time; in great numbers. * /Tommy ate cookies by the down./ Often used in the plural, meaning even larger numbers. * /The ants arrived at the picnic by the hundreds./ * /The enemy attacked the fort by the thousands./

[by the horns] See: TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS.

[by the hundred] See: BY THE DOZEN.

[by the nose] See: LEAD BY THE NOSE.

[by the piece] <adv. phr.> Counted one piece at a time, separately for each single piece. * /John bought boxes full of bags of potato chips and sold them by the piece./ * /Mary made potholders and got paid by the piece./

[by the seat of one's pants] See: FLY BY THE SEAT OF ONE'S PANTS.

[by the skin of one's teeth] <adv. phr.> By a narrow margin; with no room to spare; barely. * /The drowning man struggled, and I got him to land by the skin of my teeth./ * /She passed English by the skin of her teeth./ Compare: SQUEAK THROUGH, WITHIN AN ACE OF or WITHIN AN INCH OF.

[by the sweat of one's brow] <adv. phr.> By hard work; by tiring effort; laboriously. * /Even with modern labor-saving machinery, the farmer makes his living by the sweat of his brow./

[by the thousand] See: BY THE DOZEN.

[by the way] also [by the bye] <adv. phr.> Just as some added fact or news; as something else that I think of. - Used to introduce something related to the general subject, or brought to mind by it. * /We shall expect you; by the way, dinner will be at eight./ * /I was reading when the earthquake occurred, and, by the way, it was The Last Days of Pompeii that I was reading./

[by the wayside] See: FALL BY THE WAYSIDE.

[by turns] <adv. phr.> First one and then another in a regular way; one substituting for or following another according to a repeated plan. * /On the drive to Chicago, the three men took the wheel by turns./ * /The teachers were on duty by turns./ * /When John had a fever, he felt cold and hot by turns./ Syn.: IN TURN. Compare: TAKE TURNS.

[by virtue of] also [in virtue of] <prep.> On the strength of; because of; by reason of. * /By virtue of his high rank and position, the President takes social leadership over almost everyone else./ * /Plastic bags are useful for holding many kinds of food, by virtue of their clearness, toughness, and low cost./ Compare: BY DINT OF.

[by way of] <prep.> 1. For the sake or purpose of; as. * /By way of example, he described his own experience./ 2. Through; by a route including; via. * /He went from New York to San Francisco by way of Chicago./

[by word of mouth] <adv. phr.> From person to person by the spoken word; orally. * /The news got around by word of mouth./ * /The message reached him quietly by word of mouth./

C

[cahoots] See: IN LEAGUE WITH or IN CAHOOTS WITH.

[Cain] See: RAISE CAIN.

[cake] See: EAT-ONE'S CAKE AND HAVE IT TOO, PAT-A-CAKE, TAKE THE CAKE.

[calculated risk] <n.> An action that may fail but is judged more likely to succeed. * /The sending of troops to the rebellious island was a calculated risk./

[calf love] See: PUPPY LOVE.

[call] See: AT CALL, AT ONE'S BECK AND CALL, CLOSE CALL, ON CALL, PORT OF CALL, POT CALLS THE KETTLE BLACK, WITHIN CALL.

[call a halt] <v. phr.> To give a command to stop. * /The scouts were tired during the hike, and the scoutmaster called a halt./ * /When the children's play, got too noisy, their mother called a halt./

[call a spade a spade] <v. phr.> To call a person or thing a name that is true but not polite; speak bluntly; use the plainest language. * /A boy took some money from Dick's desk and said he borrowed it, but I told him he stole it; I believe in calling a spade a spade./

[call down] also [dress down] <v.>, <informal> To scold. * /Jim was called down by his teacher for being late to class./ * /Mother called Bob down for walking into the kitchen with muddy boots./ Compare: CALL ON THE CARPET, CHEW OUT, BAWL OUT, READ THE RIOT ACT.

[call for] <v.> 1. To come or go to get (someone or something). * /John called for Mary to take her to the dance./ Syn.: PICK UP. 2. To need; require. * /The cake recipe calls for two cups of flour./ * /Success in school calls for much hard study./

[call girl] <n.>, <slang> A prostitute catering to wealthy clientele, especially one who is contacted by telephone for an appointment. * /Rush Street is full of call girls./

[calling down] also [dressing down] <n. phr.>, <informal> A scolding; reprimand. * /The judge gave the boy a calling down for speeding./

[call in question] or [call into question] or [call in doubt] <v. phr.> To say (something) may be a mistake; express doubt about; question. * /Bill called in question Ed's remark that basketball is safer than football./

[call it a day] <v. phr.> To declare that a given day's work has been accomplished and go home; to quit for the day. * /"Let's call it a day," the boss said, "and go out for a drink."/ * /It was nearly midnight, so Mrs. Byron decided to call it a day, and left the party, and went home./ * /The four golfers played nine holes and then called it a day./ Compare: CLOSE UP SHOP.

[call it a night] <v. phr.> To declare that an evening party or other activity conducted late in the day is finished. * /I am so tired that I am going to call it a night and go to bed./

[call it quits] <v. phr.>, <informal> 1. To decide to stop what you are doing; quit. * /When Tom had painted half the garage, he called it quits./ 2. To agree that each side in a fight is satisfied; stop fighting because a wrong has been paid back; say things are even. * /Pete called Tom a bad name, and they fought till Tom gave Pete a bloody nose; then they called it quits./ 3. To cultivate a habit no longer. * /"Yes, I called it quits with cigarettes three years ago."/

[call names] <v. phr.> To use ugly or unkind words when speaking to someone or when talking about someone. - Usually used by or to children. * /Bill got so mad he started calling Frank names./

[call off] <v.> To stop (something planned); quit; cancel. * /When the ice became soft and sloppy, we had to call off the ice-skating party./ * /The baseball game was called off because of rain./

[call on] or [call upon] <v.> 1. To make a call upon; visit. * /Mr. Brown called on an old friend while he was in the city./ 2. To ask for help. * /He called on a friend to give him money for the busfare to his home./

[call one's bluff] <v. phr.>, <informal> To ask someone to prove what he says he can or will do. (Originally from the card game of poker.) * /Tom said he could jump twenty feet and so Dick called his bluff and said "Let's see you do it!"/

[call one's shot] <v. phr.> 1. To tell before firing where a bullet will hit. * /An expert rifleman can call his shot regularly./ * /The wind was strong and John couldn't call his shots./ 2. or [call the turn] To tell in advance the result of something before you do it. * /Mary won three games in a row, just as she said she would. She called her turns well./ * /Nothing ever happens as Tom says it will. He is very poor at calling his turns./

[call on the carpet] <v. phr.>, <informal> To call (a person) before an authority (as a boss or teacher) for a scolding or reprimand. * /The worker was called on the carpet by the boss for sleeping on the job./ * /The principal called Tom on the carpet and warned him to stop coming to school late./

[call the roll] <v. phr.> To read out the names on a certain list, usually in alphabetical order. * /The sergeant called the roll of the newly enlisted volunteers in the army./

[call the shots] <v. phr.>, <informal> To give orders; be in charge; direct; control. * /Bob is a first-rate leader who knows how to call the shots./ * /The quarterback called the shots well, and the team gained twenty yards in five plays./ Syn.: CALL THE TUNE.

[call the tune] <v. phr.>, <informal> To be in control; give orders or directions; command. * /Bill was president of the club but Jim was secretary and called the tune./ * /The people supported the mayor, so he could call the tune in city matters./ Syn.: CALL THE SHOTS.

[call the turn] See: CALL ONE'S SHOT(2).

[call to account] <v. phr.> 1. To ask (someone) to explain why he did something wrong (as breaking a rule). * /The principal called Jim to account after Jim left school early without permission./ 2. To scold (as for wrong conduct); reprimand. * /The father called his son to account for disobeying him./

[call to arms] <v. phr.> To summon into the army. * /During World War II millions of Americans were called to arms to fight for their country./

[call to mind] <v. phr.> To remember; cause to remember. * /Your story calls to mind a similar event that happened to us a few years back./

[call to order] <v. phr.> 1. To open (a meeting) formally. * /The chairman called the committee to order./ * /The president pounded with his gavel to call the convention to order./ 2. To warn not to break the rules of a meeting. * /The judge called the people in the court room to order when they talked too loud./

[call out] <v. phr.> 1. To shout; speak loudly. * /My name was called out several times, but I was unable to hear it./ 2. To summon someone. * /If the rioting continues, the governor will have to call out the National Guard./

[call up] <v.> 1. To make someone think of; bring to mind; remind. * /The picture of the Capitol called up memories of our class trip./ 2. To tell to come (as before a court). * /The district attorney called up three witnesses./ 3. To bring together for a purpose; bring into action. * /Jim called up all his strength, pushed past the players blocking him, and ran for a touchdown./ * /The army called up its reserves when war seemed near./ 4. To call on the telephone. * /She called up a friend just for a chat./

[call upon] See: CALL ON.

[calm down] <v. phr.> To become quiet; relax. * /"Calm down, Mr. Smith," the doctor said with a reassuring smile. "You are going to live a long time."/

[camel] See: STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMEL'S BACK at LAST STRAW.

[camp] See: BREAK CAMP.

[campaign] See: WHISPERING CAMPAIGN.

[camp follower] <n.> 1. A man or woman who goes with an army, not to fight but to sell something. * /Nowadays camp followers are not allowed as they were long ago./ 2. A person who goes with a famous or powerful person or group in hope of profit. * /A man who runs for president has many camp followers./

[camp out] <v.> To live, cook, and sleep out of doors (as in a tent). * /We camped out near the river for a week./

[can] See: AS BEST ONE CAN, CATCH AS CATCH CAN.

[canary] See: LOOK LIKE THE CAT THAT ATE THE CANARY or LOOK LIKE THE CAT THAT SWALLOWED THE CANARY.

[cancel out] <v.> To destroy the effect of; balance or make useless. * /The boy got an "A" in history to cancel out the "C" he got in arithmetic./ * /Our track team won the mile relay to cancel out the other team's advantage in winning the half-mile relay./ * /Tom's hot temper cancels out his skill as a player./

[cancer stick] <n.>, <slang> A cigarette. * /Throw away that cancer stick! Smoking is bad for you!/

[candle] BURN THE CANDLE AT BOTH ENDS, GAME IS NOT WORTH THE CANDLE, HOLD A CANDLE.

[canned heat] <n.> Chemicals in a can which burn with a hot, smokeless flame. * /Some people use canned heat to keep food warm./ * /The mountain climbers used canned heat for cooking./

[canned laughter] <n.>, <informal> The sounds of laughter heard on certain television programs that were obviously not recorded in front of a live audience and are played for the benefit of the audience from a stereo track to underscore the funny points. * /"How can there be an audience in this show when it is taking place in the jungle? - Why, it's canned laughter you're hearing."/

[canned music] <n.> Recorded music, as opposed to music played live. * /"Let us go to a real concert, honey," Mike said. "I am tired of all this canned music we've been listening to."/

[canoe] See: PADDLE ONE'S OWN CANOE.

[can of worms] <n.>, <slang>, <informal> 1. A complex problem, or complicated situation. * /Let's not get into big city politics that's a different can of worms./ 2. A very restless, jittery person. * /Joe can't sit still for a minute - he is a can of worms./

[can't help but] <informal> also <formal> [cannot but] <v. phr.> To be forced to; can only; must. * /When the streets are full of melting snow, you can't help but get your shoes wet./ * /When a friend gave Jim a ticket to the game, he couldn't help but go./ * /When a close friend dies, you cannot but feel sad./ Compare: CAN HELP, HAVE TO.

[can't make an omelette without breaking (some) eggs] To achieve a certain goal one must sometimes incur damage, experience difficulties, or make sacrifices. - A proverb. * /When we drove across the country, we put a lot of mileage on our car and had a flat tire, but it was a pleasant trip. "Well, you can't make an omelette without breaking some eggs," my wife said with a smile./

[can't see the wood for the trees] or [can't see the woods for the trees] or [can't see the forest for the trees] <v. phr.> To be unable to judge or understand the whole because of attention to the parts; criticize small things and not see the value or the aim of the future achievement. * /Teachers sometimes notice language errors and do not see the good ideas in a composition; they cannot see the woods for the trees./ * /The voters defeated a bond issue for the new school because they couldn't see the forest for the trees; they thought of their taxes rather than of their children's education./ * /We should think of children's growth in character and understanding more than of their little faults and misdeeds; some of us can't see the wood for the trees./