pin back one’s ears— 1. (UK sl.) listen attentively: Pin back your ears, people, this is quite a story! 2. (Sport) give the game the necessary degree of effort: Dafydd had a big game, even if he didn’t pin back his ears and finish one or two moves as he should have done. pin back […]
Category: Confusing Phrases
Difference between Pillow partner and Sleeping partner
pillow partner—(sl.) smb. with whom a person regularly has sex outside marriage: I can usually make use of a native pillow partner. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the compound bed-fellow—one’s companion or associate: The oddest of enemies might become bedfellows. sleeping partner— 1. (also: dormant partner) a partner who does not […]
Difference between Pigs in a blanket and Pigs in a poke
pigs in a blanket—(U.S. diners) 1. stuffed cabbage: Pigs in a blanket to me are also called stuffed cabbage or in Czech Austrian, “Holupki” … it just depends on where you are from. 2. a ham sandwich or a sausage wrapped in a pancake: Kids will beg for these little Pigs in a Blanket for […]
Difference between Piece of work and Work piece
piece of work— 1. a product of work: They drove over the Golden Gate Bridge … and she was enchanted. “What a handsome piece of work, isn’t it, Luke?” 2. a difficult task or business: How do you expect to get along when it’s such a piece of work to make you shake hands? 3. […]
Difference between Piece of cake and Pieces of the same cake
piece of cake—said of smth. done easily, with little effort: Cycling in the hills was a piece of cake. It was the cobblestone streets that finally wore us out. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase slice of the cake—(also: slice of the pie) used of assets, profits, etc. to be […]
Difference between Pick up stakes and Raise the stakes
pick up stakes —(also: pull up stakes) leave one’s home, etc. and move on to another place: “I’m assuming you’re in a position to pick up stakes in a hurry.” “As long as it will take to pack two bags.” raise the stakes—(Gambling) lay a higher stake than one’s opponent: You can bet against that […]
Difference between Pick up on someone and Pick up with someone
pick up on someone— 1. (Racing ) draw near a person; begin to overtake a competitor: Benedict, knowing that he had the fastest car, was inclined to allow Chalmers to pick up on him…. 2. (U.S. coll.) understand or appreciate a person: After Baudelaire picked up on him, Edgar Allen Poe had enormous influence on […]
Difference between Pick something out of a hat and Pull something out of a hat
pick something out of a hat—select smth. completely at random: When asked how they chose Juneau to be the state capital, she said, “I don’t know, I think they picked it out of a hat.” pull something out of a hat—produce smth. unexpected as if by magic: If you want to help Thomas, you’ve got […]
Difference between Pick something off and Pick something out
pick something off—remove smth. by picking, scratching, or plucking: Pick off all the feathers before you cook the duck. pick something out— 1. = pick something off: I was about to put the duck in boiling water in order to pick out the feathers…. 2. choose smth. from a group: We’ve picked out the best toys […]
Difference between Pick someone’s brains and Prey on someone’s mind
pick someone’s brains—get ideas or information about a subject by asking a person: I would love to pick your brains, so to speak, and see what kind of innovative ideas you could come up with. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase brain someone—(sl.) hit smb. hard on the head (often […]
Difference between Pick someone off and Pick someone out
pick someone off—kill a person with a carefully aimed shot: Two hundred marksmen have been assigned to a squad designed to pick off snipers. pick someone out— 1. choose smb. from a group: I hoped to be able to pick out the winner of the Grand National when the weights appeared. 2. recognize a person […]
Difference between Pick at something and Pick on something
pick at something— 1. keep pulling smth. or scratch it with one’s nails: He sat there idly ruminating and picking at the tablecloth. 2. (of food) take small, selected pieces now and again: He was just picking at his food, not eating it. pick on something—select or choose smth.: We seem to have picked on […]