there is nothing doing—(also: nothing doing ) 1. used as an announcement of refusal of a request: Then my girl asked me to marry her. I told her there was nothing doing. 2. used as a declaration of failure in an attempt: I tried to find her a place to stay. But there was nothing […]
There is no knowing vs You never know
there is no knowing—it is impossible to know: There is no knowing whether President Bush will make further Supreme Court nominations before leaving office. you never know—one cannot be quite certain: You’d think the outcome of that case would be a foregone conclusion, but then you never know.
There is no escape from something vs There is no escaping something
there is no escape from something— 1. said of a place from which one cannot get away: The jagged rocks are forbidding and dangerous. There is no escape from here. 2. said of a difficult situation that cannot be avoided or ignored: If there is no escape from check, it is checkmate and the game […]
There is a first time for everything vs There is a time for everything
there is a first time for everything —(saying ) because smth. has not happened before there is no reason to assume that it never will (also: there’s got to be a first time for everything ): “I’ve never had a rheumatic ache or pain in my life.” “Well, there’s a first time for everything, you […]
There are too many chiefs vs There are too many cooks
there are too many chiefs—there are too many bosses and not enough people to do the work (in allusion to the saying “too many chiefs and not enough Indians”): The problem with this organization is that there are too many chiefs. there are too many cooks—is used to say that when too many people try […]
There are no two ways about it vs You can’t have it both ways
there are no two ways about it—it is certain or definite; there is no other possibility: The company is slowly going bankrupt and we’ll have to look for another job. There are no two ways about it. Note: The expression is not antonymous in meaning to the phrase there are more ways than one to […]
That’s what you say vs You said it
that’s what you say—(also: says you) is used to show one’s disagreement or scorn of the other speaker’s opinion: “They aren’t going to go to the police.” “That’s what you say.” you said it—(also: you can say that again) is used to show strong agreement with what another person has just said: “That sure was […]
That’s the way the cookie crumbles vs That’s the way the cow eats the cabbage
that’s the way the cookie crumbles —(also: that’s the way the ball bounces) that’s the way things happen (used with the implication that there are some things that we cannot control and have to accept): One can’t help but feel a certain amount of sadness at the change in state of affairs, but I guess […]
That’s the way it goes vs That’s the way to go
that’s the way it goes—that’s the way things happen: That’s the way it goes in any kind of criminal conspiracy to hide the truth. More and more people become involved, more and more crimes are committed to hide an initial truth. that’s the way to go —(also: way to go) is used as an encouragement […]
That’s the end of the ball game vs That’s the end of the line
that’s the end of the ball game—there is nothing one can do any more about a situation: We had some lousy management that blew away what little we had—that was the end of the ball game. Cf.: be still in the ball game—be still active; be still a part of the action: The governor is […]
That’s the ball game vs That’s the way the ball bounces
that’s the ball game—there is nothing one can do about a situation: I have to give points to Potter for her creativity…. But the film failed to engage me in its central drama and that’s the ball game. that’s the way the ball bounces —(also: that’s the way the cookie crumbles) that’s the way things […]
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it vs That’s the story of my life
that’s my story and I’m sticking to it—said after an explanation which may not be completely true: It’s been suggested that I saw the same shark repeatedly. But I saw three … that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. that’s the story of my life—said of smth. that supposedly summarizes one’s unfortunate life experience: That’s […]