informal. fully; completely; totally. After that big meal we were all stuffed to the gills.
Where does stuffed to the gills come from?
So that's where the phrase 'stuff to the gills' comes from. It comes from packing different things into the dish when you're preparing fish. So related, speaking of fish, there's, it's, it's such a smooth segue, isn't it?
What does to the gills mean?
Disgusted, unable or unwilling to put up with something. For example, I'm fed to the gills with these delays (the gills here is slang for “mouth”), or He was fed to the teeth with her excuses, or I'm fed up—let's leave right now.
Is stuffed to the gills a idiom?
The idiom "stuffed to the gills" refers to someone or something being entirely full. This phrase can relate to both people and things.
What does soaked to the gills mean?
To be thoroughly inebriated; to be drunk to the point of incoherence, senselessness, or the loss of self-control. I hate being in New Orleans during Mardi Gras—an appalling number of people are sloshed to the gills!
44 related questions foundWhat is the meaning of Born Yesterday?
naive; inexperienced. someone, like a new born baby with no experience. to be stupid or easy to mislead.
What does it mean when someone says back to the wall?
Definition of back is to/against the wall
: in a bad position in which one is forced to do something in order to avoid failure We knew that with so little time and money left to finish the project we had our backs to the wall.
What does cat has your tongue mean?
The phrase 'Cat Got Your Tongue' is used to describe when someone is at a loss of words or being unusually quiet.
What does eye to eye mean?
to have or come to the same opinion or point of view. The two did not see eye to eye on on certain political issues.
What is the meaning of don't spill the beans?
Disclose a secret or reveal something prematurely, as in You can count on little Carol to spill the beans about the surprise. In this colloquial expression, first recorded in 1919, spill means “divulge,” a usage dating from the 1500s.
What is the meaning out of the frying pan and into the fire?
Out of the frying pan, into the fire is a phrase that means to go from a bad situation to a situation that is even worse.
What are examples of idioms?
Common Idioms in English
- Getting fired turned out to be a blessing in disguise. ...
- These red poppies are a dime a dozen. ...
- Don't beat around the bush. ...
- After some reflection, he decided to bite the bullet. ...
- I'm going to call it a night. ...
- He's got a chip on his shoulder. ...
- Would you cut me some slack? - Don't be so hard on me.
What does packed to the gunnels mean?
completely full; full to overflowing.
Is through the roof a metaphor?
Origin of Through the Roof
If something actually were to go through the roof of a house, it would have risen very high and fast, and unexpectedly as well. People often use this idiom to describe prices that shoot up quickly, or stocks. In this sense, the phrase is being used metaphorically.
What does the idiom feeling under the weather mean?
Indisposed, unwell: “The day after the big party, Jay had to call in sick, saying he was feeling under the weather.”
Where does the saying full to the gunnels come from?
What's the origin of the phrase 'Full to the gunwales'?
Nevertheless, 'gunnels' really is a misspelling. An early citation of the word comes from Manners and Household Expenses of England, 1466: Item, the same day my mastyr paid to Roger Fuller, for tymbre for colers [collars] of the maste, and gonne walles...
What does hitting the sack mean?
hit the sack in American English
slang. to go to bed; go to sleep. He never hits the sack before midnight.
What does it mean when someone says when pigs fly?
Definition of when pigs fly
—used to say that one thinks that something will never happen The train station will be renovated when pigs fly.
What does breaking the ice mean?
To remove the tension at a first meeting, at the opening of a party, etc.: “That joke really broke the ice at the conference; we all relaxed afterward.”
What does leave me high and dry mean?
Definition of high and dry
1 : being out of reach of the current or tide or out of the water. 2 : being in a helpless or abandoned position.
What is the meaning of the idiom sit on the fence?
To remain neutral, to refuse to take sides in a dispute; often used in a derogatory way about someone who lacks the courage to decide: “The councilman is afraid he'll lose votes if he takes sides on the zoning issue, but he can't sit on the fence forever.”
What is the meaning of fish out of water idiom?
A person away from his or her usual environment or activities. For example, Using a computer for the first time, Carl felt like a fish out of water, or On a hiking trail, Nell was a fish out of water. This expression alludes to the fact that fish cannot survive for long on dry land. [
What does it mean for someone to be hung out to dry?
Abandon someone to danger, as in The squadron withdrew and just let us hang out to dry. This expression alludes to hanging wet laundry on a clothesline. [
What is the meaning of clutching at straws?
Also, clutch at straws. Make a desperate attempt at saving oneself. For example, He had lost the argument, but he kept grasping at straws, naming numerous previous cases that had little to do with this one. This metaphoric expression alludes to a drowning person trying to save himself by grabbing at flimsy reeds.
What does beating around the bush mean?
to avoid giving a definite answer or position. Please stop beating around the bush and tell me the full story.