24-letter words containing h, o, t, a

sth bodes ill/augurs ill — If something bodes ill or augurs ill, it gives you a reason to fear that something harmful might happen soon.
sulphur-crested cockatoo — a large Australian white parrot, Kakatoe galerita, with a yellow erectile crest
supportive psychotherapy — a type of psychotherapy that seeks to reduce psychological conflict and strengthen a patient's defenses through the use of various techniques, as reassurance, suggestion, counseling, and reeducation.
take someone at his word — to assume that someone means, or will do, what he or she says
teacher training college — a higher-education college that specializes in teacher training
telephony user interface — (communications) (TUI) Either a software interface to telephony (e.g. a phone-capable PC) or a DTMF-based interface to software (e.g. voicemail).
tetraethyl pyrophosphate — a colorless to amber, hygroscopic, poisonous liquid, (C 2 H 5) 4 P 2 O 7 , used as an insecticide and as a rodenticide.
that goes without saying — that is self-evident
the department of health — a department of the government of the United Kingdom concerned with governmental policy relating to health in England but not elsewhere in the United Kingdom
the last of the mohicans — a historical novel (1826) by James Fenimore Cooper.
the least i could/can do — You use expressions like 'that's the least that I can do' to mean that you are very willing to do it, or to acknowledge someone's thanks.
the official secrets act — an act of Parliament that covers the protection of information relating to state security
the ravages of something — the destructive effects of something
the realm of possibility — If you say that something is not beyond the realms of possibility, you mean that it is possible.
the red badge of courage — a novel (1895) by Stephen Crane.
the second international — an international association of socialist parties and trade unions that began in Paris in 1889 and collapsed during World War I. The right-wing elements reassembled at Berne in 1919
the suffragette movement — a movement advocating of the extension of the franchise to women, as in Britain at the beginning of the 20th century
the villain of the piece — If you say that someone is the villain of the piece, you are saying in a slightly humorous way that they are seen by some people as the cause of all the trouble in a particular situation.
the wars of the diadochi — a series of conflicts between 321 and 281 bc, fought by six Macedonian generals who, after the death of Alexander the Great, desired control of his empire
the way things are going — You can use the way things are going to indicate that you expect something to happen because of the way the present situation is developing.
the whole shooting match — everything; the whole lot
thermal neutron analyzer — a baggage-screening device that detects explosives by using low-energy neutrons to sense gamma radiation.
think (all) the world of — to admire or love greatly
thompson sub-machine-gun — a .45 calibre sub-machine-gun
thousand island dressing — a seasoned mayonnaise, often containing chopped pickles, pimientos, sweet peppers, hard-boiled eggs, etc.
throw one's weight about — to act in an authoritarian or aggressive manner
to be in black and white — of an image, only using shades of black, white, and grey
to blow away the cobwebs — If something blows or clears away the cobwebs, it makes you feel more mentally alert and lively when you had previously been feeling tired.
to break someone's heart — If someone breaks your heart, they make you very sad and unhappy, usually because they end a love affair or close relationship with you.
to break the back of sth — If you break the back of a task or problem, you do the most difficult part of what is necessary to complete the task or solve the problem.
to carry sth to extremes — to overdo something
to change for the better — If something changes for the better, it improves.
to fight a losing battle — If you are fighting a losing battle, you are trying to achieve something but are not going to be successful.
to get your act together — If you get your act together, you organize your life or your affairs so that you are able to achieve what you want or to deal with something effectively.
to go for the brass ring — to try to succeed in an area where there is a lot of competition
to go on a shopping trip — to go somewhere for the purpose of shopping
to have egg on your face — If someone has egg on their face or has egg all over their face, they have been made to look foolish.
to have it in mind to do — If you have it in mind to do something, you intend or want to do it.
to have not got a prayer — If you say that someone hasn't got a prayer, you mean that it is impossible for them to succeed in what they are trying to do.
to have seen better days — If you say that something has seen better days, you mean that it is old and in poor condition.
to have to hand it to sb — You say things such as 'You have to hand it to her' or 'You've got to hand it to them' when you admire someone for their skills or achievements and you think they deserve a lot of praise.
to jump on the bandwagon — If someone, especially a politician, jumps or climbs on the bandwagon, they become involved in an activity or movement because it is fashionable or likely to succeed and not because they are really interested in it.
to keep something at bay — If you keep something or someone at bay, or hold them at bay, you prevent them from reaching, attacking, or affecting you.
to lay something to rest — If you lay something such as fears or rumours to rest or if you put them to rest, you succeed in proving that they are not true.
to light the touch paper — if someone lights the touch paper or lights the blue touch paper, they do something which causes anger or excitement
to make boundary changes — to change the boundaries of parliamentary constituencies, because of population shifts
to move heaven and earth — If you move heaven and earth to do something, you try as hard as you can to do it.
to one's heart's content — Anatomy. a hollow, pumplike organ of blood circulation, composed mainly of rhythmically contractile smooth muscle, located in the chest between the lungs and slightly to the left and consisting of four chambers: a right atrium that receives blood returning from the body via the superior and inferior vena cavae, a right ventricle that pumps the blood through the pulmonary artery to the lungs for oxygenation, a left atrium that receives the oxygenated blood via the pulmonary veins and passes it through the mitral valve, and a left ventricle that pumps the oxygenated blood, via the aorta, throughout the body.
to play your cards right — If you say that someone will achieve success if they play their cards right, you mean that they will achieve success if they act skilfully and use the advantages that they have.
to rise to the challenge — If someone rises to the challenge, they act in response to a difficult situation which is new to them and are successful.

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