28-letter words containing s, h, e, l, t
- the medical research council — a government body that uses public funds to finance research in medicine
- the obscene publications act — a group of obscenity laws that determines what can be published in Britain
- the world owes them a living — If you say that someone thinks that the world owes them a living, you are criticizing them because they think it is their right to have a comfortable life without having to make any effort at all.
- through rose-colored glasses — with optimism, esp. undue optimism
- to be no let-up in something — if there is no let-up in something, usually something unpleasant, there is no reduction in the intensity of it
- to come to a screeching halt — (of a motor vehicle) to stop suddenly, causing the brakes or tyres to produce a high-pitched sound
- to handle sb with kid gloves — to treat someone with great tact or caution
- to play into someone's hands — If you play into someone's hands, you do something which they want you to do and which places you in their power.
- to ruffle someone's feathers — To ruffle someone's feathers means to cause them to become very angry, nervous, or upset.
- to slip through your fingers — If someone or something slips through your fingers, you just fail to catch them, get them, or keep them.
- to take something lying down — If someone takes an insult or attack lying down, they accept it without protesting.
- to throw the rule book at sb — to inflict the most severe punishment on someone
- until sb is blue in the face — If you say that someone can do something until they are blue in the face, you are emphasizing that however much they do it, it will not make any difference.
- wake up and smell the coffee — to face up to reality, especially in an unpleasant situation
- walden, or life in the woods — a book of philosophical observations (1854) by Thoreau.
- within an inch of one's life — almost to the point of death
- wouldn't be seen/caught dead — If you say that you wouldn't be seen dead or be caught dead in particular clothes, places, or situations, you are expressing strong dislike or disapproval of them.
- zeroth law of thermodynamics — the principle that any two systems in thermal equilibrium with a third system are in thermal equilibrium with each other. Compare law of thermodynamics (def 2).