Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 551 N nail down (someone or something) - to make certain/sure of something I am trying to nail down the exact time that we can meet with our supplier. a nail in (someone's) coffin - something that will harm someone Fighting with his boss was a nail in my friend's coffin. He will not get a promotion now. naked eye - the human eye (with no binoculars etc.) It was difficult to see the bird with the naked eye. one's name is mud - a person`s reputation is bad His name is mud now that he has been charged by the police with stealing money from his company. the name of the game - the main part of a matter The name of the game is selling cars and not worrying about other things. name (someone) after (someone or something) - to give someone the name of another person/place/thing My cousin was named after his mother`s grandfather. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 552 a narrow escape - an escape with little chance of error He had a narrow escape when he almost fell from his bicycle. near at hand - to be close or handy (to someone) I looked for a pair of scissors that were near at hand. neck and neck - to be equal or nearly equal in a race or contest The two teams were neck and neck in the race to win the national championship. neck of the woods - an area or part of the country He has never been to my neck of the woods since he was a child. need (something) like (one needs) a hole in the head - to not need something at all My friend needs a new computer like he needs a hole in the head. need (something) yesterday - to need something in a very big hurry I need a new computer yesterday. a needle in a haystack - something that is very hard to find Looking for the lost receipt among the thousands of other receipts was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 553 neither fish nor fowl - something that does not belong to a definite group The man's opinions were neither fish nor fowl and nobody could put them into an identifiable category. neither here nor there - not relevant to the thing being discussed, to be off the subject "What you are saying is neither here nor there. We are talking about our plans this year - not five years in the future." neither hide nor hair of (someone or something) - no sign or indication of someone or something I have seen neither hide nor hair of my friend recently. a nervous Nellie - a timid person who lacks determination and courage He is a nervous Nellie and is afraid of the other students in the school. a nest egg - money that someone has saved up He has a large nest egg and will have no financial problems if he leaves his company. never fear - do not worry "Never fear, I will finish work and meet you in time for the movie." Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 554 never in one's life - not in one's experience I have never in my life seen such a strange person. never mind - don`t worry, don`t bother "If you don`t have time to pick up my laundry today, never mind, I will get it tomorrow." never would have guessed - never would have thought something to be the case I never would have guessed that the woman on the bicycle was one of the richest women in the city. new Idioms new blood - fresh energy or power, someone or something that gives new life or vigor to something She is a good employee and helped us to inject some new blood into our organization. a new broom sweeps clean - a new person makes many changes A new broom sweeps clean and when our new boss came he changed many things in our organization. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 555 a new deal - a complete change, a fresh start, another chance The player was given a new deal by the team although the previous year he had not played well. a new hire - a person who has recently been hired The man at the gas station is a new hire and is very slow at his job. a new lease on life - a renewed outlook on life I gave my car a new lease on life after I took it to the mechanic for repairs. a new person - a person who has become much better He is a new person now that he has quit smoking and drinking. . next-door neighbor - the person living in the house or apartment next to you My next-door neighbor often brings over fresh bread that she has baked. next of kin - one's closest living relative or relatives The police notified the dead woman's next of kin after the accident. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 556 next to nothing - hardly anything I was able to buy a new computer for next to nothing. nice and (some quality) - lots of some quality The bed was nice and warm and I fell asleep immediately. in the nick of time - at the very last moment He was able to board the airplane in the nick of time. nickel and dime (someone) - to charge someone many small amounts of money The constant small repairs to my car are beginning to nickel and dime me. night on the town - a night of celebration We went out for a night on the town when we finished the project. night owl - a person who likes to stay up late at night My friend is a night owl and stays up late every night. a nine day's wonder - someone or something that is of interest to people only for a short time The actor was a nine day's wonder and everyone forgot him after a couple of months. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 557 a nine-to-five-job - a job with regular and normal hours Many people like the regular hours of a nine-to-five job. nip and tuck - evenly matched, almost even They were running nip and tuck but he finally won the race in the end. nip (something) in the bud - to stop something at the start They found out about the computer problem but were able to nip the problem in the bud. no Idioms no bed of roses - a difficult or bad situation It is no bed of roses to have no job and a large family to support. no cigar - not agreed to, no, certainly not I almost got the job but in the end it was no cigar. no deal - not agreed to, no, certainly not It was no deal when my plan was rejected at the meeting. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 558 no dice - no, certainly not "No dice. I will never lend you that much money." no doubt - without doubt, surely, certainly No doubt he will be the one to win the contest again this year. no end - almost without stopping, continually The little girl cried no end when she couldn't find her favorite doll. no end of/to (something) - seeming almost endless, very many/much of something He had no end of problems when he lived overseas for a year. no go - not agreed to, no, certainly not It is no go for our plan to have three games this weekend. We can only have two games. no great shakes - to be mediocre, to be unimportant The hotel was no great shakes and I wouldn`t recommend that you stay there. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 559 no hard feelings - no anger or resentment There were no hard feelings between the two women after they got into a fight at work. no holds barred - with no restraints There were no holds barred during the debate between the politicians. no ifs, ands, or buts about it - absolutely no discussion or doubts about something "You are going to bed now - no ifs, ands, or buts about it," said the mother to her child. no joke - a serious matter The mistake with the meeting time was no joke. It caused many of us very serious problems. no kidding - honestly, really "No kidding, are you really going to buy a house." no laughing matter - a serious matter The incident was no laughing matter and was taken very seriously by the police. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 560 no love lost between (two people/groups) - bad feelings or ill will between two people or groups There is no love lost between my father and our neighbor. no matter - regardless No matter how hard that I try, my piano teacher is never satisfied. no matter what happens - in any event, without regard to what happens No matter what happens I plan to go swimming on Saturday. no picnic - not pleasant, difficult It was no picnic trying to drive to the lake during the storm. no point in (something) - no purpose in doing something There is no point in talking to my supervisor. He never listens to what I am saying. a no-show - a person who makes a reservation for something and then neither comes nor cancels it There were many no-shows at the concert last night. no skin off (someone's) teeth/nose - no difficulty for someone It will be no skin off my teeth if the meeting is not held. . charged by the police with stealing money from his company. the name of the game - the main part of a matter The name of the game is selling cars and not worrying about other things. name. neck and neck in the race to win the national championship. neck of the woods - an area or part of the country He has never been to my neck of the woods since he was a child. need (something). quit smoking and drinking. . next-door neighbor - the person living in the house or apartment next to you My next-door neighbor often brings over fresh bread that she has baked.