Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 751 say (something) in a roundabout way - to say something indirectly I had to say what I wanted to say in a roundabout way in order to make my point. say (something) to (someone's) face - to say something (often unpleasant) directly to someone My supervisor always complains about me but she is afraid to say anything to my face. say (something) under one's breath - to say something so softly that almost nobody can hear it The woman said something under her breath but I could not understand it. say the word - to give a sign, to show a wish "Just say the word and I will come and meet you at the airport." say uncle - to surrender, to give in The little boy was forced to say uncle and agree to do what the older boy wanted. . scale (something) down - to make something smaller by a certain amount or proportion The government decided to scale down their plans for the sports stadium. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 752 scare (someone) out of his or her wits - to frighten someone very much The dog scared the little boy out of his wits. scare (someone) silly - to frighten someone very much The mouse scared the girl silly. scare (someone) stiff - to scare someone severely The little boy was able to scare his little brother stiff when he decided to hide in the closet and scare him. scare the (living) daylights out of (someone) - to frighten someone very much Falling off the bicycle scared the daylights out of the little girl. scare up (someone or something) - to find someone or something, to gather something with some effort We were able to scare up a couple of sleeping bags so that we could go camping. scared silly/stiff - to be frightened very much I was scared stiff during the horror movie. scatter (something) around - to carelessly put something in different places My papers are always scattered around my house and I am never able to find them. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 753 school of hard knocks - the ordinary experiences of life The man learned about life in the school of hard knocks. school of thought - a particular philosophy There are many schools of thought about how the government should proceed with its new transportation plan. scout around for (someone or something) - to search here and there and all over for someone or something The company is scouting around for a new warehouse for their products. scrape the bottom of the barrel - to take whatever is left after the best has been taken The company is scraping the bottom of the barrel if they must give that woman a job. scrape (something) together - to gather small amounts of money or something (usually with some difficulty) for some purpose We managed to scrape together enough money to go on a holiday even though business is very bad at the moment. scrape (something) up - to find or gather something with some effort My friend scraped up some money and came to visit me during the summer. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 754 scratch around for (something) - look here and there for something The woman was scratching around for some money to buy some food. scratch (someone`s) back - to do something nice for someone in the hope that they will do something for you "You scratch my back and I`ll scratch yours," the customer said when we talked about the new sales contract. scratch the surface - to only begin to do or learn something My friend is interested in classical music but she has only begun to scratch the surface of what is available. scream bloody murder - to complain bitterly about something The woman screamed bloody murder when someone took her parking place at work. screw around - to loaf about, to pass time without doing anything I screwed around all morning and did not get anything done. screw up - to make a mess of something, to cause trouble for someone or something My travel agent screwed up my travel schedule and I had to stay at the airport overnight. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 755 screw up one's courage - to build up one's courage for something I screwed up my courage and went in to ask my supervisor to transfer me to a different department. scrimp and save - to be very thrifty, to save up for something I have been scrimping and saving in order to buy a new laptop computer. scrounge around for (something) - to look/search in many places for something We did not have enough wood for the fence so we had to scrounge around the neighborhood to find some more. seamy side of life - the most unpleasant or roughest aspect of life The policeman learned much about the seamy side of life during his many years on the job. search high and low for (someone or something) - to look carefully everywhere for someone or something I have been searching high and low for my address book. search me - I don`t know, How should I know "Search me," my friend said when I asked him what had happened to the front of his car. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 756 search one`s soul - to study and think about one`s reasons and actions to see if one has been fair and honest I have been searching my soul to see if I could have prevented my friend's death in the car crash. second-guess (someone) - to try to guess what someone else intends to do or would have done in a situation You should never try to second-guess the actions of the firefighters in a dangerous situation. second hand - not new, used by someone else We went to a second-hand bookstore to look for the books. second nature to (someone) - to be easy and natural for someone Playing a musical instrument is second nature to my friend. second-rate - to be not of the best quality The performance of the school choir was second-rate and they need more practice to improve. a second thought - a thought that one has after thinking about something again "On second thought maybe you should bring an extra coat." Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 757 second to none - to be better than everything The performance by the opera singer was second to none. second wind - energy that is regained after being tired After we got our second wind we continued on our hike up the mountain. security against (something) - something that keeps something safe, protection against something The money in the bank is my security against losing my job in the future. security blanket - something that one holds onto for reassurance or comfort (like a child and a blanket) The boy uses his computer as a security blanket so that he does not have to go out and meet new people. see Idioms see a man about a dog - to leave for some unmentioned purpose (often to go to the restroom) I drank several cups of coffee and I soon had to stop my car to see a man about a dog. see about (something) - to check into something I am going to see about getting the book before next week. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 758 see double - to see two of everything instead of one I began to see double after I hit my head on the edge of the fence. see eye to eye (with someone) - to agree with someone We do not always see eye to eye on things but generally I have a good relationship with my friend. see fit to (do something) - to decide to do something I hope that my company sees fit to spend more time training its employees. see no objection to (something) - to not have any objection to something I see no objection to my friend coming to the meeting with me. see one`s way clear to (do something) - to feel able to do something "When you see your way clear to begin the job could you please come and tell me." see red - to become very angry My friend saw red last night when I told him about the broken dishes. see (someone or something) as (something) - to consider someone as something My friend sees me as an expert in financial matters although I am not. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 759 see (someone) home - to accompany someone home I saw my cousin home after her visit last evening. see (someone) off - to go with someone to their point of departure I went to the airport to see my mother off. see (someone) out - to go with someone out of a room/house I went to the front door to see our guests out to their cars. see (someone) to (somewhere) - to escort someone to a place safely I saw my friend to the door when he decided to go home. see (something) out - to finish something, to not quit doing something I decided to stay with my company in order to see out the restructuring process. see (something) through - to do something until it is completed I want to see the building project through until it is finished. see stars - to think that one is seeing stars as a result of being hit on the head When I was hit by the opposing player I fell to the ground and began to see stars. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 760 see the color of (someone's) money - to verify that someone has (enough) money I did not give anybody a ticket for the dinner until I saw the color of their money. see the handwriting on the wall - to know that something is certain to happen We saw the handwriting on the wall and we knew that our company was going to go bankrupt. see the last of (someone or something) - to see someone or something for the last time I was very happy to see the last of my friend who was visiting me. see the light - to realize your mistake, to suddenly see how to proceed with something I finally saw the light and began to work at the same pace as everyone else. see the light at the end of the tunnel - to foresee an end to something such as a problem or a task I could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel and I knew that I would finish the work soon. see the light of day - to be born, to begin I do not believe that his plans to build a new house will ever see the light of day. . experiences of life The man learned about life in the school of hard knocks. school of thought - a particular philosophy There are many schools of thought about how the government should proceed. something I screwed up my courage and went in to ask my supervisor to transfer me to a different department. scrimp and save - to be very thrifty, to save up for something I have been scrimping. second-guess the actions of the firefighters in a dangerous situation. second hand - not new, used by someone else We went to a second-hand bookstore to look for the books. second nature