[act one’s age] or [be one’s age] {v. phr.} To do the things thatpeople expect someone of your age to do, not act as if you were much youngerthan you are. •/Mr. O’Brien was playing tag with the children at the party.Then Mrs. O’Brien said, "Henry! Act your age!" and he stopped./

[actor] See: BAD ACTOR.

[act out]{v.} 1. To show an idea, story, or happening by your looks,talk, and movements. •/He tried to act out a story that he had read./ 2. Toput into action. •/All his life he tried to act out his beliefs./

[act up]{v.}, {informal} 1. To behave badly; act rudely orimpolitely. •/The dog acted up as the postman came to the door./ 2. To workor run poorly (as a after all machine); skip; miss. •/Thе car acted upbecause the spark plugs were dirty./

[add fuel to the flame]{v. phr.} To make a bad matter worse by addingto its cause; spread trouble, increase anger or other strong feelings by talkor action. •/By criticizing his son’s girl, the father added fuel to theflame of his son’s love./ •/Bob was angry with Ted and Ted added fuel tothe flame by laughing at him./

[add insult to injury]{v. phr.} 1. To hurt someone’s feelings afterdoing him harm. •/He added insult to injury when he called the man a ratafter he had already beaten him up./ 2. To make bad trouble worse. •/Westarted on a picnic, and first it rained, then to add insult to injury, the carbroke down./

[addition] See: IN ADDITION.

[address] See: PUBLIC-ADDRESS SYSTEM.

[add the finishing touches]{v. phr.} To complete; finish. •/Mary’sfirst novel promised to be excellent; however, her editor suggested that sheshould add some finishing touches before accepting it./

[add up]{v.} 1. To come to the correct amount. •/The numberswouldn’t add up./ 2. {informal} To make sense; be understandable. •/Hisstory didn’t add up./

[add up to]{v.} 1. To make a total of; amount to. •/The bill addedup to $12.95./ 2. {informal} To mean; result in. •/The rain, themosquitoes, and the heat added up to a spoiled vacation./

[ad lib]{v. phr.} To improvise; interpolate during speech. •/Whenthe actress forgot her lines during the second act, she had to ad lib in orderto keep the show going./

[advance] See: IN ADVANCE or IN ADVANCE OF.

[advantage] See: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, TO ADVANTAGE.

[a few]{n.} or {adj.} A small number (of people or things); some.•/The dry weather killed most of Mother’s flowers, but a few are left./•/In the store, Mary saw many pretty rings and bracelets, and she wanted tobuy a few of them./ •/After the party, we thought that no one would helpclean up, but a few couples did./ •/Alice wanted to read a few pages morebefore she stopped./ — Usually "a few" is different in meaning from "few",which emphasizes the negative; "a few" means "some", but "few" means "notmany". •/We thought no one would come to lunch, but a few came./ •/Wethought many people would come to lunch, but few came./ But sometimes "a few"is used with "only", and then it is negative. •/We thought many people wouldcome to lunch, but only a few came./ — Sometimes used like an adverb.•/Three students have no seats; we need a few more chairs./ •/If we canset up chairs faster than people come and sit in them, we will soon be a fewahead./ — Sometimes used with "very" for emphasis. •/Uncle Ralph gave awayalmost all of his sea shells, but he still had a very few left./ Compare: ALITTLE. Contrast: A LOT, QUITE A FEW.

[affair] See: LOVE AFFAIR.

[afoul of]{prep.} 1. In collision with. •/The boat ran afoul of abuoy./ 2. In or into trouble with. •/The thief ran afoul of the nightwatchman./ •/Speeders can expect to fall afoul of the law sometimes./

[afraid of one’s shadow]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Scared of small orimaginary things; very easily frightened; jumpy; nervous. •/Mrs. Smith won’tstay alone in her house at night; she is afraid of her own shadow./•/Johnny cries whenever he must say hello to an adult; he is afraid of hisown shadow./

[a friend in need is a friend indeed] A genuine friend on whom one canalways depend. — A proverb; often shortened to "a friend in need…" •/WhenJohn’s house burned down, his neighbor Jim helped him and his family withshelter, food and clothing. John said, "Jim, a friend in need is a friendindeed — this describes you."/

[after a fashion]{adv. phr.} Not very well or properly; poorly. •/Heplayed tennis after a fashion./ •/The roof kept the rain out after afashion./ Compare: IN A WAY.

[after all]{adv. phr.} 1. As a change in plans; anyway. — Used withemphasis on "after". •/Bob thought he couldn’t go to the party because he hadtoo much homework, but he went after all./ 2. For a good reason that youshould remember. — Used with emphasis on "all". •/Why shouldn’t Betsy eatthe cake? After all, she baked it./

[after a while]{informal} or [in a while] {adv. phr.} Later,at some time in the future; after a time that is not short and not long.•/"Dad, will you help me make this model plane?" "After a while, Jimmy, whenI finish reading the newspaper."/ •/The boys gathered some wood, and in awhile, a hot fire was burning./ Syn.: BY AND BY. Contrast: RIGHT AWAY.

[after hours]{adv. or adj. phr.} Not during the regular, correct, orusual time; going on or open after the usual hours. •/The store was cleanedand swept out after hours./ •/The children had a secret after hours partywhen they were supposed to be in bed./

[after one’s own heart]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Well liked becauseof agreeing with your own feelings, interests, and ideas; to yourliking-agreeable. Used after "man" or some similar word. •/He likes baseballand good food; he is a man after my own heart./ •/Thanks for agreeing withme about the class party; you’re a girl after my own heart./ Compare: SEE EYETO EYE.

[after the dust clears] or [when the dust settles] {adv. phr.} Whena troubling, confusing, or disastrous event is finally over. •/John invitedTim for dinner, but since Tim’s father had just died, he replied, "Thanks. I’dlike to come after the dust settles."/

[again] See: COME AGAIN, EVERY NOW AND THEN or EVERY NOW AND AGAIN, NOW ANDTHEN or NOW AND AGAIN, OFF AGAIN, ON AGAIN or ON AGAIN, OFF AGAIN, SOMETHINGELSE AGAIN, THEN AGAIN, TIME AND AGAIN, YOU SAID IT or YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN.

[against it] See: UP AGAINST IT.

[against the clock] See: AGAINST TIME.

[against the current] or [against the stream] See: SWIM AGAINST THECURRENT.

[against the grain]{adv. phr.} 1. Across rather than with thedirection of the fibers (as of wood or meat). •/He sandpapered the woodagainst the grain./ 2. So as to annoy or trouble, or to cause anger ordislike. — Usually follows "go". •/His coarse and rude ways went against thegrain with me./ •/It went against the grain with him to have to listen toher gossip./ Compare: RUB THE WRONG WAY.

[against time] or [against the clock] {adv. phr.} 1. As a test ofspeed or time; in order to beat a speed record or time limit. •/John ranaround the track against time, because there was no one else to raceagainst./ 2. As fast as possible; so as to do or finish something before acertain time. •/It was a race against the clock whether the doctor would getto the accident soon enough to save the injured man./ 3. So as to cause delayby using up time. •/The outlaw talked against time with the sheriff, hopingthat his gang would come and rescue him./