[cry out for] See: CRY FOR.

[cry over spilled milk] or [cry over spilt milk] {v. phr.},{informal} To cry or complain about something that has already happened; beunhappy about something that cannot be helped. •/After the baby tore up Sue’spicture book, Sue’s mother told her there was no use crying over spilledmilk./ •/You have lost the game but don’t cry over spilt milk./ Compare:MAKE ONE’S BED AND LIE IN IT, WATER OVER THE DAM or WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE.

[crystal ball]{n.} A ball, usually made of quartz crystal (glass) thatis used by fortune-tellers. •/The fortune-teller at the fair looked into hercrystal ball and told me that I would take a long trip next year./ 2. Anymeans of predicting the future. •/My crystal ball tells me you’ll be makingthe honor roll./

[crystal gazing]{n.} The attempt to predict future events. •/Themagician’s specialty was crystal gazing./

[cry uncle] See: SAY UNCLE.

[cry wolf]{v. phr.} To give a false alarm; warn of a danger that youknow is not there. •/The general said that the candidate was just crying wolfwhen he said that the army was too weak to fight for the country./ (From anold story about a shepherd boy who falsely claimed a wolf was killing hissheep, just to start some excitement.)

[cub scout]{n.} A member of the Cub Scouts, the junior branch of theBoy Scouts for boys 8-10 years of age. •/Jimmie is only seven, too young tobe a Cub Scout./

[cucumber] See: COOL AS A CUCUMBER.

[cudgel] See: TAKE UP THE CUDGELS FOR.

[cudgel one’s brains] See: BEAT ONE’S BRAINS OUT.

[cue in]{v. phr.}, {informal} To add new information to that whichis already known. •/Let’s not forget to cue in Joe on what has beenhappening./

[cuff] See: OFF-THE-CUFF, ON THE CUFF.

[culture vulture]{n.}, {slang}, {informal} A person who is anavid cultural sightseer, one who seeks out cultural opportunitiesostentatiously, such as going to the opera or seeing every museum in a townvisited, and brags about it. •/Aunt Mathilda is a regular culture vulture;she spends every summer in a different European capital going to museums andoperas./

[cup] See: IN ONE’S CUPS.

[cup of tea] also [dish of tea] {n. phr.}, {informal} 1.Something you enjoy or do well at; a special interest, or favorite occupation.Used with a possessive. •/You could always get him to go for a walk: hikingwas just his cup of tea./ Compare: DOWN ONE’S ALLEY. 2. Something to thinkabout; thing; matter. •/That’s another cup of tea./ Compare: KETTLE OFFISH.

[curb service]{n.} Waiting on customers while they sit in their cars.•/Families with small children often look for hamburger stands that offercurb service./

[curiosity killed the cat]{informal} Getting too nosy may lead aperson into trouble. — A proverb. •/"Curiosity killed the cat," Fred’sfather said, when he found Fred hunting around in closets just beforeChristmas./

[curl] See: PIN CURL.

[curl one’s hair]{v. phr.}, {slang} To shock; frighten; horrify;amaze. •/Wait till you read what it says about you — this’ll curl yourhair./ •/The movie about monsters from another planet curled his hair./

[curl up]{v.} 1a. To become curly or wavy. •/Bacon curls up when itis cooked./ 1b. To roll oneself into a ball. •/Tim curled up in bed and wasasleep in five minutes./ 2. See: FOLD UP.

[current] See: SWIM AGAINST THE CURRENT.

[curry favor]{v.} To flatter or serve someone to get his help orfriendship. •/Joe tried to curry favor with the new teacher by doing littleservices that she didn’t really want./ •/Jim tried to curry favor with thenew girl by telling her she was the prettiest girl in the class./ Compare:POLISH THE APPLE.

[curve] See: THROW A CURVE.

[cut] See: FISH OR CUT BAIT.

[cut a class]{v. phr.} To be truant; to deliberately miss a class anddo something else instead. •/"If you keep cutting classes the way you do, youwill almost surely flunk this course," John’s professor said to him./

[cut a figure]{v. phr.} To make a favorable impression; carry off anactivity with dignity and grace. •/With his handsome face and sporty figure,Harry cuts quite a figure with all the ladies./

[cut across]{v.} 1. To cross or go through instead of going around; goa short way. •/John didn’t want to walk to the corner and turn, so he cutacross the yard to the next street./ 2. To go beyond to include; stretch overto act on; affect. •/The love for reading cuts across all classes of people,rich and poor./

[cut-and-dried]{adj. phr.} Decided or expected beforehand; followingthe same old line; doing the usual thing. •/The decision of the judge wascut-and-dried./ •/The ways of the king’s court were cut-and-dried./•/People at the convention heard many cut-and-dried speeches./

[cut and run]{v.}, {informal} To abandon an unfavorable situation.•/When the price of coffee dropped sharply many investors wanted to cut andrun./

[cut a swathe]{v. phr.} 1a. To mow a path through a field. •/Thefarmer cut a swathe through the high grass with his scythe./ 1b. To cut downas if by mowing. •/The machine gun cut a swathe in the lines of enemysoldiers./ 2. {informal} To attract notice; make an impression; seemimportant. •/The movie star cut a wide swathe when he walked down thestreet./ •/John tries to show off and cut a big swathe with the girls./Compare: GO OVER(6), MAKE A HIT.

[cut back]{v.} 1. To change direction suddenly while going at fullspeed. •/The halfback started to his left, cut back to his right, and ran fora touchdown./ 2. To use fewer or use less. •/After the big job wasfinished, the builder cut back the number of men working for him./ •/Theschool employed forty teachers until a lower budget forced it to cut back./

[cut back]{v. phr.} To diminish; lessen; decrease (said of budgets).•/The state had to cut back on the university budget./

[cutback]{n.} An act of decreasing monetary sources. •/The cutbackin military spending has caused many bases to be closed./

[cut both ways] or [cut two ways] {v. phr.} To have two effects;cause injury to both sides. •/People who gossip find it cuts both ways./

[cut corners]{v. phr.} 1. To take a short way; not go to each corner.•/He cut corners going home in a hurry./ 2. To save cost or effort; managein a thrifty way; be saving. •/John’s father asked him to cut corners all hecould in college./ 3. To do less than a very good job; do only what you mustdo on a job. •/He had cut corners in building his house, and it didn’t standup well./

[cut down]{v.} To lessen; reduce; limit. •/Tom had to cut downexpenses./ •/The doctor told Mr. Jones to cut down on smoking./

[cut down to size]{v. phr.}, {informal} To prove that someone isnot as good as he thinks. •/The big boy told John he could beat him, but Johnwas a good boxer and soon cut him down to size./ Syn.: PUT IN ONE’S PLACE.

[cut ice]{v. phr.}, {informal} To make a difference; make animpression; be accepted as important. — Usually used in negative,interrogative, or conditional sentences. •/When Frank had found a movie heliked, what others said cut no ice with him./ •/Jones is democratic; aman’s money or importance never cuts any ice with him./ •/Does comfort cutany ice with you?/ •/I don’t know if beauty in a woman cuts any ice withhim./