| Idiom |
Where Used |
Meaning |
|---|
| nailing jelly/jello/pudding to a wall/tree |
USA |
A futile endeavor; impossible task. |
| namby-pamby |
UK |
Effete, weak, unpreposessing. |
| (that's) neither here nor there |
Global |
It doesn't matter; said of something irrelevant to the topic under consideration. |
| nest egg |
Global |
Accumulated wealth, generally liquid investments, earmarked for some future purpose; used most commonly in the US to refer to retirement savings. |
| Never look a gift horse in the mouth |
Global |
This phrase means that whenever one receives a gift, they should accept it without scrutiny. It originates from looking into a horse's mouth to determine its age by its teeth. In other words, if someone gives you a horse, you accept it graciously and don't ask questions. |
| nip it in the bud |
Global |
Taking action at the onset of a problem before it grows into an uncontrollable situation. A bud that is pinched will not bloom. |
| Night of the 3 dogs |
Global |
Originating from New Zealand or Australia, Aborigines people used herding dogs to keep themselves warm in cold nights by sharing body heat. Colder the weather, more dogs they slept with. Also cowboys used this term and asked how cold the night was. Eq. "Yes, it was a 2 dog night". |
| no-brainer |
Global |
A problem that is especially easy to solve, if not outright obvious. |
| no holds barred |
Global |
Unrestricted. At liberty; free of obstruction, inhibition, prohibition, forbiddance, governance. No rules of conduct. |
| no names, no pack-drill |
UK |
If nobody can be identified, then nobody can be punished. From military usage - pack-drill was a form of punishment. |
| no shit, Sherlock |
USA |
A sarcastic response to an obvious observation. (Mildly vulgar) |
| no skin off one's nose, no skin off one's back |
Global |
To be indifferent to the outcome of a situation because it does not affect one personally. |
| no tree grows to the sky |
Global |
There are limits on growth. Growth does not continue indefinitely, eventually it will halt or collapse. |
| (having one's) nose to the grindstone |
Global |
Working very hard, especially at a tedious task |
| (there's) no smoke without a fire |
Global |
If there is telltale evidence of some event, the event is probably occurring. |
| not enough room to swing a cat; or you couldn't swing a cat in here |
AUS, UK |
An extremely compact room. Sometimes used for the opposite meaning, "you could swing a cat in here." (similar to 'can't fling a...'; see above) |
| the Not IT factor |
Global |
The opposite of "the IT factor" (see above); a certain aspect that ruins a persons ability to become "something special". |
| (it's) not over until the fat lady sings |
|
This phrase is similar in meaning to "Don't count your chickens before they hatch," i.e., nothing is certain until the final conclusion. It is attributed to Yogi Berra and is probably a humorous jab at the girth of a stereotypical female opera singer, combined with the legitimate observation that such a woman will often sing the final notes of the performance. |
| not playing with a full deck |
Global |
Someone who is eccentric, mad or wildly unconventional, bordering on crazy. See also two bricks short of a load. |
| not the X-est Y in Z |
|
Having comparatively diminished capacities, especially in reference to intelligence. Similar to "A few X short of a Y", but describing quality rather than quantity and often used for mock-humility
- Not the sharpest pencil in the drawer.
- Not the sharpest knife in the drawer.
- Not the sharpest tool in the shed.
- Not the brightest [light] bulb on the [Christmas] tree.
- Not the brightest crayon in the box.
- Not the brightest star in the sky.
- Not the longest grass ever.
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