WHERE THE SHOE PINCHES.
[pinch and scrape]{v. phr.} To save as much money as possible byspending as little as possible. •/They are trying to buy their first house sothey are pinching and scraping every penny they can./
[pinch-hit]{v.} 1. To substitute for another player at bat in abaseball game. •/Smith was sent in to pinch-hit for Jones./ 2.{informal} To act for a while, or in an emergency, for another person; takesomeone’s place for a while. •/I asked him to pinch-hit for me while I wasaway./ •/The president of the City Council pinch-hits for the mayor whenthe mayor is out of town./ — [pinch-hitter]{n.} •/Jones was hitby a pitched ball and Smith came in as a pinch-hitter./ •/When our teacherwas sick, Mrs. Harris was called as a pinch-hitter./ — [pinch-hitting]{adj.} or {n.} •/Pinch-hitting for another teacher is a hard job./
[pinch pennies]{v. phr.}, {informal} Not spend a penny more thannecessary; be very saving or thrifty. •/When Tom and Mary were saving moneyto buy a house, they had to pinch pennies./ — [penny-pincher]{n.},{informal} A stingy or selfish person; miser. •/He spent so little moneythat he began to get the name of a penny-pincher./ — [penny-pinching]{adj.} or {n.}, {informal} •/Bob saved enough money bypenny-pinching to buy a bicycle./
[pin curl]{n.} A curl made with a hair clip or bobby pin. •/Marywashed her hair and put it up in pin curls./ •/All the girls had their hairin pin curls to get ready for the party./
[pin down]{v.} 1a. To keep (someone) from moving; make stay in a placeor position; trap. •/Mr. Jones' leg was pinned down under the car after theaccident./ •/The soldier was pinned down in the hole because rifle bulletswere flying over his head./ 1b. To keep (someone) from changing what (he)says or means; make (someone) admit the truth; make (someone) agree tosomething. •/Mary didn’t like the book but I couldn’t pin her down to saywhat she didn’t like about it./ •/I tried to pin Bob down to fix my bicycletomorrow, but he wouldn’t say that he could./ 2. To tell clearly and exactly;explain so that there is no doubt. •/The police tried to pin down the blamefor the fire in the school./
[pine away]{v. phr.} To waste away with grief. •/After George wassent abroad, his wife pined away for him so much that she became ill./
[pink] See: IN THE PINK, TICKLE PINK.
[pink around the gills] See: GREEN AROUND THE GILLS.
[pin money]{n. phr.} Extra money used for incidentals. •/She has aregular full-time job but she earns extra pin money by doing a lot ofbaby-sitting./
[pin one’s ears back]{v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To beat; defeat.•/After winning three games in a row, the Reds had their ears pinned back bythe Blues./ 2. To scold. •/Mrs. Smith pinned Mary’s ears back for not doingher homework./
[pin one’s faith on]{v. phr.} To depend upon; trust. •/We pinned ourfaith on our home basketball team to win the state finals, and they did!/
[pin one’s heart on one’s sleeve] See: WEAR ONE’S HEART ON ONE’S SLEEVE.
[pint-size]{adj.}, {informal} Very small. •/The new pint-size,portable TV sets have a very clear picture./ •/It was funny to hear apint-size voice coming out of a great big man./
[pinup girl]{v. phr.} An attractive girl whose picture is pinned ortacked to the wall by an admirer. •/Some Hollywood actresses areunderstandably very popular pinup girls among male soldiers./
[pipe] See: PUT THAT IN YOUR PIPE AND SMOKE IT.
[pipe down]{v.} 1. To call (sailors) away from work with a whistle.•/He piped the men down after boat drill./ 2. {slang} To stop talking;shut up; be quiet. •/"Oh, pipe down," he called./ — Often considered rude.
[pipe dream]{n.}, {informal} An unrealizable, financially unsound,wishful way of thinking; an unrealistic plan. •/Joe went through the motionsof pretending that he wanted to buy that $250,000 house, but his wife candidlytold the real estate lady that it was just a pipe dream./ Compare: PIE IN THESKY.
[piper] See: PAY THE PIPER.
[pipe up]{v.}, {informal} To speak up; to be heard. •/Mary is soshy, everyone was surprised when she piped up with a complaint at the clubmeeting./ •/Everyone was afraid to talk to the police, but a small childpiped up./
[pip-squeak]{n.}, {informal} A small, unimportant person. •/Ifthe club is really democratic, then every little pip-squeak has the right tosay what he thinks./ •/When the smallest boy was chosen to be the monitor,the class bully said he would not obey a little pip-squeak./
[piss off]{v.}, {slang}, {vulgar}, {avoidable} To bother;annoy; irritate. •/You really piss me off when you talk like that./ — [pissed off]{adj.} •/Why act so pissed off just because I made apass at you?/
[pit against]{v.} To match against; oppose to; put in opposition to;place in competition or rivalry with. •/The game pits two of the best profootball teams in the East against each other./ •/He pitted his enduranceagainst the other man’s speed./ •/He was pitted against an opponent just assmart as he was./
[pit-a-pat]{adv.} With a series of quick pats. •/When John askedMary to marry him, her heart went pit-a-pat./ •/The little boy ranpit-a-pat down the hall./
[pitch] See: WILD PITCH.
[pitch a curve] or [a curve ball]{v. phr.} To catch someoneunawares; confront someone with an unexpected event or act. •/My professorpitched me a curve ball when he unexpectedly confronted me with a complicatedmathematical equation that was way over my head./
[pitch dark]{adj.} Totally, completely dark. •/A starless andmoonless night in the country can be pitch dark./
[pitcher] See: LITTLE PITCHERS HAVE BIG EARS, RELIEF PITCHER, STARTINGPITCHER.
[pitchfork] See: RAIN CATS AND DOGS or RAIN PITCHFORKS.
[pitch in]{v.}, {informal} 1. To begin something with much energy;start work eagerly. •/Pitch in and we will finish the job as soon aspossible./ 2. To give help or money for something; contribute. •/Everyonemust pitch in and work together./ •/We all pitched in a quarter to buyNancy a present./ Syn.: CHIP IN. Compare: FALL TO.
[pitch into]{v.}, {informal} 1. To attack with blows or words.•/He pitched into me with his fists./ •/He pitched into the idea ofraising taxes./ Syn.: LAY INTO(1),(2), RIP INTO. 2. To get to work at; workhard at. •/She pitched into the work and had the house cleaned up by noon./•/He pitched into his homework right after dinner./ Compare: LAY INTO, SAILINTO.
[pitch out]{v.} 1. To deliberately throw a pitch outside of the homeplate in baseball so that the batter cannot hit the ball and the catcher canmake a quick throw. •/The catcher wanted the pitcher to pitch out and see ifthey could catch the runner stealing./ 2. To toss the ball easily to afootball back. •/The quarterback faked to the fullback and pitched out to thehalfback going wide./
[pitch woo]{v. phr.}, {slang} To kiss and hug; make love. •/Maryand John pitched woo in the movies./ •/While Bob drove, Betty and Jim satin the back pitching woo./
[pity] See: TAKE PITY ON or TAKE PITY UPON.
[place] See: HEART IN THE RIGHT PLACE, HIGH PLACE, IN PLACE, INSTEAD OF orIN PLACE OF, IN THE FIRST PLACE, JUMPING-OFF PLACE, LIGHTNING NEVER STRIKESTWICE IN THE SAME PLACE, OUT OF PLACE, PUT IN ONE’S PLACE, PUT ONESELF INANOTHER’S PLACE, TAKE PLACE.
[plague on both your houses] or [plague o' both your houses] Bad luckto both of you! — Used to show disgust at those who wont stop quarreling.•/The bus drivers went on strike because the bus company would not raisetheir pay. After several weeks, the people who needed to ride the bus to worksaid, "A plague on both your houses."/
[plain Jane]{n. phr.} A common or simple looking young woman or girl.•/When we were in school, Ann was a plain Jane, but she blossomed out andeven won the title of Miss Indiana./
[plain] or [smooth sailing]{n. phr.} An uncomplicated, unhampered,or easy course. •/For a graduate of such a famous university as he was, thatassignment was plain sailing./
[plain white wrapper]{n.}, {slang}, {citizen’s band radiojargon} Unmarked police car. •/There’s a plain white wrapper at your reardoor!/ See: BROWN PAPER BAG.
[plan] See: LAY AWAY PLAN.
[plank] See: WALK THE PLANK.
[plan on]{v.} 1. To have the plan of; have in mind. — Used with averbal noun. •/I plan on going to the movies after I finish my homework./•/Mary was planning on seeing John at the baseball game./ Syn.: FIGURE ON.2. To think you will do or have; be sure about; expect. •/I’m hoping to goaway for the weekend, but I’m not planning on it./ •/We can’t order thefood for the party until we know how many people to plan on./ •/We plannedon Mary for the decorations, but she is sick./
[plate] See: HOME PLATE.
[platonic love]{n. phr.} Great affection toward another person without