Number idioms

Numbers

all-in-one
- combined, all the necessary features of something in one unit
Many DVD players have a recording and playing function all-in-one.
all in one breath
- spoken rapidly while one is very excited
I told my friend about the accident all in one breath.
all in one piece
- safely, without damage
The piano arrived at its destination all in one piece.
all rolled up in one
- combined in one person or thing
The man is president and vice-president all rolled up in one.
as busy as a one-armed paperhanger
- very busy
I was as busy as a one-armed paperhanger during the last two weeks.
as one
- as if a group were one person
The crowd stood as one and began to cheer during the game.
as phony as a three-dollar bill
- phony, not genuine
The woman's excuses are as phony as a three-dollar bill and I do not believe any of them.
at first
- initially, at the beginning
At first we had no plans for the weekend but finally we decided to go to a movie.
at one time
- at a time in the past
At one time the man had no money but now he is very rich.
at one with (someone)
- to share the same view as others, to be in agreement with others
The members of the committee are at one with me over my decision to cancel the meeting.
at sixes and sevens
- in a state of confusion
The workers were at sixes and sevens after the announcement that the company was going out of business.
at the eleventh hour
- at the last possible moment
At the eleventh hour the city and the garbage collectors settled their contract dispute.
back to square one
- back to where one started
We were forced to go back to square one in our efforts to change the name of the company.
bat a thousand
- to be extremely successful at something
Recently, I have been batting a thousand in my attempts to sell the new product.
by the dozen
- twelve at a time, in a group of twelve
The children were eating the donuts by the dozen.
by the dozens
- many, by a large number
The fans came by the dozens to see the famous athlete.
cast the first stone
- to be the first to criticize or attack someone
I told my friend that he should be careful not to cast the first stone in an argument.
catch forty winks
- to take a nap, to get some sleep
I drove all night until I was very tired so I decided to stop and catch forty winks.
cut both/two ways
- to be capable of having two opposite effects, to produce advantages and disadvantages
My decision to complain to our boss could cut two ways and cause him to be happy or angry with me.
deep-six (someone or something)
- to get rid of or dispose of someone or something
I decided to deep-six some of the old comics that I had collected.
dime a dozen
- cheap and common, lots of something
Used paperback books are a dime a dozen at the used bookstore.
divide (something) fifty-fifty
- to divide something into two equal parts
We decided to divide the money that we earned fifty-fifty.
do a number on (someone or something)
- to damage or harm someone or something
The young man did a number on the car that he borrowed from his uncle.
do (someone) one better
- to do something superior to what someone else has done
I decided to do my friend one better and volunteer for three weeks rather than two weeks.
dressed to the nines
- to be dressed in one's best clothes
The woman at the concert was dressed to the nines.
eleventh-hour decision
- a decision that is made at the last possible minute
The sport's federation made an eleventh-hour decision about suspending the star player.
every once in a while
- occasionally, infrequently
Every once in a while I try and play tennis with my friend.
feel like a million (bucks/dollars)
- to feel great, to feel well and healthy
I feel like a million dollars today and I plan to go swimming.
(I/you/he) for one
- as one example, even if the only one
I for one do not believe that our boss will change the company policy related to new staff.
for one thing
- for one reason (among others)
"It is not possible to use the old building. For one thing it will not pass a fire inspection."
forty winks
- a short sleep during the day
When I arrived home I lay down and had forty winks.
get (someone's) number
- to find out someone's telephone number
I plan to get the man's number from one of his friends.
get the third degree
- to be questioned in great detail about something
When the boy returned from school he got the third degree from his mother.
Give me five!
- Hit me with your hand to show that you are happy about something.
"Give me five!" I said after I scored a goal in the game.
give (someone) the third degree
- to question someone in great detail about something
The policeman gave the young man the third degree when they saw him on the street.
give three cheers for (someone)
- to give praise or approval to someone who has done well
The crowd gave three cheers to the team after they won the final game.
go fifty-fifty (on something)
- to divide the cost of something in half
I decided to go fifty-fifty on a new camera with my friend.
have one too many
- have too much alcohol to drink
The man had one too many so his friends would not let him drive home.
have (someone's) number
- to get the key information to be able to understand someone
"I have that man's number. He is a liar and cannot be trusted."
have two strikes against (someone)
- to have a number of things that are working against you and where success becomes more difficult (in baseball you are finished batting after three strikes)
The man already had two strikes against him when he went to apply for the job.
hole in one
- a golf ball that is hit into the hole with only one shot
The golfer got a hole in one during his first round of golf.
hundred and one
- very many
I can think of a hundred and one reasons why the new employee is not capable of doing his job.
hundred to one chance/shot
- a small chance that is not likely to bring success
My friend only has a hundred to one shot at getting the job that he has applied for.
in one ear and out the other
- ignored, not listened to or not heard
The teacher told the students about their homework but it went in one ear and out the other.
in one fell swoop
- in one incident, as one event
In one fell swoop my friend got a new car, a new job and a new girlfriend.
in round figures/numbers
- an estimated number, a number that has been rounded off to an easier/shorter number
The mechanic told us in round figures how much it will cost to fix our car.
in two minds about (something)
- to be undecided about something
My niece is in two minds about whether or not she will visit me this summer.
in two shakes of a lamb's tail
- very quickly
"Wait one minute. I will help you in two shakes of a lamb's tail."
it takes two to tango
- if a problem or an argument involve two people then both people are responsible for the problem
It takes two to tango and my friend should not blame me for all of our problems.
kill two birds with one stone
- to achieve two aims with one effort or action
If I take the course now I may be able to kill two birds with one stone and receive credit for it in the future as well.
know a trick or two
- to know a special way to deal with a problem
My father knows a trick or two about making model boats.
lesser of the two
- the smaller of two things, the one with the least amount
I ordered the food and when the two plates arrived I took the lesser of the two.
lesser of two evils
- the less bad thing of two bad things
I did not want to take the job but it was the lesser of two evils because having no job was even worse.
like two peas in a pod
- very close or intimate, very similar
The two girls are like two peas in a pod and are very good friends.
look after number one
- to only look after or think about oneself
My neighbor only looks after number one and he will not help me at all.
look like a million dollars
- look very good
My mother looked like a million dollars when she left the hospital.
million and one
- very many
There were a million and one things to do at the festival.
million dollar question
- an important but difficult question
The million dollar question is whether we should buy a new computer or not.
million miles away
- to not be paying attention to something, to be distracted and daydreaming
I was a million miles away and I did not hear anything that the teacher said.
nine-day wonder
- someone or something who briefly attracts a lot of attention
The man was a nine-day wonder but he was soon forgotten by most people at his former company.
nine times out of ten
- almost always
Nine times out of ten if you have a computer problem it is something small that can be easily fixed.
nine-to-five attitude
- an attitude towards work where someone does not do anything beyond the minimum that is required of him or her
The man has a nine-to-five attitude and he is not doing very well as a salesperson in his company.
nine-to-five job
- a routine job in an office that involves standard office hours (usually 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM)
My father always worked at a nine-to-five job.
no two ways about (something)
- no alternative, certain
The manager said that there are no two ways about it and the worker must improve or he will be fired.
not give two hoots about (someone or something)
- to not care at all about someone or something
I do not give two hoots if my friend comes to visit me or not.
not one iota
- not even a tiny bit
"I do not like him - not one iota."
not touch (someone or something) with a ten-foot pole
- to not want to be involved with someone or something under any circumstances
I would not touch that problem with a ten-foot pole.
a number of (things or people)
- some things, some people
A number of people complained about the food in the restaurant.
number one
- oneself
My friend only thinks about number one and never about anybody else.
on all fours
- on one's hands and knees
The man was on all fours looking for his car keys.
on cloud nine
- very happy about something
My sister has been on cloud nine since she won the money in the contest.
on the one hand
- from one point of view or opinion
On the one hand I do not want to go to the conference but on the other hand I really must go.
once in a while
- occasionally, infrequently
We only go to that small Mexican restaurant once in a while.
one after another
- one thing or person follows another
The customers came one after another to look at the new computer operating system.
one and all
- everyone
One and all were invited to the party.
one and only
- the only person or thing, unique
Our university has the one and only medical imaging system in the country.
one and the same
- exactly the same
Doing my job at home or at the company is one and the same to me and to my company.
one at a time
- individually
The children went to the front of the classroom one at a time.
one by one
- individually, one at a time
The children entered the school building one by one.
one for the (record) books
- a record-breaking act
The athlete's performance in the race was one for the record books.
one for the road
- one last drink (usually of alcohol) before one leaves for home
We decided to stay at the party and have one for the road before taking a taxi home.
one good turn deserves another
- if someone helps you then you should help them in return
One good turn deserves another so I was happy to help my friend move after he had helped me.
one heck/hell of a (someone or something)
- the emphasis that someone or something is very good or very bad
The man is one heck of a runner and he has won many races.
one in a hundred
- one among one hundred of something
About one in a hundred of the products are defective.
one in a million
- unique, one of a very few
Our coach is one in a million. He is fantastic.
one in a thousand
- one out of one thousand
The chance of getting the job is about one in a thousand.
one jump/step ahead of (someone or something)
- one step in advance of someone or something
My boss is always one jump ahead of the rest of the employees.
One man's meat is another man's poison.
- something that one person likes may not be liked by another person
One man's meat is another man's poison and everybody dislikes the food that my friend likes.
a one-night stand
- an activity that lasts only one night
The rock band played several one-night stands last month.
One person's trash is another person's treasure.
- something that one person considers of no value may be considered valuable by somebody else
One person's trash is another person's treasure and my friend likes to look at my old things before I put them in the garbage.
one of the boys
- an accepted member of a group
Our boss tries to be one of the boys but actually nobody likes him.
one of these days
- soon, before long, someday
One of these days they plan to open a new movie theater but we have already been waiting many years.
one of those days
- a bad day where many things go wrong
It was one of those days and from early morning things went wrong.
one of those things
- something is unfortunate but it must be accepted
My aunt's sudden illness is one of those things and there is nothing we can do about it.
one or two
- a few, a small number
There were only one or two people at the meeting so it was postponed until later.
one sandwich short of a picnic
- not very smart
The janitor is one sandwich short of a picnic and he makes many mistakes.
the one that got away
- a fish that you did not catch, an opportunity that you missed
My father said that he has caught many fish but the biggest one was the one that got away.
one thing leads to another
- doing one thing or one event will set the stage for something else
One thing led to another and suddenly it was too late to catch the bus home.
one to a customer
- each person can receive only one of something
The items were sold at only one to a customer.
one up on (someone)
- to have an advantage over someone
I am one up on my friend because he is still looking for a job while I have already found one.
one way or another
- somehow
One way or another I will phone my friend this evening.
one's days are numbered
- someone is facing death or dismissal from something
The salesman has made many mistakes and his days are numbered at work.
one's lucky number comes up
- someone is lucky or has good fortune
My lucky number finally came up and I was chosen to go to Los Angeles to represent our company at the conference.
one's number is up
- something bad will happen to someone
I think that the manager's number is up and he will soon be fired from his job.
one's opposite number
- someone who has the same position as oneself in another company or organization
I spoke with my opposite number in the other company but we could not finalize the sale.
put in one's two cent's (worth)
- to add one's comments to a discussion
I decided not to put in my two cents worth to the discussion about money.
put two and two together
- to make a correct guess, to figure something out from the information that you have
We were able to put two and two together and discover who was sending the unwanted messages.
quick one
- a single drink of alcohol taken before one does something else
We stopped for a quick one on the way home from work.
round off a number
- to change a number to the next higher or lower whole number
The number was 4.4972 but we rounded it off to 4.5.
seventh heaven
- a situation of great happiness
The woman has been in seventh heaven since she moved to the new department.
six feet under
- dead and buried
My uncle has been six feet under for over five years now.
six of one and half a dozen of the other
- there is little difference between two things/situations
"Whatever you do is no problem for me. It is six of one and half a dozen of the other."
sixth sense
- a power to know or feel that things are beyond the five senses of sight/hearing/smell/taste/touch
The woman has a sixth sense and she seems to know what everyone is thinking.
split (something) fifty-fifty
- to split/divide something into two equal parts
We split the profits from our business fifty-fifty.
stand on one's own two feet
- to be independent and self-sufficient
The boy learned early how to stand on his own two feet.
a stitch in time saves nine
- any damage or mistake should be corrected immediately in order to prevent it from getting worse
"You should repair your car before it becomes worse. Remember, a stitch in time saves nine."
take care of number one
- to only think about or take care of oneself
The man takes care of number one and never thinks about anyone else.
take five
- to take one brief (about five minutes) rest period
The city workers stopped to take five after working hard all morning.
tell (someone) a thing or two (about something)
- to scold someone, to become angry at someone
I plan to tell my neighbor a thing or two about his dog when I see him.
ten to one
- very likely
I think that ten to one our secretary will come to work late again today.
That makes two of us.
- The same thing is true for me.
"I do not want to go to the meeting." "That makes two of us," I replied.
there is more than one way to skin a cat
- there is more than one way to do something
There is more than one way to skin a cat and my friend and I decided to solve the problem in two different ways.
think twice (before doing something)
- to consider carefully whether one should do something
I told my cousin to think twice before he decides to quit his job.
thousand and one
- very many
I can think of a thousand and one reasons why I do not want to travel with my friend.
three R's
- the three basic skills in school - reading, (w)riting, (a)rithmetic
Many people believe that teaching the three R's is the most important role for schools.
three sheets to the wind
- drunk
The man walked down the street with three sheets to the wind.
two bricks shy of a load
- to be not very smart or clever
The man is two bricks shy of a load and he is very hard to deal with.
two can play that game
- you can treat another person in the same way as they have treated you
The man told his boss that two can play that game and if the boss was too strict then he would be inflexible as well.
two heads are better than one
- two people working together can achieve better results than one person working alone
Two heads are better than one when you are trying to solve a difficult problem.
two of a kind
- people or things that are of the same type or are similar in character/attitude etc.
The boys are two of a kind and they love to spend time together.
two-time (someone)
- to cheat on one's partner by seeing someone else
The couple separated when the man began to two-time his wife.
two wrongs don't make a right
- you cannot justify doing something wrong or bad just because someone else did the same thing to you
Two wrongs don't make a right and if someone does something bad you should not try and hurt them as well.
two's company, three's a crowd
- two people (usually a couple on a date) are happier when nobody else is around
My friend wanted to come with my girlfriend and I but I told him that two's company and three's a crowd so he stayed home.