eighty

do a 180

1. Literally, to begin moving in the opposite direction. (If one physically turns 180 degrees, one will then be facing the opposite direction.) I was going to go to the park, but when I saw those dark clouds roll in, I did a 180 and headed back home. Once I realized I was going the wrong way, I did a 180 at the next light. When I saw Mary in the hallway, I did a 180 and went back the way I came.

2. To make a big change in one's position, opinion, lifestyle, etc. A: "Can you believe that Sam quit his job at the firm?" B: "No, he really did a 180 on being a paralegal!" After a huge public outcry about the controversial program, the president quickly did a 180 and announced that he would not support the plan. The tech giant typically has unyielding success, but they did a major 180 with the disastrous unveiling of their latest gadget.

See also: 180

do a flip-flop

To completely change one's opinion or stance. After the candidate did a flip-flop on that important issue, many voters felt they could not trust him to stick with one position. I used to hold a staunch view about the case, but then I did a flip-flop after hearing the other side's testimony. You can't do a flip-flop and withdraw your support now—our organization was counting on your generous donation!

do an about-face

1. To turn around a full 180 degrees, especially very suddenly. She did an about-face and walked back up the steps once she saw that the subway wasn't running. I told you, you can't come downstairs until your room is clean. Do an about-face, go back up there, and get to work! I was going to go to the park, but when I saw those dark clouds roll in, I did an about-face and headed back home.

2. To completely reverse one's opinion, position, or course of action regarding some issue, especially very suddenly. The senator seems to have done an about-face on the tax proposal, much to the surprise of his party. Based on the reactions we got from test audiences, we need to do an about-face with the movie's plot. I highly doubt these new ads will make anyone do an about-face on their candidate of choice.

See also: an

eighty-six

slang

1. To eject (someone) from an establishment without serving them. The boss hates this guy and wants us to eighty-six him. You have no grounds to eighty-six us! Hey, watch the hair! Tell the bouncer to eighty-six those obnoxious guys, will ya?

2. To cancel or stop (something); to nix (something). Why would they eighty-six the plans for renovations? The building is practically falling apart. The board of directors eighty-sixed our proposal. I decided to eighty-six the project before the costs ballooned any further.

3. To dispose of (something). Ugh, can we please eighty-six the coleslaw? Just looking at it is making me nauseous. The first step in this recipe is to carve out your fruit and eighty-six the seeds. I always hated having to eighty-six so much of people's food when I used to work as a waiter.

the eighty-eight

slang The piano. A reference to the eighty-eight keys of a piano. Tom got up and played an amazing tune on the eighty-eight. It was a classy place. The waiters were all in tuxedos and there was a woman in the corner playing on the eighty-eight the whole evening.

to get eighty-sixed

slang

1. To be ejected from an establishment without being served. The customer got eighty-sixed after drunkenly knocking over someone's table.

2. To be canceled or stopped. We had some great plans to renovate this property, but they got eighty-sixed because of budget constraints.

3. To be disposed of or thrown away. Ugh, this coleslaw smells rank. It needs to get eighty-sixed pronto.

See also: get, to

turn 180 degrees

1. Literally, to turn and face the opposite direction. I was going to go to the park, but when I saw those dark clouds roll in, I turned 180 degrees and headed back home.

2. To make a big change in one's position, opinion, lifestyle, etc. A: "Can you believe that Sam quit his job at the firm?" B: "No, he really turned 180 degrees on being a paralegal!"

See also: 180, degree, turn

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

do a one-eighty

 and turn one hundred and eighty degrees 

1. Lit. to turn around and go in the opposite direction. When I hollered, the dog did a one-eighty and headed back to its own yard.

2. Fig. to radically reverse a decision or opinion. His political philosophy turned one hundred and eighty degrees when he grew a little older.

eighty-six something

Sl. to throw something away. Let's eighty-six this stew and go out and get some decent pizza.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

do an about-face

Also, do a flip-flop or one-eighty . Reverse one's opinion or course of action. For example, The board did an about-face on acquiring more land, or We expected Dad to do a flip-flop concerning our vacation plans, or They had relied on Jim to vote for Harry, but he did a one-eighty and cast his vote for the incumbent . The first term, alluding to the army command to turn around, dates from the first half of the 1900s, and the variants from the second half of the 1900s (the last refers to a 180-degree change of direction).

See also: an

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

the eighty-eight

n. a piano. (Pianos have eighty-eight keys.) Sam can really beat the eighty-eight.

eighty-six

and 86

tv. to dispose of someone or something; to nix someone or something. He wants $400? Eighty-six that! We can’t afford it.

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.