a couple (of) fries short of a Happy Meal
A derogatory phrase meaning not very intelligent or of questionable mental capacity. It can appear in many different forms and variations (for example: "a few sandwiches shy of a picnic," "one card shy of a full deck," etc.). A "Happy Meal" is a children's meal served at McDonald's fast-food restaurants, and it typically contains French fries. Every time Paul tells me about his latest conspiracy theory, I can't help thinking that he's a couple fries short of a Happy Meal. Tom's one of the top students in the school. His sister, on the other hand—well, let's just say that she's a couple of fries short of a Happy Meal. He says he's going to start a business selling bees as pets—I think he may be a couple fries short of a Happy Meal.
a few fries short of a Happy Meal
A derogatory phrase meaning not very intelligent or of questionable mental capacity. It can appear in many different forms and variations (for example: a few bricks shy of a load, a few cards shy of a full deck, etc.). A "Happy Meal" is a children's meal served at McDonald's fast-food restaurants, and it typically contains French fries. Every time Paul tells me about his latest conspiracy theory, I can't help thinking that he's a few fries short of a Happy Meal. He says he's going to start a business selling bees as pets—I think he may be a few fries short of a Happy Meal. Tommy's a few fries short of a Happy Meal if he thinks he can convince our mother to let him get a tattoo for his birthday.
been bobbing for fries
Has a hideous face (as of someone who put their face in a deep-fryer to pull out fries with their teeth). That guy's so ugly, it's like he's been bobbing for fries! Whoa, how did Courtney get so hot? When she was a kid, it was like she'd been bobbing for fries! A: "Yikes, what happened to Ian? It's like he's been bobbing for apples!" B: "I'm pretty sure he had an allergic reaction to something."
fry the fat out of (someone)
To get money out of someone through violence or extortion. If you don't pay up, I'll have my men fry the fat out of you, don't you worry. It's time to fry the fat out of you, Stan, because I always get my money, one way or another. Why would you get into debt with the mob? It's only a matter of time till the boss sends his thugs to fry the fat out of you!
fry up
To use direct heat to cook some food, often in fat or oil. A noun or pronoun can be used between "fry" and "up." Oh, I'm just frying up some bacon for breakfast. I saw you last night at the fair—you were frying up funnel cakes, weren't you? Why is any food more delicious when you fry it up?
small fry
1. A small, young child (or children). An allusion to newly hatched fish. Can be singular or plural, and can also be pluralized as "small fries." There's a bouncy castle out the back for the small fry, and we have video games set up in the living room for the older kids. You're still just a small fry. When you're bigger, you can come skateboarding, too.
2. By extension, trifling, unimportant, or inconsequential persons or things. I've been trying to raise my concerns about the project, but the company's upper management doesn't listen to small fry like me. The investigations have turned up small fries so far, but I think they're getting closer to the big money laundering scheme.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
fry something up
to cook something by frying. Let's fry some chicken up for dinner. We fried up some chicken.
small fry
1. Lit. newly hatched fish; small, juvenile fish. The catch was bad today. Nothing but small fry.
2. Fig. unimportant people. The police have only caught the small fry. The leader of the gang is still free. You people are just small fry! I want to talk to the boss.
3. Fig. children. Peter's taking the small fry to the zoo. We should take the small fry to the pantomime.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.