Idioms

heave ho

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heave ho

1. A sailor's cry to pull hard on a rope. We need to raise anchor, heave ho! You can yell "heave ho" at that scrawny kid all day, but he's still not going to be able to maneuver these ropes! Sailors! Heave ho!
2. An abrupt dismissal or termination, often used in the phrase, "give (one) the (old) heave ho." I can't believe the boss gave me the old heave ho after five years on the job! A: "Did you hear that Liz broke up with Dan?" B: "Wow, I never expected her to give him the heave ho." If I keep making stupid mistakes like this, I'm going to get the heave-ho from my editor.
3. The disposal of something unimportant or unwanted. Give that printer the old heave ho, it doesn't work anymore. Ugh, this cereal is stale now—I'm giving it the heave ho! Come on, the blender doesn't even turn on anymore. It's time to give it the old heave ho.
See also: heave, ho
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
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References in periodicals archive
| Sunnysands Pirate Horatio Heave Ho, played by Dale Superville, and Liker Biker, played by Sam Worboys
He's no shrinking violet! family day out Take one seriously mischievous Grandpa. Add an imaginative grandson. Throw in a magic shrinking cap and watch Grandpa turn into the biggest child of the lot as the show Grandpa in my Pocket comes to the stage for the first time
ADAM AND HEAVE HO: Rotherham's Le Fondre lifts the ball over Rhys Taylor to score
GRADI: WE'RE IN TROUBLE
Mutiny Bay also houses Marauder's Mayhem, with spinning barrels of rum and explosives; for smaller adventurers there's the Heave Ho tugboat.
Travel: Set sail for new fun at Alton Towers
Plus for smaller explorers, a ride aboard the rocking Heave Ho tug boat ensures even the youngest of adventurers can graduate from Mutiny Bay as fully-fledged pirates!
WIN a family pass to Alton Towers
Kelly, 25, who is happily dating model LUKE WORRALL tried to give Harry the royal wave to let her in to say hi, but his people gave her the heave ho - leaving Kelly's face as red as the Prince's barnet.
KELLY OSBOURNE was born into [...]; DO KEEP UP!
ELEGANT: The newly restored Peter Pan sculpture; Picture: MARTIN BIRCHALL; RESTORED: Peter Pan arrives at Sefton Park; HEAVE HO: He's lifted into position; NEW HOME: A warm welcome at the Palm House
Pan-tastic day; Famous statue comes home to Sefton Park
HEAVE HO: The submarine is being moved due to development work
Sub moves for safe keeping
cARingJ Help on beach HEAVE HO J Rescuers carry calf to the sea FREEDOMJ Final push before he swims off
Saved the whale; BUT NOW HE NEEDS HIS MUM
HEAVE HO: Firefighters pull the horse from the river and, right, make friends with it later; Pictures: MARTIN BIRCHALL
Fire crews save horse from river
HEAVE HO! Harry uses some strong-arm tactics Pictures: TOBY MELVILLE/PA; STRIPE ME!
PRINCE OF WALLS; Harry puts the boot in playing Eton's weird and wacky game
FREEDOM Final push before he swims off HEAVE HO Rescuers carry calf to the sea CARING Help on beach
Saved the whale; BUT NOW HE NEEDS HIS MUM
TALLY NO: Sabs and huntsman with horse trapped up to stomach in mud; HEAVE HO: They go to work to free trapped animal, it took 30 minutes
Trapped hunting horse is rescued by saboteurs
A puerile wish, I know, but I'd love to fly it into shot as some prim BBC announcer is introducing Pomp And Circumstance, then press a button that releases gallons of KY Jelly over the heads of the imbecilic Promenaders while they're shouting: "Heave ho!" at the piano movers.
Victor Lewis-Smith Column: AIR ON A STRING
Jonny-the-Jerk and Mopey Sophie are up for the heave ho. Jonny has rattled us all with his false bonhomie and he has been nominated twice.
WEASELY BEATEN; The anti-Big Brother paper Fireman Ferret versus Mopey Sophie for the boot
CHOPPY WATERS: The rock had to be retrieved from the Irish Sea; HEAVE HO: The scrapped project started badly...then went downhill
End of rocky road for the jinxed Bluestone
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