swallow (redirected from barn swallows)

bitter pill to swallow

Fig. an unpleasant fact that has to be accepted. (Does not involve pills or swallowing.) It was a bitter pill for her brother to swallow when she married his enemy. We found his deception a bitter pill to swallow.

See also: bitter, pill

hard to believe and hard to swallow

not easily believed; hardly believable. Her story was hard to swallow, and it finally was proven to be a lie.

See also: believe, hard

look like the cat that swallowed the canary

Fig. to appear as if one had just had a great success. After the meeting John looked like the cat that swallowed the canary. I knew he must have been a success. Your presentation must have gone well. You look like the cat that swallowed the canary.

See also: canary, cat, like, look

One swallow does not make a summer, and One swallow does not a summer make.

Prov. You should not assume that something is true just because you have seen one piece of evidence for it. Amanda: I got a good grade on this quiz! My troubles in school are over. Nancy: One swallow does not a summer make.

See also: does, make, one, summer

strain at gnats and swallow camels

Prov. to criticize other people for minor offenses while ignoring major offenses. (Biblical.) Jill: Look at that. Edward is combing his hair at his desk. How unprofessional. Jane: Don't strain at gnats and swallow camels. There are worse problems than that around here.

See also: and, camel, gnat, strain

swallow someone or something up 

1. Lit. to eat or gobble up someone or something. The fairy-tale wolf threatened to swallow the pig up in one bite. The wolf swallowed up the meat in one bite.

2. Fig. to engulf or contain something. The vast garage seemed to swallow the cars up. The huge sweater swallowed up the tiny child.

See also: up

swallow something down

to swallow something. Here, take this pill and swallow it down. Liz swallowed down the pill.

swallow something hook, line, and sinker

Fig. to believe something completely. (These terms refer to fishing and fooling a fish into being caught.) I made up a story about why I was so late. The boss swallowed it hook, line, and sinker. I feel like a fool. I swallowed her lies hook, line, and sinker.

See also: and, sinker

swallow one's pride

Fig. to forget one's pride and accept something humiliating. I had to swallow my pride and admit that I was wrong. When you're trying to master a new skill, you find yourself swallowing your pride quite often.

See also: pride

---

hard to swallow

if something that someone says is hard to swallow, it is difficult to believe I found her story rather hard to swallow.

See also: hard

one swallow doesn't make a summer  (British & Australian)

something that you say which means because one good thing has happened, you cannot therefore be certain that more good things will happen and the whole situation will improve Okay, they won their last game but one swallow doesn't make a summer. They're still bottom of the league.

See also: make, one, summer

swallow your pride

to accept that you have to do something that you think is embarrassing or that you think you are too good to do Swallow your pride and call your daughter to tell her you're sorry.

See swallow the bait, one swallow doesn't make a summer

See also: pride

swallow/take the bait

to accept something that is only being offered to you so that you will do something The offer of a free radio with every television proved very popular, and hundreds of shoppers swallowed the bait.

See rise to the bait

See also: bait

wish the ground would swallow you up

to wish that you could disappear because you feel very embarrassed Everyone in the room was staring at me and I stood there wishing the ground would swallow me up.

See also: ground, up, wish

---

hard to swallow

1. difficult to accept The terms of the agreement were hard to swallow, but I needed the work. My father's anger was very hard to swallow.

2. not easy to believe We found her excuse hard to swallow.

Related vocabulary: take something with a grain of salt

See also: hard

swallow your pride

to admit that you have been wrong about someone or something He swallowed his pride and called his daughter to apologize. I swallowed my pride and asked for a second chance.

Usage notes: often said about something that has embarrassed you

See also: pride

swallow up somebody/something also swallow somebody/something up

to take in or absorb someone or something The suburbs are swallowing up all the farmland and open space in the region. She walked down the street, and the crowd just swallowed her up.

See also: up

take the bait also swallow the bait

to accept something that was offered to get you to do something I flirted with Kate, teased her some, but she never took the bait. Others tried to focus on our disagreements, but we didn't take the bait and instead talked about what we can do together.

See also: bait, take