living (redirected from be living proof that)

beat the hell out of someone and beat the living daylights out of someone ; beat the pants off (of) someone; beat the shit out of someone; beat the socks off (of) someone; beat the stuffing out of someone; beat the tar out of someone

1. Fig. to defeat someone very badly. (Caution: the use of the word shit is considered vulgar and is offensive to many people. Of is usually retained before pronouns.) Our team beat the hell out of the other side. We beat the stuffing out of the other side.

2. Fig. Inf. to batter someone severely. (Alludes to physical violence, not the removal of someone's pants. Of is usually retained before pronouns.) The thugs beat the living daylights out of their victim. If you do that again, I'll beat the pants off of you. Before the boxing match Max said he would beat the socks off Lefty.

See also: beat, hell, out

every living soul

Fig. every person. I expect every living soul to be there and be there on time. This is the kind of problem that affects every living soul.

See also: every, soul

for a living

[of work] done to earn enough money to live. John paints houses for a living. What do you do for a living?

frighten the hell out of someone and frighten the pants off someone; frighten the living daylights out of someone; scare the living daylights out of someone; scare the shit out of someone; scare the wits out of someone

to frighten someone badly, suddenly or both. (Use of hell and shit are crude.) These figures frighten the hell out of me. The door blew shut and scared the shit out of me. It takes a lot to scare the pants off a hardened criminal.

See also: frighten, hell, out

hell on earth

Fig. a very unpleasant situation, as if one were in hell. That man made my life hell on earth! The whole time I was there was just hell on earth.

See also: earth, hell

living end

Fig. the absolute best [person]. We really like Ralph. He is the living end as far as his girlfriend is concerned.

See also: end

make a living from something and make a living by doing something

to earn a living from something or by doing something. John makes a living from painting houses. Can you really make a living by selling jewelry?

See also: make

not a living soul

Fig. nobody. (See some of the possible variations in the examples.) I won't tell anybody—not a living soul. I won't tell a living soul.

See also: soul

Pardon me for living!

Inf. a very indignant response to a criticism or rebuke. Fred: Oh, I thought you had already taken yourself out of here! Sue: Well, pardon me for living! Tom: Butt out, Mary! Bill and I are talking. Mary: Pardon me for living!

See also: pardon

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(a) hell on earth  also a living hell

if a place or a situation is hell on earth, it is extremely unpleasant Soldiers who survived the war in the jungle described it as hell on earth.

See also: earth, hell

a living death

a life that is so full of suffering that it would be better to be dead She can't walk, she can't feed herself and she can scarcely speak. It's a living death. For me, marriage to someone like that would be a living death.

See also: death

be in the land of the living  (humorous)

to be awake She was partying till the early hours so I don't imagine she'll be in the land of the living before lunchtime.

See also: land

be the living end 

1. (American & Australian old-fashioned) to be extremely good We were big fans of their band. We thought it was the living end in those days.

2. (American & Australian old-fashioned) to be very annoying Helen is late again. She really is the living end!

See also: end

frighten/scare the hell out of somebody   (informal)

to make someone feel very frightened He drives like a madman - frightens the hell out of me.

See also: frighten, hell, out

in/within living memory

events or situations in living memory can be remembered by people who are alive now Areas of southern Italy are experiencing some of the worst storms in living memory. (= the worst storms that people can remember) Some of these houses still had outside toilets within living memory.

See also: memory

living on borrowed time

if someone is living on borrowed time, they are not expected to live much longer I've got cancer - I'm living on borrowed time.

See hell on earth

See also: borrow, time

Pardon me for breathing/living!  (informal)

something that you say when you are angry with someone because they are always criticizing you or getting annoyed with you 'If you're just going to get in my way, James, can you leave the kitchen?' 'Oh, pardon me for breathing, I'm sure!'

See also: pardon

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a living hell also hell on earth

an extremely unpleasant place or experience She worked as a substitute teacher in a living hell of a public high school.

See also: hell

beat the hell out of somebody

1. to hit someone hard and repeatedly Bill beat the hell out of me after we started arguing over a girl.

2. to completely defeat someone It's a thrill to beat the hell out of another team in front of 20,000 screaming fans.

Related vocabulary: (it) beats me

See also: beat, hell, out

beat the hell out of something

to be much better than something It wasn't much of a plan, but it beat the hell out of sitting around the office waiting for something to happen.

See also: beat, hell, out

in living memory also within living memory

able to be remembered by people who are alive now Water levels on the Mississippi River haven't been this high in living memory.

See also: memory

living large

able to pay for and enjoying a very expensive style of living Vacations in the hot spots, a huge apartment in the city, cars, servants - that's my idea of living large!

See also: large