can

as best you can (British & Australian, American)

if you do something that is difficult as best you can, you do it as well as you are able to do it. If one of us loses our job we'll just have to cope as best we can. Just clean up the mess as best as you can.

See also: best

be in the can

if a film is in the can, it has been completed and is now ready to be shown. We started filming in April so the final sequence should be in the can at the end of the month.

can count something on the fingers of one hand

if you say that you can count things on the fingers of one hand, you are emphasizing that they are very rare. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times she's actually offered to buy me a drink.

See also: count, finger, hand

a can of worms (informal)

a situation which causes a lot of trouble for you when you start to deal with it. Quite what we do with all the waste generated by this industry is another can of worms. Once you start making concessions to individual members of staff, you really open up a can of worms. (= cause a lot of trouble for yourself)

See also: Worms

can talk the legs off an iron pot

if someone can talk the legs off an iron pot, they talk a lot. I dread getting into a conversation with Gillian - she can talk the legs off an iron pot.

See also: iron, leg, pot, talk

carry the can (British & Australian)

to take the blame or responsibility for something that is wrong or has not succeeded. She suspected that she'd be left to carry the can for her boss's mistakes. (often + for)

See also: carry

I can take it or leave it.

something that you say which means that you do not hate something but you do not like it very much. My sister's absolutely crazy about chocolate whereas I can take it or leave it.

See also: leave, take

Piss or get off the can/pot! (American, taboo!)

something that you say to someone when you want them to make a decision and take action without any more delay. Make your mind up. It's time to piss or get off the pot!

See also: piss, pot

Shit or get off the can/pot! (mainly American, taboo)

something that you say when you want someone to make a decision and take action without any more delay. It's time for management to shit or get off the pot. If they aren't going to meet the striker's demands they should say so.

See also: pot, shit

You can say that again! (informal)

something that you say in order to show you completely agree with something that someone has just said. 'That was an absolutely delicious lunch.' 'You can say that again!'

See also: again, say, that

You can talk! (British, American & Australian, informal, American, informal)

something that you say when someone criticizes another person for doing something that they do themselves. 'He's a terrible driver.' 'You can talk!' And you're telling me I'm lazy? You should talk!

See also: talk

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as best (as) you can

as well or as good as is possible in a particular situation. You have to live your life as best you can and not worry about what people are going to say.

See also: best

in the can

1. completed and ready to be shown. Sarandon has another movie in the can.

Usage notes: usually said about a film or television show

2. in prison. The last time he was in the can, he attacked another prisoner.

open (up) a can of worms

to create a situation that will cause trouble or be unpleasant. The investigation into how these expensive trips were paid for certainly opened a can of worms.

Usage notes: sometimes used without open up: I don't think her plan will work — it seems like kind of a can of worms to me.

See also: open, Worms

you can say that again

I agree with you completely. “That was an absolutely delicious lunch.” “You can say that again!”

See also: again, say, that