gas (redirected from gases)

*out of gas 

1. Lit. without gasoline (in a car, truck, etc.). (*Typically: be ~; run ~.) We can't go any farther. We're out of gas. This car will be completely out of gas in a few more miles.

2. Fig. tired; exhausted; worn out. (*Typically: be ~; fun ~.) What a day! I've been working since morning, and I'm really out of gas. I think the old washing machine has finally run out of gas. I'll have to get a new one.

See also: out

cooking with gas

doing [something] exactly right. That's great! Now you're cooking with gas! I knew she was finally cooking with gas when she answered all the questions correctly.

See also: cooke

gas something up

to put gasoline into a vehicle. I have to gas this car up soon. I will stop and gas up the car at the next little town.

See also: up

gas up

to fill up one's gasoline tank with gasoline. I have to stop at the next service station and gas up. The next time you gas up, try some of the gasoline with alcohol in it.

See also: up

pass gas

Euph. to release intestinal gas through the anus. Someone on the bus had passed gas. It smelled awful. Something I ate at lunch made me pass gas all afternoon.

See also: pass

run out of steam

Fig. to lose momentum and fail. Toward the end of the lecture, he seemed to run out of steam, leaving us with no summary or conclusion.

See also: out, run, steam

step on the gas and step on it

to hurry up; to make a vehicle go faster. (As if stepping on an automobile's accelerator. step on the gas. We are going to be late! step on it! Let's go!

See also: step

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a gas guzzler  (American informal)

a car that uses a lot of fuel I want to sell this huge gas guzzler and buy something that's cheaper to run.

See run out of steam, Step on it!

be cooking on gas  (British informal) also be cooking with gas (American informal)

to be making good progress and to be likely to succeed We're cooking on gas. Keep the work coming in like this and we'll meet the deadline.

See also: cooke

run out of steam  (British informal) also run out of gas (American & Australian informal)

to suddenly lose the energy or interest to continue doing what you are doing She'd been talking for two hours and was just starting to run out of steam. I worked really well for two months of the project then I suddenly ran out of gas.

See also: out, run, steam

Step on it!  (British, American & Australian informal) also Step on the gas! (American & Australian informal)

something that you say to someone when you want them to drive more quickly Step on the gas, will you, we have to be there in five minutes!

See also: step

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gas up (something) also gas something up

to put fuel in a vehicle We stopped at a service station to gas up the car and clean the windshield. Gas it up and check the oil.

See also: up

run out of gas

to lose the energy or interest to continue run out of steam I think our team ran out of gas toward the end of the game's first quarter.

Etymology: based on the idea that when a vehicle has no more fuel it will stop moving

See also: out, run

run out of steam

to lose the energy or interest to continue run out of gas She'd been talking for two hours and was just starting to run out of steam.

See also: out, run, steam

step on the gas

to hurry in order to get something done quickly step on it If we're going to get this done today, it's time to step on the gas.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of step on the gas (to make a car go faster by giving the engine more gas)

See also: step