mark (redirected from getting off the mark)

be close to the mark

if something someone says or writes is close to the mark, it is correct or nearly correct. He says he can't find a job, but I think it would be closer to the mark to say he doesn't want to work.

See also: close

be easy meat (British & Australian, informal, American)

someone or something that is easy meat is easy to beat, criticize, or trick. United were easy meat in the semifinal on Wednesday. The elderly living alone are an easy mark for con-men.

See also: easy, meat

be first/quickest off the mark

be quick off the mark - to be quick to act or to react to an event or situation. Do you know which company was first off the mark to sell computers for home use?

See also: first, quick

be off the mark

if something someone says or writes is off the mark, it is not correct. His criticisms are way off the mark. Bedini and Curzi were probably not far off the mark in their analysis.

be quick off the mark

to be quick to act or to react to an event or situation. The police were quick off the mark reaching the scene of the accident.

See also: quick

be slow off the mark

to be slow to act or to react to an event or situation. The federal government was criticized for being slow off the mark in helping towns hit by the recent hurricane.

See also: slow

be up to the mark

to be good enough. I have to watch my staff all the time to keep them up to the mark. The efforts of the security services have not been quite up to the mark. (often negative)

be wide of the mark

1. to be wrong. Yesterday's weather forecast was rather wide of the mark.

2. if you are wide of the mark when you aim or shoot at something, you miss what you are trying to hit. Giggs had another chance early in the second half, but once again his shot was wide of the mark.

See also: wide

a black mark

if you get a black mark, people think that something you have done is bad and they will remember it in future. This administrative error will be a black mark on his record. If I'm late for work it'll be another black mark against me. (often + against)

See also: black

get off the mark (British & Australian)

to score for the first time in a sports competition. Liverpool got off the mark with a blinding goal.

hit the something mark

to reach a certain point or level. Did the temperature really hit the -32 degrees centigrade mark last winter? His debts have hit the $3 million mark.

See also: hit

hit the mark

to be correct, suitable, or successful. If you're looking for a word to describe Dave, 'urbane' would probably hit the mark. She had a good voice, but her songs never quite hit the mark.

See also: hit

leave your/its mark on someone/something

to have an effect that changes someone or something. Her unhappy childhood left its mark on her all through her life.

See also: leave

make your/a mark

to make people notice you or to have an important effect on something. Mr Sorrell first made his mark as finance director at Wimpole and Soames. (sometimes + as) Richards made a tremendous mark on Australian cricket during 1985. (often + on)

(You) mark my words. (old-fashioned)

something that you say when you tell someone about something that you are certain will happen in the future. That girl's going to cause trouble, you mark my words.

See also: word

mark time

to do something which is not very interesting while you are waiting to start doing something more important. She's just marking time in her father's shop until it's time to go to university. (usually in continuous tenses)

See also: time

overstep the mark

to upset someone by doing or saying more than you should. You overstepped the mark when you shouted at your mother.

See also: overstep

a question mark over something

1. if there is a question mark over something, no one knows whether it will continue to exist in the future or what will happen to it. Neither company has performed well over the last year and there's a question mark over their long-term survival. A question mark hangs over the future of the whole project.

2. a feeling of doubt about the ability or quality of something. The recent spate of government scandals has left a question mark over their ability to govern.

See also: over, question

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hit the mark

to be correct or accurate. The writer hit the mark in saying that the military contributes $400,000 a month to the local economy.

See also: hit

leave your/its mark (on someone/something)

to have an effect that changes someone or something. Another storm left its mark on California, knocking down trees and power lines across the state.

Usage notes: often used in the phrase leave your mark on the world to be successful or famous: I hope to leave my mark on the world through my music.

See also: leave

make your mark

to be successful or famous. She played several sports in school, but it was in basketball that she made her mark.

mark down something

to reduce the price of something. The machine, originally priced at $50, was marked down to $37.50. If it doesn't sell at full price, we'll have to mark it down.

See also: down

mark my words

give your attention to what I am saying because it is true and important. That girl's going to cause trouble, you mark my words.

See also: word

mark time

to not do anything important while you wait. Mrs. Jamison marked time while waiting to take up her new job.