grass (redirected from grasses)

*green as grass

very green. (*Also: as ∼.) His face turned as green as grass just before he vomited.

See also: green

grass widow

a woman abandoned by her husband. (The origin of this is not clear.) Jane's husband isn't dead, but she's a widow just the same—a grass widow. Bill ran off and left Mary a grass widow.

See also: widow

let grass grow under one's feet

Fig. to do nothing; to stand still. Mary doesn't let the grass grow under her feet. She's always busy. Bob is too lazy. He's letting the grass grow under his feet.

See also: feet, grow, let

not let the grass grow under one's feet

Fig. not to stay in one place for a long time; to be always on the move. He is always doing something. He never lets the grass grow under his feet. I have always thought that I ought not to let the grass grow under my feet. Jane: Last night I told Alan that we needed a new bookshelf, and he had built one by the time I got home today. Jill: Boy, he doesn't let the grass grow under his feet.

See also: feet, grow, let

snake in the grass

a sneaky and despised person. How could I ever have trusted that snake in the grass? John is such a snake in the grass.

See also: snake

The grass is always greener on the other side (of the fence).

Prov. People always think they would be happier in a different set of circumstances. (Usually implies that the other circumstances really are not any better.) Jill: My job is so tedious. I wish I had my own business, like Beatrice does. Jane: Beatrice probably wishes she had the security of her old job. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

See also: always, other, side

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not let the grass grow under your feet

to not waste time by delaying doing something We can't let the grass grow under our feet - we've really got to get going with this project.

See leave well alone, get off the hook, let off steam, leave to stew

See also: feet, grow, let

a grass widow  (humorous)

a woman who spends a lot of time apart from her husband, often because he is working in another place 'I hear Steve's in Florida again.' 'Yes, I've become a grass widow ever since he's had this new job.'

See also: widow

a snake in the grass

someone who pretends to be your friend while secretly doing things to harm you It's upsetting to learn that someone you once viewed as a good colleague is in fact a snake in the grass.

See also: snake

be like watching grass grow  (humorous) also be as interesting as watching grass grow (humorous)

if you say that watching an activity is like watching grass grow, you mean that it is very boring To watch somebody fly-fishing is like watching grass grow.

See also: grow, like, watch

The grass is always greener (on the other side of the fence).

something that you say which means that other people always seem to be in a better situation than you, although they may not be And when I haven't been out for a while I start to envy Miriam with her great social life. Oh well, the grass is always greener.

See also: always

the grass roots

the ordinary people in a society or political organization and not the leaders (often + of ) The feeling among the grass roots of the party is that the leaders aren't radical enough.

See let the grass grow under feet, be like watching grass grow

See also: root