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backhanded compliment and left-handed compliment

an unintended or ambiguous compliment. Backhanded compliments are the only kind he ever gives! And I think his left-handed compliments are all given by accident, too!

See also: backhanded, compliment

better left unsaid

[refers to a topic that] should not be discussed; [refers to a thought that] everyone is thinking, but would cause difficulty if talked about in public. (A typical beginning for this phrase might be It is, That is, The details are, or even Some things are. See the examples.) Mary: I really don't know how to tell you this. Bob: Then don't. Maybe it's better left unsaid. Bill: I had such a terrible fight with Sally last night. I can't believe what I said. Bob: I don't need to hear all about it. Some things are better left unsaid.

See also: better

come out of left field

[for a problem or dilemma] to come from an unexpected place. (See also out of left field.) This new problem came out of left field. We were really surprised. Your remarks came out of left field. I can't understand your complaint.

See also: come, field, out

hang a left

Inf. to turn left. He hung a left at the wrong corner. Hey, here! Hang a left here!

See also: hang

have two left feet

Fig. to be very awkward with one's feet. (Often refers to awkwardness at dancing.) I'm sorry, I can't dance better. I have two left feet.

See also: feet, have, two

jog to the right and jog to the left

[for a road, path, etc.] to turn to the right or left. The road jogs to the right here. Don't run off. Keep going until the road jogs to the left. Our driveway is on the right side.

See also: jog, right

keep on the left(-hand) side (of something)

to stay on the left-hand side of something. Please don't keep on the left side all the time when everyone else is on the right! In England you keep on the left-hand side.

See also: keep, side

left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing

Prov. One part of an organization does not know what another part is doing. (Biblical.) It was evident that the left hand did not know what the right hand was doing when we planned our potluck dinner party, since everyone brought dessert and no one brought a main dish.

See also: doing, hand, know, right

out in left field

Fig. offbeat; unusual and eccentric. (See also out of left field.) Sally is a lot of fun, but she's sort of out in left field. What a strange idea. It's really out in left field.

See also: field, out

out of left field

suddenly; from an unexpected source or direction. (See also out in left field.) Most of your ideas are out of left field. All of his paintings are right out of left field.

See also: field, out

pay someone a backhanded compliment and pay someone a left-handed compliment

Fig. to give someone a false compliment that is really an insult or criticism. John said that he had never seen me looking better. I think he was paying me a left-handed compliment. I'd prefer that someone insulted me directly. I hate it when someone pays me a backhanded compliment—unless it's a joke.

See also: backhanded, compliment, pay

right and left and left and right

to both sides; on all sides; everywhere. I dropped the tennis balls, and they rolled right and left. There were children everywhere—running right and left.

See also: and, right

take up where one left off

to start up again in the very place that one has stopped. I had to leave the room for a minute, but when I got back, I took up where I left off. It's time to stop for lunch. After lunch, we will take up where we left off.

See also: one, take, up

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a back-handed compliment  (British, American & Australian) also a left-handed compliment (American)

a remark which seems approving but which is also negative He gave me that classic back-handed compliment. He said I played football very well 'for a woman'.

See return the compliment

See also: compliment

be left hanging (in the air/in midair)

if a problem or question is left hanging in the air, it is not dealt with or answered We failed to resolve the issue at the last meeting and it was left hanging in the air.

See also: hanging

be left holding the baby  (British) also be left holding the bag (American)

to suddenly have to deal with a difficult problem or responsibility because someone else has decided they do not want to deal with it He abandoned the project after a year because he felt that it was going to fail and I was left holding the baby.

See also: baby, holding

be out in left field 

1. (American informal) to be completely wrong They're out in left field, blaming you for this fiasco.

2. (American informal) to be very strange or very different from other people or things She's kind of out in left field but she's fun.

See also: field, out

hang a left/right  (American informal)

if you tell the driver of a car to hang a left/right, you mean turn left/right You hang a left at the gas station and then drive straight ahead for two miles.

See also: hang

have two left feet  (humorous)

to move in a very awkward way when dancing When we danced together I discovered he had two left feet.

See also: feet, have, two

left, right and centre  (British informal) also right and leftleft and right (AmericanAmerican informalinformal)

if something bad is happening left, right and centre, it is happening in a lot of places or to a lot of people They were firing at people left, right and centre. The Postal Service has been losing customers left and right these past couple of years.

See also: and, centre, right

the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing

something that you say which means that communication in an organization is bad so that one part does not know what is happening in another part I was sent the same letter from two different departments. I get the feeling the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

See have two left feet

See also: doing, hand, know, right

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(way) out in left field

not effective, useful, or likely Some of these ideas are from out in left field, and I can't imagine where my students get them from.

See also: field, out

left and right

everywhere, without any plan or pattern People are complaining left and right about the new parking regulations.

See also: and, right

out of left field

not expected or prepared for A fierce storm came out of left field and surprised everyone.

See also: field, out

take up where somebody/something left off

to continue something that was started by someone or something Five years after their first album, the band takes up where they left with the release of their new disc. If the legislature won't approve the deal, the court will try to take up where the legislature leaves off and impose a settlement.

See also: take, up