hill

*old as the hills

very old; ancient. (*Also: as ~.) That's not a new joke; it's as old as the hills! Our family custom of eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day is old as the hills.

See also: old

*over the hill 

1. Fig. Inf. escaped from prison or the military. (*Typically: be ~; go ~.) Two privates went over the hill last night. They broke out of jail and went over the hill.

2. Fig. too old (for something). (*Typically: be ~; go ~.) You're only fifty! You're not over-the-hillyet. Some people seem over-the-hill at thirty.

head for the hills and take to the hills; run for the hills 

1. Lit. to flee to higher ground. The river's rising. Head for the hills! Head for the hills! Here comes the flood!

2. Fig. to depart quickly. Here comes crazy Joe. Run for the hills. Everyone is heading for the hills because that boring Mr. Simpson is coming here again.

See also: head

not worth a hill of beans and not amount to a hill of beans; not worth a plugged nickel; not worth beans

Fig. worthless. Your advice isn't worth a hill of beans. This old cow isn't worth a plugged nickel.

See also: amount, and, bean, worth

What in (the) Sam Hill?

Inf. What has happened?; What? (An elaboration of what. Sam Hill is a euphemism for hell. Often with the force of an exclamation. See examples for variations.) What in Sam Hill is going on around here? What in the Sam Hill do you think you are doing?

See also: SAM

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not be worth a hill of beans  (American informal)

to have very little or no value None of those guys is worth a hill of beans, so don't worry about what they say.

See be worth a dime, be worth the paper it's're printed on, any [judge etc.] worth salt

See also: bean, worth

be as old as the hills

if something is as old as the hills, it has existed for a very long time Difficult relationships between parents and children are nothing new: the problem's as old as the hills.

See also: old

be over the hill  (informal)

someone who is over the hill is too old to do things well In the world of pop music, people think you're over the hill at the age of twenty-five.

king of the castle  (British) also king of the hill (American)

the most successful or most powerful person in a group of people Jamie Spence was king of the castle yesterday when he beat the defending champion in the third round. Our team is sure to be king of the hill this year.

See turn king's's evidence, live like a king

See also: castle, king

up hill and down dale  (literary)

if you travel up hill and down dale, you travel all over an area The man carried his basket of goods up hill and down dale.

See be worth a hill of beans

See also: and, up

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amount to a hill of beans

to be of little importance You are making yourself miserable over something that amounts to a hill of beans.

See also: amount, bean

as old as the hills

ancient Some of these rituals are as old as the hills.

See also: old

over the hill

no longer able to do something at an acceptable level because of age past your/its prime Some judges who are 75 may be over the hill, but others still have energy galore.