march (redirected from marched)

*in (a) single file

Fig. lined up, one behind the other; in a line, one person or one thing wide. (*Typically: be ~; get [into] ~; march ~; walk ~.) Have you ever seen ducks walking in single file? Please get into single file. Please march in single file.

See also: file, single

*in step (with someone)

Fig. [marching or dancing] in cadence with another person. (*Typically: be ~; get [into] ~; march ~; keep ~.) Please keep in step with Jane. You two, back there. You aren't in step.

See also: step

*mad as a hatter and *mad as a march hare 

1. crazy. (Alludes to the crazy characters in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. *Also: as ~.) Poor old John is as mad as a hatter. All these screaming children are driving me mad as a hatter.

2. angry. (This is a misunderstanding of mad in the first sense. *Also: as ~.) You make me so angry! I'm as mad as a hatter. John can't control his temper. He's always mad as a hatter.

See also: hatter, mad

*out of step (with someone or something)

1. and *out of time (with someone or something) Lit. out of cadence with someone else. (*Typically: be ~; dance ~; get ~; march~.) You've gotten out of step with the music. Pay attention, Ann. You're out of time.

2. Fig. not as up-to-date as someone or something. (*Typically: be ~; get ~.) John is out of step with the times. Billy missed three days and now is out of step with the rest of the class.

See also: out, step

in step (with something) and in time (with something)

Fig. keeping in cadence with music. John, your violin isn't in step with the beat. Sit up straight and try it again. I'm trying to play in time.

See also: step

march (from some place) (to some place)

to move along, walking with purposeful steps, from some place to some place. The army marched from one town to another. They marched to the battlefield from town.

march against someone or something

to march in a demonstration against someone or something. The demonstrators marched against the mayor. The citizens got together and marched against crime and injustice.

See also: against

March comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb, and In like a lion, out like a lamb.

Prov. The month of March usually starts with cold, unpleasant weather, but ends mild and pleasant. (Either part of the proverb can be used alone.) March certainly is coming in like a lion this year; there's been a snowstorm every day this week. Jill: Today is March twenty-fifth, and it's beautiful and warm outside, when just two weeks ago, everything was covered with ice. Jane: In like a lion and out like a lamb, all right.

See also: and, come, goes, lamb, like, out

march on 

1. Lit. to continue marching. Please march on. Don't stop here; there are other parts of the parade coming along behind you. Let's march on. We have a long way to go.

2. Fig. [for time] to continue. Time marches on. We are all getting older. As the day marches on, try to get everything completed.

march past someone or something

to move in a file or formation past someone or something. The people in the parade marched past the children standing on the curb. The soldiers marched past the general.

See also: past

march to (the beat of) a different drummer

Fig. to believe in a different set of principles. John is marching to a different drummer, and he doesn't associate with us anymore. Since Sally started marching to the beat of a different drummer, she has had a lot of great new ideas.

See also: different

steal a march on someone or something

to precede someone who has the same goal; to accomplish something before someone else does. Jeff stole a march on all of us when he had his story published. Our competitor stole a march on us and got the big contract.

See also: steal

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be as mad as a March hare  (old-fashioned)

to be crazy This woman was dancing in the road and singing very loudly - I thought she was mad as a March hare.

See also: hare, mad

be on the march

if a dangerous or unpleasant political idea is on the march, it is becoming more popular Fascism is on the march again in Europe.

march to a different drummer  (mainly American) also march to a different tune (British)

to behave in a different way or to believe in different things from the people around you While most of the country supported military action, Santini was marching to a different drummer.

See steal a march on

See also: different

steal a march on somebody/something

to spoil someone's plans and get an advantage over them by doing something sooner or better than them The company plans to steal a march on its competitors by offering the same computer at a lower price.

See also: steal

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march to a different drummer

to be different from other people As long as the schools that are marching to a different drummer just serve poor kids, no one really cares how they try to teach their students.

See also: different

out of step (with something)

1. not having the same ideas or beliefs as a group you are part of The governor's remarks show she is seriously out of step with voters.

2. not aware of something Many parents are surprisingly out of step with the reality of drugs in their children's lives.

Usage notes: often used as a criticism: My dad's clothing store, once successful, is now dismissed as old and out of step.

See also: out, step