meet

come to a sticky end (British & Australian, humorous, British & Australian, humorous)

to die in an unpleasant way. Of course the villain comes to a sticky end in the last act of the play.

See also: come, end, sticky

make (both) ends meet

to have just enough money to pay for the things that you need. My wages were so low that I had to take a second job just to make ends meet.

See also: end

meet someone halfway

to show that you really want to reach an agreement or improve your relationship with someone by doing some of the things that they ask you to. I really want this relationship, Simon, and I'm prepared to work at it but you have to meet me halfway.

See also: halfway

meet your maker (humorous)

to die. I'm afraid Zoe's rabbit is no more. He's gone to meet his maker.

meet your match

to meet someone who is able to defeat you in an argument or a competition. The world chess champion finally met his match when he was beaten by a computer.

See also: match

meet your Waterloo

if someone who has been successful in the past meets their Waterloo, they are defeated by someone who is too strong for them or by a problem which is too difficult for them. She finally met her Waterloo when she tried to take on the club champion.

meet/see someone in the flesh

to meet or see someone yourself, instead of watching them in a film or on television, etc.. I knew his face so well from the photographs that it felt a bit strange when I finally saw him in the flesh.

See also: flesh, see

Never the twain shall meet. (literary)

something that you say when two things or people are so different that they can never exist together or agree with each other. Psychologists support behavioural therapy, pharmacologists support drugs, and never the twain shall meet.

See also: never, shall

There is more to something/someone than meets the eye.

something that you say when you think that something or someone is less simple than they seem to be at first. There's more to this than meets the eye. I suspect Tom's not telling the truth. There must be more to him than meets the eye, or else why would she be interested in him?

See also: eye, more, there

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make ends meet

to have enough money to pay for your basic expenses. To make ends meet, she runs a day-care center out of her home.

See also: end

meet someone halfway

to do some of what someone asks you to do. He's put forward some good proposals for settling the strike, but the other side has not been willing to meet him halfway.

Usage notes: often said about an attempt to reach an agreement about something

split the difference

See also: halfway

meet your match

to find someone equal to you in some way. Martina finally met her match on the tennis court today and lost, three sets to two.

See also: match

meet up (with someone)

to see and talk to someone familiar or someone you do not know. Let's meet up for drinks after work. I met up with a couple of Australians on the train.

Usage notes: refers to seeing someone either intentionally or unexpectedly

meet with something

to experience something, esp. something unpleasant. The proposal for the new highway met with harsh criticism.

Usage notes: often used of a negative reaction

more (to someone/something) than meets the eye

more interesting or complicated than someone or something appears at first. There is more to her death than meets the eye — she was probably murdered. There must be more to him than meets the eye, or else why would she be interested in him?

Usage notes: also used in the form less than meets the eye not as interesting or complicated as it appears: Unfortunately, with her boyfriend, there is less than meets the eye.

See also: eye, more

never the twain shall meet

these two things or people will never exist together or agree with each other. Psychologists believe in therapy, chemists believe in drugs, and never the twain shall meet.

See also: never, shall