people (redirected from peoples)

all things to all men and all things to all people

Fig. [for someone or something] liked or used by all people; [for someone or something] everything that is wanted by all people. You simply can't be all things to all people. The candidate set out to be all things to all men and came off looking very wishy-washy.

See also: men, thing

assimilate with some people

to join or mix in with people and become accepted by them. It's easy for Karen to assimilate with new people. I want to assimilate rapidly with the other people in my class.

See also: assimilate, some

choose between two people or things

to choose one from a selection of two persons or things in any combination. For dessert, you can choose between chocolate and vanilla ice cream. I am unable to choose between promoting John and hiring one of the others.

See also: choose, thing, two

draw people or things together

to pull people together; to pull things together. She drew her toys together in preparation for leaving. She drew together all the people she wanted to talk to.

See also: draw, thing, together

gather someone into something and gather someone in

to assemble or bring people into something or some place. The hostess gathered the children into the house just as the storm hit. She gathered in the children. Harry gathered them in before the storm.

See also: gather

Idle people have the least leisure. and Idle folk have the least leisure.

Prov. If you are not energetic and hardworking, you will never have any free time, since you will have to spend all your time finishing your work. My grandmother always told me not to dawdle, since idle people have the least leisure.

See also: have, idle, least, leisure

interpose someone or something between people or things

to put someone or something between people or things, in any combination. I do not wish to interpose Randy between the twins. We will not interpose our own standards between these two warring factions.

See also: interpose, thing

keep people straight (in one's mind)

Fig. to correctly distinguish one person from other people. The twins look exactly alike. Not even their mother can keep them straight.

See also: keep, straight

lot of someone or something and lots of people or things

a large number of people or things; much of something. I got a lot of presents for my birthday. I ate lots of cookies after dinner.

See also: lot

number of things or people

some things or people, in an indefinite amount. I subscribe to a number of different magazines. A number of people are here now.

See also: number, thing

people something with someone

to provide population for something or some place, using someone or some kind of people. The government decided to people the frontier with a variety of races. The island had been peopled with marooned sailors.

People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

Prov. You should not criticize other people for having the same faults that you yourself have. Jill: Richard sure was drinking a lot at the office party. Jane: I noticed you had quite a few cocktails yourself. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

See also: glass, house, live, shouldn't, stone, throw, who

put people or things together

to join or combine people or things. We will put Sam and Trudy together at the dinner table. Let's put all the crystal goblets together.

See also: put, thing, together

put people's heads together

to join together with someone to confer. Let's put our heads together and come up with a solution to this problem. Mary and Ted put their heads together, but failed to provide anything new.

See also: head, put, together

some people (just) don't know when to quit and some people (just) don't know when to give up; some people (just) don't know when to stop 

1. You, or someone being talked about, should stop doing something, such as talking, arguing, scolding, etc. (often directed toward the person being addressed.) Bill: I hate to say it again, but that lipstick is all wrong for you. It brings out the wrong color in your eyes, and it makes your mouth larger than it really is. Jane: Oh, stop, stop! That's enough! Some people just don't know when to quit. John: Those bushes out in the backyard need trimming. Sally: You keep criticizing! Is there no end to it? Some people don't know when to stop!

2. Some people do not know when to slow down and stop working so hard. Jane: He just kept on gambling. Finally, he had no money left. Sally: Some people don't know when to quit.

See also: know, quit, some

split people up

to separate two or more people (from one another). If you two don't stop chattering, I'll have to split you up. I will have to split up that twosome in the corner.

See also: split, up

tell people or things apart

to distinguish one from another. I can't tell Bob and Bill apart. I find it easy to tell apart Bill and Bob. The two cakes look different, but in taste, I can't tell this one and that one apart.

See also: apart, tell, thing

throw people together

to bring or put two or more people together. The crisis threw complete strangers together, and they became fast friends before it was over. They were thrown together by fate.

See also: throw, together

wedge someone or something (in) between people or things

to work someone or something into a tiny space between people or things. The usher wedged us in between two enormously fat people, and we were all very uncomfortable. They wedged in the package between Jane and the wall. We had to wedge Timmy between Jed and the side of the car.

See also: thing, wedge

yoke people or things together

to connect two people together with a yoke; to connect two animals together with a yoke. Todd yoked the oxen together for the parade. Sam yoked Fred and Tom together so they could pull the load.

See also: thing, together, yoke

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People who live in glass houses (shouldn't throw stones).

something that you say which means people should not criticize other people for faults that they have themselves He's always criticizing Rick for the way he treats his wife and I feel like saying, people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

See also: glass, house, live, who

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all things to all people

everything that every person wants The baseball museum is all things to all people, which means that both old and young can enjoy this visual history of the game.

Usage notes: often as a negative: A political party cannot be all things to all people.

See also: thing

of all people

more than anyone else You, of all people, should understand the importance of historical analysis.

Usage notes: also used to emphasize that the person named is surprising: I guess the weirdest version of that song I've ever heard is by Frank Sinatra, of all people.

Related vocabulary: of all places