mile (redirected from stand out a mile)

be miles away

to not be listening to what someone is saying because you are thinking about something else. 'Jim, did you hear what I just said?' 'Sorry, I was miles away.'

See also: away

by a mile

if someone or something wins or is the best by a mile, they win easily or are much better than everyone or everything else. Of all the strawberry ice-creams we've tasted, this is the best by miles. Everyone expected him to win the championship by a mile.

Give someone an inch and they'll take a mile.

something that you say which means that if you allow someone to behave badly at all, they will start to behave very badly. I'm always wary about making concessions to these people. Give them an inch and they'll take a mile.

See also: give, inch, take

go the extra mile

to make more effort than is expected of you. He's a nice guy, always ready to go the extra mile for his friends. (often + for)

a mile a minute (American & Australian)

very quickly. Mike was very excited and talking a mile a minute. My heart beat a mile a minute waiting for his plane to land.

See also: minute

a mile off (informal)

if you can see or recognize something a mile off, you notice it very easily. It's obvious he fancies you - you can see that a mile off.

A miss is as good as a mile.

something that you say which means that failing to do something when you almost succeeded is no better than failing very badly. I've tried to reassure him that he only failed by three percent but the way he sees it, a miss is as good as a mile.

See also: good, miss

run a mile (informal)

if you say that someone would run a mile if they had to deal with a particular situation, you mean that they would do anything to avoid it. He flirts the whole time but it's not serious - he'd run a mile if a woman actually made him an offer.

See also: run

stand/stick out a mile

to be very obvious. She sticks out a mile with her red hair. Of course he's unhappy - it stands out a mile.

See also: stand, stick

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by a mile

by a large number, distance, or amount. It's the biggest football club in Brazil by a mile.

go the extra mile

to do more and make a greater effort. He's always willing to go the extra mile to do things right.

a mile a minute

very quickly. Mike was very excited and talking a mile a minute.

See also: minute

a mile away

very easily. His accent is so strong, you can tell a mile away he's from Brooklyn. He had that mad-at-the-world attitude that you could spot a mile away.

See also: away