stitch

go through-stitch

To follow through or finish something. My brother has a hard time sticking with the things he starts, but he seems to enjoy football—maybe he'll go through-stitch with it.

See also: go

a stitch in time (saves nine)

An action taken now will prevent problems later. You should consider getting your car repaired now before you're left stranded on the side of the road—a stitch in time saves nine. I know it's a month away, but I already started preparing for the big dinner party. A stitch in time, you know.

See also: stitch, time

have (one) in stitches

To cause one to laugh hysterically. That guy always has me in stitches—he's a great stand-up comic.

See also: have, stitch

in stitches

Laughing very hard, to the point that one cannot control it. Jerry is the funniest guy I know. He can have you in stitches in a matter of minutes. I was in stitches at that comedy show. I could barely breathe it was so funny.

See also: stitch

with not a stitch on

Totally nude. As I walked into the kitchen, I saw my roommate by the counter with not a stitch on, and I nearly dropped my mug of tea! People went crazy online after the actor did a magazine shoot with not a stitch on.

See also: not, on, stitch

not have a stitch on

To be totally nude. My roommate didn't have a stitch on as I walked into the kitchen, and I nearly dropped my mug of tea!

See also: have, not, on, stitch

stitch up

1. Literally, to sew something together, especially as a means of mending or repairing it. A noun or pronoun can be used between "stitch" and "up." I was so broke at one point that I had to stitch up the same pair of pants several times because I couldn't afford new ones. Would you mind stitching this shirt up for me?

2. To secure a deal or agreement successfully. Often used in passive constructions. A noun or pronoun can be used between "stitch" and "up." As soon as the financial arrangements are stitched up, I'll have my lawyers send over the contract. He stitched a deal up with the supplier to give him preferential treatment.

See also: stitch, up

without a stitch on

Completely nude; having no articles of clothing on whatsoever. As I walked into the kitchen, I saw my roommate by the counter without a stitch on. I nearly dropped my mug of tea out of shock! When you were a toddler, we used to let you run around the beach without a stitch on.

See also: on, stitch, without

a stitch

1. Someone who is very humorous or amusing. Oh, Lydia's a stitch—she had me laughing all night long.

2. A sudden, sharp pain, usually felt in one's side, as during strenuous activity. A: "Hey, I did run after the burglar!" B: "Yeah, but only until you got a stitch!"

See also: stitch

without a stitch of clothing (on)

Completely nude; having no articles of clothing on whatsoever. As I walked into the kitchen, I saw my roommate by the counter without a stitch of clothing on. I nearly dropped my mug of tea out of shock! The group of ten or so students streaked onto the field without a stitch of clothing between them.

See also: clothing, of, stitch, without

with not a stitch of clothing (on)

Totally nude; not wearing any clothing whatsoever. As I walked into the kitchen, I saw my roommate by the counter with not a stitch of clothing on. I nearly dropped my mug of tea! The group of ten or so students streaked onto the field with not a stitch of clothing between them.

See also: clothing, not, of, stitch

not have a stitch of clothing (one)

To be totally nude; to not have any clothing on whatsoever. My roommate didn't have a stitch of clothing on as I walked into the kitchen. I nearly dropped my mug of tea! The group of ten or so students didn't have a stitch of clothing between them as they streaked onto the field during the halftime performance.

See also: clothing, have, not, of, stitch

without a stitch of clothes (on)

Completely nude; having no articles of clothing on whatsoever. As I walked into the kitchen, I saw my roommate by the counter without a stitch of clothes on. I nearly dropped my mug of tea out of shock! The group of ten or so students streaked onto the field without a stitch of clothes between them.

See also: clothes, of, stitch, without

with not a stitch of clothes (on)

Totally nude; not wearing any clothing whatsoever. As I walked into the kitchen, I saw my roommate by the counter with not a stitch of clothes on. I nearly dropped my mug of tea! The group of ten or so students streaked onto the field with not a stitch of clothes between them.

See also: clothes, not, of, stitch

not have a stitch of clothes (one)

To be totally nude; to not have any clothing on whatsoever. My roommate didn't have a stitch of clothes on as I walked into the kitchen. I nearly dropped my mug of tea! The group of ten or so students didn't have a stitch of clothes between them as they streaked onto the field during the halftime performance.

See also: clothes, have, not, of, stitch

stitch on

To fasten something onto something else with stitches. A noun or pronoun can be used between "stitch" and "on." I stitched a patch on my jacket to cover up the large the tear. I got my new jersey for the football team, but they haven't stitched on my name yet.

See also: on, stitch

stitch (something) onto (something else)

To fasten something onto something else with stitches. I stitched a patch onto my jacket to cover up the large the tear. I got my new jersey for the football team, but they haven't stitched my name onto it yet.

See also: stitch

in stitches

Fig. laughing very hard. Charlie had us in stitches with all his jokes. The movie sure was funny. I was in stitches!

See also: stitch

keep someone in stitches

Fig. to cause someone to laugh loud and hard, for a period of time. The comedian kept us in stitches for nearly an hour. The teacher kept the class in stitches, but the students didn't learn anything.

See also: keep, stitch

not have a stitch of clothes (on)

Fig. naked. He walked through the house and didn't have a stitch of clothes on.

See also: clothes, have, not, of, stitch

stitch in time saves nine

Prov. If you fix a small problem right away, it will not become a bigger problem later. Let's patch the roof before that hole gets bigger. A stitch in time saves nine.

See also: nine, save, stitch, time

stitch something onto something

 and stitch something on

to sew something onto the surface of something else. Fred stitched the badge onto his jacket. Fred stitched on the badge.

See also: stitch

stitch something up

to sew something together; to mend a tear or ripped seam. I tore my shirt. Would you stitch it up, please? Please stitch up my shirt.

See also: stitch, up

in stitches

Laughing uncontrollably, as in Joke after joke had me in stitches. Although the precise idiom dates only from about 1930, Shakespeare had a similar expression in Twelfth Night (3:2): "If you desire the spleen, and will laugh yourselves into stitches, follow me." Stitches here refers to the sharp local pain (known as a stitch in the side) that can make one double over, much as a fit of laughter can.

See also: stitch

stitch in time, a

A prompt action will avert more serious trouble. For example, Changing the car's oil every 7,000 miles is a stitch in time. The complete form of this adage, a stitch in time saves nine, appeared in Thomas Fuller's 1732 proverb collection, Gnomologia, and is so well known that it often is stated in shortened form. Ogden Nash played with it in the title for his verse collection, A Stitch Too Late Is My Fate (1938).

See also: stitch

without a stitch on

Naked, as in They let their baby run around outside without a stitch on. A related phrase is not have a stitch on. These expressions use stitch in the sense of "a piece of clothing," a usage dating from the early 1800s.

See also: on, stitch, without

a stitch in time

If someone says a stitch in time, they mean that it is better to deal with a problem in its early stages, in order to prevent it getting worse. As for the paintwork, paint over any small areas that have flaked off and save yourself a bigger job later on. A stitch in time. Note: This expression comes from the proverb a stitch in time saves nine, which can also be used in full. Meanwhile, it was announced that interest rates were rising now to prevent bigger rises later. It was, said Mr George, a case of `a stitch in time saves nine'.

See also: stitch, time

in stitches

INFORMAL

If you are in stitches, you are laughing a lot. It was so funny — we were in stitches. Note: You can also say that you have someone in stitches, meaning that you make them laugh a lot. Thea had us in stitches with her tales of her family.

See also: stitch

a stitch in time

if you sort out a problem immediately, it may save a lot of extra work later. proverb

The fuller form of the expression is a stitch in time saves nine. Nine here has no particular significance as a number but was chosen because of its similarity in sound with the word time .

See also: stitch, time

in stitches

laughing uncontrollably. informal

Stitch, in the sense of ‘a sudden localized jabbing pain’, such as might be caused by a needle, is recorded in Old English. It is now generally used of a muscle spasm in the side caused especially by exertion. Shakespeare seems to have been the first to describe stitches brought on by laughter; in Twelfth Night ( 1601 ) Maria invites her fellow conspirators to observe the lovelorn Malvolio with the words: ‘If you…will laugh yourselves into stitches, follow me’.

1981 D. M. Thomas The White Hotel She had them in stitches with her absurd—but true— anecdotes.

See also: stitch

not have a stitch ˈon

,

without a stitch ˈon

(informal) have no clothes on; be naked: When he came into my room, I didn’t have a stitch on. I was so embarrassed! ♢ We left our clothes along the river bank and went swimming without a stitch on.

See also: have, not, on, stitch

a ˌstitch in ˈtime (saves ˈnine)

(saying) if you act immediately when something goes wrong, it will save you a lot more work later, because the problem will get worse if you leave it: We’d better fix that leak before it does any permanent damage. A stitch in time...

See also: stitch, time

in ˈstitches

(informal) laughing a lot: The film had the audience in stitches.

See also: stitch

stitch up

v.

1. To mend or repair something with or as if with stitches: The tailor stitched up the rip in the jacket. The cut over my eye was deep, but the doctor stitched it up in a matter of minutes.

2. To reach some official agreement: I've stitched up a deal with my mechanic so that I pay only for parts and not labor. The agreement was easy to make; we stitched it up in a day.

See also: stitch, up

a stitch

1. n. a very funny person. Harry is a stitch. What a sense of humor!

2. n. a sharp pain, usually in the side. I got a stitch and had to drop out of the marathon.

See also: stitch

in stitches

Informal

Laughing uncontrollably.

See also: stitch