suit (redirected from suited the action to the word)

*in one's birthday suit

Fig. naked; nude. (In the "clothes" in which one was born. *Typically: be ~; get [into] ~.) I've heard that John sleeps in his birthday suit. We used to go down to the river and swim in our birthday suits.

(It) suits me (fine).

It is fine with me. John: Is this one okay? Mary: Suits me. John: I'd like to sit up front where I can hear better. Mary: Suits me fine.

cut one's coat according to one's cloth and cut one's coat to suit one's cloth

Prov. to plan one's aims and activities in line with one's resources and circumstances. We would like a bigger house, but we must cut our coat according to our cloth. They can't afford a vacation abroad—they have to cut their coat according to their cloth.

See also: accord, cloth, coat, cut

follow suit

to follow in the same pattern; to follow someone else's example. (From card games.) Mary went to work for a bank, and Jane followed suit. Now they are both head cashiers. The Smiths went out to dinner, but the Browns didn't follow suit. They stayed home.

See also: follow

monkey suit

a tuxedo. (Jocular. Possibly in reference to the fancy suit worn by an organ-grinder's monkey.) Do I have to wear a monkey suit to dinner? All the men except me wore monkey suits at dinner on the cruise.

See also: monkey

suit (oneself) up

to get into one's uniform, especially an athletic uniform. The coach told the team to suit up for the game by three o'clock. It's time to suit up! She suited herself up and went out on the court.

See also: up

suit someone or something to something

to match someone or something to something. I am sorry, but we don't suit the worker to the job. We find a job that suits the worker. Let's try to suit a new sports jacket to the slacks you have on.

suit someone's fancy

to appeal to someone's imagination, fantasy, or preferences. Does this handbag suit your fancy, or would you prefer something larger? I think a big bowl of ice cream would suit my fancy quite nicely.

See also: fancy

suit someone to a T and fit someone to a T

to be very appropriate for someone. This kind of job suits me to a T. This is Sally's kind of house. It fits her to a T.

suit one's actions to one's words

to behave in accordance with what one has said; to do what one has promised or threatened to do. Mr. Smith suited his actions to his words and punished the children. John threatened to quit, and when he didn't get his way, he suited his actions to his words.

See also: action, word

suit oneself to do something

one's own way; to do something to please oneself. If he doesn't want to do it my way, he can suit himself.

See also: oneself

Suit yourself.

Inf. You decide the way you want it.; Have it your way. Mary: I think I want the red one. Tom: Suit yourself. John (reading the menu): The steak sounds good, but it's hard to pass up the fried chicken. Sally: Suit yourself. I'll have the steak.

This doesn't quite suit me. and It doesn't quite suit me.

This is not quite what I want.; This does not please me. (Compare this with (It) suits me (fine).) Clerk: How do you like this one? Mary: It doesn't quite suit me. Bob: This doesn't quite suit me. Let me see something a little darker. Clerk: How's this? Bob: Better.

See also: quite, this

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be somebody's strong point/suit

if an ability or quality is your strong suit, you have a lot of it (usually negative) It has to be said, logic isn't Katherine's strong point. Charm is not his strong suit but at least he knows it.

See also: point, strong

cut your coat according to your cloth  also cut your cloth according to your means

to only buy what you have enough money to pay for Of course we'd love a huge expensive house, but you have to cut your coat according to your cloth.

See also: accord, cloth, coat, cut

follow suit

to do the same as someone else has just done

Usage notes: If you follow suit when you are playing a card game, you put down a card with the same type of symbol on it as the card put down by the person before you.

If other companies lower their prices, we shall have to follow suit.

See also: follow

in your birthday suit  (humorous)

not wearing any clothes

Usage notes: Babies are naked at the time of their birth.

He walked out of the bathroom in his birthday suit - obviously not expecting to find anyone in the flat.

suit somebody down to the ground  (informal)

if something suits someone down to the ground, it suits them perfectly, usually because it is convenient for them She has a young child so working from home suits her down to the ground.

See follow suit

See also: ground

the men in grey suits

men in business or politics who have a lot of power and influence although the public does not see them or know about them As usual, it is the men in grey suits who will decide the future of the industry.

See also: grey, men

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follow suit

to do the same as someone else has just done If other stores lower their prices, we'll have to follow suit.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of follow suit ( to play a card of the same type as someone else just played in a card game)

See also: follow

suit yourself

to be satisfactory for you He was always able to arrange things to suit himself.

Usage notes: often showing you are annoyed: Suit yourself - as you usually do.