shoe (redirected from waiting for the other shoe to drop)

*comfortable as an old shoe

Cliché very comfortable; very comforting and familiar. (*Also: as ~.) My old house may seem small to you, but I think it's cozy. It's as comfortable as an old shoe.

See also: old

*common as an old shoe and *common as dirt

low class; uncouth. (*Also: as ~.) That ill-mannered girl is just as common as an old shoe. Despite Mamie's efforts to appear to be upper class, most folks considered her common as dirt.

See also: common, old

drop the other shoe

Fig. to do the deed that completes something; to do the expected remaining part of something. (See also wait for the other shoe to drop.) Mr. Franklin has left his wife. Soon he'll drop the other shoe and divorce her. Tommy has just failed three classes in school. We expect him to drop the other shoe and quit altogether any day now.

See also: drop, other

fill someone's shoes

Fig. to take the place of some other person and do that person's work satisfactorily. (As if you were wearing the other person's shoes.) I don't know how we'll be able to do without you. No one can fill your shoes. It'll be difficult to fill Jane's shoes. She did her job very well.

See also: fill

For want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost; and for want of a horse the man was lost.

Prov. Overlooking small details can have disastrous consequences. (You can quote any of the sentences in this proverb by themselves.) Jill: I don't think we need to check our bicycle tires before we go for our ride. Jane: I disagree. For want of a nail the shoe was lost. Before we began the hike into the mountains, we checked our equipment painstakingly, remembering that for want of a horse the man was lost.

See also: horse, nail, want, was

have the shoe on the other foot

Fig. to experience the opposite situation (from a previous situation). (See the proverb The shoe is on the other foot. I used to be a student, and now I'm the teacher. Now I have the shoe on the other foot.

See also: foot, have, other

If the shoe fits(, wear it).

Prov. An unflattering remark applies to you, so you should accept it. (Slightly rude.) Fred: Hey, Jill, how's your love life? Jill: I don't like busy-bodies, Fred. Fred: Are you calling me a busybody? Jane: If the shoe fits, wear it. Ellen: The professor told me I don't write well! Bill: If the shoe fits, Ellen.

See also: fit, if

in someone else's shoes and in someone else's place

Fig. seeing or experiencing something from someone else's point of view. (See also in a bind and the examples.) You might feel different if you were in her shoes. Pretend you're in Tom's place, and then try to figure out why he acts the way he does.

It's ill waiting for dead men's shoes.

Prov. You should not be eager for someone to die so that you inherit something. Phil: Why should I bother to learn some kind of trade? I'll be rich when Grandpa dies and leaves me all his money. Alan: It's ill waiting for dead men's shoes.

See also: dead, ill, waiting

put (oneself) in (someone else's) place and put oneself in someone else's shoes

to allow oneself to see or experience something from someone else's point of view. Put yourself in someone else's place, and see how it feels. I put myself in Tom's shoes and realized that I would have made exactly the same choice.

See also: place, put

shoe is on the other foot

Prov. One is experiencing the same (often bad) things that one caused another person to experience. (Note the variations in the examples.) The teacher is taking a course in summer school and is finding out what it's like when the shoe is on the other foot. When the policeman was arrested, he learned what it was like to have the shoe on the other foot.

See also: foot, other

step into someone's shoes

Fig. to take over a job or some role from someone. I was prepared to step into the boss's shoes, so there was no disruption when he left for another job. There was no one who could step into Alice's shoes when she left, so everything came to a stop.

See also: step

wait for the other shoe to drop

Fig. to wait for the inevitable next step or the final conclusion. He just opened his mail and moaned. Now, I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop when he finds the subpoena.

See also: drop, other, wait

wouldn't want to be in someone's shoes

Fig. would not trade places with someone who is in a bad situation. Now Jim has to explain to his wife how he wrecked their car. I wouldn't want to be in his shoes. She may be rich, but I wouldn't want to be in her shoes. Everyone in her family hates her.

See also: want

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be as tough as old boots  also be as tough as nails

if someone is as tough as old boots, they are very strong and not easily injured 'Do you think Grandad will ever recover?' 'Of course, he's as tough as old boots.'

See also: boot, old, tough

be as tough as old boots  (British, American & Australian) also be as tough as shoe leather (American)

if food is as tough as old boots, it is difficult to cut or to eat That steak I had was as tough as old boots.

See also: boot, old, tough

be in somebody's shoes  (informal)

to be in the same situation as someone else, especially an unpleasant situation If I were in your shoes, I'd speak to the boy's parents. Poor Matthew. I wouldn't like to be in his shoes when the results are announced.

be shaking in your boots/shoes

to be very frightened or anxious Damon was shaking in his shoes when he heard all the shouting.

See also: boot, shake

If the cap fits (wear it).  (British, American & Australian) also If the hat/shoe fits (wear it). (American)

something that you say to tell someone that if they are guilty of something bad, they should accept criticism Look, I didn't say who was to blame for this mess - but if the cap fits, wear it.

See also: cap, fit, if

put somebody in their place

to let someone know that they are not as important as they think they are She didn't like my suggestions at all. I was put firmly in my place, like a naughty schoolgirl.

See as if own the place, fall into place, know place, scream the place down

See also: place, put

step into somebody's shoes  also fill somebody's shoes

to take the job or position that someone else had before you When his father retires, Victor will be ready to step into his shoes. It will take a very special person to fill Barbara's shoes.

See be shaking in boots

See also: step

the boot is on the other foot  (British & Australian) also the shoe is on the other foot (American)

if you say that the boot is on the other foot, you mean that a situation is now the opposite of what it was before, often because a person who was in a weak position is now in a strong position In the past, we had great influence over their economy, but the boot is on the other foot now.

See get a/ foot in the door, shoot in the foot, have one foot in the grave

See also: boot, foot, other

wait for the other shoe to drop  (American)

to wait for something bad to happen Once a company starts laying of employees, those who are still working feel they are waiting for the other shoe to drop.

See also: drop, other, wait

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fill somebody's shoes also step into somebody's shoes

to do what someone else has done as well as they did He was a great coach, and it's not going to be easy to get someone to fill his shoes.

See also: fill

in somebody's shoes

having the same experience as someone else If I put myself in their shoes, I think I would have done just what they did. You're not alone – lots of people are in your shoes, looking for work.

put you in your place

to let someone know that they are not as important as they think they are He thinks he knows everything and needs to be put in his place.

See also: place, put

put yourself in somebody's place

to imagine that you are someone else and have to do what they do Now put yourself in the place of a policeman who is afraid and has to arrest a big guy with a knife.

See also: place, put

the shoe is on the other foot

the situation is now the opposite of what it was before Now that I don't smoke, the shoe is on the other foot and I don't want people smoking around me.

See also: foot, other