tail (redirected from with tail up)

be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (humorous)

to be full of energy and eager to do things. She was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed the next morning, despite having been up half the night.

be chasing your tail

to be very busy doing a lot of things, but achieving very little. I've been chasing my tail all morning trying to fix a day when everyone can attend.

See also: chase

be like a dog with two tails

to be very happy. Ben's team won the match. Their manager was like a dog with two tails.

See also: dog, like, two

be (sitting) on your tail

to be driving too close behind you. That Volvo's been sitting on my tail for the past ten minutes and it's starting to really annoy me.

can't make head nor/or tail of something

to not be able to understand something at all. We couldn't make head or tail of the film. 'What does his message say?' 'I don't know - I can't make head or tail of it.'

See also: can't, head, nor

get off your tail (American, very informal)

to stop being lazy and start doing something. You've just got to get off your tail and start looking for a job. (often an order)

in two shakes (of a lamb's tail) (old-fashioned, old-fashioned)

very soon. I'll be with you in two shakes of a lamb's tail.

See also: shake, two

nose to tail (British)

if cars that are moving are nose to tail, they are very close to each other, one behind the other. Traffic is nose to tail on the east-bound section of the M62.

See also: nose

on someone's coat-tails

if you achieve something on someone's coat-tails, you only achieve it because of their help or influence. She'd risen to fame on the coat-tails of her half-sister.

a sting in the tail (British & Australian)

an unpleasant end to something that began pleasantly, especially a story or suggestion. At the start, it's humorous and light but like most of her short stories, there's a sting in the tail.

See also: sting

the tail end of something

the last part of something. I just caught the tail end of the news. Despite being at the tail end of an exhausting tour, she delivered a sparkling performance.

See also: end

the tail wagging the dog

if you describe a situation as the tail wagging the dog, you mean that the least important part of a situation has too much influence over the most important part. Steve thinks we should buy an orange carpet to match the lampshade but I think that would be a case of the tail wagging the dog.

See also: dog, wag

turn tail (informal)

to run away, usually because you are frightened. When I saw him my first impulse was to turn tail and flee.

See also: turn

with your tail between your legs

if you leave somewhere with your tail between your legs, you leave feeling ashamed and embarrassed because you have failed or made a mistake. The losing team walked off with their tails between their legs.

See also: between, leg

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make heads or tails (out) of something

to understand something. The way the document was worded was incredibly complicated — no one could make heads or tails out of it.

Usage notes: almost always used in the negative

See also: head

your tail between your legs

feeling ashamed and embarrassed. After playing so badly for the entire game, the team walked off with their tails between their legs.

Etymology: based on the behavior of dogs, who will put their tails between their legs when someone speaks angrily to them

See also: between, leg

tail off

to gradually lessen. Sales of new cars always tail off when people are worried about losing their jobs.

turn tail

1. to suddenly leave. The only thing I could do was to turn tail and run from my attacker.

2. to suddenly change from supporting something to opposing it. The senator turned tail on his party.

See also: turn