fox
(redirected from Fox William)Also found in: Dictionary.
Related to Fox William: William Fox Talbot
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(as) crafty as a fox
Exceptionally clever, cunning, or shrewd, especially in devious or underhanded ways. He thought he was being crafty as a fox in the way he had been skimming money from the cash registers, but management caught up with him eventually. The novel centers around the cat-and-mouse chase between a police detective and a thief who is as crafty as a fox. She may come off as nothing but smiles and sunshine, but trust me—she's crafty as a fox!
(as) cunning as a fox
Exceptionally clever, cunning, or shrewd, especially in devious or underhanded ways. He thought he was being cunning as a fox in the way he had been skimming money from the cash registers, but management caught up with him eventually. The novel centers around the cat-and-mouse chase between a police detective and a thief who is as cunning as a fox. She may come off as nothing but smiles and sunshine, but trust me—she's cunning as a fox!
(as) sly as a fox
Exceptionally clever, cunning, or shrewd, especially in devious or underhanded ways. He thought he was being sly as a fox in the way he had been skimming money from the cash registers, but management caught up with him eventually. The novel centers around the cat-and-mouse chase between a police detective and a thief who is as sly as a fox. She may come off as nothing but smiles and sunshine, but trust me—she's sly as a fox!
(as) wily as a fox
Exceptionally clever, cunning, or shrewd, especially in devious or underhanded ways. He thought he was being wily as a fox in the way he had been skimming money from the cash registers, but management caught up with him eventually. The novel centers around the cat-and-mouse chase between a police detective and a thief who is as wily as a fox. She may come off as nothing but smiles and sunshine, but trust me—she's wily as a fox!
See also: fox
a stone cold fox
Someone who is very attractive and appealing, usually a woman. A: "Wow, that girl is gorgeous." B: "I know, she's a stone cold fox."
crazy like a fox
Very clever, cunning, or shrewd while appearing foolish or mad. People thought I was crazy when I told them my idea for massive social networking site—crazy like a fox, more like it! Our boss is crazy like a fox; her daredevil schemes always sound like they'll bankrupt us, but they invariably bring in a huge profit.
Don't let the fox guard the henhouse.
proverb Don't assign the duty of protecting or controlling valuable information or resources to someone who is likely to exploit that opportunity. You're going to put your ex-convict brother-in-law in charge of your business? I can't tell you how to run your company, but don't let the fox guard the henhouse.
fox guarding the henhouse
A person likely to exploit the information or resources that they have been charged to protect or control. My sister is going to put her ex-convict brother-in-law in charge of her business, and I'm worried he'll be like a fox guarding the henhouse.
a fox in the henhouse
Someone with bad intentions. (A fox would prey upon hens in a henhouse.) I'd watch out for him if I were you—he walks around here like a fox in the henhouse.
fox trap
slang A car modified in such a way that it will (ideally) make the driver appealing to women. We need a fox trap, not your ancient station wagon. No self-respecting woman would want to be seen in that thing!
fox's sleep
A state of apparent sleep (or feigned indifference) in which someone is actually aware of everything going on around them. Alludes to the idea that foxes sleep with one eye open and thus are always at the ready. I think Amy is just in a fox's sleep, so be careful what you say right now. The best way to get gossip on these trips is to be in a fox's sleep.
See also: sleep
no fox given
slang A humorous expression used as a play on the phrase "no fucks given," which is used to emphasize that one does not care about something at all. A: "I'm sorry for what happened." B: "Eh, it didn't bother me. No fox given." I tried to convince my mom that I'd really said "no fox given," but she didn't buy it and yelled at me nonetheless. My cousin Janine is the type of girl who wears her "No fox given" shirt to family dinners and just sits there on her phone the whole time, not talking to anyone.
shoot (one's) fox
To undermine or thwart someone's plans, efforts, or ambitions by taking action that pre-empts them or makes them redundant. Primarily heard in UK. Congress may have shot the president's fox, though, with a bill that he cannot politically afford to veto, but which leaves him with no opportunity to pass his signature healthcare plan.
stone fox
A very sexually attractive person, especially a woman. Did you see that stone fox at the bar? She was totally checking you out! The movie itself wasn't any good, but at least the lead actor was a stone fox!
the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy do
A sentence that contains all 26 letters of the English alphabet. My mom had to take a typing class when she was growing up, and "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" was commonly used as an exercise to learn where all the letters were on the keyboard.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
*sly as a fox
and *cunning as a foxCliché smart and clever. (*Also: as ~.) My nephew is as sly as a fox. You have to be cunning as a fox to outwit me.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
crazy like a fox
Seemingly foolish but actually very shrewd and cunning. For example, You think Bob was crazy to turn it down? He's crazy like a fox, because they've now doubled their offer . This usage gained currency when humorist S.J. Perelman used it as the title of a book (1944). [Early 1900s] .
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
crazy like a fox
AMERICAN, INFORMALIf you describe someone as crazy like a fox, you mean that they seem strange or silly but may in fact be acting in a clever way. He can be as scary in person as he is on screen — that man is crazy like a fox. Note: The image here is of the fox that is traditionally seen as clever and able to trick people.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
crazy like a fox
very cunning or shrewd.shoot someone's fox
thwart someone's plans or ambitions by pre-empting them.The expression comes from the world of fox-hunting, where shooting a fox, which robs the hunters of their sport, is viewed with great displeasure.
2004 Scotland on Sunday The Democrats had planned to make unemployment a key issue in their campaign: Dubya, with his tax cuts, has shot their fox.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
fox
n. an attractive girl or young woman. Man, who was that fox I saw you with?
fox trap
n. an automobile customized and fixed up in a way that will attract women. I put every cent I earned into my fox trap, but I still repelled women.
a stone cold fox
n. a very fine and sexy woman. (see also fox.) That dame is a stone cold fox. What’s her phone number?
stone fox
n. an attractive woman; a very sexy woman. Who is that stone fox I saw you with last night?
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
crazy like a fox
Seemingly silly but actually very crafty. The title of a book (1944) by the great American humorist S. J. Perelman, this ungrammatical term came to be applied more widely soon afterward and is a borderline cliché.
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer