(one's) cake is dough
One's actions have failed or not led to the desired outcome—much like a cake that is still dough after baking. The phrase appears in Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. I know you worked really hard on this project, but it looks like your cake is dough, and you won't be winning the contest. The news that your cake is dough is always difficult to accept. Sir, the inhabitants have risen up in rebellion. I know you had visions of conquering this area, but it appears that your cake is dough.
be rolling in dough
To be exceptionally wealthy; to have large amounts of money to spend. I hear her father is rolling in dough, so I wouldn't be too worried about her future. Once we get this plan underway, we'll be rolling in dough in no time! These companies are all rolling in dough, so they can afford the very best legal teams in the world. What hope does an ordinary guy like me have against them in a court of law?
doughboy
informal An American infantryman, especially in World War I. Primarily heard in US. A German soldier leapt into our trench with a machine gun, but a doughboy ran him through with his bayonet. Look, I'm a Marine—I do don't the work of doughboys. The doughboys were blown to kingdom come by the enemy's mounted machine gun.
dough-face
obsolete During the US Civil War, a Northerner with a sympathetic view of the South and slavery. A lot of dough-faces were driven by greed—slave labor would have made them a lot of money. Even in a town full of abolitionists, it seems there's still a dough-face or two looking to profiteer off of slavery. A: "That dough-face plans to sabotage the Union cause, doesn't he?" B: "What do you expect? He's a transplant from the South."
dough-faced
1. Exceptionally pale in the face. She was pale as a ghost after that car nearly ran into her on the sidewalk. I've been dough-faced my whole life—I look sickly if I don't use a lot of blush and bronzer. David went home sick? I'm not surprised—he was looking awfully dough-faced today.
2. Cowardly. I'm not surprised that Tom didn't come to the rally—he's too dough-faced to defend his beliefs in public. You don't care if you all think I'm dough-faced. There's no way I'm getting into a fight with someone! He acts like a tough guy, but he's actually really dough-faced when it comes to needles. He had to get a tetanus shot at work once, and the nurse practically had to sit on him to administer it!
dough-head
Someone who is dumb or stupid. Did you see the guy who's wearing two different shoes? What a dough-head. You can't tell people you want to start a business selling bees as pets—they'll think you're a dough-head! Geez, he keeps pulling on a door that's clearly marked "push"—what a dough-head.
early money is like yeast(, because it helps to raise the dough)
Early investments can help generate the growth of large amounts of money in the future. Used especially as a maxim in political fundraising. You've got to have an attitude of "early money is like yeast" as we raise money for our candidates. If we don't get the jump on fundraising now, we won't have a chance of making gains in the Senate. You really ought to start investing as soon as you can. Just remember, early money is like yeast, because it helps to raise the dough! Have you seen the dismal fundraising numbers? If early money is like yeast, because it helps to raise the dough, then we're never baking anything!
fork out the dough
To pay a certain amount of money, especially unwillingly. If you want the most cutting edge technology, you'd better be prepared to fork out the dough for it. Listen, fork out the dough or you'll never see your husband again! Nobody wants to fork out the dough for a new car, but you have to—how is this piece of junk even still running?
fork over the dough
To pay, generally unwillingly, a certain amount of money. If you want the most cutting edge technology, you'd better be prepared to fork over the dough for it. Listen, fork over the dough or you'll never see your husband again! Nobody wants to fork over the dough for a new car, but you have to—how is this piece of junk even still running?
rake in the dough
informal To make a lot of money. A: "I thought Rich's invention was ridiculous, so I can't believe it has sold so well." B: "I know, he's really been raking in the dough!" It's not like we raked in the dough as soon as we opened our business. It took us years to turn a substantial profit.
rolling in dough
Exceptionally wealthy; having large amounts of money to spend. I hear her father is rolling in dough, so I wouldn't be too worried about her future. Once we get this plan underway, we'll be rolling in dough in no time!
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.