(as) fresh as a daisy
1. Alert, energetic, and enthusiastic, typically after some refreshing activity. After getting some sleep, I was as fresh as a daisy. Now that I've showered, I'm feeling fresh as a daisy! After spending some time relaxing and doing a face mask, Susan says she's feeling fresh as a daisy—and ready to deal with her mother.
2. Very clean and tidy or well-kept. A new coat of paint will have this place looking as fresh as a daisy. I spent all day giving the house a deep clean. Doesn't it look as fresh as a daisy? Wow, your desk is looking fresh as a daisy now that you've gotten all that paperwork filed.
be (as) fresh as a daisy
To be eager and enthusiastic, typically after some refreshing activity. After getting some sleep, I was as fresh as a daisy. Now that I've showered, I'm fresh as a daisy! After spending some time relaxing and doing a face mask, Susan says she's feeling fresh as a daisy—and ready to deal with her mother.
be pushing up (the) daisies
slang To be dead. This phrase alludes to one having been buried underground. I'll be pushing up the daisies long before taxes in our city go down. You'll be pushing up daisies when mom finds out that you dented her brand-new car. Please, we'll all be pushing up daisies before those two fools realize they're meant to be together!
daisies
slang Boots. The term comes from rhyming slang in which "daisies" is short for "daisy roots," which rhymes with "boots." Primarily heard in UK. You really ought to wear your daisies in bad weather like this. Well, I would have worn my daisies, but I didn't know we were going to be in a muddy field all day! Don't forget to pack your daisies—it's supposed to rain all weekend long.
daisy chain
1. noun Literally, a series of interwoven daisies, such as may be used for a garland. The children all wove little daisy chains to wear to the Midsummer pageant. Eh, I didn't like T-ball that much. I would usually plop down in the outfield and make daisy chains. We totally forgot the art supplies we were supposed to bring to the park, so we had the kids make daisy chains instead. That kept them entertained for a while, thank goodness!
2. noun Any series of interconnected events, experiences, happenings, or things. Our lives, which seem so enclosed unto themselves, are really complex daisy chains of the interactions we have with people from the day we are born until the day we die. The political turmoil people have to live through certainly affects how stressed they feel on an individual level. Life is just one big daisy chain, after all. Studying British literature fascinated me because the different literary movements always seemed to be a daisy chain. They were affected by what came before, and they affected what came after.
3. noun In commerce, a series of securities transactions between companies intended to give the appearance of heavy active trading, thus attracting investors at an inflated price. The three CEOs were found guilty of colluding to form a daisy chain, but not before they had swindled investors out of millions. No, stay away from that company—I think investors are getting all worked up over a daisy chain. It's a daisy chain, I'm telling you. Once more investors get involved, the original traders will sell, and the newer investors will be screwed.
4. noun, slang A group of three or more people engaged in simultaneous oral sexual activity.
5. verb Of computers or their components, to connect or link together in a series so as to form a shared network. Sometimes hyphenated. Our wireless Internet had a terrible connection on the second floor, so we daisy chained a second router to the main one downstairs. When the Internet went down, I had to daisy chain several laptops to my PC to access its files for the meeting. Wow, you've sure daisy chained an array of external peripherals to that tiny laptop.
daisy cutter
slang
1. sports A strong hit that moves the ball along the ground, as in baseball, soccer, cricket, etc. That daisy cutter flew right past the infield and ended up securing a double for Williams. I know everyone in baseball is fixated on "launch angle" these days, but you can still get on base with a daisy cutter—that hasn't changed. She hit a daisy cutter between the defender's legs and right to her open teammate standing by the net.
2. A conventional bomb with a large blast radius that is lowered from an aircraft and explodes just above the ground. Man, they must have dropped a daisy cutter here. Not only is the village obliterated, but so are all trees and wildlife. Sir, as this war escalates, average citizens are increasingly worried about a daisy cutter wiping out every person and thing they know and love. Towns were destroyed for miles after that daisy cutter was dropped.
daisy roots
slang Boots. The phrase comes from rhyming slang in which "daisy roots" rhymes with "boots." Primarily heard in UK. You really ought to wear your daisy roots in bad weather like this. Well, I would have worn my daisy roots, but I didn't know we were going to be in a muddy field all day! Don't forget to pack your daisy roots—it's supposed to rain all weekend long.
kick up (the) daisies
slang To be deceased. The phrase alludes to one having been buried, with daisies growing over one's burial plot. You'll be kicking up daisies when Mom finds out that you dented her brand-new car. I'll be kicking up the daisies long before the price of property goes down in our city.
oops-a-daisy
An exclamation of surprise or apology, as after doing something clumsy. Oops-a-daisy! Dang it, I can't believe I broke my favorite vase! A: "Hey, watch it! You're spilling the coffee!" B: "Oops-a-daisy! Let me get a cloth to clean that up."
push up (the) daisies
slang To be deceased. The phrase alludes to one having been buried, with daisies growing over one's burial plot. You'll be pushing up daisies when Mom finds out that you dented her brand-new car. I'll be pushing up the daisies long before the price of property goes down in our city.
pushing up (the) daisies
slang Deceased. The phrase alludes to one having been buried, with daisies growing over one's burial plot. You'll be pushing up daisies when Mom finds out that you dented her brand-new car. I'll be pushing up the daisies long before the price of property goes down in our city.
upsy-daisy
A phrase used to encourage or comfort a child, as when they fall down or are lifted up. Upsy-daisy, sweetheart. Let me help you up. Look, look, she's walking! Aww, upsy-daisy.
whoopsie-daisy
1. A phrase used to encourage or comfort a child, as when they fall down or are lifted up. Whoopsie-daisy, sweetheart. Let me help you up. Look, look, she's walking! Aww, whoopsie-daisy.
2. An exclamation of surprise or apology, as after doing something clumsy. Whoopsie-daisy! Dang it, I can't believe I broke my favorite vase! A: "Hey, watch it! You're spilling the coffee!" B: "Whoopsie-daisy! Let me get a cloth to clean that up."
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
daisy chain
1. A series of connected events, activities, or experiences. For example, The daisy chain of lectures on art history encompassed the last 200 years. This metaphorical term alludes to a string of the flowers linked together. [Mid-1800s]
2. A line or circle of three or more persons engaged in simultaneous sexual activity. For example, A high-class call girl, she drew the line at daisy chains. [ Vulgar slang; 1920s]
3. A series of securities transactions intended to give the impression of active trading so as to drive up the price. For example, The SEC is on the alert for unscrupulous brokers who are engaging in daisy chains. [1980s]
fresh as a daisy
Well rested, energetic, as in I'm finally over my jet lag and feel fresh as a daisy. This simile may allude to the fact that a daisy's petals fold at night and open in the morning. [Late 1700s]
push up daisies
Be dead and buried, as in There is a cemetery full of heroes pushing up daisies. This slangy expression, alluding to flowers growing over a grave, was first recorded about 1918, in one of Wilfred Owen's poems about World War I.
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.