all but
1. Everything or everyone, with the exclusion of. All but the freshmen were invited to the party. We sold all but the curtains in that estate sale. I know I made an announcement about it yesterday if all but you two showed up in the right uniform today.
2. Nearly. Public pay phones have all but disappeared in most major cities. The remnants of this ancient civilization have all but vanished. My interest in this project is all but gone after working on it for four years.
disappear from (something)
1. To become no longer visible. I watched Jill's car drive away until it disappeared from view. We sat on the hill and watched as the sun disappeared from the sky. Though I was scared when I could see the mouse right in front of me, I absolutely freaked out when it disappeared from my view.
2. To become missing from some place, as if having been removed or become lost (usually to someone's surprise or confusion). I would give you my stapler, but it seems to have disappeared from my desk. That poor little girl disappeared from that school back in the '80s and was never found. They used to have a really cool app, but it seems to have disappeared from the app store.
disappear from the face of the earth
To vanish completely and without a trace. Has anyone talked to Christina lately? It's like she disappeared from the face of the earth. They used to have a really cool app, but it seems to have disappeared from the face of the earth. Ah, there they are! I was convinced that pair of shoes must have disappeared from the face of the earth.
disappear into the woodwork
To recede or absent oneself from public view; to become or remain hidden in society. The former movie star, never one to disappear into the woodwork, launched a very successful chain of restaurants and eventually ran for public office in Washington state. I think people expected us to disappear into the woodwork after the referendum results, but we made sure to stay firmly in the eye of the public. After being the subject of so many horrible tabloid headlines, that socialite seems to have disappeared into the woodwork.
disappear into thin air
To vanish completely and without a trace. I would give you my stapler, but it seems to have disappeared into thin air. That little girl didn't just disappear into thin air! Someone had to have seen something! Ah, there they are! I was convinced that pair of shoes had disappeared into thin air.
disappear off the face of the earth
To vanish completely and without a trace. Has anyone talked to Christina lately? It's like she disappeared off the face of the earth. They used to have a really cool app, but it seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth. Ah, there they are! I was convinced that pair of shoes must have disappeared off the face of the earth.
disappear without (a) trace
1. To disappear without any indication as to one's or something's whereabouts. Police have been searching for two weeks to find a young girl who disappeared without trace from her home in Rochester. Authorities are puzzled by the navy submarine that seemingly disappeared without a trace last Thursday. I refuse to believe that my husband just disappeared without a trace. Officer, aren't there any witnesses? Somebody must have seen something!
2. To be forgotten about by the population as a whole, especially after being very popular. The digital pets fad took the world by storm in the late 1990s, but disappeared without a trace after a few years. After releasing just one hit album, the band suddenly disappeared without trace in the late '70s. After being the subject of so many horrible tabloid headlines over the years, that socialite seems to have disappeared without a trace.
disappearing act
A quick or sudden departure without warning, especially so as to avoid something. My roommate loves to throw parties here, but she always pulls a disappearing act the next day when everything needs to be cleaned up! My kids always do a disappearing act when I tell them it's time for their chores. I bet the interns pulled a disappearing act because they heard you want them to stuff envelopes!
do a disappearing act
To vanish from sight or flee suddenly from a place. My kids always do a disappearing act when I tell them it's time for their chores. The three of us did a disappearing act, heading for the Mexican border so we could leave this all behind us. I bet the interns did a disappearing act because they heard you want them to stuff envelopes!
pull a disappearing act
To depart or go away very suddenly or without warning, especially so as to avoid doing something. My roommate loves to throw parties here, but she always pulls a disappearing act the next day when everything needs to be cleaned up! Brian is nearly two weeks late finishing his sales report—that's why he's been pulling a disappearing act whenever the boss is around.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.