all fur coat and no knickers

Good-looking on the surface but lacking substance underneath. I thought David and I would really get along well, but we had nothing to talk about at dinner—turns out he's all fur coat and no knickers. Our new boss sounded like she had a lot of good ideas for the department, but it turns out she's all fur coat and no knickers. I don't care if this blind date is beautiful—that won't matter if she's all fur coat and no knickers!

See also: all, and, coat, fur, knickers, no

be all fur coat and no knickers

To be attractive on the surface but lack substance underneath. I thought David and I would really get along well, but we had nothing to talk about at dinner—he's all fur coat and no knickers. Our new boss sounded like she had a lot of good ideas for the department, but it turns out she's all fur coat and no knickers. all fur coat and no knickers

See also: all, and, coat, fur, knickers, no

fur and feather

Animals or birds that are hunted. We are going out today in pursuit of fur and feather. I could never go out and hunt fur and feather—I'm too much of an animal lover. Fur and feather know better than to come out when hunters are around.

fur baby

slang One's beloved pet, typically a dog or cat. I can't leave my fur babies for two whole weeks! We've got to make the trip shorter. Just put your fur baby up on the exam table, and we'll get her out of the carrier so the doctor can look at her. I never thought I'd have a pet, let alone a "fur baby," but here we are, in matching Christmas sweaters!

fur out

In construction, to make a surface level by applying furring—strips of material used for such purpose. A noun or pronoun can be used between "fur" and "out." The spelling "furr" is sometimes used. You'll want to fur out the masonry first. Don't worry, the construction crew will furr out the wall and make everything level. Next, we have to fur out the wall to improve the insulation.

fur piece

A long distance. You'd better take a jacket—it's a fur piece to the store and not exactly warm out. I'll drive you to the mall—not only is it a fur piece from here, but you'd also have to cross the highway on foot. No, the school isn't a fur piece from here—you can see it from the backyard.

furball

1. An animal, usually a pet. I can't wait to get home—I hate to be away from my furballs for long! And who is this cute furball? Why, hello, Fluffy! I heard meowing, and I found this precious furball curled up on the end of the bed.

2. A clump of hair or fur, as coughed up by a cat. Also called a "hairball." Gross, it looks like Fluffy coughed up a furball on the rug. Oh dear, sounds like the cat is gagging on another furball. The cat seems fine now. I think she was just coughing up a furball earlier.

make the dust fly

1. To cause disruption, confusion, or turmoil. The CEO's resignation made the dust fly in the media about the tech giant's future. My mom will make the dust fly if she finds out we took her car without asking.

2. To do or attempt something with great energy, enthusiasm, and skill. The team's quarterback really made the dust fly on Sunday, making over 30 completed passes for four touchdowns and running for a total of 250 yards all by himself.

make the feathers fly

1. To cause disruption, confusion, or turmoil. The CEO's resignation made the feathers fly in the media about the tech giant's future. My mom will make the feathers fly if she finds out we took her car without asking.

2. To do or attempt something with great energy, enthusiasm, and skill. The team's quarterback really made the feathers fly on Sunday, making over 30 completed passes for four touchdowns and running for a total of 250 yards all by himself.

make the fur fly

1. To cause disruption, confusion, or turmoil. The CEO's resignation made the fur fly in the media about the tech giant's future. My mom will make the fur fly if she finds out we took her car without asking.

2. To do or attempt something with great energy, enthusiasm, and skill. The team's quarterback really made the fur fly on Sunday, making over 30 completed passes for four touchdowns and running for a total of 250 yards all by himself.

the feathers fly

There is an argument. When the feathers fly, I'm making myself scarce—there's no way I'm getting roped into a fight between those two. You can be sure that the feathers will fly if the president vetoes the bill that both sides of congress worked so hard to pass.

the fur flies

There is an argument. When the fur flies, I'm making myself scarce—there's no way I'm getting roped into a fight between those two. You can be sure that the fur will fly if the president vetoes the bill that both sides of congress worked so hard to pass.

fur piece

Rur. a long distance. (Fur = far.) It's a fur piece to the library. You'd best take the bus instead of walking. It's a pretty fur piece to the nearest big town.

make the fur fly

and make the feathers fly

Fig. to cause a fight or an argument; to create an uproar. When your mother gets home and sees what you've done, she'll really make the fur fly. When those two get together, they'll make the feathers fly. They hate each other.

make the dust fly

Also, make the feathers or fur fly . Stir matters up, cause a commotion or disturbance. For example, When she saw the dog sleeping on her new bedspread, she really made the dust fly, or As soon as he learns who dented his car, he'll make the feathers fly, or She'd better not interfere or he'll make the fur fly. The first usage alludes to the results of a vigorous house-cleaning effort. The two variants, both dating from the early 1800s, allude to what happens when a hunting dog is set on a bird or rabbit.

the fur flies

If the fur flies, people argue very fiercely and angrily about something. The fur has been flying in Geneva this week, as the two contenders to be next head of the World Trade Organisation squared up to one another. If she ever finds out who did it then the fur will fly. Note: You can also say that someone or something sets the fur flying. A blazing row between Euro factions set the fur flying again on the Tory backbenches. Note: The image here is of animals tearing out each other's fur during a fight.

be all fur coat and no knickers

have an impressive or sophisticated appearance which belies the fact that there is nothing to substantiate it. British informal

See also: all, and, coat, fur, knickers, no

fur and feather

game animals and birds.

the fur will fly

there will be serious, perhaps violent, trouble. informal

This phrase originated in the early 19th century, in the US. The image is of a furious fight between dogs or cats.

the ˌfeathers/ˌfur/ˌsparks will ˈfly

(informal) there will be anger, annoyance, etc: The fur will really fly when she tells him he can’t go out tonight.

See also: feather, fly, fur, Sparks, will

fur

n. the police. (A play on the fuzz.) I think the fur is onto you, Rocko.

furball

verb

See hairball

make the dust fly

To go about a task with great energy and speed.

make the feathers/fur fly, to

To shake things up and cause a commotion. Both versions of this term allude to hunting, and to what happens when dogs are set on a bird, rabbit, raccoon, or similar creature. Flying fur is the older image, dating at least from the seventeenth century. “I’ll make the fur fly about the ears of that old cur,” wrote Samuel Butler in Hudibras (1663). Feathers dates from the early nineteenth century. “He’d make the feathers fly” appeared in John Neal’s Brother Jonathan (1825). A somewhat newer variant is fur will fly, meaning a violent confrontation will follow. An Americanism from the early 1800s, it is probably heard more often today than the older terms. A headline in U.S. News and World Report had it on January 18, 1988: “Watching the Fur Fly.”