be part of the furniture
slang To be viewed as part of the surroundings because one has been in a particular job or place for a long time. I can't envision the company without Bill. I mean, the man has been here for 40 years—he's part of the furniture! Ah, that's just Mary. She's been coming to this restaurant nearly every day for years, so she's basically part of the furniture at this point. A: "It is still so odd to walk into this department and not be greeted by Louise at the reception desk." B: "I know, she was part the furniture for us here. Honestly, the department has been in disarray since she retired."
part of the furniture
Considered to be an intrinsic or fundamental part of the surroundings because one has been in a particular job or place for a long time. I can't envision the company without Bill. I mean, the man has been here for 40 years—he's part of the furniture! Ah, that's just Mary. She's been coming to this restaurant nearly every day for years, so we kind of see her as part of the furniture at this point.
save the furniture
To create the best possible outcome of a bad, unfortunate, or unpleasant situation or set of circumstances. Usually used in the context of politics. Primarily heard in Australia. It's likely that our candidate is going to lose, so we're looking for a way to save the furniture at this point.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
part of the furniture
If someone or something is part of the furniture, they have been present somewhere for such a long time that everyone accepts their presence without questioning it or noticing them. In ten years he has become part of the furniture of English life, his place on the stage firmly fixed and universally respected. Once cameras in courts have become part of the furniture, witnesses are so absorbed in answering questions that they forget the cameras are there.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012