recognition

alter beyond (all) recognition

To change so much or so dramatically as to now be completely unfamiliar or unrecognizable. She had shown me some early drafts, but her final copy was really altered beyond all recognition. Please don't alter the room beyond recognition, OK? I'm just looking to refresh the space, not overhaul it. I started out vowing only to do fillers and other equally-minor procedures, but after several years of "tweaks," my face was altered beyond all recognition.

See also: alter, beyond, recognition

alter out of (all) recognition

To change so much or so dramatically as to now be completely unfamiliar or unrecognizable. She had shown me some early drafts, but her final copy was really altered out of recognition. Please don't alter the room out of all recognition, OK? I'm just looking to refresh the space, not overhaul it. I started out vowing only to do fillers and other equally-minor procedures, but after several years of "tweaks," my face was altered out of all recognition.

See also: alter, of, out, recognition

change beyond (all) recognition

To change so much or so dramatically as to now be completely unfamiliar or unrecognizable. A noun or pronoun can be used between "change" and "beyond." I wouldn't have recognized her if she hadn't introduced herself—she's really changed beyond all recognition since we were kids! She had shown me some early drafts, but she really changed her final copy beyond all recognition. Please don't change the room beyond recognition, OK? I'm just looking to refresh the space, not overhaul it.

See also: beyond, change, recognition

change out of (all) recognition

To change so much or so dramatically as to now be completely unfamiliar or unrecognizable. A noun or pronoun can be used between "change" and "beyond." I wouldn't have recognized her if she hadn't introduced herself—she's really changed out of recognition since we were kids! She had shown me some early drafts, but she really changed her final copy out of all recognition. Please don't change the room out of recognition, OK? I'm just looking to refresh the space, not overhaul it.

See also: change, of, out, recognition

flash with (an emotion)

Of the eyes, to seem to convey a particular feeling or emotion with intensity. Callie's eyes flashed with anger when I accused her of cheating on the test. Of course John's interested in you—his eyes practically flash with desire every time he looks at you. Yeah, my mom knows you—her eyes flashed with recognition when I said your name.

See also: flash

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

flash with anger

 and flash with recognition; flash with eagerness

[for someone's eyes] to "glimmer" or seem to communicate a particular quality or excitement. Her green eyes flashed with anger. Ellen's eyes flashed with recognition when she saw me.

See also: anger, flash

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

change, alter, etc. beyond/out of (all) recogˈnition

change, etc. such a lot that people do not recognize you, it, etc: I went back to Birmingham after 20 years and it had changed beyond all recognition. ♢ She had changed beyond all recognition since I last saw her.

See also: beyond, of, out, recognition

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017