head for (the) tall timber
To flee and hide, particularly in the bushes or trees. Sonny, the cops will find us if we don't head for the tall timber right now! I think Adam headed for tall timber—no one has seen or heard from him in weeks The foreign army swept into the country, brought down the dictatorship, then headed for the tall timber just as quickly.
shiver me timbers
An exclamation of surprise. The phrase originated with sailors (as "shiver one's timbers" meant to destroy one's ship) and is usually used today in cartoonish portrayals of pirates. Well, shiver me timbers—I didn't think you were getting into town until tomorrow! You got cast as a pirate in the play? I bet you have one line—"Shiver me timbers!"
take to the tall timber(s)
To leave quickly and covertly. Primarily heard in US. I think Adam took to the tall timber—no one has seen or heard from him in weeks The foreign army swept into the country, brought down the dictatorship, then took to the tall timbers just as quickly.
timber-toe
1. obsolete A wooden leg. The way Sophie comes banging down the stairs in that walking boot, it sounds like she's got a timber-toe!
2. obsolete By extension, someone who has a wooden leg. Is it true that our great-grandfather was a timber-toe when he came back from the war?
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
head for (the) tall timber
Rur. to run away and hide. When we heard Pa's angry bellow, we headed for the tall timber. The bank robbers headed for tall timber with their loot.
tall timber(s)
some remote place in the country or the woods. Oh, Chuck lives out in the tall timbers somewhere. He only has a post office box number. You're not going to move me out into the tall timber somewhere!
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.