central

(as) busy as Grand Central Station

Very busy or chaotic, like New York City's Grand Central Terminal train station. Our customer service department always becomes as busy as Grand Central Station at this time of year. So many people coming and going—geez, it's busy as Grand Central Station in here. The IT department has been busy as Grand Central Station, thanks to that site outage last night.

See also: busy, central, grand, station

(straight) from central casting

Having, fitting, or conforming to well-established stereotypical traits or characteristics of a given type of person, character, group, situation, or style. Sometimes capitalized as "Central Casting," a reference to a California-based casting company that specializes in hiring for roles as extras, body doubles, and bit parts. My grandfather looks like a cowboy from central casting, with his boots, Stetson hat, and mouth full of chewing tobacco. It was a campy, schlocky B-movie, complete with pointless romance, cheesy special effects, and an alien monster straight from Central Casting. A: "With his long hair, tattoos, and mirrored sunglasses, that guy looks like the stereotypical young jerk athlete straight from central casting. Is he any good on the field?" B: "I haven't been impressed, to be honest."

See also: casting, central

(straight) out of central casting

Having, fitting, or conforming to well-established stereotypical traits or characteristics of a given type of person, character, group, situation, or style. Sometimes capitalized as "Central Casting," a reference to a California-based casting company that specializes in hiring for roles as extras, body doubles, and bit parts. My grandfather looks like a cowboy out of central casting, with his boots, Stetson hat, and mouth full of chewing tobacco. It was a campy, schlocky B-movie, complete with pointless romance, cheesy special effects, and an alien monster straight out of Central Casting. A: "With his long hair, tattoos, and mirrored sunglasses, that guy looks like the stereotypical young jerk athlete straight out of central casting. Is he any good on the field?" B: "I haven't been impressed, to be honest."

See also: casting, central, of, out

be as busy as Grand Central Station

To be extremely busy or chaotic, like New York City's Grand Central Terminal train station. Our customer service department is always as busy as Grand Central Station at this time of year. So many people coming and going—geez, it's as busy as Grand Central Station in here.

See also: busy, central, grand, station

be like Grand Central Station

To be extremely busy or chaotic, like New York City's Grand Central Terminal train station. Our customer service department is always like Grand Central Station at this time of year. So many people coming and going—geez, it's like Grand Central Station in here.

See also: central, grand, like, station

central dogma

The core belief of a particular area of study. It is often used in molecular biology to describe the relationship between DNA, RNA, and proteins. The central dogma of molecular biology is that DNA makes RNA, which makes protein.

See also: central

Grand Central Station

A place that is very busy or chaotic, like New York City's Grand Central Terminal train station. Our customer service department always becomes as busy as Grand Central Station at this time of year. So many people coming and going—geez, it's like Grand Central Station in here.

See also: central, grand, station

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

*busy as a beaver (building a new dam)

 and *busy as a bee; *busy as a one-armed paperhanger; *busy as Grand Central Station; *busy as a cat on a hot tin roof; *busy as a fish peddler in Lent; *busy as a cranberry merchant (at Thanksgiving); *busy as popcorn on a skillet

very busy. (*Also: as ~.) My boss keeps me as busy as a one-armed paperhanger. I don't have time to talk to you. I'm as busy as a beaver. When the tourist season starts, this store is busy as Grand Central Station. Sorry I can't go to lunch with you. I'm as busy as a beaver building a new dam. Prying into other folks' business kept him busy as popcorn on a skillet.

See also: beaver, busy

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

busy as a beaver

Also, busy as a bee. Hardworking, very industrious, as in With all her activities, Sue is always busy as a bee, or Bob's busy as a beaver trying to finish painting before it rains. The comparison to beavers dates from the late 1700s, the variant from the late 1300s. Also see eager beaver; work like a beaver.

See also: beaver, busy

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Grand Central Station

n. any busy and hectic place. (From Grand Central Station in New York City—a very busy place.) At just about closing time, this place becomes Grand Central Station.

See also: central, grand, station

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.