curly

curly dirt

Clumps of dust. Please dust this room, and be sure to get the curly dirt that's gathered under the couch.

See also: curly, dirt

get (one) by the short and curlies

To have complete control or dominance over one. "The short and curlies" refers to the hairs on one's neck (not pubic hairs, despite popular misconceptions). With all that evidence against you, I'd say the police have got you by the short and curlies. Sometimes, I think Mark's wife has got him by the short and curlies.

See also: and, by, curly, get, short

have (one) by the short and curlies

To have complete control or dominance over someone; to have someone at one's mercy. "The short and curlies" refers to the hairs on one's neck (not pubic hairs, despite popular misconceptions). With all that evidence against you, I'd say the police have you by the short and curlies. Sometimes, I think Mark's wife has him by the short and curlies.

See also: and, by, curly, have, short

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

curly dirt

 and house moss; slut's wool

puffs of dirt and dust. How long has it been since you swept under this bed? There's a mountain of curly dirt under here! No one's been in this room for an age. Look at all the cobwebs and curly dirt. She was a terrible housekeeper. House moss collected in all the corners of her rooms.

See also: curly, dirt

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

have someone by the short and curlies

or

have someone by the short hairs

BRITISH, INFORMAL, RUDE

If someone has you by the short and curlies or by the short hairs, they have you completely in their power. The union's chief negotiator last night said: `We had the company by the short and curlies.' The managers knew they had us by the short hairs. Note: In this expression, `short and curlies' may refer to a person's pubic hair, to hair on the back of their neck, or to the hair in their beard.

See also: and, by, curly, have, short, someone

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

get (or have) someone by the short and curlies (or short hairs)

have complete control of a person. informal

See also: and, by, curly, get, short, someone

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

curly

n. a bald person, almost always a male. (Also a jocular term of address.) Well, Curly, looks like you got your dome sunburned!

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