sweat bullets

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Related to sweat bullets: sweat out, sweating buckets

sweat bullets

To suffer intense distress, anxiety, worry, or fear. My passport had expired just before the trip, so I was sweating bullets as we went over the border into Canada. Some of these kids sweat bullets every time we have to give them a test.

See also: bullet, sweat

sweat bullets

Perspire profusely; also, suffer mental anguish. For example, We were sweating bullets, sitting in the sun through all those graduation speeches, or It was their first baby, and David was sweating bullets while Karen was in labor. The bullets in this expression allude to drops of perspiration the size of bullets. [Slang; mid-1900s]

See also: bullet, sweat

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.

sweat bullets

be extremely anxious or nervous. North American informal

See also: bullet, sweat

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

sweat bullets

tv. to suffer about something; to be anxious or nervous about something; to sweat blood. The kid sat in the waiting room, sweating bullets while the surgeons worked on his brother.

See also: bullet, sweat

sweat bullets

Slang

1. To sweat profusely.

2. To worry intensely.

See also: bullet, sweat

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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References in periodicals archive ?

In every fiscal cycle, both cities' budget committees sweat bullets trying to find such amounts for important public services.

Fire merger a good test

The recommendations, each of which is spared a few pages of discussion, include "Don't be a Wealth Wannabe", a warning against getting sucked into false moneymaking schemes such as pyramid scandals or dubious popular real estate trends; "Know Your Customer Better", an encouragement to focus on what the customer needs and stay in a positive mindframe rather than focus on one's own shortcomings; and "Open an Easy-Earned Money Account", which suggests creating a bank account solely for the money one didn't have to sweat bullets to obtain, and use that money to pay for guilt-free luxuries.

100 Ways to Create Wealth

It may sound like a made-up scenario (when was the last time travelers could show up at the airport a half-hour before their flights and not sweat bullets?), but it isn't.

Flights of fancy: commercial airlines may be struggling, but private air charters are riding high

And as soon as you turn the corner, gasp for air and feel free to sweat bullets. That's a wrap!

Shaking shyness: just in time for the holiday social rush, we show you how to break outta the shy shell. The best part is that these are shy-busting tips you can put to use all year round

During 100-degree Austin heat, he and his teammates sweat bullets preparing for Competition in the upcoming Games.