terrible
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Related to terrible: Terrible twos
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a (good, bad, etc.) hand to play
One's (good, bad, great, poor, etc.) ability to deal effectively or ideally with a given situation. An allusion to the strength of one's hand in a game of cards. The strength of our existing IT infrastructure gave us a pretty good hand to play when it came time to negotiate the merger. The situation leaves the political party with a poor hand to play in response. Considering how smug the defense attorney was acting, I figured he must have a great hand to play. Sure enough, here's a new eye-witness.
a mind is a terrible thing to waste
Education and exercising one's mind is important. No, you absolutely must go to college after you graduate in the spring! A mind is a terrible thing to waste! I can't believe you let the kids just loaf around all summer long. A mind is a terrible thing to waste, is it not? A mind is a terrible thing to waste, you know, so how are you going to keep your mind sharp in retirement?
bedside manner
One's demeanor and behavior when interacting with patients, as of a medical professional, especially a doctor. Based on his bedside manner, I wonder if Dr. Smith is capable of feeling compassion at all. Her wonderful bedside manner was able to calm even the most agitated patients.
See also: manner
enfant terrible
A famous person who is known to behave inappropriately, often to others' shock or horror. As this phrase is French for "terrible child," it is typically pronounced with a French accent. If you continue to have tantrums on the court, you will be known as the enfant terrible of tennis. He is the enfant terrible of high society, so of course he wore blue jeans to the gala.
See also: terrible
I'm terrible with/at names
I have a very hard time remembering people's names. A: "No, I'm Matt." B: "I'm so sorry, I'm terrible with names."
paint a (some kind of) picture (of something)
To give an elaborate or detailed description of something that portrays it in a specific way. The board meeting painted a pretty grim picture. If sales don't improve, the company might not have a future. Jonathan always paints an idyllic picture of our childhood, glossing over the bad memories of our father.
the terrible twos
A developmental stage of children, generally at or around the age of two, marked by increased rebelliousness and frequent tantrums. Becca's been having really bad temper tantrums lately and just keeps saying "no" to everything we say to her. I guess she's going into the terrible twos.
track record
A history of someone's or something's performance, often cited as a predictor of how they will perform in the future. The mayor brought in the new police chief because he has a strong track record of reducing crime in inner-city neighborhoods. The company had an almost perfect track record before the scandal, which made it even more shocking. The boss is trusting them with our new website, but their track record isn't the best.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
I'm terrible at names.
and I'm awful at names.I can't seem to remember anyone's name. (Said as an apology to someone whose name you have forgotten.) I'm terrible at names. Please tell me yours again. Haven't we met already? I'm awful at names.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
track record
A record of actual performance or achievements, as in This applicant has an excellent track record. This term probably comes from horse racing, where it signifies the best time a horse has ever achieved at a particular track or over a particular distance. However, some believe it alludes to track and field records. Its figurative use dates from the late 1940s.
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.
bedside manner
a doctor's approach or attitude to a patient. 1993 Bill Moyers Healing & the Mind Are you just talking about the old-fashioned bedside manner of a doctor who comes around and visits you when you need him?
See also: manner
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
paint a terrible, depressing, rosy, etc. ˈpicture (of somebody/something)
describe something in a particular way; give a particular impression of somebody/something, often a negative one: You paint a depressing picture of your childhood! ♢ People who don’t like students paint the worst possible picture of their behaviour. ♢ The book paints a vivid picture of life in the city.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
track record
The sum of a person’s performance or achievements in a given line. The term comes from horse racing, where it is defined as the best time a horse ever made over a given distance on a particular track. It was transferred to human endeavor about 1950. “[Billy] Wilder has had a series of extremely successful pictures. . . . We were betting on his track record that this one would be, too” (Life, 1965).
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer