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The phrase "had been all but dead" means that the creature involved had been extremely close to death, and was nearly dead.
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What does the idiom ive been on pins and needles all day mean?
The phrase means to be nervous or anxious about something.
What does the phrase 'throw out of whack' mean?
Something 'thrown out of whack' is disrupted, disturbed, or disoriented from it's normal state. It is a phrase, with a negative connotation, often used to describe a system/cycle that has been changed temporarily. "My stomach is thrown out of whack from all the junk food I've been eating recently" "My sense of time is thrown out of whack from all the traveling I've just done" "Ever since I banged my watch it's been thrown out of whack" In speech, the phrase is often led by the word "all":
What is the origin of the phrase dead to rights?
Courtesy of the Word Detective: "Dead to rights" is indeed an odd expression, dating at least to the mid-19th century, when it was first collected in a glossary of underworld slang ("Vocabulum, or The Rogue's Lexicon," by George Matsell, 1859). The first part of the phrase, "dead," is a slang use of the word to mean "absolutely, without doubt." This use is more commonly heard in the UK, where it dates back to the 16th century, than in the US. "Dead" meaning "certainly" is based on the earlier use of "dead" to mean, quite logically, "with stillness suggestive of death, absolutely motionless," a sense we still use when we say someone is "dead asleep." The "absolutely, without doubt" sense is also found in "dead broke" and "dead certain." The "to rights" part of the phrase is a bit more complicated. "To rights" has been used since the 14th century to mean "in a proper manner," or, later, "in proper condition or order," a sense we also use in phrases such as "to set to rights," meaning "to make a situation correct and orderly" ("Employed all the afternoon in my chamber, setting things and papers to rights," Samuel Pepys, 1662). In the phrase "caught dead to rights," the connotation is that every formality required by the law has been satisfied, and that the apprehension is what crooks in the UK used to call a "fair cop," a clean and justifiable arrest. ("Cop," from the Latin "capere," to seize, has long been used as slang for "to grab" as well as slang for a police officer.) Of course, there's many a slip 'twixt the cop and the lips of the jury, so we shall see. Wake me when it's over. Share this article!
What does the phrase 'it is all my aunt' mean?
it is pointless or futile
What does the phrase Clean Sweep mean?
It means a decisive victory, the winner of all prizes and contests in a competition, It can also mean a thorough and sweeping change
What does the historical phrase it was Greek to you mean?
There is no historical phrase. Its something other than Greeks use to say ''I dont understand anything its been said''. Greeks use the phrase ''Its all Chinese to me''.
What does the idiom ive been on pins and needles all day mean?
The phrase means to be nervous or anxious about something.
What does the Latin phrase vobiscum mean?
With you all.
What 3 word phrase was Halloween made from?
The 3 word phrase Halloween was made from is "Lord of Dead". All Hallows Evening.
What does the phrase this is for all the marbles mean?
Winner takes all
What does the phrase all-walking autumn mean?
poo
Is Ken Sugimori dead?
nope i don't think so. if he was dead it would have been in the papers? comming up with ideas for all 151 original Pokemon is no mean feat...
What is a four word phrase mean?
all by one's self
What does all in a Twitter mean?
There isn't a specific definition for this phrase.
Your husband has been dead for 7 years but when you dreare you know he is dead but he is alive in your dream usually comforting you saying everything is all right what does this mean?
The bond you two had was stronger than death.
What does the phrase all weather comes from the sun mean?
figure it out yourself
What does the phrase 'throw out of whack' mean?
Something 'thrown out of whack' is disrupted, disturbed, or disoriented from it's normal state. It is a phrase, with a negative connotation, often used to describe a system/cycle that has been changed temporarily. "My stomach is thrown out of whack from all the junk food I've been eating recently" "My sense of time is thrown out of whack from all the traveling I've just done" "Ever since I banged my watch it's been thrown out of whack" In speech, the phrase is often led by the word "all":
