less unpleasant: The government have cut income tax to sweeten the pill of a tough budget. sweeten the pot—(also: sweeten the kitty) make smth. more attractive, especially financially: Reviving the village’s coop- erative will sweeten the pot , and encourage more women to become involved. swell-head • thick-head swell-head —(coll.) 1. self-conceit: Lord, but young Gourlay was the fine fellow! Symptoms of swell-head set in with alarm- ing rapidity. 2. a conceited person: As for the present directory, they’re all a pack of damned swell-heads . thick-head —(coll.) smb. who is dull of intellect: I wasn’t very good at school and left supremely unqualified for any- thing and totally convinced I was a thickhead . swim like a duck • swim like a tailor’s goose swim like a duck —(also: swim like a fish) be a good swimmer: Molly could swim like a duck , and quite covered herself with glory by diving off the pier. swim like a tailor’s goose—be unable to swim: If he at- tempted to swim , it would be like a tailor’s goose , straight to the bottom. swim with the fishes • swim with the sharks swim with the fishes—(Underworld) be murdered and have the body disposed of, often in a body of water (also: sleep with the fishes): Most people have a family member who is connected to organized crime or “swims with the fishes ” because of their connections. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase swim like a fish—(also: swim like a duck) be a good swimmer: He swims like a fish , loves horses, wants to start a stud farm… swim with the sharks—take a huge risk operating among dangerous people: Tired of trial and error, I have ceased to swim with the sharks for my dating games. I managed to find a relatively normal guy, who’s also a creative sort. swing both ways • swing either way swing both ways(sl.) have both homosexual and hetero- sexual tastes (also: plug in both ways): Rumor has it that their lead singer swings both ways . Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase door swings both ways, the—(U.S.) the same principle applies in both cases (usually used to attack hypocritical actions): As Howard used to say, “Hey, that door swings both ways .” We are expected to share our secrets with them, too. swing either way—said of a situation when it is impossible to predict which of two results it will have: The market could swing either way depending on the news from the Middle East. swing man • swing voter swing man—1. a musician who plays jazz with a swing—a style with a flowing but strongly compelling rhythm: The best alto player among the swingmen was Johnny Hodges. 2. (U.S.) the mounted herdsman who keeps a moving herd of cattle in order: The herd trailed along behind the leaders … guarded by outriders, known as swing men . 3. (sl.) a drug supplier: Now he [pusher] is called the connection, the bagman, the swing man , the dealer. swing voter(U.S.) the independent voter that often deci- sively influences the result of a ballot: He is expected to join Mr. Daane as a “swing voter ,” leaving Mr. Martin with only one conservative colleague. Swiss mountain pine • Swiss pine Swiss mountain pine—a low pyramidal tree of central Europe: The Swiss mountain pine (Pinus mugo) is best known to many Americans in its dwarf variety, the mugho pine (Pinus mugo mughus). Swiss pine—(also: Swiss stone pine) a tall Eurasian pine (Pinus cembra): A pine tree is estimated to live for 1200 years, and the Swiss Pine , in the Alps, survived the last Ice Age. symbol for something • symbol of something symbol for something—a sign or letter used in place of an item in writing: CS is an Army chemical symbol for an agent that causes burning and watering of the eyes. symbol of something —an object used to represent smth. not by exact resemblance, but because it is very typical of the lat- ter: Picasso painted a red circle as a symbol of the Revolution. T table a motion (UK) • table a motion (U.S.) table a motion (UK)—place a proposal on the agenda: At last night’s meeting the Board of Trustees voted to table a motion to approve our contract extension. table a motion (U.S.)—remove a proposal from considera- tion; suspend debate until another time: When we had only five minutes left before we had to adjourn, Matt moved to table the motion . take a bath • take an early bath take a bath —(coll.) have large financial losses on an invest- ment, etc.: The broker warned me that I might take a bath if I bought this stuff. take an early bath —1. (be forced to) stop doing smth. before one had a chance to finish: He was all set to take an early bath from his marriage to have an affair with Suzannah Dwyer. 2. (of a sportsman) be ordered to leave the field before the end of play for breaking the rules: Paulo Wanchope was the other player to take an early bath , also for serious foul play. take a beating • take some beating take a beating—1. (of one’s pride, reputation, etc.) suffer badly: My confidence and courage took a beating when I got calls threatening dire consequences. 2. (Sport) be defeated: This was the second time the Dutch team took a beating from Spain at this championship. 3. lose a lot of money: Not sur- prisingly, the company took a beating in the market, with its stock price tumbling nearly 25 percent. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase take the rap(coll.) accept responsibility and the conse- quent punishment: Arresting me? Nonsense! In any case, what about you? Do you think I would leave you here to take the rap ? take some beating —(also: take a lot of beating ) be of very high quality and unlikely to be surpassed: Farnborough Air Show takes some beating . It’s an incredible experience and a fantastic show. take a chair • take the chair take a chair —(also: have a chair) take a seat; be seated: When he came back to the house he refused to take a chair or a drink. take the chair—1. preside over a meeting, committee, etc.: At my third meeting I was asked to take the chair . I consented as offhandedly as if I were the Speaker of the House of Com- mons. 2. become head of a university department: Clark con- tinued to teach at Melbourne until 1949, when he took the Chair of History at Canberra University College. Note: The expression does not fully correlate in meaning with – 311 – take a chair