depressed: I saw you yesterday and you had a face as long as a fiddle . What was the matter with you? have a face made of a fiddle —(arch.) be irresistibly attractive: A person who was well-liked had a face “made of a fiddle ,” meaning that it was always wreathed in smiles, as a fiddle has a much-curled shape. have a falling out • have a fallout have a falling out—have an argument or disagreement, espe- cially one that leads to strained relations: He was asked whether he and Dave had had a falling out , and he totally dodged the question. have a fallout—(of an event or situation) have lasting negative consequences: The controversy has had a fallout in parliament with very little business being conducted over the past few days. have a fat chance • have a slim chance have a fat chance—(coll.) hardly have any opportunity or possibility: So far it looks like the bill has a fat chance to get through. have a slim chance— = have a fat chance: Asteroid spotted in space by observatories has a slim chance of hitting Earth. have a feel for something • have the feel of something have a feel for something—have sensitivity for and under- standing of smth.: The DJ definitely had a feel for the type of music the kids would respond to. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase feel for something—1. attempt to find smth. by feeling about with the hand: He felt for his matches and struck one to look at his watch-face. 2. have pity for smth.; sympathize with smth.: You truly and deeply felt for the land and the peo- ple as though they were your own children. have the feel of something—1. (of things) feel to the touch like smth. else: This plastic is soft to the touch and has the feel of fine leather. 2. be reminiscent of smth.: The neighbor- hood has the feel of a small village and students mix freely with professionals in its winding streets. 3. become accus- tomed to the way smth. is used: I can drive better now that I have the feel of this car’s steering. have a feeling about something • have a feeling for something have a feeling about something—have an emotional attitude towards smth.; harbor a prejudice or fear about smth.: I don’t want to be in a train crash. But I have a very bad feeling about this train. have a feeling for something—have taste or sensitivity for smth.; have an understanding of smth.: Most women have some rudimentary feeling for dress, but Charlotte was born without dress-sense. have a finger in something • pull one’s finger out have a finger in something—(also: have a hand in something) be involved in smth.; play a role in smth.: Possibly the Rus- sians might have had a finger in this. The cold war was raging at that time. pull one’s finger out—(sl.) start working more efficiently (also: get one’s finger out): We’re still waiting for the reviewer to pull his finger out and deliver. Serves us right for recruiting literary talent in a bar. have a foot in both camps • walk both sides of the street have a foot in both camps —have connections with two mutu- ally antagonistic groups: Evelio had his foot in both camps and had a significant influence in each of the two organizations. walk both sides of the street—(also: have it both ways) 1. achieve two mutually exclusive objectives; benefit from two different situations that do not normally go together: Simon is trying to walk both sides of the street by saying one thing to the business community and another to his union mates. 2. (sl.) have both homosexual and heterosexual tastes: Every- one’s sexuality is governed by their own heart, and whether it changes or not, or walks both sides of the street , is completely up to fate. Note: The expression does not fully correlate in meaning with the phrase have the best of both worlds— = walk both sides of the street 1: You can have the best of both worlds by spending your holiday sailing yet being able to live ashore in warm, dry comfort. Cf.: have the worst of both worlds—have two disad- vantages in a bad situation: We have the worst of both worlds : responsibility in the eyes of international opinion, but precious little power to determine events. have a fortune • have the fortune have a fortune—have a very large amount of money: Don’t imagine you have a fortune there. A hundred francs goes nowhere these days. have the fortune—have good luck; succeed in doing smth.: Israel has had the fortune to attract a nucleus of Jewish sci- entists from the Western countries. have a free hand • have one’s hands free have a free hand —have freedom of action in affairs that one has to deal with: The new president had a relatively free hand to implement reforms. have one’s hands free—said of smb. whose time is not occu- pied by anything: The Duke of Normandy now had his hands free to pursue the conquest of Maine. Note: a) Neither expression correlates in meaning with the compound free-handed—generous; giving and spending money freely: Pike was free-handed , especially to his kinspeople. b) Neither expression correlates in meaning with the compound freehand—done by hand without mechanical aids or devices: Make a freehand drawing of an interior of a room. have a frog in one’s throat • have a lump in one’s throat have a frog in one’s throat—be suffering from temporary hoarseness: “I had a frog in my throat ,” she says with a laugh “and so I was not at my peak singing voice.” have a lump in one’s throat—have a sensation of constriction in the throat (caused by some strong emotion): I had a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes throughout his story. have a gas • run out of gas have a gas —(sl.) have a great time doing smth.; enjoy one- self: I had a gas watching the improbably outrageous action and dialogue unfurl. run out of gas—(of a project, campaign, etc.) lose momentum; progress slowly or halt: Florida’s transportation program is running out of “gas ” and attention needs to be focused on this issue. have a go at it • make a go of it have a go at it—(coll.) give it a try; make an attempt at smth.: She said that she had never skied before but she was willing to have a go at it . Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase have at it—(coll.) 1. start doing smth. promptly or with enthusiasm: “The driveway needs sweeping.” “Here’s the broom. Have at it .” 2. argue or quarrel: All they could com- plain about with me (and man did they have at it ) was the fact that this was my first visit in over two years. 3. (euph.) have sex: However, someone breaks into the place while they have a falling out – 162 –