burned up . 2. be destroyed by great heat: Most meteors have burned up completely when they are still at great heights. burn someone down • burn someone up burn someone down—(U.S. coll.) humiliate a person: You just want to burn down everybody to make yourself seem bet- ter. burn someone up—(U.S. coll.) 1. irritate smb. or make very angry: What burns me up is the fact that seven per cent of all the families earned $500 a year or less. 2. reprimand or scold a person severely: The manager burned Jim up yesterday for being late again. Note: Neither expression correlates in meaning with the phrase burn someone out—(U.S. coll.) tire smb. greatly; cause a person to stop being active: An extra effort has burned him out and left him no time to seek more interesting work. See also: build a fire under someone / burn someone at the stake. burn the candle at both ends • butter one’s bread on both sides burn the candle at both ends—dissipate one’s energy by doing too much: But as you are determined to live it up and have a good time, you must watch your health and try not to burn the candle at both ends . Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase row with both oars—(also: row with both oars in the water) be smart enough or mentally alert: I wondered if he rowed with both oars in the water . How could a Harvard man have come to such a sorry state? butter one’s bread on both sides—be in very comfortable cir- cumstances; be well provided for: He’s got marble floors in there, crystal figurines on the shelves…. Like we say at home, he butters his bread on both sides . Cf.: know on which side one’s bread is buttered—know where one’s interest lies: The judges of the lower and superior courts know on which side their bread is buttered . They would strain a point in favor of the highest political opinion of the day. burn the earth • scorch the earth burn the earth—(U.S. coll., dated) go at full speed: When they reached the brow of the hill, I was half a mile in the lead, burning the earth scorch the earth—devastate all buildings, etc. in an area so as to leave nothing to the advancing enemy: The Russians fell back upon their main line of defense, “scorching the earth before this last convulsive thrust of the Nazi. Note: Neither expression correlates in meaning with the phrase set the world on fire—(usually negat.) do smth. remarkable and cause a sensation (also: set the Thames on fire): She does the job adequately but she’s not going to set the world on fire . burn the water • set the Thames on fire burn the water—(Fishermen) spear salmon by torchlight: Water-bailiffs are sent up the rivers at certain times to prevent “burning the water .” Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase boil the ocean— try smth. way too ambitious that cannot reasonably be completed: Don’t attempt to boil the ocean . If your initial concept is so grandiose that you can’t deliver, you’re setting yourself up for failure. set the Thames on fire—(usually negat.) do smth. remarkable and cause a sensation (also: set the world on fire): When Sir Gregory declared that Mr. Neverbend would never set the Thames on fire , he meant to express his opinion that that gen- tleman was a fool. burst at the seams • come apart at the seams burst at the seams—1. be full to overflowing; be crammed with people or things: The little hall was practically bursting at the seams . 2. be unable to contain one’s pride, uncontrolled laughter, etc.: We laughed so hard we just about burst at the seams . come apart at the seams —(also: fall apart at the seams) 1. fall into pieces; disintegrate: The old car is about ready to come apart at the seams ; its muffler is dragging and the windows don’t close. 2. be in a very bad state; be about to fail: Oliver and Jane began showing serious signs of stress; their relation- ship was coming apart at the seams . 3. lose one’s composure because of a severe mental strain; collapse emotionally: Poor old Smith isn’t the man he used to be; he’s coming apart at the seams . bus boy • busman bus boy—(also: busboy) a person whose duty is to clear and reset tables in a restaurant: They felt embarrassed, the way a professional fighter would feel after beating hell out of a bus boy . busman— the driver of a bus: Mark was an asset to the club with his experience working as a busman in the city. See also: boys on the bus, the / man on the bus, the. bush baby • Bushboy bush baby —any of several small African lemurs of the genus Galago: The occasional cry of a bush-baby alone broke the awful silence. Bushboy—Bushman (member of certain nomadic tribes in the desert regions of South Africa): I found a funny little fellow in the shape of the Bushboy awaiting my arrival. Bush Negro • Bushman Bush Negro—one of a people of African ancestry descended from runaway slaves and inhabiting the Guianas in South America: Saramakkan is spoken only by the Bush Negroes on the upper reaches of the Surinam or “Saramakka” river. Bushman—member of certain nomadic tribes in the desert regions of South Africa: In Africa … we find the Bushman and Hottentot in the South, and the Akkas and Niam-Niams in the center, very small in stature and yellow in color. bush telegraph • field telegraph bush telegraph —(also: bush wireless) rapid dissemination of rumors, information, etc. by word-of-mouth: “How did the Imam get to know about it?” “The bush telegraph works very well here in Bahrain.” field telegraph —(Military) a movable telegraph system for use on campaign, maneuvers, etc.: The field telegraph detach- ments are trained in peace time to everything connected with telegraphy. businessman • man of business businessman —a man who is engaged in business (running a commercial or industrial firm, etc.): His father was a well- known businessman in the city. man of business —1. = businessman: A man of business should be quick, decisive, and callous against small rubs. 2. (UK) a person’s agent or solicitor: As her man of business , I immedi- ately proceeded to examine her papers. bust one’s balls • bust someone’s balls bust one’s balls—(coarse sl.; used of men) work extremely hard to accomplish smth.: I have only two days until the examina- tion, so I have to bust my balls if I don’t want to fail. bust someone’s balls—(coarse sl.) 1. make fun of or tease a man: Everybody in the classroom bust Tom’s balls about his bald head. 2. (of a woman) ridicule a man; hurt a man’s feel- ings: Janet has a bad habit; she loves to bust a man’s balls if he tries to flirt with her. – 61 – bust one’s balls