make someone free—(also: set someone free) release a person from prison, slavery, etc.: Scott sued for his freedom in Mis- souri in 1846, claiming his residence in a free state and a free territory made him free . make hay of something • make hay while the sun shines make hay of something—1. turn smth. to advantage: As long as politicians can make hay of the supposed “harm” caused to our citizens … they will be an annoyingly persistent part of the political landscape. 2. scatter things around in disorder: I recalled with poignant regret that Jack Winston and I had once made hay of his room; but evidently he bore no malice. 3. render smth. ineffectual: The fact remains that “La Belle Helene” has not survived Verdi’s “Requiem,” and this surely makes hay of the argument. make hay while the sun shines —(saying ) make the earliest possible use of favorable circumstances: The old adage, “make hay while the sun shines ,” has never been more apt than it is now in most sectors of commercial construction. make it a federal case • make out a case for something make it a federal case —(also: make a federal case out of it) complain too much; exaggerate the importance of smth.: I’m not the only person in the family who smokes, but they’re going to make it a federal case . make out a case for something(also: make a case for some- thing ) give good reasons why smth. should be done: He said he was an atheist but he never debated the subject with me and never made out a case for atheism. make it hot for someone • make someone hot make it hot for someone—(coll.) put smb. under pressure; make things difficult for a person: Maybe if we make it hot for them, they’ll leave. make someone hot1. cause a person to feel warm: I had to stay on the magnesium for another ten hours. It made me hot and nauseous and disoriented. 2. (coll.) make smb. feel angry or embarrassed: It is a curious thing that if you call his name aloud in public after an Englishman you make him hot and fretty. 3. (sl.) arouse a person sexually: Listen, I’m sitting here imagining you reading this, and it makes me hot , makes me want to get naked. See also: get the hots for someone / give it hot to someone. make it up to someone • make it up with someone make it up to someone—compensate a person for negligence, difficulties, inconvenience, etc.: If you’ll work overtime tonight, I’ll make it up to you by giving you Saturday morning off. make it up with someone—(also: make up with someone) settle a quarrel; make one’s peace with a person: I really want to make it up with her, but she won’t speak to me. make leeway • make up leeway make leeway —provide a margin of freedom, as of activity, time, or expenditure: Because we had to expand we had to get so much more machinery, so you make leeway for all this in the budget. make up leeway—compensate that which has been lost or wasted (by doing extra work, etc.): There is a short break of ten minutes between each presentation, to make up leeway caused by prolonged discussion. make light of something • make light work of something make light of something—treat smth. as unimportant: My parents made light of my worry and told me to take no notice of what people said. make light work of something —do smth. easily and without much effort: You have worked hard all year, and should be able to make light work of passing the examinations. make much of something • not make much of something make much of something—regard smth. as important; value smth. highly: We’ve always made much of our high literacy rate, but somehow that hasn’t made us into a nation of read- ers. not make much of something—1. have a poor opinion of smth.; treat smth. as unimportant: He has never made much of his World War II experience. 2. fail to understand smth.: I am not very fluent in Tamil anymore, so I couldn’t make much of the book in Tamil. make no bones about something • make one’s bones make no bones about something—be blunt and straightfor- ward about smth.; speak about smth. openly: Lovecraft made no bones about being a complete atheist. make one’s bones—1. (Underworld) kill smb. as requirement for membership in a criminal gang: Vito Corleone “made his bones ” (first killing) in cold blood for dollars. 2. (sl.) earn a reputation; achieve success: John Daly eventually made his bones , so to speak, as a reporter by covering World War II in Europe. make no mistake about it • there’s no mistake about it make no mistake about it—is used as a warning that the statement is to be taken seriously: We shall insist on having every penny that is due to us, make no mistake about it . Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase and no mistake— without any doubt (used after a state- ment to emphasize the idea implied): It’s boiling hot today, and no mistake ! there’s no mistake about it—there is no doubt about it; it is certain: There’s no mistake about it — this is quite simply the best car on the market, sir! Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase there’s no mistaking—it is impossible not to recognize smb. or smth.: There’s no mistaking the sect’s women by their black poke-bonnets. make nothing of something • make nothing out of something make nothing of something—1. treat smth. lightly: He said he’d call me the next morning. He didn’t call until early eve- ning but I made nothing of it. 2. fail to understand smth.: The audience, used to jazz singers, satire companies or stand- up comedians, could make nothing of his work. make nothing out of something —make no profit out of smth.: So he gave away every cent he made from that movie—he made nothing out of it. make off with oneself • make off with someone make off with oneself—(rare) depart or leave a place sud- denly: Dietrich had made off with himself … there was doubt- less good reason for his wishing to be out of the way. make off with someone—(of lovers, etc.) run off with smb.; – 231 – make off with oneself