ride on the pig’s back • ride on the sheep’s back ride on the pig’s back—(coll.) experience a period of success; enjoy extreme good fortune: The self-employed are leaving the country…. If the place is such a goldmine why do they not stay and continue riding on the pig’s back ? ride on the sheep’s back—(Austral. sl.) used pertaining to the success of the Australian sheep industry (a pun on the former expression): After riding on the sheep’s back , will Australia end up exporting our ideas and knowledge to the world? ride Shank’s pony • ride the cotton pony ride Shank’s pony—(dated) go on foot; walk: Ed and I chose to ride Shank’s pony rather than catch the bus, and we walked back to the camping area. ride the cotton pony—(U.S. sl., euph.) have one’s menstrual period: She doesn’t feel like going out with us ‘cause she’s rid - ing the cotton pony . ride someone on a rail • ride the rails ride someone on a rail—punish a person by carrying him on a rail to be mocked: The gentleman ought to be ducked, rid - den on a rail , tarred and feathered. ride the rails—(U.S. sl.) travel by rail, especially without a ticket: After college, Philip took off on a five-week tour of the country, riding the rails with hobos, going all the way to Chicago. right as nails • right on the nail right as nails —(coll., dated) said of smth. being satisfactory, safe, or comfortable: I really believe, in a fortnight I shall be as right as nails . right on the nail —(coll.) correct; exactly right: The recom- mendation to keep stable hours is right on the nail —I’ve tried to “educate” my son about this but he has not paid much attention. right-hand • right-handed right-hand—1. said of smth. situated on the right side: Carry on past the school and take the right hand turning towards Heddington. 2. said of a car with right-hand steering: Not only will you have to deal with driving with a right-hand car, you will also have to deal with new traffic laws. 3. (of bidirectional traffic) keeping to the right side of the road: Czechoslovakia accepted the Paris convention and undertook to change to right hand traffic. right-handed —1. using the right hand for writing, etc.: Tra- ditional placement of dishes on the dining table is planned for a right-handed person. 2. (of things) designed to be used in the right hand: When a left-hander uses right-handed scissors, they have to push the thumb and index finger together in an unnatural way to make the scissors cut. right-hand man • right-handed man right-hand man —a person’s chief assistant: The relationship between the coach and his right-hand man , irrespective of his title, is pivotal. right-handed man —(also: right-hander) a man who uses his right hand for writing, etc.: I came to the conclusion that the blow might have been struck by a right-handed man . ring a bell • ring the bell ring a bell—(coll.) sound familiar; remind of smth.: The name of the company rang a bell . One of my neighbors worked for them during the war. ring the bell —(coll.) 1. (also: ring bells) be met with approval; be a complete success: The President’s speeches ring the bell with certain segments of middle America. 2. supply exactly what is necessary or desired: A good hot bowl of soup would ring the bell about now. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase who will ring the bell— used to ask who will assume the responsibility in a difficult situation: I agree that allegations should be investigated. The question is, who will ring the bell ? See also: ring one’s bell / ring someone’s bell. ring alarm bells • ring bells ring alarm bells —arouse people to a sense of danger; put on the alert: The huge vote for fascist candidates should ring alarm bells across Europe. ring bells—(also: ring the bell) meet with approval; have a strong appeal: Macmillan’s speech rang bells around the world because it signaled the change in Britain’s colonial policy. ring one’s bell • ring someone’s bell ring one’s bell—(also: blow one’s own trumpet) announce one’s own successes; praise oneself: As he won, the winner rang his bell on and on, till he stopped panting and could laugh and talk properly. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase have one’s bell rung—(Sport) suffer a minor concussion, having been hit on the head (also: get one’s head rung): He reminds me of a big old football player who’s had his bell rung once too often. ring someone’s bell—(coll., also: ring someone’s chimes) get a person’s attention or interest: When Mary heard what Jim was saying, the news certainly rang her bell . See also: ring a bell / ring the bell. risk capital • risk money risk capital—(also: venture capital) money for speculative business investment: Kula Fund was established to provide long-term risk capital to private sector projects in the Pacific. risk money—1. allowance to a cashier to compensate for ordinary errors: To meet deficiencies, some banks allow to each cashier a certain sum, which is called risk-money . 2. = risk capital: A business man ought to be able to get his “risk money ” back before he has to pay too much in the way of tax- ation. ritual act • ritualistic act ritual act—an activity which happens as part of a tradition: Herein lies the explanation of how the act of bathing could have become a ritual act sanctioned by many religions. ritualistic act—an activity which follows the same pattern every time it is used: I love tea because I love the ritualistic act of making and drinking tea. river-horse • sea-horse river-horse—the hippopotamus: The crocodiles and river- horses are common in this unpeopled region; and I often looked upon them with terror. sea-horse —1. the walrus: From this account the horse-whale seems to have been the animal now called the walrus, or sea- horse , whose tusks are ivory. 2. (pl.) white foam and spray on the crests of waves: The sea was a beautiful deep blue, as calm as could be with little white sea horses here and there. 3. (also: flying sea-horse) a fish of peculiar form, with body somewhat like a horse’s head: The sea horse is a very strange fish that lives in warm water. road of life • way of life road of life —said of the general course of a person’s life: His past experiences seem to be serving him well, as he continues to travel along the road of life . way of life —mode of living or acting: Changes have begun to occur in all areas of their way of life as a result of sustained contact with the outside world. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the ride on the pig’s back – 284 –