have a taste for something • have a taste of some- thing have a taste for something—have a liking or preference for smth.: He had a taste for literature, and we got on together like one o’clock. Note: The expression is not equivalent in meaning to the phrase have a taste in something—have the ability to choose the best kind of smth.: He has a taste in clothes and tries to stand out from the crowd with his alternative styles. have a taste of something—1. eat or drink a small quantity of smth. in order to see what the flavor is like: Won’t you have a taste of this cake? 2. have a brief, usually unpleasant expe- rience of smth.: The child may already have had a taste of street life. have a thing about someone • have a thing with someone have a thing about someone—(coll.) 1. feel a strong attraction to smb.: That smile, that jawline. No wonder Jacquie had a thing about him. 2. harbor a prejudice or fear about a person: Connie’s got a “thing” about police. “Never trust a policeman” is her motto. have a thing with someone—(coll.) have a love affair with a person: “Are you sort of having a thing with Madalena?” “I’m interested in her,” he said. “But not sexually.” have a tiger by the tail • hold an eel by the tail have a tiger by the tail—(also: catch a tiger by the tail) engage in an undertaking which may prove extremely dangerous or difficult: Everybody seems to have their own opinion on how the concert will go: they have a tiger by the tail and are not sure themselves how to handle the huge crowd of fun seekers. hold an eel by the tail —(also: catch an eel by the tail) attempt to control an elusive person or situation: He imagined I was in his power at Augsburg; he thought he had me; but he was holding an eel by the tail . Note: Neither expression correlates in meaning with the phrase have the world by the tail— enjoy success and happiness: After all, the guy had the world by the tail —first class travel and first class hotels, money, glamour, beautiful women… have a time • have the time have a time —(coll.) 1. encounter some difficulty; have a hard time: He hoped that Lavinia wasn’t having a time with the twins, cooped inside on a damp afternoon. 2. enjoy oneself; have fun: “Do you like the seashore?” “Yes, I’m having quite a time .” have the time —1. (also: have time) have sufficient time to do smth.: I don’t see how you fellows have the time to monkey around here. 2. (coll., in the phrase “do you have the time?”) know the correct time of day: People who don’t wear watches will often ask those who do, “Pardon me, do you have the time ?” have a try at something • have a try for something have a try at something—attempt to do smth. unfamiliar: I don’t know whether I can mend the clock, but I’ll have a try at it. have a try for something—attempt to get or obtain smth.: You may not get the job, but at least you can have a try for it. have a use for something • have the use of some- thing have a use for something—find an application for which smth. can be used: I turned the material over to the radio- chemistry department, which seemed to have a use for it. Note: The expression is only partially antonymous in meaning to the phrase have no use for something—1. have no application for which smth. can be used: My husband suggested we get it and I thought I had no use for it. We had a computer already but it was older and didn’t have a modem. 2. dislike smth.; be averse to smth.: I had no use for meditation even though I’d never tried it. I associated it with “new-agers” who didn’t, in my opinion, have a clue about real life. have the use of something—be able or allowed to use smth.: Daddy was a pilot and so we had the use of all the small planes and flew everywhere … sometimes just on a Sunday for fun. have a voice • have voice have a voice—(also: have a say) have the right to express an opinion on a subject: The students should have a voice in determining the way in which universities should develop. have voice—1. have the physical ability to produce speech sounds: Many of the lower animals have voice , but none has the power of speech. 2. = have a voice: If we want people to be committed to successful completion of their obligations, then they must have voice in the choice of those commitments. Note: The expression is not equivalent in meaning to the phrase be in voice—be in proper vocal condition for singing or speaking: But now I shall sing to you, and you will forgive me. I am in voice tonight. have a way with someone • have one’s way with someone have a way with someone—have natural ability to deal well with smb.: I oughtn’t to blame you if Marion’s taken a shine to you. You must have a way with women. have one’s way with someone—1. impose one’s authority on a person: …they were pagans. And thus I had my way with them, and we set sail at once. 2. (euph.) make a person have sex: Although she struggled, she was no match for him and he had “had his way with her.” have a word with someone • have words with someone have a word with someone—have a short conversation with a person: The personnel manager said he wanted to have a word with me. Note: The expression is not equivalent in meaning to the phrase have a word in someone’s ear—give a brief message to a person in confidence: My employer, the cadi, wants to have a word in your ear . have words with someone—have a quarrel with smb.: Our cab arrived and the same man whom we had words with a few minutes earlier came out. have an affinity for something • have an affinity with something have an affinity for something—1. feel liking for smth.: Figure modeling may seem like an odd activity, but to those who have an affinity for art, figure modeling makes a world of sense. 2. (of a chemical substance) have a tendency to unite with another substance: Alcohol has a strong affinity for water, and is miscible with it in every proportion. have an affinity with something—1. = have an affinity for something 1: Some members of the community may have little affinity with fine art found in galleries, especially art that may be academic or conceptual. 2. (of animals, plants, etc.) have structural similarity: Balochi has a different historical back- ground and has no affinity with any Indian language. have an ear for music • have Van Gogh’s ear for music have an ear for music—have the ability to learn music: Eva Jane also has an ear for music . She played saxophone in her high school band in Florida. – 165 – have an ear for music