be eyeball to eyeball • see eye to eye be eyeball to eyeball—1. sit opposite each other; be face to face: We’re eyeball to eyeball and I think the other fellow just blinked. 2. be in the state of defiant confrontation: Once again, it seems, Mr. Rumsfeld and the defense bureaucracy are eyeball to eyeball . see eye to eye—(often negat.) be of one mind; think alike: Unfortunately he didn’t see eye to eye with his parents and there were always arguments at home. be for sale • be on sale be for sale—(also: be up for sale) said of a house, car, etc. that an owner wants to sell: I wonder how he heard the house was for sale . be on sale—1. be available for buying in shops, etc.: Local delicacies, such as cheeses and wines, are on sale here at a very reasonable price. 2. be sold for a special low price: Tomato soup that is usually sold for sixty cents a can is now on sale for fifty cents. be full of beans • not have a bean be full of beans —(coll.) 1. be full of energy; be in high spirits: I had a good night’s sleep in a hotel and was feeling very full of beans . 2. (U.S. also: be full of prunes) exaggerate or talk nonsense: While I often think that you are full of beans I have to say that I agree with much of this. Note: The expression is not antonymous in meaning to the phrase not amount to a hill of beans—(coll.) be of little sig- nificance: What you learn at school doesn’t amount to a hill of beans compared with what you can find out for yourself out- doors. not have a bean—(coll.) have no money whatever: Lady Laura is always staying with people. She hasn’t got a bean , I gather. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase give someone beans—(coll.) scold or punish a person se- verely: He wanted to give me beans , but Florence wouldn’t let him. She said “Father you are not to touch him.” be full of something • have one’s fill of something be full of something—have a large amount of smth.: These brave emigrants were full of hope for a better future. have one’s fill of something—have had enough of smth. such as food: You never know if Charlie has had his fill of liquor. 2. have more of smth. than a person can tolerate: We, like all Americans, have had our fill of senseless crime. be gone on someone • have a go at someone be gone on someone—(coll.) be enamored of or in love with a person: He is very gone on girls , is always falling in and out of love. have a go at someone—(UK coll.) scold or criticize a person: Don’t have a go at me—it’s your fault we lost the contract. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase have a go at something—(coll.) try doing smth.: I de- cided to have a go at the first few assignments and see what happened. be good form • be in good form be good form—behave according to custom or etiquette: It is not considered good form to arrive too early at a dinner party. be in good form—1. (Sport) be in good condition of health and training: If a horse is in good form it is likely to win a race. 2. be in good spirits: On Sunday she was in good form and was doing housework. She wasn’t in a huff or anything… be green • be green around the gills be green—1. be inexperienced: During his speech, Obama praised Bennet while acknowledging he is a bit green in pol- itics…. 2. be environmentally friendly: These are also made with other recycled materials, so yes, they are very green in terms of helping the environment. be green around the gills —(coll.) 1. look indisposed or unwell: She was green around the gills for several days. I also had a similar experience about five years ago…. 2. look as though one is about to be sick: The poor guy gets motion sickness and is green around the gills as soon as they take off. be green-eyed • see green in someone’s eye be green-eyed —be jealous or envious: Collectors were green- eyed … they consoled themselves by saying the collection had cost too much. see green in someone’s eye—think a person to be credulous and inexperienced: Do you see any green in my eye ? Do you take me for a fool? be had • be had up be had —(coll.) be tricked or deceived: I apologize for being so forceful, but I’ve been had before; I don’t want others to share the experience if I can help. be had up —(coll.) cause a person to appear in court: I doubt if anybody thought about Chapman as a possible killer much before he was had up . be hanged • be hung be hanged—be put to death by hanging: Bentley’s appeal against his conviction was dismissed and he was hanged in Wandsworth prison. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase be left hanging—1. (of people) be kept waiting for a de- cision or answer: I was left hanging for three weeks before I got a call offering me the job. 2. (of a decision, answer, etc.) be de- layed or not dealt with: The result is an alienated monologue in which comments are left hanging without response. be hung —1. (of paintings) be exhibited in a gallery, etc.: The members of the Academy were granted the privilege of retouch- ing their pictures after they were hung . 2. (sl.) feel annoyed: Fred is hung and looking for somebody to take it out on. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase be well-hung—1. (of meat or game) hung long enough to mature: The grouse was well hung , and rare…. The meat had a clean taste set off by creamy avocado custard. 2. (in the phrase “one’s tongue is well hung”) one is able to speak with ease: Her tongue was well hung ; but she must answer the questions he asked, and say nothing more. 3. (coarse sl.) used of a man with large genitals: For a boy of fifteen he was well-hung with a good crop of sandy pubic hair. See also: be hung over / hang over. be hardly out of the shell • come out of one’s shell be hardly out of the shell— be too young and inexperienced: You are hardly out of the shell and already you have the temer- ity to question the authority of the Talmud! come out of one’s shell—(also: crawl out of one’s shell) become more sociable and outgoing: Under the soothing influence of coffee and tobacco, he came out of his shell . Cf.: go into one’s shell—(also: retire into one’s shell) become shy, quiet, or reserved: Every time the subject was raised, her son would go into his shell again. Note: The expression is not equivalent in meaning to the phrase come out of the closet—admit openly smth. previously kept secret because one is ashamed or embarrassed about it: She has decided to come out of the closet today and discuss her life as lesbian. be headstrong • have a strong head be headstrong—be self-willed and obstinate: George Eliot’s – 35 – be headstrong