and cannot be put up . 4. pack smth.: She put up a parcel for her daughter who was away at college. 5. offer opposition: They were looking for an excuse to stop fighting, because nei- ther one of them put up an argument. 6. offer smth. for sale: After grandmother’s death, the furniture was put up for sale. 7. = lay something up 2: We had to put the car up for the win- ter, it was not fit to drive in snow. Note: The expression does not fully correlate in meaning with the phrase set something up1. = put something up 1: Does any of you know how to set up a tent? 2. establish an organi- zation: A special committee has been set up to examine the details of the suggestion. 3. (Sport) reach a new record: The young swimmer has set up a new fast time for the backstroke. 4. place drinks or glasses ready: Will you set up the drinks while I look after the food? 5. cause pain or infection: This wet weather sets up the ache in my old wound. 6. produce a loud noise: The crowd set up a shout as the winner neared the post. lay-by (UK) • lay-by (U.S.) lay-by (UK)—1. a roadside parking or rest area for drivers: The holidaymakers had stopped in a lay-by at Oban and Miss Coldrick thinks she left the camera on the car boot. 2. an agreement to purchase goods by paying for them by install- ments: When making a lay-by you should receive from the trader a copy of the written contract. lay-by (U.S.)—the final operation in the growing of a field crop leaving it to mature without further cultivation: The amount of potassium required may be split between the plant- ing and lay-by application. lead a cat and dog life • lead a dog’s life lead a cat and dog life —(of two people) engage in constant quarreling (also: live a cat and dog life): They have led a cat- and-dog life almost since the day they were married. lead a dog’s life—(also: live a dog’s life) lead a wretched unpleasant existence: Poor woman! She’s led a dog’s life since she married that man. lead someone a dance • lead the dance lead someone a dance—cause a person much exertion or trou- ble with no adequate result: The prettiest of all the girls was the schoolie, and didn’t she lead the lads a dance . lead the dance—take the lead in a course of action: There is still a very subtle struggle for control. Who will lead the dance and who will follow? lead someone in a string • string someone along lead someone in a string—have complete control over another person: It is a sad condition for one who ruled womankind as he, that a woman should lead him in a string . string someone along—(coll.) deliberately mislead a person into believing or doing smth.: He’ll never marry her, he’s just stringing her along ! Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase string along with someone—(coll.) 1. accompany a per- son (especially one with more experience): Sally seemed to know where she was going, so I decided to string along with her. 2. maintain a relationship even if without much enthusiasm: She had been much younger than the crowd which had grown up with Minnie, but she had strung along with them. lead to something • lead up to something lead to something —1. (of a road, etc.) provide a way for smb. to reach a place: She hurried across the square to the street which led to the bridge. 2. be the cause of smth.; result in smth.: “Accident proneness” implies the possession of those qualities which lead to an undue number of accidents. lead up to something—1. (of a road, etc.) take smb. as far as a place: From here you can follow a steep track that leads up to the top of the hill. 2. come before an event: In the months leading up to the great ceremony, many people took part in the preparations. 3. prepare to introduce a subject: Be careful how you lead up to mentioning a possible rise with your employer. leader of an orchestra (UK) • leader of an orchestra (U.S.) leader of an orchestra (UK)—the senior violinist who acts as an assistant to the conductor: Where does the leader of an or - chestra normally sit—to the left or the right of the conductor? leader of an orchestra (U.S.)—the conductor: People notice the leader of an orchestra but often forget the importance of the section heads. leading man • man of light and leading leading man—(also: main man) 1. a person that guides, directs, or leads: The leading man in charge of this search had signaled his intention to resign. 2. an actor who plays the lead- ing role: Mario was a character actor, but … he suddenly became a leading man in numerous action pictures. man of light and leading —(usually pl.) a person of intellec- tual, moral, or spiritual authority: When a monarch visits the Court of another nation, men of “light and leading ” are usu- ally invited as guests to meet him. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase Old Light men—(hist., also: Old Lights) religious tra- ditionalists who believed the new religious movement (New Lights) threatened established religion: There is thus a duality of political outlook among the Presbyterians, with the tide tending to run in favour of the Old Light men . lean on something • lean towards something lean on something—depend on smth.; rely on smth. for sup- port: Christianity may lean on the civil and ecclesiastical power. lean towards something—have a tendency to act in a partic- ular way; tend to some quality or condition: Do some oriental philosophies lean towards fatalism? leap in the dark • shot in the dark leap in the dark—a hazardous action of which one cannot foresee the consequences: Who’d marry if he was afraid he’d regret it later? What is life, old boy, but a leap in the dark ? shot in the dark—a wild guess or try made at random: The suggested solution was just a shot in the dark , but it turned out to be correct. leave alone • leave well alone leave alone—(also: let alone) not to mention; not counting: We shall never get six of us in the car, leave alone bags and boxes. leave well alone—(also: leave well enough alone) make no change to smth. that is satisfactory (in case one makes things worse): It’s a great deal of trouble and unnecessary expense. Why can’t you leave well alone ? leave it to someone • leave someone to it leave it to someone—let another person deal with a matter: The professionals all take a greater share of responsibility if a project is to be a success instead of leaving it to the “jack of all trades”—the project engineer. leave someone to it—leave a person alone to proceed with smth. without interfering with his work: He is professional enough to know what needs doing so I just left him to it . leave someone a clear field • leave someone the field leave someone a clear field—give a person a free hand; abstain from interference: And I’ve never written yet—that is, never lay-by – 214 –