competitor will have to choose a free extract from an operetta, an opera bouffe or a musical. opera buffa—an Italian comic opera: For Falstaff, time does not exist, since he belongs to the opera buffa world of play and mock action. operating theater • theater of operations operating theater —a room for surgical operations: A brisk nurse told us he was going to the operating theater within minutes and not to disturb the patient. theater of operations—the scene of military operations: The theater of operations of an army embraces all the territory it may desire to invade and all that it may be necessary to defend. or what • or whatever or what—is used as a tag question to ask for confirmation, agreement, or an alternative: Do you want to go to the dance with me or what ? or whatever—or any other thing that might be mentioned: You might stay together for the kid’s sake, or maybe you can’t afford to leave or whatever . order book • orderly book order book—1. a book in which orders from customers are entered: The order book at the year-end was satisfactory, com- paring very favorably with the position at the end of 1983. 2. (UK) a paper supplied to members of the House of Commons that gives details of the day’s proceedings: A member is required to state the form of his motion on a previous day, and to have it entered in the Order Book . orderly book—(Military) a book kept at headquarters in which orders and instructions received from higher authorities are recorded: She made me a present of the orderly book of one of the French regiments. Order of St. Michael, the • Order of St. Michael and St. George, the Order of St. Michael, the—an old French military order instituted by Louis XI in 1469: King Louis XI founded the Order of St. Michael as a demonstration of his power and eminence in France. Order of St. Michael and St. George, the—an English civil order of knighthood instituted in 1818: He was made Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George in 1960. other side of the coin, the • other side of the hill, the other side of the coin, the—(also: other side of the shield, the) a less obvious aspect of a situation showing the disadvantages: He thought it might present an opportunity to put across the other side of the coin . other side of the hill, the—1. an aspect of a situation which is hidden and unknown: I wish to express my gratitude to the director of the flying bomb sites for allowing me a glimpse of the “other side of the hill .” 2. used with reference to the latter part of one’s life: I had to go through a lot of raillery about how old I was getting and what it was like on the other side of the hill . Note: Neither expression correlates in meaning with the phrase other side, the—the world beyond the grave (as inhabited by the spirits): Are they still obese on the other side ? I’d like to ask next time you have a séance. See also: another kettle of fish / another turn of the screw. out and about • up and about out and about—1. moving about to different places: “Did you spend much time at your hotel?” “No we did not. Most of the time we were out and about .” 2. well enough to go out (after an illness): When you’re out and about again, you must come and visit us. up and about—1. = out and about 2: “Hunter is completely better,” he said. “He’s up and about again.” 2. out of bed; moving about: She was up and about , brisk as a bee, before sunrise every morning. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase up about something—(coll.) enthusiastic or excited about smth.: He was very up about his job (in the CBS studio mail- room) and people in general. out and away • out and out out and away—1. definitely; unquestionably: He was out and away the most brilliant student in the class. 2. far away: There are days when everyone else in the house is out and away and she writes a melancholy note on loneliness. out and out—1. absolute; unqualified: We are not among the out-and-out admirers of the political opinions of this school. 2. (parenthetical) definitely; unquestionably: She is the cleverest woman I know, out and out . 3. = out and away 1: She is out and out the prettiest girl in the station. Note: The expression is not antonymous in meaning to the phrase in and in—1. sharing or identifying fully with a person: I am bound in and in with my forbears. We are all nobly born; fortunate those who know it. 2. used with reference to marriages with near relatives in successive generations: The marrying in and in of the same family tends constantly to weakness or idiocy in the children. out cold • out in the cold out cold—(coll.) 1. unconscious: He was still out cold but he began coming round just before the ambulance got there. 2. alcohol intoxicated: I was wondering how much more drink it would take before he was out cold . out in the cold —destitute; abandoned: The result would be a bigger dividend for the rest of the shareholders with the poor out in the cold as before. out front • up front out front—1. in the forefront; in the lead: The advertising campaign put them out front in sales. 2. (Theater) in front of the stage; among the spectators: There is no difference for Fal- staff between those on stage and those out front . up front—(of payments) made initially: “How much cash did you have in mind?” “Five thousand, up front .” “I beg your pardon?” “In advance.” out in left field • out in the field out in left field—(also: way out in left field) 1. (of a person) unusual and eccentric or out of contact with reality: Sally is a lot of fun, but she’s sort of out in left field . 2. (of an idea, answer, etc.) mistaken, strange and illogical: What he said was totally out in left field . He has no idea what we were talking about. out in the field —on the warpath; ready for a fight or quarrel: I should keep away from there; her father is out in the field looking for trouble. out in the blue • out of the blue out in the blue —1. out in the sea or ocean: Scorpionfish can be found around the deeper coral blocks. With a little luck you can see Mantas cruising out in the blue . 2. (RAF, WWII) isolated in the desert, specifically in North Africa: Although “out in the blue ” in Bengal, RAF Digri was a well established heavy bomber base. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase up in the blue—aboard an aircraft; in flight: If only you could know how happy I am when I fly a plane! I never feel so completely close to God as when I’m up in the blue . operating theater – 258 –