boil down • boil up boil down —be reduced by boiling: These plums are heaped up in the pan, but they will boil down . boil up —(of a quarrel, crisis, etc.) develop; be about to occur: A dispute is boiling up over who should be the first to greet our royal visitors. boil something down • boil something up boil something down —(coll.) state smth. briefly; summarize smth.: I have tried to state briefly, to boil down , the most im- portant area of conflict. boil something up—1. boil or wash clothes: There was a grand jungle by a small, clean river where they boiled up their verminous clothes. 2. make tea: In modern India, tea is usually boiled up very strong with milk and lots of sugar. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase bring something to the boil— cause smth. such as a prob- lem to reach an urgent state: Issues concerning the intellectual property rights have been simmering since the 1990s. Devel- opments in communications technology have brought these issues to the boil . Cf.: go off the boil—(coll.) cease to be active or interesting: The housing issue has gone off the boil recently, despite attempts to revive public interest. bold as a lion • bold as an Essex lion bold as a lion —very brave and daring, especially in times of danger: He might have behaved timidly in life; in the book he would be bold as a lion . bold as an Essex lion—(UK ironic) said of a very meek per- son: Oh! yes, he is as bold as an Essex lion , especially when there is no danger about. Note: Neither expression correlates in meaning with the phrase bold as brass—used of a shameless, impudent person: He came into my office as bold as brass and told me they would stop work if they didn’t get any more money. bon mot • good word bon mot—(Fr.) is used to refer to a clever, often biting, joke or witticism: “The luxuries of the mansion have been transferred to the hovel,” he laughed, pleased with his bon mot . good word—favorable opinion about a person as conveyed to his potential employer, etc.: I beg you to say a good word for me to your father. He regards me, I believe, as a very light fellow… bona fide • bona fides bona fide—(used as an adjective or adverb) 1. genuine; cer- tified: The ticket for these activities is issued only to bona fide students who can present their college identity card. 2. sin- cerely; in good faith: An advocate is protected from an action for defamation only when the words he utters are spoken bona fide . bona fides —(used as a noun) 1. an honest intention; sincerity: Bona Fides is therefore opposed to fraud, and is a necessary ingredient in contracts. 2. (documentary) evidence of good faith: All strangers whose bona fides are not completely verified must be immediately reported to your superior officer. boob tube (UK) • boob tube (U.S.) boob tube (UK)—a woman’s strapless top that wraps the upper body (not reaching higher than the armpits): It was freezing … but at least I wasn’t wearing a boob tube and miniskirt like one poor girl. boob tube (U.S. sl.)—television: Parents complain about the quality of the shows but don’t prevent their children from glu- ing themselves to the boob tube . book agent • booking agent book agent—(U.S.) a person who promotes the sale of books: They may both be glad to invoke the aid of the despised book agent , who carries literature from door to door. booking agent—an official selling advance tickets at a railway station, etc.: When booking tickets with any one of the air- lines, reference the appropriate file number to the booking agent to receive the discount. book-holder • book-keeper book-holder —(dated) a theatrical prompter: Bentley supplies evidence for the existence of a functionary called the “prompter” or “book-holder ” from about 1615 on. There is little evidence about his precise duties. book-keeper —a person who keeps accounts of a business, public office, etc.: The telegram contained the offer of a job, that of a book-keeper on a sheep run east of Broken Hill. Book of Psalms, the • psalm-book Book of Psalms, the—the book of the Old Testament con- taining the Psalms: The Book of Psalms contains the produc- tions of different writers. These are called however the Psalms of David, because a great part of them were composed by him. psalm-book —a book containing the Psalms, especially with metrical settings arranged for use in public worship: See this bundle of ballads…. I wheedled an old woman out of these, who loved them better than her psalm-book . book of words • word-book book of words —(coll.) printed instructions (not necessarily in a book form): I can’t quite see how to put this thing to- gether. Where’s the book of words ? word-book—1. a list of words with meanings, etc.: It would, however, seem almost necessary to emphasize that this Word- Book is not a dictionary of school slang. 2. libretto of a musical composition: Besides translating many foreign libretti, Chor- ley wrote the original word-books of one version of the “Amber Witch.” book someone in • bring someone to book book someone in—1. (also: sign someone in) record the en- trance of an employee, the name of a guest on arrival at a hotel, etc.: I’ll just book you in and then you can have a rest. 2. make an entry of a person’s name, etc. in a police register following detention: If you are taken into police custody, you will be booked in by the duty police officer. Note: The expression is not equivalent in meaning to the phrase book someone—(Police) charge a person with a legal offence: He was booked for speeding and driving without a licence. bring someone to book—call smb. to account; make a person responsible for doing smth. wrong: They must have had pow- erful supporters, for little attempt seems to have been made to bring them to book . bookman • handbook man bookman—smb. who is interested in and knowledgeable about books: Bryant was a real bookman , not just someone who liked books, but someone with a passion for books. handbook man —a bookmaker: Bartenders, handbook men and habitués of dope-staches could be paraded by the dead unknown in the morgue. Books of Kings, the • books of the Four Kings, the Books of Kings, the—certain books of the Old Testament which contain the history of the Kings of Israel: The Books of Chronicles … so called as containing particulars omitted in the Books of Kings . books of the Four Kings, the —(arch.) a pack of playing cards boil down – 54 –