A judge who belongs to a club that excludes women may have difficulty ruling on cases of sex discrimination. below someone • beneath someone below someone—in a lower rank or station than another per- son: They have the right of censure that allows them to remove any officer below Colonel from command. Note: The expression is not equivalent in meaning to the phrase under someone—subordinated to or commanded by a person: You are under San Diego but any reports you make go direct to Graz. beneath someone—said of smth. too rude, coarse, or inap- propriate for a person to do: That kind of thing is beneath Fred . I am appalled that he did it. below the weather • under the weather below the weather—(Aviation) said of weather conditions at ground level: The pilot had flown the aircraft down in an at- tempt to remain below the weather . Cf.: above the weather— (also: over the weather) above the range of weather conditions at ground level: As our engines were designed to operate at low level there was no possibility of flying above the weather . under the weather—1. (coll.) feeling sad or not quite well: Brandeis, who was under the weather , was happier to be en- tertained than to entertain. 2. (sl., euph.) alcohol intoxicated; suffering from a hangover: Well, I see Daddy’s under the weather again. bench warmer • chair warmer bench warmer —(coll.) a substitute in a sports team who sel- dom plays: He thought about leaving after the 1994 season, his third straight year as a bench-warmer . chair warmer —(coll.) 1. (derog.) an ineffective office holder or employee: The judge frowned at me. The courtroom chair warmers craned necks in my direction. 2. (pejor.) a person who lounges for long periods sitting in a chair: He never takes me out anywhere. He’s a chair-warmer at home for fair. See also: keep the seat warm / warm the bench. bend the ear of someone • bend the ear to some- one bend the ear of someone—(coll.) talk to a person at length in a boring and bothering way: Humphrey bent the ear of Charles Murphy for nearly two hours. bend the ear to someone—give favorable attention to smb.: You can guarantee that the Administration will consistently bend the ear to its financial backers. bent out of shape • out of shape bent out of shape —(sl.) upset, worried or angry: Jane is bent out of shape because she wanted to go to the zoo, but no one would take her. out of shape —(of an athlete) not well trained; in bad physical form: I also was out of shape , and quickly became out of breath. beside oneself • out of oneself beside oneself —overpowered with some strong emotion (also: beyond oneself ): Toscanelli was beside himself with joy at find- ing his belief had proved true. out of oneself —1. out of one’s normal mental condition: She seemed out of herself , like her spirit had been sunk with that ship half a world away. 2. = beside oneself: I was out of myself with emotions. How can you call 911 for an emergency and be put on hold? Note: Neither expression correlates in meaning with the phrase above oneself— used of smb. who is self-important, thinking too highly of himself: She really is above herself and forgets that she is in her position because the public thinks she is “one of them.” beside the question • beyond question beside the question—not relevant to the subject under dis- cussion: What you are saying may be true, but in this case it is completely beside the question . beyond question—1. not subject to doubt or dispute: He may be a little careless in his work, but his loyalty to the com- pany is beyond question . 2. unquestionably; without doubt: I’ve read other books on the Incas and this one is beyond ques - tion the best single volume on this topic. best boy • best man best boy —1. (coll.) one’s favorite friend: “I was his best boy ,” Auguste told The Sunday Age. “I miss him dreadfully as a companion.” 2. (Film or TV production) assistant to the chief electrician: The gaffer’s assistant answers to the amusing title of best boy ! best man —the groom’s aide at a wedding: Who will be your best man when you get married? Note: Neither expression correlates in meaning with the phrase best people— people of high social standing: There are other hotels, but I couldn’t tell you much about them: they’re not patronized by the best people . best of British luck, the • luck of the Irish, the best of British luck, the—(often shortened to “best of British”) 1. is used to wish a person very good luck: Let me wish you the best of British luck . We know how testing the competition will be. 2. is used ironically, implying that the required luck may not materialize: The chances of them winning are, let’s be honest, slim, but we wish them the best of British luck . luck of the Irish, the—1. = best of British luck, the 1: I have stumbled across this journal and your adventure and wish you the luck of the Irish in your pursuit. 2. extreme good luck or fortune: Maybe it was the luck of the Irish that saved McFad- den on that freezing December day. bet on the wrong horse • put the saddle on the wrong horse bet on the wrong horse—(also: back the wrong horse) base one’s plans, etc. on a wrong guess about smth.: To count on the family farm as an important thing in the American future looks like betting on the wrong horse . put the saddle on the wrong horse—(also: get the wrong pig by the tail) lay the blame on the wrong person: Blaming the teacher for the lazy student’s academic failure is putting the saddle on the wrong horse . between a rock and a hard place • between wind and water between a rock and a hard place—facing equally bad or un- desirable alternatives: His client was between a rock and a hard place —actually the state of New York and his landlord. between wind and water —said of the most vulnerable part: Mallinson must have guessed what was coming. Nevertheless, it hit him between wind and water . between dog and wolf • between hawk and buzzard between dog and wolf —is used of the time of twilight: The thought of dinner … drove out the eeriness of the twilight glen. The hour between dog and wolf was passing. between hawk and buzzard—1. facing equally bad or unde- sirable alternatives: “We are between hawk and buzzard ,” said Livingston; “we puzzle ourselves between the warlike and the commercial opposition.” 2. = between dog and wolf: It’s be - tween hawk and buzzard when at long last Elias and me set off home. I know Mama won’t be happy with us. Note: Neither expression correlates in meaning with the phrase – 47 – between dog and wolf