coffin nail • nail in the coffin coffin nail—1. smth. (in a sequence of events) that tends to do serious harm: Every time they buy products made in other countries they are driving another coffin nail into America’s economy. 2. (sl.) a cigarette: Our joking doesn’t seem very funny any more, because for many thousands, cigarettes really do become coffin nails . nail in the coffin— = coffin nail 1: The vote is another nail in the coffin of the one-party system which the country has now largely renounced. coin box • money box coin box —(UK) a public telephone: Annie called him from a coin box using a two-pence piece that had been given her. money box —1. a small box with an opening into which coins are dropped as a way of saving money: A shilling went into the child’s money-box that she had chosen as a safe deposit. 2. a strongbox for holding cash: Count the money in the money box , write the amount down and compare with the expected amount. coin laundry • money laundry coin laundry—(U.S.) a self-service laundry with coin-op- erated washing machines: If you need to use a coin laundry , be sure to sort everything at home before you go. money laundry —a facility (such as a bank, etc.) engaged in transactions aimed at concealing the identity of illegally ob- tained money: I figured it was a money laundry , probably for drug money, but I was mistaken. cold as hell • cold winter in hell cold as hell —(coll.) said of an extremely low ambient tem- perature: Where’s my jacket? It’s cold as hell outside. cold winter in hell—said of smth. not likely to happen or happening on a very rare occasion: It’ll be a cold winter in hell before I ever go back there again. cold as stone • stone cold cold as stone—(also: cold as a stone) 1. very cold to the touch: Laura reached for Paul’s hand but when she laced her fingers in his, Paul’s hand was cold as stone . 2. (of a person) not much moved by emotions: He was all sweet and kind to me but I remained cold as a stone ! “You take pleasure in tormenting me,” he said… Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase cold as a wagon tire—(U.S. dated sl.) dead: The first time she saw a man lying cold as a wagon tire wasn’t the day she first stepped into battle, which was a good thing. stone cold—1. said of cold tea, coffee, etc. that is expected to be warm: He used to talk so much that his food was usually stone cold before he finished it. 2. = cold as stone 1: The only observation I was left to ponder was how I could sweat so pro- fusely while my hands were stone cold . cold cash • hot money cold cash—(also: cold hard cash) money in its proper form, as distinguished from checks, etc.: A Chinese buyer walked into his atelier and paid cold cash for a monumental statue (which can go for up to a million dollars). Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase cool million—(coll.) a million dollars considered as an asset or a lump sum: You can bet he isn’t short on cash now. Each cast member earned a cool million bucks every time an- other episode of the hit TV show was shot. hot money—money that is moved by its owner quickly from one form of investment to another: Hot money is flowing into Kenya as the country emerges as the latest target for interna- tional fund managers looking for high returns. cold fish • cool fish cold fish—a callous, unfeeling individual; one who shows no emotion: He is a real cold fish , never has struck me as the kind of man to care much for others. cool fish —(sl., also: cool card) a person who is impudent in a calm way: Another sense referred to somebody who was as- sured, audacious or impudent. This turned up in phrases like a cool fish … cold for someone • cold to someone cold for someone—is used of smth. not warm enough for a person: The water was too cold for me, and I decided not to bathe that day. cold to someone—(also: cold with someone) said of smb. who is not kind or friendly to a person: He was cold to his son that morning. college board • college boards college board—1. the governing body in a college: College board members are encouraged to consult with the School Boards Association when specific questions arise. 2. (U.S.) an organization that provides tests and other educational services for colleges: For the majority of colleges, you’ll have to take tests issued by the College Board . college boards —a set of examinations given to test a student’s readiness for college: My father had a perfect math score on his college boards , the highest in the country. collision course • crash course collision course—1. a course, as of moving vehicles, that will end in a collision if left unchanged: Because of the density of the fog, the deck officers did not realize that the ships were now on a collision course . 2. confrontation between opposing groups, etc. that may end in conflict: All attempts at diplo- macy have broken down and the two states now appear to be on a collision course . crash course —a short intensive course in which one is taught the most important facts and skills: Well, the powers that be stipulate that all teachers be computer literate. So I took a crash course in computers… color man • man of color color man—1. a dealer in paints: By the early 1770s … the head colorman , Constantine Smith, had invented a dark, semi-matt, over-glaze blue enamel of exceptional brilliance. 2. smb. who colors maps, prints, etc.: A Map of the Mediter- ranean … is remarkable for the fact that the color man has forgotten the alteration of the frontiers of Greece. 3. (TV) a broadcaster who adds background information to commen- tary: While he was a fantastic wrestler, his brief stint as a color man seemed misguided. man of color—(also: colored man) a person who belongs to a race of people who do not have white skin: The man of color in every French territory had to say “yes” or “no” to a contin- ued relationship within the French community. color vision • colored vision color vision—perception of and ability to distinguish colors: As soon as the results of experiments on the retinae of animals were published, it was clear that a method was wanted for ob- taining similar information with regard to the color vision of man. colored vision—a disturbance of vision (sometimes caused by drugs) in which objects appear to have the wrong color: Disturbed vision (double vision, colored vision ) and tempo- rary loss of hearing has been reported. come a long way • go a long way come a long way—make great progress; significantly improve – 75 – come a long way