thinner when posing for a picture, etc.): Their first apartment was so small, you had to stand flat againt the wall in the hall- way and suck it in for anyone to pass you. suck up to someone—(coll., especially among children) try to gain the favor of a person by flattery, etc.: He was very talkative … in the old schoolboy phrase, he was plainly “sucking up” to me. suffer from a cold • suffer from the cold suffer from a cold—have a viral infection of the nose, throat, and bronchial tubes: She has been suffering from a cold and headache for weeks and has thought of applying for a one- day sick leave. suffer from the cold—(also: suffer from cold) endure the effects of low external temperatures: They suffered from cold and from want of clothing. For a time they had to feed on porridge made of beech leaves… sugar daddy • sweet man sugar daddy—(sl.) an older man who gives expensive gifts to a young woman in return for sexual favors or companion- ship: Bill was having an affair with Sue Ellen, who happened to count on Marshall as her sugar daddy . sweet man —(sl.) a man who is fond of the society of women: Eddoes was a real “saga-boy.” It meant that he was a “sweet- man ,” a man of leisure, well-dressed, and keen on women. suggestion about something • suggestion of something suggestion about something—an idea proposed with respect to smth.: If you have a suggestion about how we can improve our service, we would like to know about it. suggestion of something—1. an indication of the presence or possibility of smth.: The word, though not uncommon even colloquially, has often a suggestion of archaism. 2. = suggestion about something: The book offers a suggestion of how existing strategic concepts can be adapted to the new world. susceptible of something • susceptible to something susceptible of something —capable or permitting of smth.: It is unfortunate that Borlase did not express himself more clearly, for his language is susceptible of two interpretations. susceptible to something—easily affected or influenced by smth.: There is one major flaw in Timon’s character. That is, he is very susceptible to flattery. swallow the Bible • swallow the dictionary swallow the Bible —(U.S. coll.) perjure oneself (with reference to swearing on the Bible in a court of law): They will stick together, stretch conscience and at times “swallow the Bible .” swallow the dictionary —(coll.) use long or difficult words (used showing disapproval): Have you swallowed a dictionary ? We shall have to sack this fellow if he gets to talk English too well. swear against someone • swear at someone swear against someone—(legal) swear a charge against a per- son: No one endeavored to make him swear against the pris- oner. swear at someone—use profane language toward a person: All the drivers were swearing at each other at the top of their voices. swear at something • swear on something swear at something—curse smth.: The accident was holding up traffic heading for a major football event, and he could hear people swearing at the delay. swear on something—1. (also: swear by something ) call smth. held holy as witness to the truth of what one says: I swear on my soul that this really happened. 2. (also: swear to something ) have great confidence in the value of smth. (often negat.): I can’t swear on the quality for all of his models, but this one was really decent for the price. swear on a stack of Bibles • swear on the Bible swear on a stack of Bibles—promise solemnly that what one says is true: Your telephone company will swear on a stack of Bibles that nothing will disrupt service to you, the valued cus- tomer. swear on the Bible—1. place one’s hand on the Bible in a court of law pledging to tell the truth: A court officer will ask you to swear on the Bible or promise to tell the truth. 2. = swear on a stack of Bibles: There are probably a lot of people that think I’m lying, and I swear on the Bible that this story is true. sweat it out • sweat one’s guts out sweat it out—(sl.) endure smth. unpleasant till it ends; await smth. anxiously: Mr. Khrushchev is just sweating it out for an announcement of a manned flight in orbit. Cf.: don’t sweat it—(U.S. sl.) don’t worry about it: Joe Trippi suggests the best solution: don’t sweat it . Just do what needs to be done now in order to win. sweat one’s guts out—(sl.) work very hard indeed: Here I’ve been sweating my guts out all afternoon, and hardly anything to show for it! sweep clear for something • sweep clear of something sweep clear for something—make room for smth.: Chances are, important items will go missing when the table is swept clear for dinner. Instead, decide what to do with each piece of paper… sweep clear of something —(also: steer clear of something ) stay away from smth.; avoid smth.: We jump in and pull out only a few strokes, and sweep clear of the dangerous rock. The other boats follow in the same manner. See also: make a clean sweep of something / sweep something clean. sweet and sour meat • sweet meat sweet and sour meat—meat cooked with sugar and vinegar or lemon juice: The sweet-and-sour meat appeared to have more than its fair share of fat and gristle. sweet meat—an article of confectionery; a fruit preserved with sugar: This is a kind of sweet meat made of a soft marsh- mallow jelly coated with pink sugar and powdered with cocoanut chips. sweet as a nut • sweet as pie sweet as a nut—1. (coll.) said of smth. very tasty: The cab- bage itself when it is taken out of the leaves is as white as milk, and as sweet as a nut if eaten raw. 2. (UK sl.) quite satisfactory; perfectly OK (used as a general term of approval): I treated it [car] to a full service including plugs, air filter, cambelt change and it’s as sweet as a nut . sweet as pie —(coll., of people or animals) kind and friendly: I first must give my love to Antonette, she arranged all of the wedding details and she is as sweet as pie . Note: The expression is not equivalent in meaning to the phrase sweet as honey— very pleasant in speech or behavior, with the implication of insincerity: She’s the kind of woman who’ll be sweet as honey to your face and as malicious as hell behind your back. sweeten the pill • sweeten the pot sweeten the pill—(also: sugar the pill) make smth. bad seem suffer from a cold – 310 –