tion (also: raise the dust): No real building can come out of revolutions which make a dust and a mess and bitterness and reaction. make the dust fly —(coll.) start working with the utmost vigor or energy (also: make the feathers fly): We turned them loose on the work, and they made the dust fly . make a face • make face make a face —1. show one’s dislike or disgust by one’s facial expression: Every time I mentioned taking a swim in the lake Jack made a face . 2. sketch, draw, or model a face: After you’ve played with the controls a bit, and you’ve made a face that you’re happy with, type in a name for the face. make face—(arch.) offer resistance: Bonaparte was yet in strength to make face against the united armies of the remain- der of Europe. See also: do faces / make faces. make a fortune • make one’s fortune make a fortune—make a lot of money: I exploited these unhappy natives to make a fortune for myself. We colonialists thought only of private gain. make one’s fortune—attain a comfortable position in life: Exiled to Canada where he made his fortune , he lost touch with his three sisters. Cf.: seek one’s fortune—try to attain per- sonal and financial success: Anderson made the decision to go West and seek his fortune in California. make a joke about something • make a joke of something make a joke about something—tell ridiculous things about smth. so as to cause fun: Adam is able to make good jokes about Cambridge. make a joke of something—1. turn smth. into a joke: “Oh, it’s you, Mr. Wormold. I was just thinking of you. Talk of the devil,” he said, making a joke of it. 2. treat smth. lightly or as a joke: She could have panicked, but instead she made a joke of the whole thing. make a kill • make a killing make a kill —(of an animal) perform an act of killing: Male lions are rather reticent about expending their energy in hunting—more than three-quarters of kills are made by lionesses. make a killing —(coll.) win or earn suddenly a large sum of money; make an enormous profit: The company made a killing from the sale of its subsidiary. make a life for oneself • make a living for oneself make a life for oneself —construct a good, decent life for one- self (having a job, home, etc.): I don’t feel an affinity to any one place and am willing to move to almost anywhere in order to make a life for myself . make a living for oneself—earn enough to support oneself: It was a time when a man with sufficient talent and extraor- dinary energy could reasonably hope to make a living for him - self as a freelance writer. See also: get a life / get life. make a mark in something • make the grade in something make a mark in something—(also: make one’s mark in some- thing) leave a lasting impression; make oneself well-known in a certain field: The photographs of community members who made a mark in their area of activity adorn the walls. make the grade —do acceptable work; reach the proper stan- dard: The country still has a long way to go before it will make the grade in areas like freedom of expression and women’s rights. make a meal from something • make a meal of something make a meal from something—prepare a meal using certain ingredients: The men made a meal from bread and the meat that had been cooked the night before. make a meal of something—1. create a meal of smth., espe- cially with the implication that one wouldn’t expect it to be a complete or regular meal: You can make a meal of salad on days when you want to keep your diet light. 2. (coll.) ex- aggerate the importance of an event or situation: Predicta- bly, anti-biotech groups have made a meal of this mis- hap, blaming inadequate government regulation. 3. (coll.) put more time and effort into smth. than it really needs: John really made a meal of sorting out his desk. It took him all day… make a monkey of someone • monkey someone make a monkey of someone—(U.S. sl.) mock a person; cause smb. to look ridiculous (also: make a monkey out of someone): At the thought of George Zen laughed outright. She had made a monkey of him, and he deserved all he had got. monkey someone—imitate smb.’s manner or style: Speaking about original bands (meaning not monkeying others), I was surprised how many bands stay firmly in their genre, adding nothing original. See also: go ape over someone / play the sedulous ape to some- one. make a move • make one’s move make a move—1. move from a stationary position: The rob- ber said that if any of us made a move he would shoot. 2. leave the place: We’d better make a move now, or we’ll be here all night. 3. change one’s place of sojourn: The first holiday- seekers are making a move to the seaside. 4. begin to act: Unless we make a move soon, we shall be in a hopelessly weak position. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase make a movement—1. move in a specific manner: Mrs. Morgan made a movement of protest but Francis looked to Teversham for support. 2. (Military) make a planned change in position: The regiment needed a good night’s sleep because the plan was to make a movement at dawn. make one’s move—1. have a turn in a game: After he made his move , Capablanca would beg Mrs. Lasker not to worry, because in his opinion her husband had the better position. 2. = make a move 4: Vehicle makers are pondering a number of legal issues which must be addressed before they make their move . make a move on someone • move in on someone make a move on someone—1. move towards a person in a threatening way: He fell dead on the floor, clutching a knife in his hand, cut down before he made a move on the man who has challenged his dignity. 2. (coll.) approach a woman in the hope of establishing a romantic relationship (also: put the moves on someone): As soon as Ellen left the room, her boyfriend made a move on me. 3. (coll.) act in hostility against a person: Fortunately he had three high ranking uncles, the Piccolo brothers, which would deter anyone from making a move on him. move in on someone—1. come closer to or surround a person (preparing to attack): The police are moving in on the crim- inals hiding in the house. 2. take up residence with smb., espe- cially so as to inconvenience the person: My brother’s friend moved in on us without us even asking him. 3. = make a move make a face – 228 –