clever with something —skilful in using a tool, etc.: She was a beader: she was that clever with her fingers she could do all kinds of things. climacteric period • climactic period climacteric period —1. the period of menopause in women: Psychological and social conditions influenced the presence of depression during the climacteric period . 2. a period of deci- sive importance: Barnes rendered specially valuable service in behalf of the Union during the climacteric period of the Civil War. climactic period —a period of greatest intensity in a series of events: The climactic period in the dinosaurs’ reign was reached just before the ice age. climb up the wall • go over the wall climb up the wall—(coll.) become very angry or distraught: Old Marks will climb up the wall if he hears I closed early. go over the wall—1. leave a religious order: The world is al- ways more interested in the one nun who goes over the wall than the thousands who don’t. 2. escape from prison: Us guys pull wires to get jobs as guards, and you convicts go over the wall whenever you can. 3. defect to another country: The bloody place [the Foreign Office] has never been the same since Kim Philby went over the wall . 4. go to prison: He would be observed “going over the wall ” or “going to stir” (going to detention prison). clip one’s words • clip the King’s English clip one’s words—speak with affected clarity or precise ar- ticulation: Although he was usually fairly easy to understand, he had a habit of clipping his words so that they sounded ex- tremely precise. clip the King’s English—(UK dated) pronounce words hur- riedly and indistinctly when drunk (also: clip the Queen’s En- glish): I only drink to get mauled but it’s rare to find me clip - ping the King’s English in these places. clip someone’s wings • give someone wings clip someone’s wings—restrain a person; restrict the scope of smb.’s activities: He could not succeed in clipping the wings of his restless neighbor. give someone wings—provide inspiration to a person: I love his belief in me. He has given me wings and convinced me I can do all things. clock someone • clock someone in clock someone—1. measure the time a person takes doing smth.: I doubt anyone will clock you on it. But if you’re selling your game you will be present at the booth a part of the day to promote it. 2. (Traffic Police) measure the speed of a passing car using radar gun (in order to detect speedsters): Stay out of this city if possible … the police will clock you for going 5 miles over the speed limit. 3. (U.S. sl.) hit a person: The guy behind me clocked me in the back of the head right as the ball hit my palm and I dropped it. clock someone in—record smb.’s arrival for work: When I arrived at work, usually about 3:10 every day, someone had clocked me in at 3:00. Ten additional minutes each day gave me a little over $2.50 a month, which paid my bus fare. Cf.: clock someone out—register smb.’s departure from work: His buddy clocked him out so it appeared that he worked a full day even though he never showed up. close down • shut down close down —1. (of a shop, factory, etc.) cease doing business; stop production: The shop will be closing down for good on Saturday, so everything is half price. 2. (of a radio or TV sta- tion) stop broadcasting for the day: This station is now closing down and we wish you all good-night. shut down — = close down 1: The whole company shuts down for three weeks’ holiday every year. close enough for government work • close enough for jazz close enough for government work—(U.S. ironic) is used to reflect one’s low opinion of the end result, quality of a product, etc.: For decades, the East German public was damned with merchandise that was “close enough for government work .” close enough for jazz —is used to say that while smth. is not perfect, it is close enough in quality to the target to be ac- ceptable: The data may not be totally accurate, but it is close enough for jazz . We trust it. Note: Neither expression correlates in meaning with the phrase close but no cigar—used of a situation when one falls just short of a successful outcome: In my last rejection the editor told me that this particular piece was “close but no cigar .” close one’s eyes • close your eyes and think of England close one’s eyes—(also: shut one’s eyes) pretend that one has no knowledge of smth.; ignore smth.: If the authorities choose to close their eyes , the only thing that will pry them open is public pressure. close your eyes and think of England—(also: shut your eyes and think of England) a humorous advice to smb. faced with an unpleasant task (originally a wedding-night advice for Victorian brides to succumb to unwanted sex): Live large. Tip big. And when they bring the check, just close your eyes and think of England . close something down • shut something down close something down —(of a shop, factory, etc.) cause to cease functioning: The shop had been closed down following the medical inspection report. shut something down—1. = close something down: The severe winter shut many factories down this year. 2. (of an engine, piece of equipment, etc.) turn off: They shut the machine down so they could repair it. 3. stop water or electricity supply: On Monday the power supply will be shut down for the whole building. close something up • shut something up close something up —1. (of a well) close by filling up: We must close up the old well, it’s dangerous. 2. (of a road) close by blocking: Leaving town I saw a few signs saying that the road was closed up ahead. 3. cause smth. to join together: Children have to learn to close up their letters when writing. 4. (of a building, shop, etc.) close (for a short time): We are closing up the house for the weekend. shut something up —(of a building, shop, etc.) close securely; make safe by locking: We’re going to shut the house up for the summer while we are away. close the barn door after the horse gets out • your barn door is open close the barn door after the horse gets out—not take any action until after a problem has already occurred: The problem is that post-accident testing closes the barn door after the horse is long gone . your barn door is open —(U.S. euph.) is used as a caution to a man having his trouser zip undone: “Excuse me … I couldn’t help but notice your barn door is open .” “What?” “Um … your fly is open.” close the book on something • close the books on something close the book on something—put an end to a matter; stop – 73 – close the book on something