[cross] See: AT CROSS PURPOSES, CARRY ONE’S CROSS, DOUBLE CROSS, KEEP ONE’S FINGERS CROSSED at CROSS ONE’S FINGERS(1b).
[cross a bridge before one comes to it]{v. phr.} To worry about future events or trouble before they happen. — Usually used in negative sentences, often as a proverb. •/"Can I be a soldier when I grow up, Mother?" asked Johnny. "Don’t cross that bridge until you come to it," said his mother./ Compare: BORROW TROUBLE.
[cross-check(1)]{v.} To test the truth of by examining in different ways or by seeing different reports about. •/If you see something in a book that may not be true, be sure to crosscheck it in other books./
[cross-check(2)]{n.} The testing of the truth of by checking one report against another or others. •/A cross-check with other books will show us if this story is true./
[cross fire]{n.} 1. Firing in a fight or battle from two or more places at once so that the lines of fire cross. •/The soldiers on the bridge were caught in the crossfire coming from both sides of the bridge./ 2. Fast or angry talking back and forth between two or more people; also, a dispute; a quarrel. •/There was a cross fire of excited questions and answers between the parents and the children who had been lost in the woods./ •/The principal and the graduates quarreled about the football team, and the coach was caught in the cross fire and lost his job./
[cross one’s fingers]{v. phr.} 1a. To cross two fingers of one hand for good luck. •/Mary crossed her fingers during the race so that Tom would win./ 11b. or [keep one’s fingers crossed] {informal} To wish for good luck. •/Keep your fingers crossed while I take the test./ 2. To cross two fingers of one hand to excuse an untruth that you are telling. •/Johnny crossed his fingers when he told his mother the lie./
[cross one’s heart] or [cross one’s heart and hope to die] {v. phr.}, {informal} To say that what you have said is surely true; promise seriously that it is true. — Often used by children in the longer form. Children often make a sign of a cross over the heart as they say it, for emphasis. •/"Cross my heart, I didn’t hide your bicycle," Harry told Tom./ •/"I didn’t tell the teacher what you said. Cross my heart and hope to die," Mary said to Lucy./
[cross one’s mind] or [pass through one’s mind] {v. phr.} To be a sudden or passing thought; be thought of by someone; come to your mind; occur to you. •/At first Bob was puzzled by Virginia’s waving, but then it crossed his mind that she was trying to tell him something./ •/When Jane did not come home by midnight, many terrible fears passed through Mother’s mind./
[cross one’s path]{v. phr.} To meet or encounter someone; to come upon someone more by accident than by plan. •/Surprisingly, I crossed John’s path in Central Park one afternoon./
[cross street]{n.} A street that crosses a main street and runs on both sides of it. •/Elm Street is a cross street on Main Street and there is a traffic light there./ Compare: THROUGH STREET.
[cross swords]{v. phr.}, {literary} To have an argument with; fight. — Often used with "with". •/Don’t argue with the teacher; you’re not old enough to cross swords with her./
[cross the wire]{v. phr.} To finish a race. •/The Russian crossed the wire just behind the American./
[cross up]{v.}, {informal} 1. To block or upset; throw into confusion or disorder. •/We were going to catch him at the gate, but he crossed us up by going in the back way./ •/Father crossed up the surprise party we had planned for him by not getting back in time./ 2. To deceive or be false to. •/George crossed up his partner by selling a lot of things secretly./
[crow] See: EAT CROW.
[crow before one is out of the woods]{v. phr.} To be glad or brag before you are safe from danger or trouble. — Usually used in negative sentences, often as a proverb, "Don’t crow before you are out of the woods." •/John thought his team would win because the game was almost over, but he didn’t want to crow before they were out of the woods./ Often used in a short form, "out of the woods". •/Mary nearly died during the operation, and she is not out of the woods yet./
[crown jewels]{n. pl.} The crown, staff, and jewels used for the crowning of a king or queen; the crown and jewels representing royal power and authority. •/The crown jewels are handed down from one king to the next when the new king is crowned./
[crow to pick] See: BONE TO PICK or CROW TO PICK.
[crust] See: UPPER CRUST.
[crux of the matter]{n. phr.} The basic issue at hand; the core essence that one must face. •/The crux of the matter is that he is incompetent and we will have to fire him./
[cry] See: FAR CRY, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, HUE AND CRY.
[cry] or [scream bloody murder] {v. phr.} To bitterly and loudly complain against an indignity. •/Pete cried bloody murder when he found out that he didn’t get the promotion he was hoping for./
[cry before one is hurt] or [holler before one is hurt] {v. phr.}, {informal} To complain when there is no reason for it; become upset because you are worried or afraid. — Used in negative sentences. •/When Billy went to the barber, he began to cry before the barber cut his hair and his father told him not to cry before he was hurt./ — Often used as a proverb. •/John was worried because he would soon have a new boss. His mother said, "Don’t cry before you’re hurt!"/ Syn.: BORROW TROUBLE.
[cry buckets]{v. phr.} To shed an excessive amount of tears. •/Grandma is crying buckets over the loss of our cat./
[cry for] or [cry out for] {v.}, {informal} To need badly; be lacking in. •/It has not rained for two weeks and the garden is crying for it./ •/The school is crying out for good teachers./
[cry out]{v.} 1. To call out loudly; shout; scream. •/The woman in the water cried out "Help!"/ 2. To complain loudly; protest strongly. — Used with "against". •/Many people are crying out against the new rule./
[cry out for] See: CRY FOR.
[cry over spilled milk] or [cry over spilt milk] {v. phr.}, {informal} To cry or complain about something that has already happened; be unhappy about something that cannot be helped. •/After the baby tore up Sue’s picture book, Sue’s mother told her there was no use crying over spilled milk./ •/You have lost the game but don’t cry over spilt milk./ Compare: MAKE ONE’S BED AND LIE IN IT, WATER OVER THE DAM or WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE.
[crystal ball]{n.} A ball, usually made of quartz crystal (glass) that is used by fortune-tellers. •/The fortune-teller at the fair looked into her crystal ball and told me that I would take a long trip next year./ 2. Any means of predicting the future. •/My crystal ball tells me you’ll be making the honor roll./
[crystal gazing]{n.} The attempt to predict future events. •/The magician’s specialty was crystal gazing./
[cry uncle] See: SAY UNCLE.
[cry wolf]{v. phr.} To give a false alarm; warn of a danger that you know is not there. •/The general said that the candidate was just crying wolf when he said that the army was too weak to fight for the country./ (From an old story about a shepherd boy who falsely claimed a wolf was killing his sheep, just to start some excitement.)
[cub scout]{n.} A member of the Cub Scouts, the junior branch of the Boy Scouts for boys 8-10 years of age. •/Jimmie is only seven, too young to be a Cub Scout./
[cucumber] See: COOL AS A CUCUMBER.
[cudgel] See: TAKE UP THE CUDGELS FOR.
[cudgel one’s brains] See: BEAT ONE’S BRAINS OUT.
[cue in]{v. phr.}, {informal} To add new information to that which is already known. •/Let’s not forget to cue in Joe on what has been happening./
[cuff] See: OFF-THE-CUFF, ON THE CUFF.
[culture vulture]{n.}, {slang}, {informal} A person who is an avid cultural sightseer, one who seeks out cultural opportunities ostentatiously, such as going to the opera or seeing every museum in a town visited, and brags about it. •/Aunt Mathilda is a regular culture vulture; she spends every summer in a different European capital going to museums and operas./
[cup] See: IN ONE’S CUPS.
[cup of tea] also [dish of tea] {n. phr.}, {informal} 1. Something you enjoy or do well at; a special interest, or favorite occupation. Used with a possessive. •/You could always get him to go for a walk: hiking was just his cup of tea./ Compare: DOWN ONE’S ALLEY. 2. Something to think about; thing; matter. •/That’s another cup of tea./ Compare: KETTLE OF FISH.
[curb service]{n.} Waiting on customers while they sit in their cars. •/Families with small children often look for hamburger stands that offer curb service./
[curiosity killed the cat]{informal} Getting too nosy may lead a person into trouble. — A proverb. •/"Curiosity killed the cat," Fred’s father said, when he found Fred hunting around in closets just before Christmas./
[curl] See: PIN CURL.
[curl one’s hair]{v. phr.}, {slang} To shock; frighten; horrify; amaze. •/Wait till you read what it says about you — this’ll curl your hair./ •/The movie about monsters from another planet curled his hair./
[curl up]{v.} 1a. To become curly or wavy. •/Bacon curls up when it is cooked./ 1b. To roll oneself into a ball. •/Tim curled up in bed and was asleep in five minutes./ 2. See: FOLD UP.
[current] See: SWIM AGAINST THE CURRENT.
[curry favor]{v.} To flatter or serve someone to get his help or friendship. •/Joe tried to curry favor with the new teacher by doing little services that she didn’t really want./ •/Jim tried to curry favor with the new girl by telling her she was the prettiest girl in the class./ Compare: POLISH THE APPLE.
[curve] See: THROW A CURVE.
[cut] See: FISH OR CUT BAIT.
[cut a class]{v. phr.} To be truant; to deliberately miss a class and do something else instead. •/"If you keep cutting classes the way you do, you will almost surely flunk this course," John’s professor said to him./
[cut a figure]{v. phr.} To make a favorable impression; carry off an activity with dignity and grace. •/With his handsome face and sporty figure, Harry cuts quite a figure with all the ladies./
[cut across]{v.} 1. To cross or go through instead of going around; go a short way. •/John didn’t want to walk to the corner and turn, so he cut across the yard to the next street./ 2. To go beyond to include; stretch over to act on; affect. •/The love for reading cuts across all classes of people, rich and poor./
[cut-and-dried]{adj. phr.} Decided or expected beforehand; following the same old line; doing the usual thing. •/The decision of the judge was cut-and-dried./ •/The ways of the king’s court were cut-and-dried./ •/People at the convention heard many cut-and-dried speeches./
[cut and run]{v.}, {informal} To abandon an unfavorable situation. •/When the price of coffee dropped sharply many investors wanted to cut and run./
[cut a swathe]{v. phr.} 1a. To mow a path through a field. •/The farmer cut a swathe through the high grass with his scythe./ 1b. To cut down as if by mowing. •/The machine gun cut a swathe in the lines of enemy soldiers./ 2. {informal} To attract notice; make an impression; seem important. •/The movie star cut a wide swathe when he walked down the street./ •/John tries to show off and cut a big swathe with the girls./ Compare: GO OVER(6), MAKE A HIT.
[cut back]{v.} 1. To change direction suddenly while going at full speed. •/The halfback started to his left, cut back to his right, and ran for a touchdown./ 2. To use fewer or use less. •/After the big job was finished, the builder cut back the number of men working for him./ •/The school employed forty teachers until a lower budget forced it to cut back./
