[follow through]{v. phr.} 1. To finish a movement that you have started; continue an action to its natural ending. •/A football passer should follow through after he throws the ball./ 2. To finish an action that you have started. •/Bob drew plans for a table for his mother, but he did not follow through by making it./
[follow up]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To chase or follow closely and without giving up. •/The Indians followed up the wounded buffalo until it fell dead./ 2. Make (one action) more successful by doing something more. •/After Mary sent a letter to apply for a job, she followed it up by going to talk to the personnel manager./ •/The doctor followed up Billy’s operation with x-rays, and special exercises to make his foot stronger./ Compare: FOLLOW OUT, FOLLOW THROUGH(2). 3a. To hunt for (more news about something that has already been in the newspapers, radio or TV news); find more about. •/The day after news of the fire at Brown’s store, the newspaper sent a reporter to follow up Mr. Brown’s future plans./ 3b. To print or broadcast (more news about some happening that has been in the news before). •/The fire story was printed Monday, and Tuesday’s paper followed it up by saying that Mr. Brown planned to build a bigger and better store at the same place./
[follow-up]{n.} Additional work or research by means of which an earlier undertaking’s chances of success are increased. •/I hope you’ll be willing to do a bit of follow-up./
[fond of] Having a liking for; attracted to by strong liking. •/Alan is fond of candy./ •/Uncle Bill was the children’s favorite, and he was fond of them too./
[food for thought]{n. phr.} Something to think about or worth thinking about; something that makes you think. •/The teacher told John that she wanted to talk to his father, and that gave John food for thought./ •/There is much food for thought in this book./
[fool] See: CHILDREN AND FOOLS SPEAK THE TRUTH, MAKE A FOOL OF.
[fool and his money are soon parted] A foolish person soon wastes his money. — A proverb, •/Jimmy spends all his pennies for candy. A fool and his money are soon parted./
[fool around] or [mess around] or [play around] or [monkey around] {v.}, {informal} 1. To spend time playing, fooling, or joking instead of being serious or working; waste time. •/If you go to college, you must work, not fool around./ •/The boys fooled around all afternoon in the park./ Compare: CUT UP(2). To treat or handle carelessly. •/Bob cut himself by fooling around with a sharp knife./ •/Suzie says she wishes John would quit playing around with the girls and get married./ 3. or [fiddle around] To work or do something in an irregular or unplanned way; tinker. •/Jimmy likes to monkey around with automobile engines./ •/Alice is fooling around with the piano in her spare time./ Compare: FUCK AROUND.
[fool around] See: MESS AROUND.
[fool away] or [fritter away] {v.}, {informal} To waste foolishly. •/Paul failed history because he fooled away his time instead of studying./ •/The man won a lot of money, but he soon frittered it away and was poor again./
[foolish] See: PENNY WISE AND POUND FOOLISH.
[foolproof]{adj.} So constructed that not even a fool can spoil it; easy. •/This entrance examination is so easy that it is actually foolproof./
[fool’s paradise] See: LIVE IN A FOOL’S PARADISE.
[foot] See: AT ONE’S FEET, COLD FEET, DEAD ON ONE’S FEET, DRAG ONE’S FEET, FROM HEAD TO FOOT, GET OFF ON THE WRONG FOOT, GET ONE’S FEET WET, HAND AND FOOT, KEEP ONE’S FEET, KNOCK OFF ONE’S FEET, LAND ON ONE’S FEET, LET GRASS GROW UNDER ONE’S FEET, ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE, ON FOOT, ON ONE’S FEET, PLAY FOOTSIE, PUT ONE’S BEST FOOT FORWARD, PUT ONE’S FOOT DOWN, PUT ONE’S FOOT IN IT, SET FOOT, SHOE ON THE OTHER FOOT, STAND ON ONE’S OWN FEET, SWEEP OFF ONE’S FEET, THINK ON ONE’S FEET, THROW ONESELF AT SOMEONE’S FEET.
[footed] See: FLAT FOOTED.
[foot in the door]{n. phr.}, {informal} The first step toward getting or doing something; a start toward success; opening. •/Don’t let Jane get her foot in the door by joining the club or soon she’ll want to be president./
[footstep] See: FOLLOW IN ONE’S FOOTSTEPS.
[foot the bill]{v. phr.} To cover the expenses of; pay for something. •/The bride’s father footed two-thirds of the bill for hix daughter’s wedding./ Compare: PICK UP THE TAB.
[footloose and fancy-free]{adj. phr.} Free and free to do what one wants (said of unmarried men). •/Ron is a merry bachelor and seems to enjoy greatly being footloose and fancy-free./
[for a fall] See: RIDING FOR A FALL.
[for all] 1. In spite of; even with, despite. — Used for contrast. •/For all his city ways, he is a country boy at heart./ •/There may be mistakes occasionally, but for all that, it is the best book on the subject./ •/For all his money, he was very unhappy./ 2. also [for aught] To the extent that. — Used like a negative with "care" and "know". •/For all I care, you can throw it away./ •/For all he knows, we might be in Boston./ Compare: AS FAR AS(2), ONCE AND FOR ALL.
[for all one cares]{adv. phr.} In the opinion of one who is not involved or who does not care what happens. •/For all Jane cares, poor Tom might as well drop dead./
[for all one is worth] With all of your strength; as hard as you can. •/Roger ran for all he was worth to catch the bus./
[for all one knows]{adv. phr.} According to the information one has; probably. •/For all we know, Ron and Beth might have eloped and been married in a French chateau./
[for all that]{adv. phr.} In spite of what has been said, alleged, or rumored. •/Well, for all that, we think that she is still the most deserving candidate for Congress./
[for all the world]{adv. phr.} 1. Under no circumstances. •/Betty said she wouldn’t marry Jake for all the world./ 2. Precisely; exactly. •/It began for all the world like a successful baseball season for the UIC Flames, when suddenly they lost to the Blue Demons./
[for a loop] See: KNOCK FOR A LOOP or THROW FOR A LOOP.
[for a loss] See: THROW FOR A LOSS.
[for a ride] See: TAKE FOR A RIDE.
[for as much as]{conj.}, {formal} Because; since. •/For as much as the senator is eighty years old, we feel he should not run for reelection./ Syn.: INASMUCH AS.
[for a song]{adv. phr.}, {informal} At a low price; for a bargain price; cheaply. •/He sold the invention for a song and its buyers were the ones who got rich./ •/They bought the house for a song and sold it a few years later at a good profit./
[for aught] See: FOR ALL(2).
[for bear] See: LOADED FOR BEAR.
[for better or worse] or [for better or for worse] {adv. phr.} 1. With good or bad effect, depending on how one looks at the matter. •/The historian did justice, for better or worse, to the careers of several famous men./ 2. Under any eventuality; forever; always. •/Alex and Masha decided to leave Moscow and come to Chicago, for better or for worse./ 3. (Marriage vows) Forever, for as long as one may live. •/With this ring I thee wed, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, for better or worse, til death do us part./
[forbid] See: GOD FORBID.
[for broke] See: GO FOR BROKE.
[force] See: IN FORCE, JOIN FORCES.
[force one’s hand]{v. phr.} To make you do something or tell what you will do sooner than planned. •/Ben did not want to tell where he was going, but his friend forced his hand./ •/Mr. Smith planned to keep his land until prices went up, but he had so many doctor bills that it forced his hand./
[force play] or [force-out] {n.} A play in baseball in which a runner is out because he does not run to the next base before the fielder with the ball touches the base. •/Bob was out at second base when Joe hit into a force play./
[for certain] See: FOR SURE.
[for crying out loud]{informal} Used as an exclamation to show that you feel surprised or cross. •/For crying out loud, look who’s here!/ •/For crying out loud, that’s the third time you’ve done it wrong./ Compare: FOR ONE’S SAKE.
[for days on end]{adv. phr.} For a long time; for many days. •/The American tourists tried to get used to Scottish pronunciation for days on end, but still couldn’t understand what the Scots were saying./
[for dear life]{adv. phr.} As though afraid of losing your life. •/He was running for dear life toward town./ •/When the horse began to run, she held on for dear life./
[fore] See: TO THE FORE.
[foremost] See: FIRST AND FOREMOST.
[forest] See: CAN’T SEE THE WOOD FOR THE TREES or CAN’T SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TREES.
[forever and a day]{adv. phr.}, {informal} For a seemingly endless time; forever; always. Used for emphasis. •/We waited forever and a day to find out who won the contest./ •/They promised to remain friends forever and a day./
[forever and ever]{adv. phr.} Forever; always. — Used for emphasis, usually about spiritual things. •/God will live forever and ever./
[for example] or [for instance] {adv. phr.} As an example; as proof; to give an example or illustration. •/Not only rich men become President. For example, Lincoln was born poor./ •/There are jobs more dangerous than truck driving; for instance, training lions./ Compare: FOR ONE THING.
[for fear] Because of fear. •/He left an hour early for fear of missing his train./ •/She worried for fear that the child would be hurt./
[for fear of]{adv. phr.} Because of being afraid of something; on account of being scared. •/Dave refuses to go to Europe for fear of an airplane crash and for fear of a shipwreck./
[for free]{adj. phr.}, {substandard} Without having to pay; free. •/Hey you guys, look at this balloon! They’re for free down at the new store./
[for fun]{prep. phr.} As amusement, not seriously, as a joke. •/Let’s try to play Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto together, you on one piano, and I on another one./ Compare: IN FUN.
[forget] See: FORGIVE AND FORGET.
[forget oneself]{v. phr.} To do something one should have remembered not to do; do something below one’s usual conduct although one knows better; let one’s self-control slip. •/He forgot himself only once at dinner — when he belched./ •/He knew he should hold his temper, but because of the trouble he forgot himself and began to shout./
[forgive and forget]{v.} To have no bad feelings about what happened in the past. •/After the argument the boys decided to forgive and forget./ Syn.: LET BYGONES BE BYGONES, LIVE AND LET LIVE.
[for good] also [for good and all] Permanently, forever, for always. •/The lost money was gone for good./ •/He hoped that the repairs would stop the leak for good./ •/When John graduated from school, he decided that he was done with study for good and all./ Syn.: FOR KEEPS(2).
[for good measure]{adv. phr.} As something more added to what is expected or needed; as an extra. •/He sold me the car at a cheap price and included the radio for good measure./ •/She puts in the spices the recipe calls for and then adds an extra pinch for good measure./ Compare: IN THE BARGAIN, TO BOOT.
[for granted] See: TAKE FOR GRANTED.
[for Heaven’s sake!]{adv. phr.} Please. •/"Help me, for Heaven’s sake!" the injured man cried./
[for hours on end]{adv. phr.} For many hours; for a very long time. •/We have been trying to get this computer going for hours on end, but we need serious professional help./
[for instance] See: FOR EXAMPLE.
[for it] See: RUN FOR IT.
[for keeps]{adv. phr.} 1. For the winner to keep. •/They played marbles for keeps./ 2. {informal} For always; forever, •/He left town for keeps./ Syn.: FOR GOOD. 3. Seriously, not just for fun. •/This is not a joke, it’s for keeps./ — Often used in the phrase "play for keeps". •/The policeman knew that the robber was trying to shoot him. He was playing for keeps./
