[fox and geese]{n. phr.} A tag game in which the player representing the fox tries to catch one of the players representing geese as they run around the outside of a circle.
[fraidy-cat] or [fraid-cat] or [scaredy-cat] or [scared cat] {n.}, {informal} A shy person; someone who is easily frightened. — Usually used by or to children. •/Tom was a fraidy-cat and wouldn’t go in the water./
[frame of mind]{n. phr.} One’s mental outlook; the state of one’s psychological condition, •/There is no use trying to talk to him while he is in such a negative frame of mind./
[freak]{n.}, {slang} 1. A good, or well-liked person, the opposite of a square, someone with long hair and who is likely (or known) to be a marijuana smoker or a drug user. Also said of homosexuals. •/Is Joe a square, establishment type? — Oh no, he’s a regular freak./ 2. [--- freak] An enthusiast, a person who does or cultivates something in excess. •/Ellen is a film-freak./
[freak-out(1)]{n.}, {slang} An act of losing control; a situation that is bizarre or unusual. •/The party last night was a regular freak-out./
[freak out(2)]{v. phr.}, {slang} To lose control over one’s conscious self due to the influence of hallucinogenic drugs. •/Joe freaked out last night./
[free] See: FOR FREE, MAKE FREE, MAKE FREE WITH, OF ONE’S OWN ACCORD or OF ONE’S OWN FREE WILL.
[free agent]{n.} A professional player who does not have a contract with a team. •/The Giants signed two free agents who had been released by the Cardinals./
[free and easy]{adj.} Not strict; relaxed or careless. •/The teacher was free and easy with his students./ •/He had a free and easy way of acting that attracted many friends./ •/They were free and easy with their money and it was soon gone./
[free ball]{n.} A ball in football that is in play, that is not in the possession of anyone, that is not a legally thrown forward pass, and that belongs to the first team which can grab it. •/A Notre Dame player fell on a free ball and recovered it for his team./
[free enterprise]{n. phr.} A system in which private business is controlled by as few government rules as possible. •/The United States is proud of its free enterprise./
[free hand]{n.} Great freedom. •/The teacher had a free hand in her classroom./ •/Bob put paint on the fence with a free hand./ Compare: FREE REIN.
[freeload]{v.} To have oneself supported in terms of food and housing at someone else’s expense. •/When are you guys going to stop freeloading and do some work?/
[free rein]{n.} Freedom to do what you want. •/The king had free rein in his country./ •/Father is strict with the children, but Mother gives them free rein./ Compare: FREE HAND.
[free throw]{n.} A shot at the basket in basketball without interference from opponents. •/Mike scored the winning point on a free throw./ Compare: FIELD GOAL(2), FOUL SHOT.
[free-for-all]{n.} 1. Unlimited, free access to something everybody wants. •/The Smith’s party was a lavish free-for-all; everybody could eat and drink as much as they wanted./ 2. A barroom, tavern, or street fight in which everybody participates. •/The celebration after the soccer game victory turned into an uncontrollable free-for-all./
[freeze] See: BLOOD RUNS COLD or BLOOD FREEZES.
[freeze one’s blood] See: BLOOD RUNS COLD.
[freeze out]{v.}, {informal} To force out or keep from a share or part in something by unfriendly or dishonest treatment. •/The other boys froze John out of the club./
[freeze over]{v.} To become covered with ice. •/The children wanted the lake to freeze over so they could ice-skate./
[French fried potato] or [French fry] {n.} A narrow strip of potato fried in deep fat. — Usually used in the plural. •/Sue ordered a hamburger and french fries./
[French leave]{n.} The act of slipping away from a place secretly and without saying good-bye to anyone. •/"It’s getting late," Rob whispered to Janet. "Let’s take French leave and get out of here."/
[fresh from]{adj.} Recently returned from; experienced in. •/Tom was fresh from two years in Paris and was very condescending in matters pertaining to cuisine and wines./
[friction tape]{n.} Black cloth tape with one sticky side used around electric wires. •/The boy fixed his cracked baseball bat with some friction tape./
[Friday] See: GIRL FRIDAY.
[friend] See: BOY FRIEND, FAIR-WEATHER FRIEND, GIRL FRIEND, LADY FRIEND, MAKE FRIENDS.
[friends with] Friendly to; a friend of. •/Alice found several girls to be friends with on the first day of school./ •/At first I didn’t like John, but now I am friends with him./
[frightened out of one’s wits] See: OUT OF ONE’S WITS.
[frightened to death] See: TO DEATH.
[fritter away] See: FOOL AWAY.
[fro] See: TO AND FRO.
[frog] See: BIG FROG IN A SMALL POND, LITTLE FROG IN A BIG POND.
[from bad to worse] See: GO FROM BAD TO WORSE.
[from grace] See: FALL FROM GRACE.
[from hand to hand]{adv. phr.} From one person to another and another. •/The box of candy was passed from hand to hand./ •/Jane brought her engagement ring, and it passed from hand to hand until all the girls had admired it./
[from hand to mouth] See: LIVE FROM HAND TO MOUTH.
[from little acorns] See: GREAT OAKS FROM LITTLE ACORNS GROW.
[from Missouri]{adj. phr.}, {slang} Doubtful; suspicious. •/Don’t try to fool me. I’m from Missouri./
[from mouth to mouth]{adv. phr.} See: BY WORD OF MOUTH.
[from pillar to post]{adv. phr.} From one place to another many times. •/Sarah’s father changed jobs several times a year, and the family was moved from pillar to post./
[from rags to riches]{adv. phr.} Suddenly making a fortune; becoming rich overnight. •/The Smiths went from rags to riches when they unexpectedly won the lottery./
[from scratch]{adv. phr.}, {informal} With no help from anything done before; from the beginning; from nothing. •/Dick built a radio from scratch./ •/In sewing class, Mary already knew how to sew a little, but Jane had to start from scratch./ Compare: FROM THE GROUND UP.
[from the bottom of one’s heart] or [with all one’s heart] {adv. phr.} With great feeling; sincerely. •/A mother loves a baby from the bottom of her heart./ •/John thanked his rescuer from the bottom of his heart./ •/The people welcomed the returning soldiers from the bottom of their hearts./
[from the door] See: KEEP THE WOLF FROM THE DOOR.
[from the ground up]{adv. phr.} From the beginning; entirely; completely. •/After the fire they had to rebuild their cabin from the ground up./ •/Sam knows about baseball from the ground up./ •/The new cars have been changed from the ground up./
[from the heart]{adv.} Sincerely; honestly. •/John always speaks from the heart./
[from the word "go"]{adv. phr.} From start to finish; completely. •/He may look French but he is a New Yorker from the word "go."/
[from time to time]{adv. phr.} Not often; not regularly; sometimes; occasionally; at one time and then again at another time. •/Even though the Smiths have moved, we still see them from time to time./ •/Mother tries new recipes from time to time, but the children never like them./ Syn.: NOW AND THEN, AT TIMES, ONCE IN A WHILE. Compare: BY FITS AND STARTS, OFF AND ON.
[from --- to ---] 1. Used with a repeated word to show that something keeps on. Without ending. •/The world grows wiser from age to age./ •/He goes from day to day without changing his necktie./ — Also used in a short form like an adjective. •/The superintendent spends more time on plans for the future, and the principal handles the day-to-day problems of the school./ 2. Used with a repeated word to show that something happens again and again. •/She sells face cream from door to door./ •/The artist goes from place to place painting pictures./ — Also used in a short form like an adjective. •/Mr. Roberts began as a door-to-door salesman, and now is president of the company./ 3. Used with words showing opposite or extreme limits, often to emphasize that something is very large or complete. •/The eagle’s wings measured six feet from tip to tip./ •/Sarah read the book from cover to cover./ •/Mrs. Miller’s dinner included everything from soup to nuts./ •/That book is a bestseller from Maine to California./ •/The captain looked the boy over from head to foot./ •/The dog sniffed the yard from end to end in search of a bone./ •/This new car has been redesigned from top to bottom./ •/That bookstore has books on everything from archery to zoology./ •/The television show was broadcast from coast to coast./ •/He knows mathematics from A to Z./ — Sometimes used in a short form like an adjective. •/The airplane made a non-stop coast-to-coast flight./
[from under] See: OUT FROM UNDER, PULL THE RUG OUT FROM UNDER.
[from way back]{adv. phr.} From a previous time; from a long time ago. •/They have known one another from way back when they went to the same elementary school./
[front] See: IN FRONT OF.
[front and center]{adv.}, {slang} Used as a command to a person to go to someone who wants him. •/Front and center, Smith. The boss wants to see you./
[front court]{n.} The half of a basketball court that is a basketball team’s offensive zone. •/The guard brought the ball up to the front court./
[front office]{n.}, {informal} The group of persons who manage a business; the officers. •/The front office decides how much the workers are paid./
[frown upon]{v. phr.} To look with disfavor upon somebody or something. •/Everybody in her family frowns upon her attachment to him./
[fruitcake] See: NUTTY AS A FRUITCAKE.
[fry] See: OTHER FISH TO FRY, OUT OF THE FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE, SMALL FRY.
[fuck around]{v. phr.}, {vulgar}, {avoidable} 1. To be promiscuous. •/John fucks around with the secretaries./ 2. To play at something without purpose, to mess around. •/He doesn’t accomplish anything, because he fucks around so much./
[fuck off]{v. phr.}, {vulgar}, {avoidable} 1. Go away! •/Can’t you see you’re bothering me? Fuck off!/ 2. To be lazy. •/John said "I don’t feel like working, so I’ll fuck off today."/ Compare: BEAT IT, GOOF OFF.
[fuck up]{v. phr.}, {vulgar}, {avoidable} To make a mess of something or oneself. •/Because he was totally unprepared, he fucked up his exam./ •/He is so fucked up he doesn’t know whether he is coming or going./
[fuck-up]{n.}, {vulgar}, {avoidable} A mess; a badly botched situation. •/What a fuck-up the dissolution of the USSR created!/
[fuddy-duddy]{n.} A person whose ideas and habits are old-fashioned. •/His students think Professor Jones is an old fuddy-duddy./
[fuel] See: ADD FUEL TO THE FLAME.
[full] See: HAVE ONE’S HANDS FULL, IN FULL SWING, TO THE FULL.
[full blast]{adv.} At full capacity. •/With all the research money at their disposal, the new computer firm was going ahead full blast./
[full-bodied]{adj.} Mature; of maximum quality. •/The wines from that region in California have a rich, full-bodied flavor./
