A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

such and such • thus and thus
such and such —(also: so and so) is used to refer to a person
or thing whose name one does not remember or does not want
to be precise: We don’t have to wonder, like the early explorers
did, at what time we will reach such and such a location.
thus and thus—(also: thus and so) act in a particular way or
according to directions that have been given: The truth of the
matter is that it is almost impossible to say “do thus and thus
and you will have a best-seller.”
such as it is • such as there is
such as it is —just the way it is (usually used to suggest that
smth. is of poor quality): We must either accept the book, such
as it is, or write another more worthy of credit.
Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase as such—
1
. as that kind of thing: It became the national
symbol and as such it can be found on postal stamps. 2. con-
sidered without other facts: Money as such does not mean an
unconditional right to buy. You must have the seller’s con-
sent.
such as there is —is used to suggest that an amount is small:
The infrastructure, such as there is, is not really set up for
anyone’s comfort. …the bus stops are often just a metal sign
out in the middle of a dusty plain.
suck it up • suck up to someone
suck it up —(sl.) make the effort required to deal with smth.
difficult or unpleasant: The airline should have sucked it up
and simply canceled the flights altogether when the weather
situation became clear.
Note:
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase suck it in—(sl.) pull in one’s stomach (to make oneself
– 309 –
suck it up

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thinner when posing for a picture, etc.): Their first apartment
was so small, you had to stand flat againt the wall in the hall-
way and suck it in for anyone to pass you.
suck up to someone —(coll., especially among children) try to
gain the favor of a person by flattery, etc.: He was very talkative
… in the old schoolboy phrase, he was plainly “sucking up”
to me.