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

mouth words 
(by word of mouth)
move in on someone
(make a move on
someone)
move off
(move away)
move on 
(get a move on)
moving theater 
(movie theater)
music paper 
(note paper)
nail in the coffin
(coffin nail)
name-day
(name the day)
name-dropping 
(brand-name dropping )
name names
(call names)
National Guard, the 
(Home Guard, the)
native-born Americans
(Native Ameri-
cans)
natural born 
(natural birth)
natural born person
(natural man)
natural child 
(child of nature)
natural citizen 
(citizen of nature)
natural law 
(jungle law)
natural person
(natural man)
natural with someone
(natural to
someone)
naturalized citizen
(citizen of nature)
neck and neck
(neck and crop)
need to do 
(need doing )
neglect of something 
(neglect in some-
thing )
neither here not there 
(here and there)
neither hide nor hair 
(hide and hair)
neither man nor mouse 
(neither fish
nor fowl)
neither sugar nor salt
(neither fish nor
fowl)
nervous man
(man of nerve)
never-ending sleep 
(dead sleep)
never-never, the 
(never ever)
never-never world, the 
(Never-Never
Land, the)
never tell me 
(don’t mention it)
never you mind
(never mind)
New England of the West, the
(New
England)
New English
(Modern English)
new world
(New World, the)
newsagent 
(news agency)
nigger head 
(negro head)
night dress
(evening dress)
night gown
(evening dress)
night person
(night man)
ninety-day wonder 
(nine-day wonder)
no fear
(never fear)
no little 
(not a bit)
no questions asked 
(no question)
no sweat
(don’t sweat it)
no way 
(in no way)
not a word 
(no word)
nominate someone to something
(nominate someone for something )
none other but 
(none but)
North Lights 
(north light)
North Star State, the
(Lone Star State,
the)
Northwest Territory
(Northwest Terri-
tories)
nose to tail
(from nose to tail)
not a day over 
(if a day)
not a little
(not a bit)
not a word to Bessie
(no word)
not amount to a hill of beans
(be full
of beans)
not before its time 
(ahead of one’s time)
not cross one’s bridges before one
comes to them 
(not count one’s
chickens before they are hatched)
not feel so hot
(feel hot)
not for a minute
(for a minute)
not for a moment 
(for a moment)
not good for someone
(no good to some-
one)
not good to someone 
(no good to some-
one)
– 361 –
Phrase Index

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not have a bean 
(be full of beans)
not have a stitch on 
(be in stitches)
not have the heart
(be heartless)
not have the legs
(not have a leg to
stand on)
not in one’s province 
(not in one’s
backyard)
not in order 
(in disorder)
not in shape
(in no shape)
not know what the other hand is
doing 
(not know how the other half
lives)
not know where to look 
(know one’s
way about)
not know where to turn 
(know one’s
way about)
not know which end is up 
(know on
which side one’s bread is buttered)
not know which way to turn
(not
know which way to look)
not look back
(look back)
not make much of something 
(make
much of something )
not move a muscle
(not move a finger)
not much of something
(not much for
something )
not once or twice
(not once)
not open one’s mouth
(keep one’s
mouth shut)
not quarrel with someone
(have no
quarrel with someone)
not so bad 
(not half bad)
not someone’s cup of tea 
(different cup
of tea, a)
not talk turkey 
(not say pea-turkey)
not the half 
(not half )
not the question 
(in question)
not the thing
(not a thing )
not think much of something 
(not
even think of something )
not to worry 
(no worries)
not with it
(not in it)
nothing if not 
(nothing but)
nothing less than 
(no less than)
nothing short of
(nothing but)
notice paper
(note paper)
now and then 
(every now and then)
now then
(now, now)
number of, the 
(number of, a)
number ones
(number one)
number twos
(number two)
nursery school 
(infant school)
nurseryman 
(nursery-girl)
nursing home
(nurses’ home)
nuts on something
(nuts at something )
nuts to someone
(nuts on someone)
odd fellow 
(Odd Fellow)
odd man out
(odd man)
odd one out (odd one)
of a certain age 
(of age)
of a high color 
(highly colored)
of an age
(of age)
of choice
(by choice)
of one’s age 
(of age)
of some size
(of a size)
of sorts
(of all sorts)
of standing
(of long standing )
of the kind 
(of a kind)
of the sort 
(of a sort)
off and on 
(off again, on again)
off and running 
(up and coming )
off day
(day off )
off games
(off one’s game)
off it 
(beyond it)
off line 
(out of line)
off-off Broadway 
(off-Broadway)
off one’s dot 
(on the dot)
off one’s mind
(off one’s head)
off the top of one’s head 
(off one’s
head)
off the bat
(off one’s own bat)
off the beam
(off one’s beam)
off the blocks 
(off one’s block)
off the game 
(off one’s game)
off the hooks
(off the hook)
off the track
(off the beaten track)
off the wall 
(over the fence)
off time 
(off season)
offense at something 
(offense against
something )
oil someone up 
(butter someone up)
oil-spot someone 
(oil spot strateg y)
old and young 
(man and boy)
old as Adam
(old Adam)
old beyond one’s years 
(old before one’s
time)
old boy
(new boy)
old-clothes man 
(clothes man)
Old English
(Early English)
Old Light men 
(leading man)
Old Lights 
(ancient lights)
old maid 
(old girl)
old school tie 
(old school)
old shoe
(old boot)
old-timer
(new man)
old woman 
(old lady)
old world 
(ancient world)
olde worlde 
(ancient world)
on a string
(on a shoestring )
on a tightrope
(on a rope)
on a wing and a prayer 
(on the
wing )
on account 
(of no account)
on and off 
(on again, off again)
on balance 
(in balance)
on bond 
(in bond)
on camera
(in camera)
on charge 
(in charge)
on charge of something 
(in charge of
something )
on cloud nine 
(in heaven)
on command 
(at command)
on credit
(in credit)
on demand
(in demand)
on draft
(at a draft)
on duty
(on active duty)
on every hand
(on either hand)
on foot 
(on one’s feet)
on form
(in form)
on home ground
(at home)
on it 
(in on it)
on my part 
(for my part)
on no account
(of no account)
on no condition
(in no condition)
on no consideration
(of no considera-
tion)
on oath 
(on my oath)
on one’s back 
(at one’s back)
on one’s bones
(in one’s bones)
on one’s day
(in one’s day)
on one’s guard
(on guard)
on one’s hands
(on hand)
on one’s mind 
(in one’s mind)
on one’s own
(of one’s own)
on one’s own account
(by one’s own
account)
on one’s own time 
(in one’s own
time)
on one’s shoulders 
(at one’s back)
on one’s way
(in one’s way)
on orders
(on order)
on other worlds 
(in another world)
on principle
(in principle)
on purpose
(to some purpose)
on receipt of something
(in receipt of
something )
on request
(in request)
on shore
(in shore)
on show
(in show)
on someone’s side 
(on someone’s good
side)
on suspicion 
(above suspicion)
on tenterhooks 
(on one’s own hook)
on the air 
(in the air)
on the arm
(on hand)
on the authority of someone
(by
authority of someone)
on the back foot 
(on one’s hind legs)
on the back of an envelope
(on the
back of a postcard)
on the back of something
(at the back
of something )
on the bench 
(on the back bench)
on the blocks
(on the block)
on the board
(on board)
on the boards 
(on board)
on the books
(on the book)
on the case
(on someone’s case)
on the chopping block 
(on the block)
on the commission 
(on commission)