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

put the lid on something • take the lid off
 something
put the lid on something —
1
. (also: put the tin lid on something )
cause a plan, an activity, etc. to end: I sympathized with Jim-
mie’s desire, but I very promptly put the lid on his hopes. 2.
suppress or “clamp down” on smth.: Their sexual development
may have been arrested and unable to grow naturally in an
environment that tended to put the lid on those things.
take the lid off something —(also: lift the lid off something )
expose or reveal smth. scandalous, shocking, etc. that has been
hidden: The board fears that the plan will take the lid off party
spending.
put the red flag out • wave the red flag
put the red flag out—show a sign warning of danger: The
new symptoms list is more of a means to put the red flag
out…. Not every woman experiencing abdominal pain has
cancer, of course.
wave the red flag —incite to revolution or violence: They
put something back
– 278 –

---

were paid by the great monopolies to wave the red flag and
talk about blowing people up.
Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase wave the flag—
1
. demonstrate patriotism and loyalty: I
will continue to wave the flag, because I continue to love the
ideals that our country represents. 2. show support for smth.:
This series clearly waved the flag for acupuncture, herbal reme-
dies and alternative medicine in general.
put the screws to someone • screw someone up
put the screws to someone —put extreme pressure on a person:
I know that the Department of Finance are putting the screws
on the Land Commission to bring their operations to an end.
screw someone up —(sl.)
1
. cause harm to a person: Remem-
ber, even one hint of a rumor about this type of conduct will
screw you up for the rest of your life. 2. make smb. nervous
or anxious: One thing that always screws me up here is the
food. I have trouble buying it, but the food itself is invariably
not what I expected.