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

tip someone • tip someone off
tip someone —give a gift of money to a waiter, porter, etc.:
He ordered another beer, tipped the bartender five dollars on
a five dollar beer, and went out.
tip someone off —provide a person with privileged or secret
information likely to bring useful results: A friend tipped me
off on a great gift for my son’s birthday.
tired from something • tired of something
tired from something —physically tired; exhausted by smth.:
Walter now plonked himself, tired from his walk, on the sofa.
tired of something —(also: tired with something ) bored or
mentally exhausted with smth.: This law limited any raising
of property taxes, the people being tired of constant increases.
to a point • to the point
to a point—
1
. (also: to a fine point) thoroughly; completely:
The idea is clear to a point: it is irrational to object to death,
since we do not object to pre-natal nonexistence. 2. (also: up
to a point) to a certain extent but not absolutely: To a point
this is the sort of gamesmanship that attorneys, for better or
for worse, do.
to the point—relevant; pertinent to the matter or subject in
question: He made a suggestion that was altogether to the
point.
to date • up to date
to date —so far; until now: One hundred and fifty letters
were sent out regarding membership renewals, with forty
responses to date.
up to date —in accordance with current fashion, technology,
etc.: The need to be up to date might not have been the least
of our driving forces for general progress.
to death • to the death
to death —
1
. until death results: Four members of a bush-
walking club were burnt to death when trapped by a bush fire.
2. said of smb. sentenced to be executed: The Russian Em -
bassy’s source confirmed that a Russian citizen had been sen-
tenced to death in China. 3. (hyperbolic) utterly; completely:
But I see you are tired to death, and will wish you good night.
to the death —
1
. (of combatants) keep fighting until none is
left alive: The British used to admire the men who fought to
the death, paying the ultimate price. 2. struggle to the bitter
end: What drove them was a corporate culture that made them
fight to the death for their firms.