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

some time or other 
(some other time)
someday 
(some day)
someone 
(some one)
something else again 
(something else)
sometime 
(some time)
sometimes
(some times)
Son of Heaven, the
(Son of God, the)
son of man 
(Son of Man, the)
sooner…than 
(no sooner…than)
soothsay 
(sooth to say)
Sophie’s choice 
(Hobson’s choice)
sorry for someone
(sorry about some-
one)
sort of, a 
(of a sort)
sort someone out 
(sort oneself out)
Southern Africa 
(South Africa)
sparking plug 
(spark plug )
speak broadly 
(speak broad)
speak highly 
(speak high)
speak in English 
(speak English)
speak like a book 
(speak by the book)
speak loud
(speak aloud)
speak of something
(speak about some-
thing )
speak on something
(speak about some-
thing )
speak the same language
(sing the
same song )
speak to someone 
(speak at someone)
speak too soon 
(speak out of turn)
speak volumes for something 
(speak
for something )
speak well of something
(speak well for
something )
speak with a double tongue 
(double -
speak)
speak with confidence 
(speak in confi-
dence)
speak without effect 
(speak without
affect)
special school
(normal school)
specified criteria
(specific criteria)
speculate on something
(speculate in
something )
speedway 
(speed zone)
spend a penny
(spend a fortune)
spin out of control 
(spin control)
spin the wheels
(keep the wheels turn-
ing )
spine-tingling experience 
(spine-chill-
ing experience)
sporting woman
(sporting man)
sports girl 
(sporting girl)
sportsman 
(sporting man)
spot on 
(on the spot)
spread oneself thin
(spread oneself
out)
spreading board
(spreadboard)
spring greens
(spring green)
sputnik moment 
(Saigon moment)
spy someone
(spy on someone)
square john broad
(square john)
square up with someone
(square up to
someone)
squeaky wheel gets the grease, the
(grease the wheels)
stained-glass ceiling 
(glass ceiling )
stand easy 
(stand at ease)
stand clear of something 
(stand away
from something )
stand firm
(stand at ease)
stand for something 
(stand in for some-
thing )
stand in with someone
(stand in for
someone)
stand on guard 
(stand guard)
stand on one’s head doing something
(do something standing on one’s head)
stand on one’s native soil
(be on one’s
own ground)
stand on one’s own feet 
(stand on one’s
feet)
stand on one’s own two feet
(have
both feet on the ground)
stand one’s own ground
(be on one’s
own ground)
stand out for something 
(stand in for
something )
stand out from someone 
(stand off
from someone)
stand someone in good stead
(stand in
good with someone)
stand someone up 
(stand up to someone)
stand up for someone 
(stand for some-
one)
stand up with someone 
(stand up to
someone)
star-gaze
(see stars)
star system
(star route system)
stare someone in the face
(look some-
one in the face)
start someone out in something 
(start
someone off on something )
start up in something 
(start off on
something )
starved for something 
(hungry for
something )
State house
(State House)
State Registered Nurse
(State Enrolled
Nurse)
station master 
(station man)
stay-at-home 
(homestay)
stay on the right side of someone
(be
someone’s right-hand man)
stay out of something
(stay off some-
thing )
stay well 
(stay good)
steady-going
(go steady with someone)
steal the show
(get the show on the road)
steam up
(get steamed up)
steel man
(Man of Steel)
step aside 
(sidestep)
step down 
(stand down)
step for step
(step by step)
step into someone’s shoes
(put oneself
in someone’s shoes)
step off the carpet
(be on the carpet)
step over something
(overstep some-
thing )
stew oneself
(stew in one’s own juice)
stick one’s neck out 
(stick one’s nose out)
stick one’s nose where it doesn’t
belong
(stick one’s nose out)
stick to one’s last 
(stick to one’s guns)
stick to someone
(stick it to someone)
stick to something 
(stick at something )
stick up for something
(be stuck for
something )
stick up to someone
(stick up for some-
one)
stick with someone
(stick in with some-
one)
– 369 –
Phrase Index

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stick with something
(stick at some-
thing )
stickup man
(stick man)
stock book 
(stock author)
stock company
(joint-stock company)
stone cold
(cold as stone)
stone ship
(stone frigate)
stone the crows 
(shoot the crow)
stone wall
(stone fence)
stop one’s clock 
(one’s biological clock is
ticking )
stop the clock 
(stop someone’s clock)
stop the show
(show must go on, the)
stop to do something
(stop doing some-
thing )
stormy petrel 
(storm petrel)
story of one’s life 
(one’s life story)
straight as an arrow 
(straight as a
poker)
straight drinking 
(straight drink)
straight man
(straight actor)
straight out
(straight off )
straw man 
(straw boss)
street girl
(outdoor girl)
street man
(man in the street)
street people
(men in the street)
streetcar 
(street legal car)
stretch oneself out
(stretch oneself )
strict on something
(strict in some-
thing )
strike it rich 
(strike gold)
strike over something
(strike for some-
thing )
strike root 
(strike at the root)
strike the eye
(strike the bull’s eye)
string along with someone 
(lead some-
one in a string )
string someone along 
(lead someone in
a string )
stripping film
(strip film)
stroke of luck 
(lucky strike)
strong-arm man 
(strong man)
strong hand
(strong arm)
strong language 
(forceful language)
strong silent man 
(strong man)
student teacher
(pupil teacher)
stumble over something 
(stumble
across something )
subject to something 
(subject for some-
thing )
substantive improvement 
(substantial
improvement)
subway 
(US) (subway [UK])
succeed to something 
(succeed in some-
thing )
such as there is 
(such as it is)
suck it in 
(suck it up)
suck up to someone (suck it up)
suffer from the cold 
(suffer from a cold)
suggestion of something 
(suggestion
about something )
superior persons
(one’s superiors)
surfboard 
(seaboard)
susceptible to something 
(susceptible of
something )
swallow the dictionary
(swallow the
Bible)
swap places with someone 
(put oneself
in someone’s place)
swear at someone 
(swear against some-
one)
swear on something 
(swear at some-
thing )
swear on the Bible 
(swear on a stack of
Bibles)
sweat on the top line
(be on the top
line)
sweat one’s guts out
(sweat it out)
sweep clear of something 
(sweep clear
for something )
sweep someone off his feet
(rush some-
one off his feet)
sweep something clean 
(make a clean
sweep of something )
sweet as honey 
(sweet as a nut)
sweet as pie
(sweet as a nut)
sweet man
(sugar daddy)
sweet meat 
(sweet and sour meat)
sweeten the pot 
(sweeten the pill)
swim like a fish 
(swim with the fishes)
swim like a tailor’s goose 
(swim like a
duck)
swim with the sharks 
(swim with the
fishes)
swim with the stream
(be in the swim)
swing either way
(swing both ways)
swing the leg
(shake a leg )
swing voter
(swing man)
Swiss pine
(Swiss mountain pine)
symbol of something
(symbol for some-
thing )
table a motion 
(US) (table a motion
[UK])
table book
(desk-book)
take a bow 
(make a bow)
take a break
(give someone a break)
take a dim view of something 
(look on
the bright side of something )
take a drop
(take a fall)
take a gamble on something 
(gamble
on something )
take a hand in something
(take a hand
at something )
take a load off someone’s mind
(get a
load of something )
take a long view
(take a long look)
take a nose-dive
(take a dive)
take a short cut 
(cut it short)
take a snatch
(make a snatch)
take a stand against something 
(make
a stand against something )
take a stick to someone
(give someone
stick)
take a toll on
(take a toll of )
take an account of something 
(take
account of something )
take an early bath
(take a bath)