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

bust one’s balls • bust someone’s balls
bust one’s balls —(coarse sl.; used of men) work extremely hard
to accomplish smth.: I have only two days until the examina-
tion, so I have to bust my balls if I don’t want to fail.
bust someone’s balls —(coarse sl.)
1
. make fun of or tease a
man: Everybody in the classroom bust Tom’s balls about his
bald head. 2. (of a woman) ridicule a man; hurt a man’s feel-
ings: Janet has a bad habit; she loves to bust a man’s balls if
he tries to flirt with her.
– 61 –
bust one’s balls

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busy as a bee • busy as a beehive
busy as a bee —(of a person) full of lively activity; very busy:
I don’t have time to talk to you. I am as busy as a bee.
busy as a beehive—(of an office, shop, etc.) crowded with cus-
tomers; bustling with activity: The firm was at once as busy
as a beehive.
but me no buts • there are no buts about it
but me no buts —(coll.) don’t give me any of your excuses:
But me no buts this time, just do what I tell you and do it at
once!
there are no buts about it—(coll.) there is no doubt about it:
I saw you steal the money from the drawer. There are no buts
about it.
butcher, baker, candlestick maker • chief cook
and bottle washer
butcher, baker, candlestick maker —said of people with tra-
ditional occupations or skills: Jean rushed to his favorite wine
merchant, to his tobacconist, to his butcher, baker, candlestick
maker.
Note:
The expression is not equivalent in meaning to the phrase
doctor, lawyer, or Indian chief
— whatever your profession or
occupation: You can be a doctor, lawyer, or Indian chief, as
the rhyme goes. But in the midst of making a living, what
kind of person will you be?
chief cook and bottle washer —(also: head cook and bottle
washer) smb. who is in charge but who also has to attend to
trivial duties; a person (specifically a spouse) who does every-
thing: As a stay at home Dad, I am also the chief cook and
bottle washer.