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

equate something to something • equate something
with something
equate something to something —make two things equal: A
new regulation required them to equate road workers’ wages
to those paid to other workers.
equate something with something —
1
. consider two things to
be identical: Why socialized medicine should be equated with
socialist medicine I fail to understand. 2. = equate something
to something: It was traditional right up until the war to equate
the wages of constables with that of agricultural laborers.
escape from prison • escape prison
escape from prison —break out of prison: Hundreds of po-
licemen are looking for a man who escaped from Princeville
Prison early this morning.
escape prison —avoid being sent to prison: A man who
turned police informer to escape prison went on trial yesterday
for perjury.
escape with a whole skin • save one’s skin
escape with a whole skin —(also: keep a whole skin) escape
without damage; remain unhurt: Has Esther been quarrelling
with you? If she has been you are lucky to have escaped with
a whole skin.
save one’s skin —
1
. rescue oneself from death: He was not
prepared to dishonor himself by betraying a fellow officer to
save his skin. 2. escape from a disagreeable predicament; avoid
punishment: I saved my skin by getting the job done on time.
Eve with a lid on • Eve with a moldy lid
Eve with a lid on —(U.S. diners) apple pie (the reference being
to the biblical Eve with an apple): The first couple (Adam and
Eve) make an appearance as poached eggs on toast: Adam and
Eve on a Raft. Eve appears solo as another name for apple pie:
Eve with a Lid On.
Eve with a moldy lid —(U.S. diners) apple pie with a slice of
cheese: There are plenty of other short order cook gems like
Eve with a Moldy Lid and Zeppelins in a Fog (sausages in
mashed potatoes).