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

to some purpose • to the purpose
to some purpose —effectively; with good result: The mer-
chants could concert together for the saving of their credit:
and they did it to some purpose.
to the purpose —pertinent to the matter or subject in ques-
tion: John never wastes time; he speaks plainly and to the
purpose.
Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase on purpose— intentionally; not by chance: It wasn’t an
accident — he broke the window on purpose.
to someone’s teeth • to the teeth
to someone’s teeth —(dated) directly to smb.’s face; in open
defiance: The very men who had laughed the loudest at his
jests, were now defying him to his teeth as a villain!
to the teeth —(also: up to the teeth) fully; completely: A young
farmer who is starting out and mortgaged to the teeth at the
bank would not look at it the same way.
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to someone’s teeth

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to taste • to the taste
to taste —(in recipes) in the amount preferred: Combine the
cottage cheese with the egg and season to taste with salt.
to the taste —
1
. said of the particular sensation in the tongue:
The malt is decidedly sweeter to the taste then the original
barley. 2. to a person’s liking: Her neck and all about her is
of that comeliness which is most to the taste of a man of my
age.
to the bone • to the bone of one’s back
to the bone —
1
. to the inmost part; completely: She was
English to the bone and so naturally loved puzzles and intel-
lectual entertainments. 2. (coll., of prices) reduce as much as
possible: We’ve cut our prices to the bone, and still the public
aren’t buying.