be left holding
be left holding :
bad blood = there is bad blood between
There is longstanding hostility between the parties mentioned.
2001 - Hugh Collins - No Smoke - There are occasional square-gos sometimes, but there's no bad blood between rival gangs.
a bad quarter of an hour
a short but very unpleasant period of time
an unnerving experience
A bad quarter of an hour is a translation of the French phrase un mauvais quart d'heure which has also been current in English since the mid 19th century.
a bad workman blames his tools
someone who has done something badly will seek to lay the blame on the equipment rather than admit to their own lack of skill - proverb
A similar 13th-century French proverb observed mauveés ovriers ne troveraja bon hostill - bad workmen will never find a good tool and variants of this early saying can be found in English until the mid 19th century until the emergence of the modern version.
be bad news
be a problem or handicap – informal
1996 - City - Paper (Baltimore)- From the moment we see Mark Wahlberg... surrounded by pool-hall scumbags, we know he's bad news.
my bad
used to acknowledge responsibility for a mistake - North American informal
turn up like a bad penny
(of someone or something unwelcome) inevitably
reappear or return
A bad penny is a counterfeit coin which circulates rapidly as people try to pass it on to someone else.
bag and baggage
with all your belongings
a bag of bones
an emaciated person or animal - Compare with be skin and bone.
a bag of nerves = a bundle of nerves
a person who is extremely timid or tense – informal
a bag of tricks = a whole bag of tricks
a set of ingenious plans, techniques or resources – informal
be left holding the bag = be left holding the baby = be left holding
be left with an unwelcome responsibility, often without warning.
in the bag
(of something desirable) as good as secured
Drunk - US
pack your bag
put your belongings in a bag or a suitcase in preparation for an imminent departure
fish or cut bait
stop vacillating and decide to act on or disengage from something – North American Informal
rise to the bait
React to a provocation or temptation exactly as intended.
The image here is of a fish coming to the surface to take a bait or fly.
1966 - Listener - I should perhaps apologise for having risen to the bait of Mr. Wilkinson's provocative letter.
be left holding :
Idioms Index – Previous Page
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