If you feel or show disapproval of something or someone, you feel or show that you do not approve of them. His action had been greeted with almost universal disapproval. an attitude that shows you think that someone or their behaviour, ideas etc are bad or not suitable approval disapproval of
If someone's name or something such as an idea is bandied about or is bandied around, that person or that thing is discussed by many people in a casual way. Young players now hear various sums bandied around about how much players are getting
If you bottle up strong feelings, you do not express them or show them, especially when this makes you tense or angry. Tension in the home increases if you bottle things up Be assertive rather than bottle up your anger
If you say that someone is butting in, you are criticizing the fact that they are joining in a conversation or activity without being asked to. Sorry, I don't mean to butt in `I should think not,' Sarah butted in. = interrupt
If you say that a person or organization buys off another person or group, you are criticizing the fact that they are giving them something such as money so that they will not complain or cause trouble. policies designed to buy off the working-class vote In buying your children all these things, you are in a sense buying them off
If you say that someone carves something up, you disapprove of the way they have divided it into small parts. He has set about carving up the company which Hammer created from almost nothing They have begun carving the country up like a pie
If you say that someone has cobbled something together, you mean that they have made or produced it roughly or quickly. The group had cobbled together a few decent songs You can cobble it together from any old combination of garments
You say that an event or process drags on when you disapprove of the fact that it lasts for longer than necessary. The conflict with James has dragged on for two years
If someone fobs you off, they tell you something just to stop you asking questions. I've asked her about it but she fobs me off Don't be fobbed off with excuses
If you say that something grinds on, you disapprove of the fact that it continues to happen in the same way for a long time. Civil war in the Sudan has been grinding on for nine years
If you are lumbered with someone or something, you have to deal with them or take care of them even though you do not want to and this annoys you. I was lumbered with the job of taking charge of all the money She was lumbered with a bill for about ninety pounds
If someone muscles in on something, they force their way into a situation where they have no right to be and where they are not welcome, in order to gain some advantage for themselves. Cohen complained that Kravis was muscling in on his deal It would be surprising were the Mafia not to have muscled in
If you say that someone has palmed something off on you, you feel annoyed because they have made you accept it although it is not valuable or is not your responsibility. I couldn't keep palming her off on friends Joseph made sure that he was never palmed off with inferior stuff
If you say that you are palmed off with a lie or an excuse, you are annoyed because you are told something in order to stop you asking any more questions. Mark was palmed off with a series of excuses
If you say that someone is poncing around or poncing about, you mean that they are not doing something properly, quickly, or seriously. I spent my working life poncing around on a beach instead of doing a proper job
If you describe someone as rabbiting on, you do not like the way they keep talking for a long time about something that is not very interesting. What are you rabbiting on about?
If you are running after someone, you are trying to start a relationship with them, usually a sexual relationship. By the time she was fifteen Maria was already running after men twice her age
If you say that someone has shacked up with someone else or that two people have shacked up together, you disapprove of the fact that they have started living together as lovers. the deserters who had shacked up with local women The Government was keen for people to get married rather than shack up It turned out she was shacked up with a lawyer in New York
If you say that someone sleeps around, you disapprove of them because they have sex with a lot of different people. I don't sleep around. a drunken husband who slept around with other women
If someone sounds off, they express their opinions strongly and rather rudely without being asked. It is surprising how many people start sounding off about something without really deciding what they think about it
You say that someone is sucking up to a person in authority when you do not like the fact that they are trying to please the person because of the person's position. She kept sucking up to the teachers, especially Mrs Clements
If you say that someone talks down to you, you disapprove of the way they talk to you, treating you as if you are not very intelligent or not very important. She was a gifted teacher who never talked down to her students. = patronize
If someone tarts up a room or building, they try to improve its appearance, often with the result that it looks vulgar. `Have you ever wondered why British Rail would rather tart up their stations than improve services?' he asked. tarted-up pubs
If you say that a person trots out old ideas or information, you are criticizing him or her for repeating them in a way that is not new or interesting. Was it really necessary to trot out the same old stereotypes about Ireland?
If you say that someone has wriggled out of doing something, you disapprove of the fact that they have managed to avoid doing it, although they should have done it. The Government has tried to wriggle out of any responsibility for providing childcare for working parents. = get out of