[make short work of]{v. phr.} To finish rapidly. •/The cat made short work of the baby rabbit./ •/Tim was anxious to get to the movies so he made short work of his homework./

[make sit up]{v. phr.} To shock to attention; surprise; create keen interest. •/Her sudden appearance at the party and her amazingly low-cut dress made us all sit up./

[make something of]{v. phr.} 1. To make (something) seem important. •/When girls see another girl with a boy, they often try to make something of it./ 2. To start a fight over; use as an excuse to start a quarrel. •/Bob accidentally shoved Bill in the corridor, and Bill made something of it./ •/Ann didn’t like what Mary said about her. She tried to make something of what Mary said./ Compare: START SOMETHING.

[make sport of] See: MAKE FUN OF.

[make sure]{v. phr.} To see about something yourself; look at to be sure. •/Father makes sure that all the lights are off before he goes to bed./ •/Mary thought she had time to get to school but she ran all the way just to make sure./ •/Before you write your report on the life of Washington you should make sure of your facts./

[make the best of]{v. phr.} To do something you do not like to do and not complain; accept with good humor. •/The girl did not like to wash dishes but she made the best of it./ Compare: MAKE A VIRTUE OF NECESSITY.

[make the blood boil] See: MAKE ONE’S BLOOD BOIL.

[make the feathers fly]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To enjoy working; be strong and work hard. •/When Mrs. Hale did her spring cleaning she made the feathers fly./ 2. See: MAKE THE FUR FLY.

[make the fur fly] or [make the feathers fly] {v. phr.}, {informal} Say or write mean things about someone or to jump on and fight hard. •/A man fooled Mr. Black and got his money. Mr. Black will really make the fur fly when he finds the man./ •/Mrs. Baker’s dog dug holes in her neighbor’s garden. The neighbor really made the fur fly when she saw Mrs. Baker./

[make the grade]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To make good; succeed. •/It was clear that Mr. Baker had made the grade in the insurance business./ •/It takes hard study to make the grade in school./ 2. To meet a standard; qualify. •/That whole shipment of cattle made the grade as prime beef./

[make the most of]{v. phr.} To do the most you can with; get the most from; use to the greatest advantage. •/She planned the weekend in town to make the most of it./ •/George studied hard. He wanted to make the most of his chance to learn./ •/The teacher went out of the room for five minutes and some bad boys made the most of it./ •/Bill liked Mary; he would do anything for her, and Mary made the most of it./ Compare: MAKE HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES.

[make the scene]{v. phr.}, {slang} To be present; to arrive at a certain place or event. •/I am too tired to make the scene; let’s go home./

[make things hum] See: KEEP THINGS HUMMING.

[make time]{v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To be successful in arriving at a designated place in short or good time. •/We’re supposed to be there at 6 P.M., and it’s only 5:30 — we’re making good time./ 2. To be successful in making sexual advances to someone. •/Joe sure is making time with Sue, isn’t he?/

[make tongues wag] See: TONGUES TO WAG.

[make tracks]{v. phr.}, {informal} To go fast; get a speedy start; hurry. •/Man, it’s time we made tracks!/ •/The boys made tracks for home when it began to get dark./ Compare: GET GOING, MAKE HASTE.

[makeup]{n.} (stress on "make") 1. Cosmetics. •/All the actors and actresses put on a lot of makeup./ 2. Attributive auxiliary in lieu of, or belated. •/The professor gave a makeup to the sick students./

[make up]{v.} (stress on "up") 1. To make by putting things or parts together. •/A car is made up of many different parts./ 2. To invent; think and say something that is new or not true. •/Jean makes up stories to amuse her little brother./ 3a. To do or provide (something lacking or needed); do or supply (something not done, lost, or missed); get back; regain; give back; repay. •/I have to make up the test I missed last week./ •/I want to go to bed early to make up the sleep I lost last night./ •/We have to drive fast to make up the hour we lost in Boston./ •/Vitamin pills make up what you lack in your diet./ •/The toy cost a dollar and Ted only had fifty cents, so Father made up the difference./ — Often used in the phrase "make it up to". •/Uncle Fred forgot my birthday present but he made it up to me by taking me to the circus./ •/Mrs. Rich spent so much time away from her children that she tried to make it up to them by giving them things./ Compare: MAKE GOOD. 3b. To do what is lacking or needed; do or give what should be done or given; get or give back what has been lost, missed, or not done; get or give instead; pay back. — Used with "for". •/We made up for lost time by taking an airplane instead of a train./ •/Saying you are sorry won’t make up for the damage of breaking the window./ •/Mary had to make up for the time she missed in school when she was sick, by studying very hard./ •/The beautiful view at the top of the mountain makes up for the hard climb to get there./ 4. To put on lipstick and face paint powder. •/Clowns always make up before a circus show./ •/Tom watched his sister make up her face for her date./ 5. To become friends again after a quarrel. •/Mary and Joan quarreled, but made up after a while./ Compare: BURY THE HATCHET. 6. To try to make friends with someone; to win favor. — Followed by "to". •/The new boy made up to the teacher by sharpening her pencils./

[make up one’s mind]{v. phr.} To choose what to do; decide. •/They made up their minds to sell the house./ •/Tom couldn’t decide whether he should tell Mother about the broken window or let her find it herself./ Contrast: ON THE FENCE.

[make waves]{v. phr.}, {informal} Make one’s influence felt; create a disturbance, a sensation. •/Joe Catwallender is the wrong man for the job; he is always trying to make waves./

[make way]{v. phr.} To move from in front so someone can go through; stand aside. •/The people made way for the king./ •/When older men retire they make way for younger men to take their places./

[mama’s boy]{n. phr.}, {informal} A boy who depends too much on his mother; a sissy. •/The other boys called Tommy a mama’s boy because he wouldn’t come out to play unless his mother stayed near him./

[man] See: COMPANY MAN, EVERY LAST MAN also EVERY MAN JACK, FRONT MAN, HIRED MAN, LADY’S MAN, NEW MAN, SEPARATE THE MEN FROM THE BOYS, TO A MAN, YES-MAN.

[man] or [the man] {n.}, {slang} 1. The police; a policeman. •/I am gonna turn you in to the man./ 2. The boss; the leader; the most important figure in an organization or outfit. •/The man will decide./

[man-about-town]{n. phr.} A sophisticate; an idler; a member of cafe society; one who knows where the best plays and concerts are given. •/Ask Mark where to go when you’re in New York City; he’s a real man-about-town./

[manger] See: DOG IN THE MANGER.

[man in the moon]{n. phr.} An imaginary or nonexistent person (often used to indicate a person of ignorance). •/Stop asking me such difficult questions about nuclear physics; I know as much about it as the man in the moon./