[turn the trick]{v. phr.}, {informal} To bring about the result you want; succeed in what you plan to do. •/Jerry wanted to win both the swimming and diving contests, but he couldn’t quite turn the trick./ Compare: DO THE TRICK.

[turn thumbs down]{v. phr.} To disapprove or reject; say no. — Usually used with "on". •/The company turned thumbs down on Mr. Smith’s sales plan./ •/The men turned thumbs down on a strike at that time./

[turn to]{v.} To begin working with much energy. •/All the boys turned to and cleaned the cabin in a few minutes./ •/Mary turned to and studied for the test./ Syn.: FALL TO.

[turn turtle]{v. phr.} To turn upside down. •/The car skidded on the ice and turned turtle./

[turn up]{v.} 1. To find; discover. •/The police searched the house hoping to turn up more clues./ 2. To appear or be found suddenly or unexpectedly. •/The missing boy turned up an hour later./ •/A man without training works at whatever jobs turn up./ Compare: SHOW UP(3).

[turn up one’s nose at]{v. phr.} To refuse as not being good enough for you. •/He thinks he should only get steak, and he turns up his nose at hamburger./

[turn up one’s toes]{v. phr.}, {slang} To die. •/One morning the children found that their pet mouse had turned up his toes, so they had a funeral for him./ Compare: PUSH UP THE DAISIES.

[turtle] See: TURN TURTLE.

[tut-tut]{interj.}, {informal} Used to express mild disapproval. •/"Tut-tut," said the teacher. "You shouldn’t cross the street without looking."/ •/Tut-tut, put that piece of candy back. You’ve already had three pieces./

[twice] See: BIG AS LIFE(2), LIGHTNING NEVER STRIKES TWICE IN THE SAME PLACE, THINK TWICE, ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY and BURNT CHILD DREADS THE FIRE.

[twice as natural] See: BIG AS LIFE or BIG AS LIFE AND TWICE AS NATURAL.

[twiddle one’s thumbs]{v. phr.} To do nothing; be idle. •/I’d rather work than stand around here twiddling my thumbs./

[twist one around one’s little finger] also [turn one around one’s little finger] or [wrap one around one’s finger] {v. phr.} To have complete control over; to be able to make (someone) do anything you want. •/Sue can twist any of the boys around her little finger./ Compare: JUMP THROUGH A HOOP.

[twist one’s arm]{v. phr.}, {informal} To force someone; threaten someone to make him do something. — Usually used jokingly. •/Will you dance with the prettiest girl in school? Stop, you’re twisting my arm!/ •/I had to twist Tom’s arm to make him eat the candy!/

[two] See: BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA or BETWEEN TWO FIRES, TWO CENTS, BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH, CUT BOTH WAYS or CUT TWO WAYS, HAVE TWO STRIKES AGAINST ONE, IN TWO, KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE, NO TWO WAYS ABOUT IT, PUT TWO AND TWO TOGETHER, STAND ON ONE’S OWN FEET or STAND ON ONE’S OWN TWO FEET, TELL A THING OR TWO, THING OR TWO.

[two bits]{n.}, {slang} Twenty-five cents; a quarter of a dollar. •/A haircut only cost two bits when Grandfather was young./ Compare: FOUR BITS, SIX BITS.

[two cents]{n.}{informal} 1. Something not important or very small; almost nothing. •/Paul was so angry that he said for two cents he would quit the team./ •/When John saw that the girl he was scolding was lame, he felt like two cents./ 2. or [two cents worth] Something you want to say; opinion. — Used with a possessive. •/The boys were talking about baseball, and Harry put in his two cents worth, even though he didn’t know much about baseball./ •/If we want your two cents, we’ll ask for it./

[two-faced]{adj.} Insincere; disloyal; deceitful. •/Don’t confide too much in him as he has the reputation of being two-faced./ Compare: SPEAK WITH A FORKED TONGUE.

[two’s company; three’s a crowd] An informal way to express a situation when two people desire privacy and a third one is present. — A proverb. •/Beth and Carl wanted to be alone so when Maggie joined them they said, "Two’s company; three’s a crowd."/

[two strikes against one]{n. phr.}-From baseball. Two opportunities wasted in some undertaking, so that only one chance is left. •/Poor John has two strikes against him when it comes to his love for Frances: first, he is too fat, and, second, he is bald./

[two-time]{v.}, {slang} To go out with a second boy or girlfriend and keep it a secret from the first. •/Joan was two-timing Jim with Fred./ •/Mary cried when she found that Joe was two-timing her./ Compare: DOUBLE-CROSS.

[two to one] See: TEN TO ONE.

[two ways about it] See: NO TWO WAYS ABOUT IT.

[U.F.O.]{n. phr.} Unidentified Flying Object. •/Some people think that the U.F.O.s are extraterrestrial beings of higher than human development who pay periodic visits to Earth to warn us of our self-destructive tendencies./

[ugly duckling]{n.} An ugly or plain child who grows up to be pretty and attractive. •/Mary was the ugly duckling in her family, until she grew up./

[uh-huh] or [um-hum] {adv.}, {informal} Yes. — Used only in speech or when recording dialogue. •/Are you going to the Fair? Uh-huh./ •/We were in Alaska, um-hum, but that was long before the earthquakes./ •/When I asked for an appointment, the nurse said, "Um-hum, I have an opening at four o’clock on Friday."/ Contrast: HUH-UH.

[um-hum] See: UH-HUH.

[unbosom oneself]{v. phr.} To confess one’s personal thoughts or feelings; disclose private information to a confidante. •/Once she was at home with her mother, she unbosomed herself of all her troubles./

[uncertain] See: IN SO MANY WORDS(2). or IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS.

[uncle] See: SAY UNCLE also CRY UNCLE.

[under] See: CUT THE GROUND FROM UNDER, GO UNDER, OUT FROM UNDER, SNOW UNDER.

[under a bushel] See: HIDE ONE’S LIGHT UNDER A BUSHEL.

[under a cloud]{adj. phr.} 1. Under suspicion; not trusted. •/Joyce has been under a cloud since her roommate’s bracelet disappeared./ •/The butcher is under a cloud because the inspectors found his scales were not honest./ 2. Depressed, sad, discouraged. •/Joe has been under a cloud since his dog died./

[under age]{adj. phr.} Too young; not old enough; below legal age. •/He could not enlist in the army because he was under age./ •/Rose was not allowed to enroll in the Life Saving Course because she was under age./ Contrast: OF AGE(1).

[under arrest]{adj. phr.} Held by the police. •/The man believed to have robbed the bank was placed under arrest./ •/The three boys were seen breaking into the school building and soon found themselves under arrest./

[under construction]{adv. phr.} In the process of being built or repaired. •/It is a good idea to take the train to work while the expressway is under construction./

[under cover]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} Hidden; concealed. •/The prisoners escaped under cover of darkness./ •/He kept his invention under cover until it was patented./ Compare: UNDER WRAPS.

[under false colors] See: SAIL UNDER FALSE COLORS.

[under fire]{adv. phr.} Being shot at or being attacked; hit by attacks or accusations; under attack. •/The soldiers stood firm under fire of the enemy./ •/The principal was under fire for not sending the boys home who stole the car./