a flattering subservient, eager sycophant
He's no oil industry Lapdog, believe me.
a very strong and/or menacing entity or issue that is obvious but not dealt with
Abuse suffered in prison is an 800-pound gorilla that is undermining justice.
an event so dramatic or troubling that it effectively serves as an alert, reminder or call to action
The failure of the ongoing efforts to produce effective solutions should have been a wake up call to stop arguing.
when a woman leaves the work force to take time to raise her children.
She was on the mommy track because she did not want to leave her baby with someone while she worked.
to behave recklessly, irresponsibly, or deceitfully toward someone or something, such as acting in a manner that contradicts conventions or guidelines
Wow! He sure does play fast and loose with money.
1. someone who spoils Christmas
2. a stingy person, a miser
He was a scrooge but he never understood what christmas was about anyway.
to summarize a longer story (short for to make a long story short)
Yes, but long story short you need to work harder.