one-horse
Insignificant; modest; provincial.
Arnold's business is a one-horse operation; he never had a single employee.
one-night stand
A single performance given by a traveling company while on a tour.
After they went bankrupt in the big cities, the traveling jazz quartet played one-night stands in the country.
A brief affair or sexual encounter.
"With AIDS all around us?" said Jane. "Nobody is having one-night stands anymore."
one-two
A succession of two punches, the first a short left, followed by a hard right punch, usually in the jaw.
Ali gave Frazir the one-two.
Any quick or decisive action which takes the opposition by surprise, thereby ensuring victory.
He gave us the old one-two and won the game.
one-upmanship
Always keeping ahead of others; trying to keep an advantage. (The word one-upmanship was made up by a British humorist, Stephen Potter, on the pattern of such words as sportsmanship and workmanship.)
No matter what I do, I find that Jim has already done it better. He's an expert at one-upmanship.
Jack took the news to the principal while we were still talking about it. He's very quick to practice one-upmanship.
open one's eyes
open up one's eyes
To make a person see or understand the truth; make a person realize; tell a person what is really happening or what really exists.
Mary didn't believe that her cousin could be mean until the cousin opened Mary's eyes by scratching and biting her.
John's eyes were opened up to the world of nature when he visited his grandfather's farm.
open one's heart
To talk about your feelings honestly; confide in someone.
After going around worrying, Mary opened her heart to her mother.
John felt much better after he opened his heart to Betty.
To be sympathetic to; give love or help generously.
Mrs. Smith opened her heart to the poor little boy.
After the moving speech by the UN official, the people opened their hearts to the poor people of India.
out of one's blood
Separate from one's feelings, interests, or desires.
When Tom moved to the city, he couldn't get the country out of his blood.
Mary is having a hard job getting summer laziness out of her blood.
out of one's element
Outside of your natural surroundings; where you do not belong or fit in.
Wild animals are out of their element in cages.
Chris is out of his element in singing class.