Fig. [for someone or something] liked or used by all people; [for someone or something] everything that is wanted by all people. You simply can't be all things to all people. The candidate set out to be all things to all men and came off looking very wishy-washy.
assimilate with some people
to join or mix in with people and become accepted by them. It's easy for Karen to assimilate with new people. I want to assimilate rapidly with the other people in my class.
See also: assimilate, some
choose between two people or things
to choose one from a selection of two persons or things in any combination. For dessert, you can choose between chocolate and vanilla ice cream. I am unable to choose between promoting John and hiring one of the others.
draw people or things together
to pull people together; to pull things together. She drew her toys together in preparation for leaving. She drew together all the people she wanted to talk to.
gather someone into something and gather someone in
to assemble or bring people into something or some place. The hostess gathered the children into the house just as the storm hit. She gathered in the children. Harry gathered them in before the storm.
See also: gather
Idle people have the least leisure. and Idle folk have the least leisure.
Prov. If you are not energetic and hardworking, you will never have any free time, since you will have to spend all your time finishing your work. My grandmother always told me not to dawdle, since idle people have the least leisure.
interpose someone or something between people or things
to put someone or something between people or things, in any combination. I do not wish to interpose Randy between the twins. We will not interpose our own standards between these two warring factions.
keep people straight (in one's mind)
Fig. to correctly distinguish one person from other people. The twins look exactly alike. Not even their mother can keep them straight.
lot of someone or something and lots of people or things
a large number of people or things; much of something. I got a lot of presents for my birthday. I ate lots of cookies after dinner.
See also: lot
number of things or people
some things or people, in an indefinite amount. I subscribe to a number of different magazines. A number of people are here now.
people something with someone
to provide population for something or some place, using someone or some kind of people. The government decided to people the frontier with a variety of races. The island had been peopled with marooned sailors.
People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
Prov. You should not criticize other people for having the same faults that you yourself have. Jill: Richard sure was drinking a lot at the office party. Jane: I noticed you had quite a few cocktails yourself. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
put people or things together
to join or combine people or things. We will put Sam and Trudy together at the dinner table. Let's put all the crystal goblets together.
put people's heads together
to join together with someone to confer. Let's put our heads together and come up with a solution to this problem. Mary and Ted put their heads together, but failed to provide anything new.
some people (just) don't know when to quit and some people (just) don't know when to give up; some people (just) don't know when to stop
1. You, or someone being talked about, should stop doing something, such as talking, arguing, scolding, etc. (often directed toward the person being addressed.) Bill: I hate to say it again, but that lipstick is all wrong for you. It brings out the wrong color in your eyes, and it makes your mouth larger than it really is. Jane: Oh, stop, stop! That's enough! Some people just don't know when to quit. John: Those bushes out in the backyard need trimming. Sally: You keep criticizing! Is there no end to it? Some people don't know when to stop!
2. Some people do not know when to slow down and stop working so hard. Jane: He just kept on gambling. Finally, he had no money left. Sally: Some people don't know when to quit.
split people up
to separate two or more people (from one another). If you two don't stop chattering, I'll have to split you up. I willhttp://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/people have to split up that twosome in the corner.
tell people or things apart
to distinguish one from another. I can't tell Bob and Bill apart. I find it easy to tell apart Bill and Bob. The two cakes look different, but in taste, I can't tell this one and that one apart.
throw people together
to bring or put two or more people together. The crisis threw complete strangers together, and they became fast friends before it was over. They were thrown together by fate.
wedge someone or something (in) between people or things
to work someone or something into a tiny space between people or things. The usher wedged us in between two enormously fat people, and we were all very uncomfortable. They wedged in the package between Jane and the wall. We had to wedge Timmy between Jed and the side of the car.
yoke people or things together
to connect two people together with a yoke; to connect two animals together with a yoke. Todd yoked the oxen together for the parade. Sam yoked Fred and Tom together so they could pull the load.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Reference: http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/people
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