| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
| paint a picture |
describe in detail, portray with words
|
The speaker painted a picture of a ghetto with kids on the streets.
|
| paint the town red |
have a party downtown, go out on the town
|
During the carnival they paint the town red - have a great time.
|
| paint with the same brush |
include in the same group, generalize
|
He was with the gang, but can we paint him with the same brush?
|
| pair off/pair up |
find a partner, organize people in two's
|
The coach asked us to pair off and practise passing the ball to each other.
|
| pale by comparison |
is not as good, is not as beautiful or talented
|
Most European parks pale by comparison to Banff.
|
| paltry sum |
(See a paltry sum)
|
|
| pan out |
succeed, go as planned, work out
|
Blair's ideas usually pan out. His suggestions are practical.
|
| parachute |
to lose a job and be given another, to land in a safe position when your position is in danger, Bob's your uncle
|
A vice-president in trouble can parachute to one of several positions, or the board can create a position!
|
| pardon me |
what did you say? please repeat it
|
Pardon me? Did you say you grew up in Hong Kong?
|
| part and parcel |
the same as, similar, one and the same
|
Socialism and communism are part and parcel of the same thing.
|