be an [artist/patriot/professional/etc.] to (your) fingertips

if you say that someone is an artist, patriot, professional etc. to their fingertips, you mean that they behave in a way which is completely typical of such a person, and it is the most important part of their character.

Mark, a professional to his fingertips, insisted that we should make proper joints, not simply nail the pieces of wood together.

• not be worth the paper they're written on
• not be your bag
• not be your brother's keeper
• not break the bank
• not breathe a word
• not budge an inch
• not by a long shot
• not by any stretch
• not by any stretch of the imagination
• not care a fig
• not care a hoot
• not care a toss
• not care tuppence
• notch below
• notch below someone
• notch below something
• not come up to scratch
• not cup of tea
• not cut it
• not cut the mustard
• not day
• not do any favors
• not do any favours
• not do anything by halves
• not done