onion

Related to onion: tor

a lonely little petunia in an onion patch

One who is out of place among those one finds unpleasant, uncouth, or overly aggressive. Taken from a 1946 song of the same name by Johnny Kimano, Billy Faber, and Maurie Hartmann. I'm feeling really uncomfortable in this rowdy sports bar, like a lonely little petunia in an onion patch.
See also: little, lonely, onion, patch

know (one's) onions

To be very knowledgeable or skilled in some area. Primarily heard in UK, Australia. I think Nicole is our best candidate for the job—when it comes to corporate accounting, she really knows her onions.
See also: know, onion

peel the onion

To expose the different various layers of something. Once the investigator started peeling the onion, he discovered just how many illegal operations the organization was involved in. You need to peel back the onion and find out what's really bothering Gina, because I doubt it's just the fact that you were late.
See also: onion, peel
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

know one's stuff

 and know one's onions
to know what one is expected to know. I know my stuff. I can do my job. She can't handle the assignment. She doesn't know her onions.
See also: know, stuff
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

know one's stuff

Also, know one's onions. Be experienced or knowledgeable in one's field or in the matter at hand. For example, Patrice knows her stuff when it comes to Mexican history, or We need a handyman who knows his onions. The allusion in the variant is unclear. [First half of 1900s]
See also: know, stuff
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

know your onions

BRITISH, OLD-FASHIONED
If you know your onions, you know a lot about a particular subject. She really knows her onions in the historical field. Note: This may derive from the rhyming slang `onion rings', meaning `things'.
See also: know, onion
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

know your onions

be fully knowledgeable about something. informal
Onions is perhaps short for rhyming slang onion rings , meaning ‘things’. The phrase dates from the 1920s.
See also: know, onion
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • 1FTR
  • drive (one) out of office
  • force (one) out of office
  • force out of office
  • give (one) (one's) head
  • give head
  • give somebody their head
  • give someone their head
  • cooking for one
  • deep water
References in periodicals archive
Not every climate is great for growing bulb onions, and some years, unusual weather can lead to substandard crops.
Get in on onions: introduce onions to your garden crop lineup for an interesting, rewarding season
Intercropping and plant spacing are very important agronomic techniques that keep thrips population below economic injury level in onion crop (Finckh and Karpenstein-Machan, 2002; Malik et al., 2003).
Management of Thrips tabaci (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) Through Agronomic Practices in Onion Field Plots
With onion prices ruling lower at Rs 2-3 per kg in Maharashtra, these two agencies are buying onion in the state to ensure support price to onion growers, he said adding that onion will also be procured from other growing states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
Centre buys 2,300 tonnes of onion so far to build buffer
Researchers have concluded that high intake of allium vegetables (two or more servings of onions per week) is likely to reduce gastric cancer risk (Molecular Nutrition and Food Research 2015).
Give onions a cry!
And while Vidalia onions are the leader in the sweet onion category, Shuman sees the availability of sweet onions from Peru filling an important gap in supply.
Bewitching Bulbs
For onions, the East topped sales performance among the U.S.
Onions and garlic: garlic sales soared while onions sales sagged in the past year
the export of onion restarts." The issue was also raised in Parliament on Wednesday.
Onion overdose cheers buyers, upsets farmers
* What are the key success and risk factors in the onion powder industry?
New Report Explores the Global Onion Powder Market
A 50-foot row of onion plants and sets can produce 50 pounds of mature onions for use in canning, pickling, and long-term storage.
Grow onions to keep
The central government has already started taking measures to tackle the onion scarcity in the future.
INDIA TO IMPORT 70,000 TONS OF ONION
You can use homemade onion powder in cooking the same way you use store-bought onion powder, only the taste is fresher and more pungent.
Homemade onion powder
"The sales revenue could be a big boost to increase the income of onion farmers here to help them defray their basic, daily expenditures and enable them to provide better health and education for the members of their respective families," Camacho said.
Bayambang aims to export top-quality onions
Abdul Majeed Nizamani, President, Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB), has urged the government to withdraw export duty on onion trade and save onion growers of Sindh.
SAB urges removal of export levy on onions
She had hit the streets of Delhi with her followers donning garlands made of onion in 1998 to politically exploit the soaring onion prices.
Sheila Dikshit now at the receiving end of onion politics
The global dry onion market is likely to experience robust growth.
Dry Onion Market Evaluation Targets Advancement Anticipated until 2022