vine
all vine and no taters
Appealing but lacking substance. Patty is beautiful but ditzy, truly all vine and no taters. I thought this report would be groundbreaking, but it's all vine and no taters.
See also: all, and, no, tater, vine
be dead on the vine
1. Literally (of fruit), to have shriveled and died before being harvested, as due to neglect or lack of resources. With the horrible drought we've had this summer, nearly all of the fruit in my orchards are dead on the vine. You forgot to water my tomato plant! Now they're all dead on the vine!
2. By extension, to have failed prematurely or not come to fruition, as due to being ignored, neglected, impractical, or without the necessary means to succeed. The president made sweeping promises during his campaign, but many of those are now dead on the vine. Many of the resources for students with learning disabilities were dead on the vine following the school board's budget cuts.
See also: dead, on, vine
clinging vine
A person, typically a woman, whose relationship with someone or others is characterized by emotional overdependence and/or helplessness. I was at first attracted to her intrepid sense of adventure, but when we began dating, it became obvious she was a bit of a clinging vine emotionally.
See also: cling, vine
die on the vine
1. Literally (of fruit), to shrivel and die before being harvested, due to neglect or lack of resources. With the horrible drought we've had this summer, nearly all of the fruit in my orchards died on the vine. You forgot to water my tomato plant! Now they've all died on the vine!
2. By extension, to fail prematurely or not come to fruition, as due to being ignored, neglected, impractical, or without the necessary means to succeed. The president made sweeping promises during his campaign, but many of those have died on the vine. Many of the resources for students with learning disabilities have died on the vine following the school board's budget cuts.
See also: die, on, vine
on the grapevine
Through or via an informal means of communication or information, especially gossip. There is always some absurd rumor or piece of misinformation on the grapevine at work, but I try to just tune most of that out. I heard on the grapevine that John is planning to propose to Samantha next week!
See also: grapevine, on
through the grapevine
Through or via an informal means of communication or information, especially gossip. There is always some absurd rumor or piece of misinformation through the grapevine at work, but I try to just tune most of that out. I heard through the grapevine that John is planning to propose to Samantha next week!
See also: grapevine, through
vines
dated slang Clothing. Where'd you get those ratty old vines, the dumpster?
See also: vine
wither on the vine
1. Literally (of fruit), to shrivel and die before being harvested, due to neglect, adverse conditions, or lack of resources. You forgot to water my tomato plant! Now they've all withered on the vine! With the horrible drought we've had this summer, nearly all of the fruit in my orchards withered on the vine.
2. By extension, to fail prematurely or not come to fruition, as due to being ignored, neglected, impractical, or without the necessary means to succeed. The president made sweeping promises during his campaign, but many of those have withered on the vine. Many of the resources for students with learning disabilities have withered on the vine following the school board's budget cuts.
See also: on, vine, wither
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
all vine and no taters
Rur. to be all display with no real value. She's a good-looking woman, but really she's all vine and no taters. Don't be fooled by Jim's flowery promises. They're all vine and no taters.
See also: all, and, no, tater, vine
wither on the vine
and die on the vine1. Lit. [for fruit] to shrivel on the vine or stem, unharvested. If we don't get out there into the field, the grapes will wither on the vine. The apples will die on the vine if not picked soon.
2. . Fig. [for someone or something] to be ignored or neglected and thereby be wasted. I hope I get a part in the play. I don't want to just die on the vine. Fred thinks he is withering on the vine because no one has chosen him.
See also: on, vine, wither
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
clinging vine
An overly dependent person, as in A clinging vine since her marriage, she's never made a decision on her own. Nearly always applied to a woman (or wife), this metaphor for a climbing plant today criticizes dependency rather than, as in former times, praising the vine's fruitfulness.
See also: cling, vine
wither on the vine
Fail to come to fruition, as in This building project will wither on the vine if they don't agree on a price. This expression alludes to grapes shriveling and drying up because they were not picked when ripe.
See also: on, vine, wither
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
wither on the vine
LITERARY ordie on the vine
AMERICAN, LITERARYIf something withers on the vine, it fails or is destroyed because nobody supports it or does anything to make it successful. The chance to make peace certainly exists, but could still wither on the vine. I talked to people all over this state who are worried that the American dream is dying on the vine.
See also: on, vine, wither
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
die on the vine
be unsuccessful at an early stage. Compare with wither on the vine (at wither).See also: die, on, vine
wither on the vine
fail to be implemented or dealt with because of neglect or inaction.The image of grapes failing to grow is probably a reference to various passages in the Bible in which a withered vine is used as a metaphor for a state of physical or spiritual impoverishment.
See also: on, vine, wither
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
ˌwither on the ˈvine
(formal) gradually come to an end or stop being effective: He used to be so ambitious, but his ambition seems to have withered on the vine.If a grape withers on the vine, it dries up and dies before it can be picked.
See also: on, vine, wither
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
vines
n. clothing. (Black.) Good-looking vines on that guy, right?
See also: vine
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
clinging vine
An extremely dependent person. Today this term is mildly pejorative—such a person is not considered particularly admirable—but earlier uses of this figure of speech carry no such criticism. Indeed, the vine in question, nearly always a woman or wife, was also praised for potential or actual fruitfulness (i.e., childbearing ability). “Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house,” says the Book of Psalms (128:3).
See also: cling, vine
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
- all vine and no taters
- tater
- all show and no go
- ditsy
- ditzy
- taters
- all fur coat and no knickers
- burger
- gidget
- bubblehead