fish or cut bait

fish or cut bait
{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. Decide what you want to do and stop wasting time; either act now or give someone else a chance or turn. * /Jack couldn't decide whether to go to college or get a job, so his father told him to fish or cut bait./ * /"Buy the kind of ice cream you want or give someone else in line a chance. Fish or cut bait!"/ Compare: MAKE UP ONE'S MIND. 2. Either try hard and do your best, or quit. * /Frank missed football practice so often that the coach told him to fish or cut bait./

Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • fish or cut bait — (USA) This idiom is used when you want to tell someone that it is time to take action …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • fish or cut bait — phrasal : to make a choice between alternatives : cease temporizing or procrastinating; specifically : to choose either to engage wholeheartedly or actively in some work or scheme or to withdraw from it completely * * * I informal stop… …   Useful english dictionary

  • fish or cut bait — {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. Decide what you want to do and stop wasting time; either act now or give someone else a chance or turn. * /Jack couldn t decide whether to go to college or get a job, so his father told him to fish or cut bait./ * / Buy… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • fish\ or\ cut\ bait — v. phr. informal 1. Decide what you want to do and stop wasting time; either act now or give someone else a chance or turn. Jack couldn t decide whether to go to college or get a job, so his father told him to fish or cut bait. Buy the kind of… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • Fish or cut bait. — sent. Do something or get out of the way. □ Fish or cut bait, Chuck. There’s work to be done here. □ Decide whether you’re going to watch or help. Fish or cut bait …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • fish or cut bait — verb To choose between taking action now, or forgoing the opportunity and putting that energy into another endeavor; to decide. Its time to fish or cut bait: either we buy this house now, or we must start looking for another one. Syn: shit or get …   Wiktionary

  • fish or cut bait — do it instead of talking about it, less talk and more action, shit or get off the pot    You ve been bragging about what a great cook you are, so you make dinner. It s time to fish or cut bait! …   English idioms

  • Fish or cut bait. — American something that you say to someone when you want them to make a decision and take action without any more delay. Your relationship s going nowhere. It s time to fish or cut bait …   New idioms dictionary

  • fish or cut bait — to act or decide you are not going to do anything. The time has come when you have to fish or cut bait either you help us plan what to do or we will decide and go ahead without you …   New idioms dictionary

  • fish or cut bait — Meaning Either do some useful work or leave and let other get on with it. Origin US origin. Cut bait means stop fishing …   Meaning and origin of phrases

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