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[sweet tooth]{n. phr.} A great weakness or predilection for sweets. •/Sue has such a sweet tooth that she hardly eats anything else but cake./

[swelled head]{n.}, {informal} A feeling that you are very important or more important than you really are. •/When John won the race, he got a swelled head./ •/Pretty girls shouldn’t get a swelled head about it./ — [swell-headed]{adj. phr.} •/After he was elected captain of the team, Bob became swell-headed./ Compare: BIG HEAD.

[swell-headed] See: SWELLED HEAD.

[swim] See: IN THE SWIM, SINK OR SWIM.

[swim against the current] or [swim against the stream]{v. phr.} To do the opposite of what most people want to do; go against the way things are happening; struggle upstream. •/The boy who tries to succeed today without an education is swimming against the stream./

[swine] See: CAST PEARLS BEFORE SWINE or CAST ONE’S PEARLS BEFORE SWINE.

[swing] See: IN FULL SWING.

[swing one’s weight]{v. phr.} To use your personal power to get something done •/The President swings his weight to get laws passed./ •/Mr. Thomas swung his weight to get his son a job with the company./

[switch] See: ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH.

[switched on]{adj.}, {slang} 1. In tune with the latest fads, ideas, and fashions. •/I dig Sarah, she is really switched on./ 2. Stimulated; as if under the influence of alcohol or drugs. •/How come you’re talking so fast? Are you switched on or something?/

[swoop] See: AT ONE FELL SWOOP.

[sword] See: AT SWORDS' POINTS, PUT TO THE SWORD.

[sword rattling] See: SABER RATTLING.

[sworn enemies]{n. phr.} People or groups or nations that have a long-standing dislike for each other. •/The Israelis and the Arabs used to be sworn enemies but hopefully they will sign a lasting peace accord./

[syllable] See: WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE.

[system] See: PUBLIC-ADDRESS SYSTEM.

[T] See: TO A T.

[tab] See: KEEP TAB ON or KEEP TABS ON.

[table] See: AT THE TABLE or AT TABLE, COFFEE TABLE, PUT ONE’S CARDS ON THE TABLE or LAY ONE’S CARDS ON THE TABLE, TURN THE TABLES, WAIT AT TABLE or WAIT ON TABLE.

[tack] See: GET DOWN TO BRASS TACKS, GO SIT ON A TACK, SHARP AS A TACK.

[tackle] See: FLYING TACKLE

[tack on]{v. phr.} To append; add. •/We were about to sign the contract when we discovered that the lawyer had tacked on a codicil that was not acceptable to us./

[tag end] or [tail end]{n.}, {informal} The end, farthest to the rear, last in line, nearest the bottom, or least important. •/John was at the tail end of his class./ •/Mary’s part in the play came at the tag end, and she got bored waiting./ •/Bill waited at the crossing for the tag end of a freight to go by./

[tail] See: COW’S TAIL, HEADS I WIN, TAILS YOU LOSE, MAKE HEAD OR TAIL OF, TURN TAIL.

[tail between one’s legs]{n. phr.} State of feeling beaten, ashamed, or very obedient, as after a scolding or a whipping. •/The army sent the enemy home with their tails between their legs./ •/The boys on the team had boasted they would win the tournament, but they went home with their tails between their legs./ (So called because a beaten dog usually puts his tail down between his legs and slinks away.)

[tail end] See: TAG END.

[taillight]{n.} The rear red light of a car. •/My father was fined $15 for driving without a taillight./

[tailor-made] See: MADE-TO-MEASURE.

[tailspin] See: GO INTO A TAILSPIN.

[tail wags the dog] Said of situations in which a minor part is in control of the whole. •/He is just a minor employee at the firm, yet he gives everyone orders, a case of the tail wagging the dog./

[take] See: CAN TAKE IT WITH ONE, GIVE AND TAKE, GIVE ONE AN INCH AND HE WILL TAKE A MILE, GIVE OR TAKE, SIT UP AND TAKE NOTICE.

[take aback] See: TAKEN BACK.

[take a back seat]{v. phr.}, {informal} To accept a poorer or lower position; be second to something or someone else. •/During the war all manufacturing had to take a back seat to military needs./ •/She does not have to take a back seat to any singer alive./ Compare: PLAY SECOND FIDDLE.

[take a bath]{v. phr.}, {informal} To come to financial ruin. •/Boy, did we ever take a bath on that merger with Brown & Brown, Inc./

[take a bow]{v. phr.} To stand up or come on a stage to be clapped for or praised for success. •/The audience shouted for the author of the play to take a bow./ •/The basketball team should take a bow for fine work this season./

[take a break]{v. phr.} To have a brief rest period during the course of one’s work. •/"You’ve worked hard. It’s time to take a break," the boss said./

[take a chance]{v. phr.} To accept the risk of failure or loss. •/We will take a chance on the weather and have the party outdoors./

[take a crack at]{v. phr.} To try doing something. •/It was a difficult challenge to reorganize our antiquated campus, but the resident architect decided to take a crack at it./