central



(straight) from central casting

(sometimes capitalized as Central Casting) Having, fitting, or conforming to well-established stereotypical traits or characteristics of a given type of person, character, group, situation, or style. The phrase is a reference to Central Casting, a California-based casting company that specializes in hiring for roles as extras, body doubles, and for bit parts. My grandfather looks like a cowboy from central casting, with his boots, Stetson hat, and mouth full of chewing tobacco. It was a campy, schlocky B-movie, complete with pointless romance, cheesy special effects, and an alien monster straight from Central Casting.
See also: casting, central

(straight) out of central casting

(sometimes capitalized as Central Casting) Having, fitting, or conforming to well-established stereotypical traits or characteristics of a given type of person, character, group, situation, or style. The phrase is a reference to Central Casting, a California-based casting company that specializes in hiring for roles as extras, body doubles, and for bit parts. My grandfather looks like a cowboy out of central casting, with his boots, Stetson hat, and mouth full of chewing tobacco. It was a campy, schlocky B-movie, complete with pointless romance, cheesy special effects, and an alien monster straight out of Central Casting.
See also: casting, central, of, out

central dogma

The core belief of a particular area of study. It is often used in molecular biology to describe the relationship between DNA, RNA, and proteins. The central dogma of molecular biology is that DNA makes RNA, which makes protein.
See also: central

*busy as a beaver (building a new dam)

 and *busy as a bee; *busy as a one-armed paperhanger; *busy as Grand Central Station; *busy as a cat on a hot tin roof; *busy as a fish peddler in Lent; *busy as a cranberry merchant (at Thanksgiving); *busy as popcorn on a skillet
very busy. (*Also: as ~.) My boss keeps me as busy as a one-armed paperhanger. I don't have time to talk to you. I'm as busy as a beaver. When the tourist season starts, this store is busy as Grand Central Station. Sorry I can't go to lunch with you. I'm as busy as a beaver building a new dam. Prying into other folks' business kept him busy as popcorn on a skillet.
See also: beaver, busy

busy as a beaver

Also, busy as a bee. Hardworking, very industrious, as in With all her activities, Sue is always busy as a bee, or Bob's busy as a beaver trying to finish painting before it rains. The comparison to beavers dates from the late 1700s, the variant from the late 1300s. Also see eager beaver; work like a beaver.
See also: beaver, busy

Grand Central Station

n. any busy and hectic place. (From Grand Central Station in New York City—a very busy place.) At just about closing time, this place becomes Grand Central Station.
See also: central, grand, station

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Ekene-Western African, Igbo
Gwydion-Welsh Mythology
Afif-Arabic
SlavomÍR-Czech, Slovak
Brynjar-Norwegian, Icelandic
EmilyEM-ə-leeEnglish