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cotton
cotton on
To begin to understand something; to grasp fully; to catch on. Primarily heard in UK. It took me a few moments to cotton on, but I soon realized that they were talking about me.
be in tall cotton
To be in a time or period of great success or wellbeing; to be doing very well. We were in tall cotton after my wife's late uncle left us his fortune. I hear Jeff's in tall cotton out in New York City.
be touching cotton
semi-vulgar slang To have a very urgent or desperate need to defecate. (Refers jokingly to one's feces protruding into one's underpants.) Boy, it's a good thing we got home when we did—I was touching cotton on the way here!
high cotton
A state of success (likened to the image of a field of well-growing cotton plants). Typically used in the phrase "in high cotton." I can't believe I got such good grades this semester—I'm really in high cotton now!
live in cotton wool
To lead a sheltered life, one devoid of stress and danger. The image here is of being wrapped in cotton and thus protected. Primarily heard in UK. I never realized how much I had been living in cotton wool until I traveled and saw what true poverty looks like.
cotton (on)to someone or something
Rur. to begin to like or agree to someone or something quickly. She began to cotton to Fred, despite his country ways. She cottoned onto Jane's way of thinking.
cotton up to someone
Rur. to try to make friends with someone; to flatter or fawn on someone in hopes of favorable treatment. James set out to cotton up to the parents of his friends. Just watch her cotton up to the teacher!
in high cotton
and in tall cottonRur. to be doing very well; successful. Jim's in high cotton ever since he got that raise. Tom: How's your sister? Mary: She's in high cotton. Just bought a nice new house. We were in tall cotton until the IRS caught up with us.
in low cotton
Rur. depressed. She was in low cotton because her dress got torn. Jed is in low cotton because his favorite hound is dead.
cotton to somebody/something
to like someone or something The public did not cotton to her new CD.
Bless her/his cotton socks.
(British & Australian humorous) something that you say when you want to express affection for someone My little niece - bless her cotton socks - won the school poetry prize this year.
cotton-picking
(American & Australian informal) something that you say before a noun to express anger Get your cotton-picking feet off my chair!
wrap somebody up in cotton wool
(British & Australian) to protect someone too much without allowing them to be independent enough She wraps that child up in cotton wool as if he's some precious jewel.
See drape in the flag, twist around little fingercotton to
1. Take a liking to, get along with, as in This dog doesn't cotton to strangers. Although this verbal phrase comes from the noun for the fabric, the semantic connection between these parts of speech is unclear. [Early 1800s]
2. Also, cotton on to. Come to understand, grasp, as in She didn't really cotton on to what I was saying. [Colloquial; early 1900s]
cotton onto
v. To come to understand something: I finally cottoned onto the new method.
cotton to
v.1. To take a liking to someone or something: That dog doesn't cotton to strangers.
2. To come to understand something: I finally cottoned to the new computer system.
cotton up
v. To attempt to be friendly to someone or something: The teachers all cottoned up to the new principal.
cotton-picking
and cotton-pickin’ mod. worthless; damned. (Folksy.) Who is this cotton-picking bigwig pushing us around?
cotton-pickin’
verbin tall cotton
mod. successful; on easy street. (Folksy.) I won some money at the track, and I’m really in tall cotton.