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flip-flop
1. To completely change one's opinion or stance. Primarily heard in US. The voters were tired of hearing the candidate flip-flop and felt they could not trust him to stick with one position. I used to hold a staunch view about the case, but then I flip-flopped after hearing the other side's testimony.
2. noun A complete change in opinion or stance. There have been several flip-flops among the candidates during the campaign, with some changing their stance more than once!
3. noun A thong sandal. Often used in the plural to refer to the pair. Don't forget your flip-flops when we go to the beach, or you'll have to walk on the hot sand barefoot!
cow chip
and cow pie; cow patty; cow flopInf. a piece of cow manure. The pioneers didn't have much wood, so they burned dried cow chips. How did that big ol' cow pie get in the middle of my flower bed? Tom slipped on a cow patty.
flop around
[for something] to turn around awkwardly; [for a fish out of water] to squirm and flap. The hose flopped around, throwing water first this way and then that, knocking down plants as it flopped. A number of fish flopped around in the bottom of the boat.
flop as something
to be a failure in a particular aspect of something in one's life or career. He flopped as an actor. I don't want to flop as a public speaker.
flop down
to sit down heavily or awkwardly. Be graceful. Don't just flop down! When I reached the chair, all I could do was flop down.
flop into something
[for someone] to fall or drop into something, such as bed, a chair, a bathtub, etc. Maggie flopped into the chair and slipped off her shoes. Tom flopped into bed and fell fast asleep.
flop someone or something over
to turn someone or something over, awkwardly or carelessly. They flopped the unconscious man over, searching for his identification. They flopped over the injured man.
flop something down on(to) something
and flop something downto drop or slap something down on something. She flopped the liver down on the cutting board. She flopped down the raw meat.
a flip-flop
(American) a complete change, especially from one decision or opinion to another The government has made a policy flip-flop over arms sales. (American)
do an about-face
Also, do a flip-flop or one-eighty . Reverse one's opinion or course of action. For example, The board did an about-face on acquiring more land, or We expected Dad to do a flip-flop concerning our vacation plans, or They had relied on Jim to vote for Harry, but he did a one-eighty and cast his vote for the incumbent . The first term, alluding to the army command to turn around, dates from the first half of the 1900s, and the variants from the second half of the 1900s (the last refers to a 180-degree change of direction).
cow flop
and cow plop n. a mass of cow dung. Mrs. Wilson is out in the pasture gathering cow flops for her garden. When walking out on the range land, we try to avoid “cow plops,” as the wranglers call them.
flip-flop
1. n. a reversal. The president denied making a flip-flop. He said he simply forgot his earlier position.
2. n. the return trip of a long journey. (see also
flip side.)
Didn’t we chat on the flip-flop last week? 3. in. to change direction or intensity. Jed flip-flopped twice in the evening, leaving us where we started.
4. in. to waver in one’s decisions. Well, you just flip-flop all you want. I know what I want.
flop
1. n. a failure. The play was a flop. The entire audience left during the second act.
2. n. a place to sleep for the night; a bed in a flophouse. The old man was looking for a flop for the night.