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pan
the best thing since sliced pan
Extremely good, wonderful, impressive, or revolutionary, often said facetiously or sarcastically. Taken from the more common expression "the best thing since sliced bread." In this usage, a pan, in which a loaf of bread is baked, refers to the loaf of bread itself. Primarily heard in Ireland. I don't care what you say, I think she's the best thing since sliced pan! This new smartphone design really is the best thing since sliced pan.
go down the pan
To fail or be completely and irreversibly wasted, lost, or destroyed. Primarily heard in UK. In an instant, we saw all our hopes for our business go down the pan.
down the pan
Completely and irreversibly wasted, lost, or destroyed. Primarily heard in UK. In an instant, we saw all our hopes for our business go down the pan. All those years of research down the pan. I guess it's back to the drawing board.
Peter Pan syndrome
A psychological state or condition in which a grown person cannot or refuses to act like an adult; a stubborn and persistent immaturity found in an adult person. I seem cursed to only find men who have some damned Peter Pan syndrome. I'm tired of going out with guys who act like children!
flash in the pan
Someone or something whose success or popularity is short-lived. With only one hit song, it was obvious that the young pop star was going to be just another flash in the pan. The new startup created a lot of buzz, but it ended up being just another flash in the pan, out of business after just two years.
flash in the pan
Fig. someone or something that draws a lot of attention for a very brief time. I'm afraid that my success as a painter was just a flash in the pan. Tom had hoped to be a major film star, but his career was only a flash in the pan.
If ifs and ands were pots and pans (there'd be no work for tinkers' hands).
Prov. Wishing for things is useless. (Often said in reply to someone who says something beginning with "If only....") Daughter: If only we didn't have to move out of town, I'd be the happiest girl in the world. Grandmother: If ifs and ands were pots and pans, there'd be no work for tinkers' hands.
*out of the frying pan (and) into the fire
Fig. from a bad situation to a worse situation. (*Typically: get ~; go ~; jump ~.) When I tried to argue about my fine for a traffic violation, the judge charged me with contempt of court. I really went out of the frying pan into the fire. I got deeply in debt. Then I really got out of the frying pan into the fire when I lost my job.
pan across to someone or something
to turn or rotate a film or television camera so that the picture follows movement or moves to and settles on someone or something. The camera panned across to Mary, who was sitting, looking out the window. The camera operator panned across to the window on the opposite side of the room.
pan for something
to search for a precious metal, usually gold, by using a pan to locate the bits of metal in sand and gravel in a stream bed. When I was in Alaska, I panned for gold in a little stream set aside for tourists. The old prospector spent many hours panning for gold.
pan in
(on someone or something) Go to zoom in (on someone or something).
pan out
1. and zoom out to move back to a wider angle picture using a zoom lens. The camera zoomed out. Pan out at this point in the script and give a wider view of the scene.
2. Go to turn out (all right).
pan over someone or something
to turn or rotate a film or television camera so that the picture moves across a view of someone or something. The camera panned over the skyline, picking up interesting cloud formations. It panned over Roger as if he weren't there—which is exactly the effect the director wanted.
turn out
[for something] to aim outward. Her toes turned out just right for a ballet dancer. The legs of the chair turned out just a little, adding a bit of stability.
turn out (all right)
and pan out; work out (all right)to end satisfactorily. I hope everything turns out all right. Oh, yes. It'll all pan out. Things usually work out, no matter how bad they seem.
turn out
(for something) [for people, especially an audience] to [leave home to] attend some event. A lot of people turned out for our meeting. Almost all the residents turned out for the meeting.
turn out
somehow to end in a particular way, such as well, badly, all right, etc. I hope everything turns out all right. The party did not turn out well.
turn out (that)
to happen; to end up; to result. After it was all over, it turned out that both of us were pleased with the bargain. Have you heard how the game turned out?
turn someone out
1. Lit. to send someone out of somewhere. I didn't pay my rent, so the manager turned me out. I'm glad it's not winter. I'd hate to turn out someone in the snow.
2. Fig. to train or produce someone with certain skills or talents. The state law school turns lawyers out by the dozen. A committee accused the state university of turning out too many veterinarians.
turn something out
1. to manufacture or produce something in numbers. The factory turns too few cars out. The factory turns out about seventy-five cars a day.
2. to turn off a light. Please turn the hall light out. Turn out the light.
zoom in
(on someone or something) 1. . and pan in (on someone or something) to move in to a close-up picture of someone or something, using a zoom lens or a similar lens. The camera zoomed in on the love scene. The camera operator panned in slowly.
2. . to fly or move rapidly at someone or something. The hawk zoomed in on the sparrow. The angry bees zoomed in on Jane and stung her. When the door opened, the cat zoomed in.
3. . to concentrate on a matter related to someone or a problem. Let's zoom in on this matter of debt. She zoomed in and dealt quickly with the problem at hand.
a flash in the pan
briefly successful or popular
At first, some of the major record labels thought rock ’n’ roll was just a flash in the pan. Usage notes: sometimes used in the form no flash in the pan (successful or popular for more than a brief period): This trend is no flash in the pan.
out of the frying pan (into the fire)
from a bad situation to an even worse one
Many kids who run away from unhappy homes discover they've jumped out of the frying pan into the fire when they try to live on their own. Usage notes: often used with jump, as in the example
pan out
to happen or be successful He was very creative, although not all his ideas have panned out.
down the toilet
wasted or lost
down the drain Appearing on that talk show is usually a sign that your career is already down the toilet. Usage notes: often used with go: He never showed up to drive us, and our plans for the evening went down the toilet.
turn out
to happen or become known to happen in a particular way She assured him that everything would turn out all right. It turns out that Ray had borrowed the money from one of his students.
turn out (for something)
to come, appear, or be present for something A lot of students turned out for the demonstration. The last time she performed here the whole town turned out.
turn out something
also turn something out to produce or make something Which university turns out the most successful scientists? The factory is turning the dolls out as fast as it can.
turn somebody out (of somewhere)
to force someone to leave a place They turned him out of the shelter when they discovered he was using drugs. She was forced to leave home, turned out at the age of 16.
zoom in (on something)
to view something more closely The software lets you zoom in so you can check the details of any part of the picture.
Etymology: based on the literal meaning of zoom in (to move quickly toward something)
down the toilet
(British, American & Australian informal) also down the pan (British informal) if something goes down the toilet, it is wasted or spoiled After the drug scandal, his career went down the toilet. If the factory closes, that'll be a million pounds' worth of investment down the pan.
a flash in the pan
something that happens only once or for a short time and will not be repeated We're hoping that this is a long-term opportunity, and not just a flash in the pan.
jump out of the frying pan (and) into the fire
to go from a bad situation to an even worse one Many kids who run away from unhappy homes discover they've jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.
flash in the pan
An effort or person that promises great success but fails. For example, His second novel proved to be a flash in the pan, or We had high hopes for the new director, but she was a flash in the pan. This metaphoric term alludes to the 17th-century flintlock musket, which could be fired only when the flash of the priming powder in the lockpan ignited the charge in the bore. When it failed to ignite, there was only a flash in the pan and the gun did not shoot.
out of the frying pan into the fire
From a bad situation to one that is much worse. For example, After Karen quit the first law firm she went to one with even longer hours-out of the frying pan into the fire . This expression, a proverb in many languages, was first recorded in English in 1528.
pan out
Turn out well, succeed, as in If I don't pan out as a musician, I can always go back to school. This expression alludes to washing gold from gravel in a pan. [Mid-1800s]
turn out
1. Shut off, as in He turned out the light. [Late 1800s]
2. Arrive or assemble for an event, as in A large number of voters turned out for the rally. [Mid-1700s]
3. Produce, as in They turn out three thousand cars a month. [Mid-1700s]
4. Be found to be in the end; also, end up, result, as in
The rookie turned out to be a fine fielder, or
The cake didn't turn out very well. [First half of 1700s] Also see
turn out all right.
5. Equip, outfit, as in The bride was turned out beautifully. [First half of 1800s]
6. Get out of bed, as in Come on, children; time to turn out. [Colloquial; early 1800s]
7. Evict, expel, as in The landlord turned out his tenant. [Early 1500s]
pan out
v.1. To prove successful, effective, or satisfactory; turn out well: I'm glad to see that your business plan has panned out.
2. To have some specified result: My plans panned out poorly.
turn out
v.1. To turn some light off: We turned out the lights. I turned the light out.
2. To arrive or assemble, as for a public event or entertainment: Many protesters have turned out for the rally.
3. To produce something, as by a manufacturing process; make something: The assembly line turns out 100 cars every hour. The artist turns a new painting out every week.
4. To be found to be something, as after experience or trial: The rookie turned out to be the team's best hitter. It turns out that he knew about the crime all along.
5. To end up; result: The cake turned out beautifully.
6. To equip someone or something; outfit someone or something. Used chiefly in the passive: The troops were turned out lavishly. They were turned out in brilliant colors.
7. To get out of bed: We turned out before the sun was up.
8. To get someone out of bed: The babysitter turned the children out at 8:00.
9. To evict someone; expel someone: The landlord turned out the tenants. The hotel turned the rowdy guests out.
zoom in
v.1. To simulate movement toward an object with or as if with a zoom lens: The director zoomed in on a face in the crowd. The shot zooms in through a window to a family sitting at a table.
2. To increase the apparent size of part of an image of something in order to view it more closely, as when using a magnifying lens: The camera can't zoom in far enough to capture their expressions. Zoom in on this part of the document too see whether the text lines up with the illustration.
3. To enter rapidly: The firefighting helicopter zoomed in to pick up more water.
4. zoom in on To narrow and intensify the examination of someone or something: In our presentation we zoomed in on the financial problems facing the company.
pan
n. the face. (see also
deadpan.)
Look at that guy! I’ve never seen such an ugly pan in my life. pan out
in. [for something] to work out or turn out all right. Don’t worry. Everything will pan out okay.
zoom in
verb flash in the pan
One that promises great success but fails.
flash in the pan
An ultimate disappointment after a promising start. Flintlock muskets and pistols had a priming pan that was filled with a small quality of gunpowder. When the trigger was pulled, the flint struck a piece of steel to create a spark that ignited the powder, which in turn set off the main gunpowder charge to launch the musket ball. Whenever the flint-and-steel spark failed to light the main charge, there was a flash in the pan, but no shot. And that was the disappointment after a potentially useful beginning.