English Idiom List: Pack Like Sardines, Pack of Lies, Paddle One's Canoe, Paint the Town Red, Paper Tail

pack so/sth (in†) like sardines. Fig. to squeeze in as many people or things as possible. (From the way that many sardines are packed into a can.) The bus was full. The passengers were packed like sardines.

a pack of lies. a series of lies. The thief told a pack of lies to cover up the crime. John listened to Bill’s pack of lies about the fight and became very angry.

paddle one’s own canoe. Fig. to do something by oneself; to be alone. Sally isn’t with us. She’s off paddling her own canoe.

paint the town (red). Sl. to go out and celebrate; to go on a drinking bout; to get drunk. I feel like celebrating my promotion. Let’s go out and paint the town.

*a paper trail. Fig. a series of records that is possible to examine to find out the sequence of things that happen. (*Typically: have; leave; make.) The legal department requires all these forms so that there is a paper trail of all activity.

par for the course. Fig. typical; about what one could expect. (This refers to golf courses, not school courses.) So he went off and left you? Well that’s about par for the course. He’s no friend.

Pardon me for living! Inf. a very indignant response to a criticism or rebuke. Fred: Oh, I thought you had already taken yourself out of here! Sue: Well, pardon me for living!

part so’s hair. Fig. to come very close to someone. (Usually an exaggeration.) That plane flew so low that it nearly parted my hair.