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fate
fucked by the fickle finger of fate
vulgar slang Very unlucky; going through an unfortunate turn of events. I'd like to have some good luck for once, I'm tired of being fucked by the fickle finger of fate.
fate worse than death
A hyperbolic phrase referring to a situation or experience that is very unpleasant. I appreciate Gina inviting me to go with her to the theater, but having to listen to those opera singers would be a fate worse than death.
be a fate worse than death
To be a very unpleasant situation or experience. This phrase is usually used hyperbolically, especially when referring to some form of punishment. It will be a fate worse than death if my parents catch me sneaking in after curfew. I appreciate Gina inviting me to go with her to the theater, but having to listen to those opera singers would be a fate worse than death.
fate worse than death
Fig. a terrible fate. (Usually an exaggeration.) Having to sit through one of his lectures is a fate worse than death.
leave one to one's fate
to abandon someone to whatever may happen—possibly death or some other unpleasant event. We couldn't rescue the miners and were forced to leave them to their fate. Please don't try to help. Just go away and leave me to my fate.
seal someone's fate
Fig. to determine finally the fate of someone. His lying and cheating sealed his fate. He was convicted and sent to prison.
someone's fate is sealed
Fig. the destiny of somene has been determined. When the driver finally saw that the bridge was out, he knew his fate was sealed.
*sure as God made little green apples
and *sure as eggs is eggs; *sure as fate; *sure as I'm stand-ing here; *sure as you liveRur. absolutely certain. (*Also: as ~.) I'm as sure as God made little green apples that he's the one. I'm right, as sure as you live!
twist of fate
and turn of fateFig. a fateful event; an unanticipated change in a sequence of events. A strange turn of fate brought Fred and his ex-wife together at a New Year's Eve party in Queens.
a fate worse than death
a very bad or unpleasant experience
She felt that having to move to a small town was a fate worse than death. Usage notes: often used in a humorous way to describe something that is not too serious: Spending a day with my aunt would be a fate worse than death.
seal somebody's/something's fate
also seal the fate of somebody/something to decide the future of someone or something
His father's illness sealed his fate, making it impossible for him to go to college. The election of Abraham Lincoln sealed the fate of slavery. Usage notes: usually refers to an unsuccessful or unpleasant future
tempt fate
to take a foolish risk because you are depending too much on luck She didn't want to tempt fate by turning down the job and hoping something better would be offered.
be a fate worse than death
(humorous) to be the worst thing that can happen to you When you're 16, an evening at home with your parents is a fate worse than death.
See seal fate, tempt fateseal somebody's fate
if an event seals someone's fate, they are certain to fail or to have an unpleasant experience in the future His father's illness sealed his fate - Sam gave up his hopes of a college education and stayed home to run the family business.
tempt fate/providence
1. to do something which involves a risk and may cause something unpleasant to happen I always feel it's tempting fate to leave the house without an umbrella.
2. to cause bad luck for yourself by talking too confidently about a situation It's probably tempting fate to say so, but I haven't had a cold all year.
fate worse than death, a
A highly undesirable occurrence, a misfortune, as in Dean thinks driving daily during rush hour is a fate worse than death. Formerly applied quite seriously to a woman's loss of virginity, this idiom today is used hyperbolically and far more loosely. [1600s]
seal one's fate
Decide what will become of one, as in The letter of rejection sealed his fate; he'd have to apply to other medical schools. This term employs seal in the sense of "permanently fix or fasten something," a usage dating from the mid-1600s.
tempt fate
Also, tempt the fates. Take a severe risk, as in It's tempting fate to start up that mountain so late in the day, or Patrice thought driving that old car was tempting the fates; it was sure to break down . This expression uses tempt in the sense of "test in a way that involves risk or danger." Earlier idioms with a similar meaning were tempt God, dating from the 1300s, and tempt fortune, first recorded in 1603, with fate appearing about 1700.
Common Names:
| Name | Gender | Pronounced | Usage |
|---|
| Gedalyahu | | - | Biblical Hebrew |
| Dhananjay | | - | Indian, Hindi, Marathi |
| Horatia | | - | Ancient Roman |
| Nina (1) | | NEE-nah (Russian, Italian, German, Finnish, Polish), NEE-nə (English) | Russian, Italian, English, German, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Dutch, Polish, Slove |
| Verica | | - | Serbian, Croatian |
| Batsheva | | - | Hebrew |