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station

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marry above (one's) station

To marry someone who is of a higher social class or standing than oneself. A: "I hear that the local fishmonger's daughter is betrothed to a rich foreign lawyer!" B: "My word, she's certainly marrying above her station, isn't she?" For all the talk that social classes have been wiped away in recent years, you will still find people who believe one can't or shouldn't marry above one's station.

See also: above, marry, station

*busy as a beaver (building a new dam)

 and *busy as a bee; *busy as a one-armed paperhanger; *busy as Grand Central Station; *busy as a cat on a hot tin roof; *busy as a fish peddler in Lent; *busy as a cranberry merchant (at Thanksgiving); *busy as popcorn on a skillet

very busy. (*Also: as ~.) My boss keeps me as busy as a one-armed paperhanger. I don't have time to talk to you. I'm as busy as a beaver. When the tourist season starts, this store is busy as Grand Central Station. Sorry I can't go to lunch with you. I'm as busy as a beaver building a new dam. Prying into other folks' business kept him busy as popcorn on a skillet.

See also: beaver, busy

station someone at something

to position or place someone near something. The manager stationed a receptionist at the door. Would you station a guard at the back door to keep people out?

See also: station

marry beneath your station

  (old-fashioned)

to marry someone who belongs to a lower social class than you Her father, who felt that she had married beneath her station, refused to speak to her.

See also: beneath, marry, station

panic stations

  (British & Australian informal)

a time when you feel extremely anxious and you must act quickly because something needs to be done urgently No matter how organized you think you are, one hour before the show starts it's panic stations.

See also: panic, station

busy as a beaver

Also, busy as a bee. Hardworking, very industrious, as in With all her activities, Sue is always busy as a bee, or Bob's busy as a beaver trying to finish painting before it rains. The comparison to beavers dates from the late 1700s, the variant from the late 1300s. Also see eager beaver; work like a beaver.

See also: beaver, busy

comfort station

1. n. a restroom; toilet facilities available to the public. (Euphemistic.) We need to stop and find a comfort station in the next town.

2. n. an establishment that sells liquor. Let’s get some belch at a comfort station along here somewhere.

See also: comfort, station

filling station

n. a liquor store. (From an old name for an automobile service station.) Please stop at the filling station and get some suds on your way home.

See also: filling, station

fuzz station

n. a police station. He had to spend about an hour at the fuzz station, but nothing happened to him.

See also: fuzz, station

Grand Central Station

n. any busy and hectic place. (From Grand Central Station in New York City—a very busy place.) At just about closing time, this place becomes Grand Central Station.

See also: central, grand, station

thirst-aid station

n. a place to purchase liquor. (Punning on first-aid station.) Let’s stop at the next thirst-aid station and get a snort.

See also: station