today

Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

Do not delay or hesitate to do something if you can finish or accomplish it today. A: "I've just got one more short assignment and then I'll be finished with my homework, but I think I'll wait until Sunday to do it." B: "You'll enjoy your weekend more if you do it now. Remember, never put off until tomorrow what you can do today!"

See also: can, never, off, put, tomorrow, until

Here today, (and) gone tomorrow.

Prov. Available now, but soon to be gone. (Used to describe something that does not last-often an opportunity). The stores near my house don't stay in business very long—here today, and gone tomorrow. If you want this carpet, buy it now. This sale price is here today, gone tomorrow.

See also: gone, here, tomorrow

put someone off

1. to delay dealing with someone until a later time. I hate to keep putting you off, but we are not ready to deal with you yet. I had to put off the plumber again. He really wants his money.

2. to repel someone; to distress someone. You really put people off with your scowling face. You put off people with your arrogance.

3. to avoid or evade someone. I don't wish to see Mr. Brown now. Please put him off. I won't talk to reporters. Tell them something that will put them off. Put off those annoying people!

See also: off, put

put someone off (of) something

and put someone off

to remove someone from a form of transportation, such as a train, ship, or airplane, owing to illness or misbehavior. (See also put someone off. Of is usually retained before pronouns.) The captain ordered that the unruly passengers be put off the ship at the next port. We put the thief off at the dock.

See also: off, put

put something off

to postpone something; to schedule something for a later time. I have to put off our meeting until a later time. I put off a visit to the dentist as long as I could.

See also: off, put

Today here, tomorrow the world.

Prov. Successful in this location now, with later recognition in the rest of the world. (Describes something whose influence seems certain to spread. The name of an appropriate locality is usually substituted for here.) I thought that silly fashion in clothes was unique to California, but it seems to be spreading. Today Los Angeles, tomorrow the world.

What's on tap for today?

Inf. What is on the schedule for today?; What is going to happen today? (As a beer that is on tap and ready to be served.) Tom: Good morning, Fred. Fred: Morning. What's on tap for today? Tom: Trouble in the morning and difficulty in the afternoon. Fred: So nothing's new. Sally: Can we have lunch today? Sue: I'll have to look at my schedule and see what's on tap for today.

put somebody off

also put off somebody

1. to cause someone to dislike someone or something His appearance put people off. Her approach to the issues put off voters.

2. to try to discourage someone by making them wait He keeps asking me out, and I keep putting him off. I put off Eleanor, hoping she would find someone else to work with her on this.

See also: off, put

put off something

also put something off

to delay something Something must be wrong because she's put off her wedding twice. Her vacation was scheduled to begin next week, and she was afraid she would have to put it off.

See also: off, put

here today, gone tomorrow

appearing or existing only for a short time He had a string of girlfriends, but they were always here today, gone tomorrow.

See also: gone, here, tomorrow

here today, gone tomorrow

if something or someone is here today, gone tomorrow, they only exist or stay in one place for a short time He had a string of girlfriends, but they were always here today, gone tomorrow.

See also: gone, here, tomorrow

here today, gone tomorrow

Lacking permanence, fleeting. For example, His book attracted a great deal of attention but quickly went out of print-here today and gone tomorrow . Originally alluding to the briefness of the human lifespan, this phrase was first recorded in John Calvin's Life and Conversion of a Christian Man (1549): "This proverb that man is here today and gone tomorrow."

See also: gone, here, tomorrow

put off

Delay or postpone, as in He always puts off paying his bills. This idiom, dating from the late 1300s, gave rise to the proverb Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today, first recorded in the late 1300s (in Chaucer's Tale of Melibee) and repeated ever since. Also see put one off.

See also: off, put

put off

1. To delay or postpone something: I always put off paying the bills and end up paying a late fee. If you keep putting your homework off, you won't get it done.

2. To persuade someone or something to postpone an activity: I managed to put off the creditors for another week. We succeeded in putting the meeting off until next week.

3. To cause someone to be offended, disgusted, and repelled: His indifferent attitude has put us off. Her arrogance put off the interviewers.

4. To discourage someone from doing something: The bad weather put us off from trying to climb the mountain.

5. To cause someone to be distracted from something and perform poorly: That athlete is sensitive, and too much crowd noise puts off his game. She throws the ball pretty well, but the pain in her arm put her aim off.

See also: off, put

today

mod. now; immediately. (Sarcastic.) I want it done, now—today. Come on. Sam. Move it. Today!

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Applegath	['æplgæθ]
Iris	IE-ris (English), EE-ris (German, Dutch), EE-rees (Finnish, Spanish)	Greek Mythology, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, French, Spanish
Furaha	-	Eastern African, Swahili
ElĪNa	-	Latvian
Limbani	lim-BAH-nee	Southern African, Chewa
Dermot	-	Irish