It's time he could wind up (his speech),
to wind someoneround one's little finger to make someone do what one wants.
3. peel vt/i 1) to take off the skin, as to peel oranges (apples, potatoes, bananas, etc.); 2) to come off in thin layer or strips, e. g.
The skin peels off the nose or face when a person gets sunburnt. The wallpaper is peeling (off).
peel n the outer skin of fruit or vegetables, as orange peel, potato peel; candied peel the peel of oranges, lemons, etc., preserved
and coated with sugar.
4. scrape vt/i 1) to remove (material) from a surface by pulling or pushing an edge firmly across it repeatedly, e. g. I scraped the
skin off the vegetables. 2) to clean or make (a surface) smooth in this way, e. g. She scraped the door (down) before painting it again.
He scraped his boots clean before coming in the house. 3) to rub roughly (esp. on, against): a chair scraping on the floor, e. g. He
scraped his chair against the wall.
4) to hurt or damage in this way, e. g. He scraped his knee when he fell.
5) to succeed in a class by doing work of the lowest acceptable quality, e. g. She just scraped through the examination, to scrape a
living to get just enough food or money to stay alive; to scrape up also to scrape together to gather (a total, esp. of money) with difficulty by putting small amounts together.
5. steady adj 1) firmly fixed, not likely to fall, as a steady foundation, to make a chair or table steady, with a steady hand, e. g.
The chair is steady enough, syn. firm, as firm ground, foundation, steps, muscles; 2) regular in life, work, etc.; industrious, as a steady person; 3) constant, as a steady wind (rain, growth, increase), steady progress.
steadily adv in a steady manner, e. g. It has been raining steadily since the morning.
steady vt/i to make or become steady, e. g. With an effort he steadied the boat. The boat soon steadied again.
6. mess n (rarely pi.) a state of confusion, dirt or disorder; to be in a mess, e. g. The room was in a mess, to make a mess of smth. to do it badly, e. g. You've made a mess of the job. to get into a mess to get into trouble or into a dirty state, e. g. You'll get into a mess if
you are not more careful.
7. crack vt/i 1) to break or cause to break, in such a way, however, that the pieces remain together, e. g. A vase may crack if
washed in boiling water. You've cracked the window. 2) to make or cause a thing to make a loud noise, as to crack a whip, e.