a lost cause: a hopeless case, a person or situation having no hope of positivechange. Examples of A LOST CAUSE Repeat these steps as necessary to remove the stain, but it may be a lost cause. Even this late in the game, the search for the black boxes is not a lost cause.

to do without: survive or exist without something (also: to go without) Examples of TO DO WITHOUT The split pea soup recipe can do without including potatoes for thickening. I’m unable to do without at least eight hours of sleep every night.

to bite off: to accept as a responsibility or task Examples of TO BITE OFF One mistake that a lot of people make is biting off a lot more than they can chew. Yet one of the best pieces of advice that can be given to an investor is to start small and not bite…

to see off: to say good-bye upon departure by train, airplane, bus, etc. (also:to send off) Examples of TO SEE OFF What it’s like to see your man off to war, and to welcome him home again, as is. We went to the train station to see Adam off.

out of date: not modern; not current, not timely; no longer available in published form Examples of OUT OF DATE The theme party had everyone listening to one-hit-wonders from the 1980s, wearing all sorts of out of date clothes. That study might be out-of-date, Schwartz said, but it does provide percentages.

to buy out: to purchase a business or company; to purchase all of a person’s chares or stock Examples of TO BUY OUT When the larger scale media companies buy out the more smaller-scaled or local companies they become more powerful within the market. The other directors have offered to buy me out.