Looking for the meaning of a few idioms

Only one I've ever heard is "top up" -- the way I've heard it used, it means to add a little gasoline to your tank to make it completely full; you might top up your tank before leaving on a long trip so you could go as far as possible without having to stop for gas.

The other two are unfamiliar to me. The first one might mean that you have a weapon or an argument available to you that you're choosing not to use right now, but that gives you confidence... The second one, maybe, is a strong economy? Both of these are just guesses...

Wy--

I agree with your "top up" and with your educated guesses for the other terms.

Pixie--

Welcome to A2K. I hope you'll stick around.

Welcome Pixie! I wish I knew what those idioms meant

There was a phase when a number of Asian countries - such as South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia - were booming - they were referred to as the Asian Tiger economies.

The boom went bust most 'orribly.

Late eighties, early nineties this was?

"stick in the cupboard" means a power that is hidden or kept in reserve - one imagines that it is the same stick as in the expression "walk/speak softly and carry a big stick". Say, Invite your opponents to the table, but have a stick in the cupboard.

<snicker>

I still say you're lying about more than a FISH, Roger.

Snicker yerself.

Pondy - you want some trauma therapy over that bite?

I charge $200 an hour.

I need to know the meaning to understand a few English texts.

I'll put up the full phrases here:

Lord Currie likened this to "the regulator having a stick in the cupboard and everyone - the regulator included - hoping that's where it stays".

South Korea was a tiger economy.

Why we shouldn't just be topping up the number of graduates.


I hope this will help out and the meaning might be clear for some now. I really appreciate any help on this.

South Korea was a tiger economy. The original tiger economies were the Four Tigers of Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea. :wink:
World Wide Words

Good,Peter.

Thank you.

If someone could find the explanation for the two other ones, I would appreciate it.