on the make

on the make idiom
  1. Seeking personal gain, as in Tom's a young man on the make—he doesn't care whom he offends. [Slang; second half of 1800s]
  2. Looking for sexual conquest, as in After several affairs, Peter got the reputation of being a man on the make. [Slang; c. 1920]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Comments


Do you have more to add? Sign in to share your linguistic knowledge or observation.

Connect with Facebook