come on like gangbusters

come on like gangbusters
come on strong & come on like gangbusters
to seem aggressive; to impress people initially as very aggressive and assertive. •

She has a tendency to come on strong, but she's really a softie.

The new president comes on strong at first.


Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • come on like gangbusters — American, informal to start doing something eagerly and with a lot of energy, especially performing or talking to people. In one of his most renowned performances, Cagney comes on like gangbusters as hoodlum Tom Powers …   New idioms dictionary

  • come on like gangbusters — Go to come on strong …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • like gangbusters — mod. with great excitement and fury. (From the phrase come on like gangbusters. “Gangbusters” was a radio show that came on with lots of sirens and gunshots.) □ She works like gangbusters and gets the job done. □ They are selling tickets like… …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • like gangbusters — adverb Vigorously, rapidly, zealously, or forcibly; in a manner which has considerable impact. Put an actress in knock out clothes and shell come through like gangbusters …   Wiktionary

  • gangbusters — to come on like gangbusters (c.1940) is from U.S. radio crimefighting drama Gangbusters (1937 57) which opened with a cacophony of sirens, screams, shots, and jarring music …   Etymology dictionary

  • come on strong — {v. phr.}, {slang} To overwhelm a weaker person with excessively strong language, personality, or mannerisms; to insist extremely strongly and claim something with unusual vigor. * /Joe came on very strong last night about the War in Indochina;… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • come on strong — {v. phr.}, {slang} To overwhelm a weaker person with excessively strong language, personality, or mannerisms; to insist extremely strongly and claim something with unusual vigor. * /Joe came on very strong last night about the War in Indochina;… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • gangbusters — noun come on like gangbusters AmE informal to begin to do something very eagerly and with a lot of energy: You can t come on like gangbusters with women be more subtle! …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • come on strong — AND come on like gangbusters in. to seem aggressive; to impress people initially as very aggressive and assertive. (See explanation at like gangbusters.) □ She has a tendency to come on strong, but she’s really a softie. □ The new president comes …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • presume — v 1. assume, suppose, take for granted, presuppose, postulate, posit, predicate, theorize, hypothesize, hypothecate, speculate; suspect, imagine, surmise, conjecture, guess, hazard a guess; believe, fancy, think, think likely, daresay, opine,… …   A Note on the Style of the synonym finder

  • Olivia (Fringe) — This article is about an episode of Fringe. For the character from Fringe, see Olivia Dunham. Olivia Fringe episode …   Wikipedia

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