hair on it
v. phr.— «TOO HAIRY. Perhaps the biggest potential woe in a WorldCom asset deal: A new owner would still be liable for any fines levied by the government. And a large fine or indictment of senior management or the company as a whole could quickly sink WorldCom’s prospects. That’s what happened at Arthur Andersen, where customers bailed out when the government sued. Says one Bell executive: “WorldCom has too much hair on it right now.”» —“WorldCom: Take My Assets, Please” by Charles Haddad, Heather Timmons BusinessWeek July 23, 2002. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Susan from Virginia Beach, Virginia, shares the phrase her mother used when the kids refused to eat: It’ll grow hair on your back teeth. This supposed motivator likely blends two older traditions: a German idiom, Haare auf den Zähnen haben...
In 1916, a small-town newspaper in Pennsylvania printed a fanciful item about a local gathering with a guest list that included, among others, Miss Ella Vader, Mr. Ray Zor, and other punny names. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of...