I

[iceberg] See: COOL AS AN ICEBERG.

[idea] See: THE IDEA, WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA or WHAT'S THE IDEA.

[I declare] {interj.}, {dialect} Well; oh my; truly. — Used for emphasis.

/I declare, it has been a very warm day!/

/Mother said, "I declare, John, you have grown a foot."/

[idiot box] {n.}

A television set.

/Phil has been staring at the idiot box all afternoon./

[if anything] {adv. phr.}

More likely; instead; rather.

/The weather forecast is not for cooler weather; if anything, it is expected to be warmer./

/Joe isn't a bad boy. If anything he's a pretty good one./

Compare: MATTER OF FACT.

[if it's not one thing it's another]

If a certain thing doesn't go wrong, another most probably will.

/When John lost his keys and his wallet, and his car wouldn't start, he exclaimed in despair, "If it's not one thing it's another."/

Compare: [ONE ...

[if need be] {adv. phr.}

If the need arises.

/If need be, I can come early tomorrow and work overtime./

[if only]

I wish.

/If only it would stop raining!/

/If only Mother could be here./

Syn.: [WOULD THAT].