‘even paranoids have enemies’: meaning and origin
retort to the accusation of being paranoid (i.e., of seeing imaginary enemies)—USA, 1966—often ascribed to U.S. poet Delmore Schwartz
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‘from marbles to manslaughter’: meaning and origin
meaning: any possible thing, event, or situation is envisaged or found—UK, 1839—image of a scope ranging from the most innocuous to the most harmful
Read More‘the only pebble on the beach’: meaning and early occurrences
the only person or thing to be considered in a particular situation—USA, 1895—popularised by 1896 song ‘You’re Not the Only Pebble on the Beach’
Read More‘plain vanilla’ | ‘vanilla sex’: early occurrences
from the popular perception of vanilla as the ordinary, bland flavour of ice-cream—USA—‘plain vanilla’ 1934—‘vanilla sex’ 1960
Read More‘someone’s blood is worth bottling’: meaning and early occurrences
a statement of praise or admiration—Australia, 1903—also used, in particular, by Irish author Brendan Behan (1923-1964)
Read More‘Oxford comma’: meaning and origin
a comma immediately preceding the conjunction in a list of items—1978—named after the preferred use of such a comma in the house style of Oxford University Press
Read More‘(all) the world and his wife’: meaning and early occurrences
a large group of people of various kinds—UK, 1730
Read More‘why is a mouse when it spins? because the higher the fewer’
nonsensical question and answer—UK 1892—USA 1893—the question has been used to treat someone or something as unworthy of serious consideration
Read More‘like the wreck of the Hesperus’: meaning and origin
in a sad state, or, merely, dishevelled—USA, 1897—refers to The Wreck of the Hesperus (1840), by the U.S. poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Read More‘little rabbits have big ears’: meaning and origin
children are inclined to eavesdrop; used as a warning (“children are listening”)—USA, 1901—perhaps a modification of synonymous ‘little pitchers have big ears’
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