“ad fontes!”
UK, 1871—a paper bag, balloon, etc., filled with flour and thrown or dropped such that it bursts and disperses its contents over the target on impact, usually as a prank or as part of a protest or public demonstration
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USA, 1911: a newcomer—but, from 1903 onwards, as ‘new kid in one’s block’: a child who has recently moved into the block where one lives—‘block’: a group of buildings in a city bounded by intersecting streets on each side
Read MoreUSA, 1869—originally and chiefly used in relation to the Wild West, refers to a decisive confrontation between two gunfighters
Read Morea picture conveys far more than words—USA, 1877, as ‘a picture tells more than printed words’—from 1866 to 1876 the notion had been used with specific reference to pictures by the cartoonist Thomas Nast
Read MoreUK, 1917—‘what an idiot!’—a borrowing from French
Read MoreUK, 1794—expresses one’s strong and often petulant inclination to do a particular thing—here, ‘pin’ (i.e., a small, thin, pointed piece of metal) is used of the most trivial or least significant thing
Read MoreUSA, 1835—to assume a pretence of courage—originally (from 1801 onwards): with explicit reference to a child putting on a brave front by whistling in the dark
Read MoreU.S. criminals’ slang, 1915—to reveal the truth about something secret or private
Read Morea cake made with the ingredients available during wartime—first used during the First World War (1914-1918)—came back into usage during the Second World War (1939-1945)
Read MoreBritish slang, 1745—to have one alcoholic drink after another—the image is that the first drink wets one eye, and the second drink wets the other eye
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word histories 