“ad fontes!”
American English, early 20th century—primarily used of a present that delivers repeated enjoyment in the course of time—also sarcastically used of a person or situation constituting a recurring problem
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USA, 1968: colloquial humorous appellation for a crash-helmet—also, USA, 1942: protective head-covering worn by soldiers
Read More(literally): anything used to wipe oneself clean after defecation; in later use chiefly toilet paper—(figuratively): a foolish or contemptible person
Read Moreto drive slowly along the edge of a road (UK, 1924)—specifically: with the intention of soliciting people for casual sexual activity (Canada, 1926)
Read Morea complete mess—USA, 1906—humorous euphemistic transposition of the initial letters of the nouns composing the phrase ‘hell of a mess’
Read More‘air guitar’: an imaginary guitar played by miming, especially to rock music—‘air band’: a pretend rock band whose members mime the action of playing imaginary instruments—USA, 1978
Read More(of a group) to demonstrate loyalty to the nation or to a cause, especially at a time of perceived threat—UK, 1793, as ‘to rally round the standard’
Read MoreUSA, 1914—an instant, strong sexual desire for someone whom one has never previously seen—humorous variant of ‘love at first sight’
Read Morealso ‘dead from the chin up’—completely stupid—USA, 1870—alludes to being brain-dead
Read Morea fantastical or idealised story, situation, etc., involving romance—USA, 1928—a blend of either the noun ‘romance’ or the adjective ‘romantic’, and of the noun ‘fantasy’
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