‘(all) the world and his wife’: meaning and early occurrences
a large group of people of various kinds—UK, 1730
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‘after the Lord Mayor’s Show (comes the dung-cart)’
UK, 1851—a disappointing end to an otherwise exciting display—refers to the cleaning-up, especially of horse-dung, necessary after the Lord Mayor’s Show, in London
Read More‘girls are like streetcars, or buses’: meaning and history
USA, 1900—followed by ‘there’ll be another one right along’ and variants, means ‘there will be many more romantic opportunities in the future’
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 Morea soccer phrase: ‘where’s your white stick?’
UK, 1935—used to express disagreement with the referee during a soccer match—alludes to the white walking stick carried by a blind person
Read More‘little man, you’ve had a busy day’: meaning and origin
USA, 1934—addressed, often with ironic pity, to someone who has had an arduous day—from very popular 1934 song, ‘Little Man, You’ve Had a Busy Day’
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’
Read Morethe birth of ‘little old ladies in tennis shoes’
USA, 1961—coined by Howard Jewel, Assistant Attorney General, Sacramento, California, as a description of female members of the John Birch Society
Read More‘look (mum, or ma), no hands!’: meaning and origin
used of something done cleverly—British and American—originated as the proud exclamation of a child riding a bicycle with no hands on the handlebars
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word histories 