history of the phrase ‘(it) takes one to know one’
USA, 1926—only a person with a given personality, characteristic, etc., is able to identify that quality in someone else—particularly used of homosexuals
Read Moremeaning and origin of the phrase “’arf a mo’, Kaiser!”
“half a moment, Kaiser!”—1914 as the caption to a drawing by Bert Thomas, published in the Weekly Dispatch (London) to advertise a tobacco fund for soldiers
Read Morehistory of the British noun ‘hole in the wall’ (ATM)
1980—an automated teller machine installed in the wall of a bank or other building—first used attributively of machines operated by Lloyds Bank
Read Moremeaning and origin of ‘given away with a pound of tea’
UK, 1881—used of something considered tawdry—from the grocers’ former practice of making a free gift with every pound of tea or with any fair-sized order
Read MoreThe Guardian’s mystery man’s adventures
1983—a mystery man whom the British journalist Alan Rusbridger challenged (as a prank) The Guardian’s readers to identify in order to claim a £10 book token
Read Morehistory of the British name ‘Chalkie White’
1973—a mystery man the Daily Mirror has challenged its readers to identify in order to claim prize money—‘Chalkie’ typical epithet for people surnamed ‘White’
Read Moremeaning and origin of the phrase ‘count the spoons!’
said as a jest after the departure of a person or persons regarded as untrustworthy—apparently coined by the English lexicographer Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)
Read Morehistory of the British name ‘Lobby Lud’
1927—a mystery man The Westminster Gazette’s readers were challenged to identify in order to claim prize money—‘Lobby Lud’: the Gazette’s telegraphic address
Read Morethe phrase ‘(still) going strong, like Johnnie Walker’
UK, 1910—extended form of ‘going strong’ (continuing to be healthy, vigorous or successful)—from the advertising slogan for Scotch whisky Johnnie Walker
Read Moremeaning and origin of the phrase ‘where’s your violin?’
USA, 1929—said to a man to mean ‘you need a haircut’—from the conventional image of male musicians wearing their hair long
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