‘couldn’t stop a pig (in a gate)’: meaning and origin
UK, 1826—The colloquial phrase ‘couldn’t stop a pig (in a gate)’, and variants, are used of a bow-legged person.
Read More‘on the pig’s back’: meaning and origin
Irish English, 1829—‘in a fortunate or prosperous state’—a loan translation from Irish ‘ar mhuin na muice’, meaning, literally, ‘on the pig’s back’, and, figuratively, ‘in a fortunate or prosperous state’
Read More‘to eat the calf in the cow’s belly’
early 18th century—‘to anticipate unduly’, in particular, ‘to spend one’s revenue before it comes in’
Read Morenotes on the origin of ‘mad money’
USA, 1922—flappers’ slang: the sum of money that a flapper carried as a precaution so as not to be left financially helpless in case she and her boyfriend got ‘mad’ at each other while on a date
Read More‘to sleep in Mother Greenfield’s (lodgings)’
‘to sleep in Mother Greenfield’s’ (tramp slang): to sleep out in the open fields—‘to worship under Dr. Greenfield’: to go for a walk in the countryside rather than to attend a religious service
Read More‘Noddy suit’: meanings and origin
British-Army slang, 1972: a suit of protective clothing for use in nuclear, biological or chemical attacks—by extension: a suit of protective clothing for use by agricultural employees working with chemical sprays—perhaps refers to ‘Noddy’, a character in the writings of Enid Blyton
Read More‘segocia’: meaning and origin
a pal, a mate, a good friend—Ireland, 1917—perhaps an anglicised form of Irish ‘Seo Dhuitse’ (‘Here you are’) or perhaps an anglicised form of French ‘Mon cher gosse’ (‘My dear child’)
Read More‘freedom fries’: meaning and origin
USA, 2003—Following France’s opposition to the proposed U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, the expression ‘freedom fries’ was substituted for ‘French fries’. This, and other expressions in which ‘freedom’ was substituted for ‘French’, may have been coined almost simultaneously by various persons, independently from each other.
Read Morethe various meanings of ‘French hours’
USA—of the French: (1954) a workday with a long midday break for a substantial meal and a sleep—of filmmaking in France: (1956) the workday, beginning at noon and without lunch break—of filmmaking in the USA: (2004) a workday without lunch break, during which food is constantly available
Read Moresense evolution of ‘rhubarb’: from theatre to nonsense
UK—‘rhubarb’ is colloquially used to denote ‘nonsense’—originated in the theatrical practice consisting for a group of actors in repeating the word ‘rhubarb’ to represent an indistinct background conversation or the noise of a crowd
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