‘(as) [adjective] as a meat-ax(e)’: meaning and origin

10th Jul 2022.Reading time 15 minutes.

USA, 1825—the phrases that are built on the pattern ‘(as) [adjective] as a meat-ax(e)’ intensify the meaning of the adjective—this adjective can be ‘savage’, ‘wicked’, or ‘mad’

‘Montezuma’s Revenge’: meaning and origin

19th Jun 2022.Reading time 12 minutes.

USA, 1955—diarrhoea suffered by travellers, especially in Mexico—alludes to the Aztec emperor Montezuma II (c.1466-1520), who was captured by the Spanish and died in captivity

‘neatnik’: meaning and origin

6th May 2022.Reading time 8 minutes.

USA, 1959—a very tidy, well-organised person—a blend of the adjective ‘neat’ and of the noun ‘beatnik’—originally occurred chiefly in contrast to ‘beatnik’

‘to drink the Kool-Aid’: meanings and origin

26th Apr 2022.Reading time 19 minutes.

USA, 1978—to commit suicide; to demonstrate unquestioning obedience or loyalty—alludes to a mass suicide, in 1978, by members of the Peoples’ Temple in Jonestown, Guyana, who drank a cyanide-laced drink thought to be similar to Kool-Aid

‘croque-madame’: meanings and origin

22nd Mar 2022.Reading time 10 minutes.

1932—coined after ‘croque-monsieur’—a toasted or fried sandwich filled with ham and cheese and topped with a poached or fried egg—but originally denoted any of various types of toasted or fried sandwich

‘kompromat’: meaning and origin

2nd Mar 2022.Reading time 8 minutes.

compromising information collected for use in blackmailing, discrediting or manipulating a person, group, etc.—borrowed from Russian (Soviet secret police) ‘kompromat’, from ‘kompro-’ in ‘komprometirujuščij’, meaning ‘compromising’, and ‘mat-’ in ‘material’, meaning ‘material’

‘Jesus boots’: meanings and origin

14th Feb 2022.Reading time 7 minutes.

American English—1902: bare feet (used of Doukhobors, i.e., members of a Christian sect that originated in Russia, many members of which emigrated to Canada in the late 19th and early 20th centuries)—1965: open-toed leather sandals of a simple or functional style (used of young persons)

the various meanings of ‘French hours’

31st Jan 2022.Reading time 13 minutes.

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

‘flexitarian’: meaning and origin

25th Dec 2021.Reading time 5 minutes.

USA, 1992 (1981?)—adjective: primarily but not strictly vegetarian—noun: a person who follows a primarily but not strictly vegetarian diet—a blend of ‘flexible’ and ‘vegetarian’

‘cakeage’: meanings and origin

15th Oct 2021.Reading time 8 minutes.

Australia, 1985—Coined after ‘corkage’, the noun ‘cakeage’ denotes, in a restaurant, the cutting and serving of a cake that has been brought in by a customer from off the premises, hence also a charge levied for this service.

word histories

Tag: Canada