‘to have come down in the last shower’: meaning and origin
New Zealand, 1877, & Australia, 1878—to be inexperienced, to be gullible
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‘seven years’ bad luck’: meaning and origin
UK, 1813—a period of bad luck superstitiously believed to be the consequence of breaking a mirror or, occasionally, of another action or incident
Read More‘to spill one’s guts (out)’: meaning and origin
U.S. criminals’ slang, 1915—to reveal the truth about something secret or private
Read More‘California widow’: meaning and origin
Australia & USA, 1850—a married woman whose husband has left to prospect for gold in California
Read Morenotes on the phrase ‘to walk Spanish’
early 19th century—chiefly U.S.—to be forced by another to walk on tiptoe—to walk cautiously—to be discharged or dismissed—to discharge or dismiss (someone)—origin unknown
Read More‘more kicks than halfpence’: meaning and origin
1785—Britain and Ireland—meaning: ‘more harshness than kindness’
Read More‘éclair’ (cake): early occurrences and notes on its origin
French, 1848; English, 1861—a small, oblong cake made of choux pastry, filled with cream, and typically topped with chocolate icing—literally ‘lightning’—origin unknown
Read MoreHow Voltaire (and English) revived the French verb ‘désappointer’
Voltaire revived the use of ‘désappointer’ in the sense ‘to frustrate the expectation or desire of (a person)’ with reference to this use of the English verb ‘disappoint’.
Read More‘not tonight, Josephine’: meanings and early occurrences
USA, 1904—a jocular phrase apparently originally applied to any postponement—of unknown origin
Read More‘clogdogdo’: meaning and origin
a term of abuse or disparagement, especially for a man’s wife or female relative—1616 in Epicœne, or The Silent Woman, by Ben Jonson—perhaps in reference to an encumbrance, like a clog (i.e., a heavy piece of wood) tied to a dog
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