the birth of a British catchphrase: ‘mind my bike’
February 1940—coined by the British actor Jack Warner in ‘Garrison Theatre’, a BBC radio comedy series devised to entertain World-War-II audiences
Read MoreTag: festivities
The term ‘empty suit’ originated in Broadway slang.
1950, Broadway slang, pejorative—a wealthy man who, in return for their company, lavished money on showbusiness people and those mixing with them
Read Moremeaning and origin of the phrase ‘come up and see me sometime’
USA, 1933—a famous invitation to sexual dalliance—alteration of ‘come up sometime and see me’, uttered by Mae West in the 1933 film ‘She Done Him Wrong’
Read Moremeaning and origin of the phrase ‘Barmecide feast’
UK, 1823—pretended or illusory generosity or hospitality—from the name of a prince in The Arabian Nights, who gave a beggar a feast consisting of empty dishes
Read Moremeaning and possible origin of ‘to push the boat out’
UK, 1915—to be lavish in one’s celebrations or spending—Army and Navy slang: to buy a round of drinks—’a boat’ might be metaphorical for ‘a glass’ (i.e., ‘a drink’)
Read Moremeanings and early instances of ‘alive and kicking’
UK, 1807—(of someone) active and in good health—(of something) prevalent and very active
Read Moreorigin of the phrase ‘to act one’s age, and not one’s shoe size’
USA, 1967—‘to act one’s age, and not one’s shoe size’—humorous extension of ‘to act one’s age’—in turn jocularly modified as ‘to act one’s shoe size, and not one’s age’
Read Moreorigin of ‘shower’ (party held to present gifts to a person)
USA, late 19th century—party held by female guests to present gifts of a particular kind to a bride-to-be
Read More‘trickle-down theory’ and ‘crumbs from a rich man’s table’
‘crumbs from a rich man’s table’—late 18th century—from the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in the gospel of Luke, 16:19-31
Read More‘Uncle Tom Cobley and all’: meaning and origin
meaning: everybody imaginable—UK, 1898 in extended form, 1899 in current form—alludes to the names listed in the Devon ballad ‘Widdecombe Fair’
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