“ad fontes!”
1975 as ‘French chef’s kiss’—a gesture used to indicate that something is excellent or perfect—also a perfect or excellent person or thing—alludes to such a gesture stereotypically made by a chef on tasting a delectable dish
Read MoreNew Zealand, 1917—a mess, a muddle; something unattractive or unappetising—alludes to the jumbled nature of a pig’s meal
Read More1937—a shortened form of expressions such as ‘bed-and-breakfast place’ (first recorded in 1881)
Read MoreIreland, 1803—the provision of a bed for the night and breakfast the following morning, especially at a fixed rate, in a hotel, inn, or private home
Read MoreUK, 1827—a rolled jam pudding or currant dumpling—also (Sussex): a roly-poly suet pudding made with slices of bacon
Read MoreFrench, 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 MoreUSA, 1866—the capacity to eat or drink a lot without ill effects
Read MoreUK, 1898—a small oblong piece of filleted or minced fish coated in batter or breadcrumbs, typically fried or grilled—but originally designated various dishes
Read MoreUSA, 1969—the action or process of becoming or being made plain, ordinary, uninteresting or insipid—from the adjective ‘bland’ and the suffix ‘‑ification’, forming nouns of action
Read MoreUK, 1793—a drink made from an egg yolk whisked into warm water, used as a remedy for colds—loan translation from French ‘lait de poule’ (1746)
Read More
word histories 