‘Gallic shrug’: meaning and origin

10th May 2023.Reading time 14 minutes.

a gesture (made by a French person to deny responsibility, knowledge or agreement) consisting typically in shrugging one’s shoulders while upturning one’s hands

‘to tickle the dragon(’s tail)’: meaning and origin

29th Mar 2023.Reading time 13 minutes.

to undertake a dangerous or hazardous operation or activity—UK, 1867, as ‘to tickle the dragon’s nose’—‘to tickle the dragon’s tail’ was used of a nuclear experiment at Los Alamos during WWII

‘wet blanket’: meanings and origin

18th Mar 2023.Reading time 10 minutes.

literally (1618): a blanket dampened with water so as to extinguish a fire—figuratively (1775): a person or thing that has a subduing or inhibiting effect

‘to swear like a trooper’: meaning and origin

13th Mar 2023.Reading time 9 minutes.

to use a lot of swearwords—first used in 1713 by Joseph Addison—alludes to the fact that troopers (i.e., soldiers of low rank in the cavalry) had a reputation for coarse language and behaviour

‘pipsqueak’: meanings and origin

4th Mar 2023.Reading time 14 minutes.

a person or thing that is insignificant or contemptible—1910—originally (1900): a type of small high-velocity shell, with reference to the high-pitched sound of its discharge and flight

‘every little helps’: meaning and origin

23rd Jan 2023.Reading time 8 minutes.

every contribution towards a goal is valuable, regardless of how small it may be—UK, 1707—in Britain, particularly associated with Tesco, which has used this phrase as its slogan since 1993

‘Tardis’: meanings and origin

22nd Jan 2023.Reading time 16 minutes.

various meanings, in particular: something with a larger capacity than its outward appearance suggests—UK, 1968—the name, in TV series Doctor Who, of a time machine outwardly resembling a police telephone box, yet inwardly much larger

‘not cricket’: meanings and origin

21st Jan 2023.Reading time 10 minutes.

the game of cricket played in the incorrect manner or improper spirit—hence, more generally, something contrary to traditional standards of fairness or rectitude—UK, 19th century

‘Black Hole of Calcutta’: meaning and origin

17th Jan 2023.Reading time 9 minutes.

an oppressive, very confined or crowded space—UK, 1764—refers to the punishment cell at Fort William, Calcutta, in which, in 1756, the Nawab of Bengal reputedly confined British and Anglo-Indian prisoners

‘poodle-faker’: meaning and origin

10th Jan 2023.Reading time 10 minutes.

a ladies’ man—British-Army slang, 1900—based on the image of emulating a pet dog

word histories

Tag: military