“ad fontes!”
American English, early 20th century—primarily used of a present that delivers repeated enjoyment in the course of time—also sarcastically used of a person or situation constituting a recurring problem
Read Morea floating position, used as a survival technique, consisting in lying on one’s back in the water—UK, 1841
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USA, 1968: colloquial humorous appellation for a crash-helmet—also, USA, 1942: protective head-covering worn by soldiers
Read Moreindoor football—UK, public-school & university slang, 1897—‘fug’: a thick, close, stuffy atmosphere, especially that of a room overcrowded and with little or no ventilation
Read Moreto corrupt the very essence (of something)—UK, early 19th century—has particularly been used in theological contexts
Read MoreUK, 1809—the level of physical force deemed appropriate or justifiable by law in protecting oneself or one’s family or property; also: in apprehending a criminal suspect or preventing a crime
Read More(literally): anything used to wipe oneself clean after defecation; in later use chiefly toilet paper—(figuratively): a foolish or contemptible person
Read Moreto drive slowly along the edge of a road (UK, 1924)—specifically: with the intention of soliciting people for casual sexual activity (Canada, 1926)
Read Morea complete mess—USA, 1906—humorous euphemistic transposition of the initial letters of the nouns composing the phrase ‘hell of a mess’
Read More‘air guitar’: an imaginary guitar played by miming, especially to rock music—‘air band’: a pretend rock band whose members mime the action of playing imaginary instruments—USA, 1978
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