‘neatnik’: meaning and origin
USA, 1959—a very tidy, well-organised person—a blend of the adjective ‘neat’ and of the noun ‘beatnik’—originally occurred chiefly in contrast to ‘beatnik’
Read MoreTag: USA
‘lightbulb moment’: meaning and origin
USA, 1974—a moment of sudden realisation, enlightenment or inspiration—alludes to the representation of an illuminated lightbulb above a character’s head in a cartoon or comic strip, indicating that this character has had an idea
Read More‘to drink the Kool-Aid’: meanings and origin
USA, 1978—to commit suicide; to demonstrate unquestioning obedience or loyalty—alludes to a mass suicide, in 1978, by members of the Peoples’ Temple in Jonestown, Guyana, who drank a cyanide-laced drink thought to be similar to Kool-Aid
Read More‘squeaky clean’: meanings and origin
USA, 1938—(of hair) washed and rinsed so clean that it squeaks—by extension: completely clean—figuratively: above criticism, beyond reproach
Read More‘grease monkey’: meaning and origin
USA, 1918—a mechanic—since the 17th century, ‘monkey’ has been used (frequently with modifying word indicating the occupation concerned) to denote a person engaged in a trade or profession
Read More‘dumb bunny’: meaning and origin
USA, 1921—a stupid person—seems to have originated in the slang of the flappers and of their male counterparts
Read More‘rosinback’: meaning and origin
USA, 1896, circus slang—a horse used by a bareback rider or acrobat—rosin was rubbed on the horse’s back to prevent the rider or acrobat from slipping
Read More‘skirt patrol’: meaning and origin
USA, 1941—army slang—a search for female companionship
Read More‘squillion’ | ‘squillionaire’
USA—‘squillion’ (1879): an extremely large but unspecified number, quantity or amount; arbitrary and humorous alteration of ‘million’, ‘billion’, etc.—‘squillionaire’ (1895): a person who has an extremely large but unspecified amount of money
Read More‘Johnny Foreigner’: meaning and origin
UK, 1899—derogatory—a foreigner; a personification of foreign people—‘Johnny’ is used with modifying word to designate a person of the type, group, profession, etc., specified
Read More
word histories 