A-Z Database

A-Z Database

All A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Monday morning quarterback

A derogatory American expression for someone who is unfairly wise after the event; derives from American football where the quarterback position is re...

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Money burns a hole in the pocket

Means that money does not stay in the pocket very long before it is spent dates according to the OED from the mid-18th century, but the thought may be...

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Money does not grow on trees

An idiom that means money is hard to come by, as opposed to so many things that simply grow on trees in abundance, year after year. It is originally A...

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Money for jam

British expression that means money for nothing dates from the First World War when the troops were given cheap, inferior quality jam, which the troop...

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Money for old rope

Means easy money and dates from the 19th century when rope was big business in the days of sail ships. Sailors would get money for old rope that was n...

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Money is the root of all evil

Yet another quotation from the Bible, The New Testament, I Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is the root of all evil.” Note that that the original...

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Money where your mouth is

see Put your money where your mouth is


Moneybags

Jocular expression for a wealthy person dates from the 17th century.


Moniker

Street slang for name since the mid-19th century and appears in various spellings, for example, the OED favours monicker, Eric Partridge prefers monak...

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Monkey

British slang for varying amounts of money, from fifty, five hundred to even fifty thousand pounds, presumably because of inflation. It dates from at...

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Monkey on one’s back

see Have a monkey on one’s back


Monkey see, monkey do

Describes a task or a mentality that is so basic that even an animal with limited intelligence could accomplish or succeed simply by observing and the...

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Monkey's uncle

see Not give a monkey's


Monkey’s wedding

This meteorological phenomenon occurs when the sun is shining at the same time as a rain shower. It seems, however, that it is only known as a monkey’...

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Monkey’s/Monkey’s uncle

see Not give a monkey’s


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