A-Z Database
Lively and energetic, originally American, but now Standard English, dates from the mid-19th century, arising from the belief that a bean-fed horse wa...
In the early 19th century it enjoyed its literal meaning as part of hot air ballooning but by the end of the same century it had become synonymous wit...
Boisterous, replete with youthful energy and enthusiasm, an American expression dates from the 1930s. During WWII, was used typically used to describe...
see All wind and piss
see At full tilt
South African informal for expert, derives from the Nguni umfundisi for teacher. Although the word may be centuries old in Nguni, it has only been par...
Bumping one’s elbow is known as hitting one’s funny bone because of the peculiar, tingling sensation that sometimes occurs. This sensation is not caus...
Originally, American slang for a mental institution; dates from the late 1950s but is now generally encountered throughout the English-speaking world.
American slang for female genitalia and/or cunnilingus, dates from the early 1960s.
Originally, from the late 19th century, British military slang for a Sudanese warrior, from the Sudanese method of dressing hair. Later, it became gen...
Commonly used acronym for ‘for your information’ which according to the OED derives from the language of memoranda c. 1941.
Gad is a word that dates from the 1400s meaning to go from one place to another, as in gadding about or on the gad.
Since the early 17th century, these have been minced oaths for God, as in expressions like By Gad!
A gadfly is the popular name of a fly which bites and goads cattle. Since the mid-17th century, it has been used figuratively to describe an annoying...
Meaning a blunder, an indiscreet act or remark and usually spelt gaffe with an e, is first attested in this sense, according to the OED, from c. 1909...