A-Z Database
Tackle a difficult problem boldly and directly dates from the late 1500s and derives from the centuries-old knowledge that the common stinging nettle,...
British slang from c. 1920 for a police informer. It can also be used a verb as in to grass on someone. It is believed to be an abbreviation of grassh...
An American metaphor for a very basic, down to earth level or approach; dates from the early 20th century and was originally used to describe basic, o...
Describes a woman whose husband is away temporarily dates from the early 19th century and is thought to have originated in British India when wives we...
A late night or through-the-night period of work, an Americanism that dates from the late 19th century, from the allusion to night and darkness being...
see Gravy train
This was originally an American expression dating from the early 20th century, which means an easy ride from which to make easy money. Gravy was an ea...
Originally US informal for someone who repairs machines, especially car engines, dates from the 1920s.
Grease in the sense of bribe dates from the 1520s and the expression grease someone’s palm i.e. put bribe money in their hands dates from the 1580s.
The natural phenomenon of lightning has been associated with speed since at least The Middle Ages. Lightning fast or quick as lightning is first attes...
A cheap, dingy café or restaurant, an Americanism that dates from the early 20th century from the allusion to dirty or unwashed cutlery, now almost pa...
An American exclamation of amazement or surprise dates from the late 19th century. One of its earliest citations is in an Iowa newspaper the Hawarden...
see Going great guns
An exclamation of surprise or incredulity and is almost certainly American from the mid-19th century but soon anglicised and in wide use by the end of...
see No great shakes