A-Z Database
Today when we say, “I was beside myself” it signifies a state of extreme intensity that can be positive or negative. One can be beside oneself with jo...
Made to order as in bespoke tailoring or custom built as opposed to mass produced or off the peg. As a word in this sense, it dates from the late 16th...
This now refers to our Sunday best or our smartest clothes worn for that special occasion. The expression in this sense dates from the mid-18th centur...
see Put/set the best foot forward
is is an idiom that refers to reaping the benefits from two seemingly opposed alternatives. Whilst the concept may very well be ancient, the expressio...
British informal (obviously) wishing someone luck, especially when one’s luck may not transpire. It is thought to have originated during the early day...
see Not best pleased
This expression is sometimes used to describe a dominant or forceful personality. The allusion is to the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the seven ancient...
If one felt so confident of a wager that one would bet one’s farm or ranch on it, it would surely constitute a very sure bet. The expression is Americ...
see Bet your…
This is an American expression dating from the mid-19th century. It alludes to risking the last money you have, the last dollar at the bottom of one’s...
see Bet your…
see Bet your…
There is a whole host of betting expressions, most of which originated in America during the mid to late 19th century, where one can bet one’s boots,...
This is an old maxim by which a person’s upbringing and values can be ascertained. It is often attributed to William of Wykeham whose motto was, “mann...