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
Soixante-neuf

Soixante-neuf is French for 69. The juxtaposition of these two numerals signifies sexual activity between two people who stimulate each other’s genita...

Read More


Sold a pup

see Bought/sold a pup


Sold down the river

see Sell down the river


Soldier on

To soldier on means to persevere steadfastly, like a good soldier is supposed to do, and dates from the 1950s.


Some are born great

see Greatness


Somersault

This word has been in the language from the early 1500s and is borrowed from the Old French sombresault from sombre meaning over and sault meaning to...

Read More


Something is rotten in the State of Denmark

This quotation from Shakespeare’s Hamlet Act I, Scene IV, is often used as a general metaphor for governmental or commercial corruption.


Something new out of Africa

see Always something new out of Africa


Something sucks

see Suck the hind tit


Something to crow about

Means that a person has something to exult or boast loudly about and is a figurative usage of the verb ‘to crow’, which is the sound a cockerel makes....

Read More


Son of a bitch

Vulgar slang for an obnoxious, objectionable person that dates from the mid-17th century, but became widely used in North America during the 18th cent...

Read More


Son of a gun

There are two schools of thought about this one. The first is from The Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster, which both define 'son of a gun'...

Read More


Song and dance

Song and dance acts were popular music hall and vaudeville acts during the 19th century. The expression became figurative in the sense of unnecessary...

Read More


Sort someone out

To sort someone out means to deal effectively with someone, which can have a dual meaning - either to give good, attentive service or put someone in t...

Read More


Sorted

This clipping of the phrase ‘sorted out’ has become a stand-alone British informal expression that means all in order or satisfactorily arranged. For...

Read More


back to top