A-Z Database
see Cherry
see Parson’s nose
Poppycock is American slang for rubbish or nonsense, and dates from 1863, according to the OED. Its etymology derives from Dutch that was spoken in th...
This is an American expression that describes government or state financial resources. The expression pork barrel politics is used when politicians pr...
A pork pie is a lie, originally British rhyming slang, pork pie/lie. Telling ‘porkies’ means telling lies. Dates from the mid-20th century and became...
Port, the fortified after-dinner wine is an abbreviation of Oporto, after the city in the North of Portugal and dates in English from the late 1600s....
The word portmanteau dates from the 1500s derives from the French porter to carry and manteau meaning a mantle or cloak. Originally, a portmanteau was...
Posh is a faintly derogative word for upper class and one still meets people who believe that it is an acronym for port out, starboard home relating t...
Modern, 21st century, rhyming slang for sex, Posh and Becks/sex, from Posh Spice and David Beckham.
Means quickly at great speed and derives from the 16th century habit of writing ‘Post Haste’ on the outside of letters that had to be delivered urgent...
This notion of being critical of another when the criticism might apply equally to the criticiser, dates from at least the 1600s when all cooking pots...
Take one’s chance dates from the 1500s and derives from being invited for a meal at the last minute and having to share whatever is in the cooking pot...
Pot meaning to drink is from the 16th century and is a transference of meaning from the pot or vessel in which drink was served. Pot meaning to shoot...
A potboiler is a cheap work of art, book, or movie designed to make quick money. ‘Boiling the pot’ is a late 18th century expression for making a livi...
Pound of flesh is a metaphor for exacting one’s due recompense, no matter what the cost. It was coined by Shakespeare in Merchant of Venice Act IV, Sc...