A-Z Database
This well-known expression was coined by Benjamin Franklin in 1748 in his work Advice to a Young Tradesman, “Remember that time is money.”
In this context, the phrase ‘of the essence’ means extremely important. Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations maintains the saying itself is anonymous and do...
This expression, in the sense of having excess time at one’s disposal, dates from the late 18th century.
This is a very old aphorism, probably coined by Euripides (485-406 BC) in Aeolus when he wrote, “Time will explain it all.”
Those wishing to show off can say at the next opportunity that Tin Pan Alley is a synecdochism i.e. a grammatical term where a place name becomes syno...
The full form of the expression is something or someone is not worth a tinker’s damn or tinker’s curse or tinker’s cuss. Take your pick. They all mean...
In the sense of a gratuity dates from the early 1700s and derives from the act of literally tipping coins into someone’s hands. Tip in the sense of us...
This a metaphor for the smaller, perceptible part of something, especially a problem or difficulty, which is in fact much greater. According to the OE...
Reveal one’s plans or intentions, often unintentionally, dates from the mid-19th century; an American expression that derives from accidentally tippin...
To tip someone the wink is defined by the OED as a glance or significant movement of the eye, often accompanied by a nod, expressing command, assent,...
Tip-top in the sense of the highest point or pinnacle dates from the late 16th/early 17th century but in the sense of finest quality dates from the mi...
The tipping point, sometimes known as the moment of critical mass, is the critical point in a situation, process, or system when a significant and oft...
To tipple originally meant to sell liquor and is first cited in the year 1500. By 1547, tippling-houses were places where liquor was sold and consumed...
A tipster is a person who makes a living or profession from providing tips, especially in horseracing, dates from the late 19th century. See also Tip.
Intoxicated dates from the late 16th century derives from the allusion of being unsteady on one’s feet and therefore liable to tip over.