Idiom Origins - Idioms

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Meanings and origins of thousands of idioms, curious words, and slang.

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Tits-up

see Belly-up

Tittle

see To a T

Tittle-tattle

This expression meaning idle talk or chatter, snitching or telling tales dates from the early 16th century. Shakespeare uses the word tattle in Titus...

Tizz/tizzy

As in ‘to get in a tizz or tizzy’ or to be in ‘all of a tizz or tizzy’ is originally an American colloquialism meaning to be in a dither or a state of...

To a hair’s breath

see By/to/within a hair’s breadth

To a T

To a T meaning exactness or precision dates from the late 17th century but the origin is uncertain. Some sources maintain that it derives from the mea...