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
Twat

Originally, twat is a British vulgar word for vagina dates and from the 17th century; sometimes appears as twot. The word was resurrected from the lat...

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Twig

In the sense of to understand or cotton on dates from the early 19th century, according to the OED, but adds that the word goes back to the late 18th...

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Twinkle toes

The expression twinkle toes describes a person who is light on their feet, a good dancer but has also been applied to football (soccer) players, dates...

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Twinkling of an eye

see In the twinkling of an eye


Twist around one’s (little) finger

see Wrap/twist around one’s finger


Twit

A twit is British slang for a foolish, weak, ineffectual person; in spoken usage from the late 19th/early 20th century and first attested in print fro...

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Two bites at the apple/cherry

To take two bites or a second bite at the apple or cherry (these two fruits appear to be interchangeable) means to get a second chance or opportunity...

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Two heads are better than one

Meaning two brains working on the same problem is better than one is a very old proverb that appears in John Heywood Proverbs (1546).


Two left feet

This expression illustrates the ancient and traditional prejudice to all things left. Logically, two right feet would be just as awkward as two left f...

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Two peas in a pod

Means closely similar, almost exactly alike, and dates from the 16th century, from the fact that two peas from the same pod are virtually indistinguis...

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Two shakes of a lamb’s tail

Often shortened to ‘two shakes’, as in “I’ll be with you in two shakes”, means “I’ll be with you in a very short while.” The earliest citation appears...

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Two short of a six-pack

Mentally deficient, dates from the late 20th/early 21st century, Australian origin and refers to a six-pack of beer. See also Not the full shilling.


Two sides of the same coin

Means that two things that appear to be different are in fact closely related. For example, poor health and low income are different issues but often...

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Two sides to every story

Simply means there are often two different versions of ostensibly the same event. The expression dates in this format from the mid-18th century but th...

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Two strings to one’s bow

see Another string to one’s bow


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