A-Z Database
Cop is an abbreviation of copper, slang for a police officer, which dates from the mid-19th century. Copper, as in police officer, derives from the di...
Copy as in written text for a manuscript, article or an advertisement dates from the late 15th century as does its alternative sense to replicate or i...
Copybook, an adjective meaning as is expected or in accordance with set rules, dates from the mid-1600s and derives from school copybooks where correc...
see Blimey
British slang for something that settles or closes an argument or discussion, from the allsion to closing or corking a bottle. A corker, as in 'an abs...
Corner meaning a place or a region, as in 'a quiet corner of England', dates from the 1500s. Corner, as in a difficult situation, is first cited in th...
In the commercial sense of control or dominate a market for something or other dates from the early 19th century.
An American expression meaning trite, timeworn or old-fashioned dates from the early 20th century. In America at that time, anything from the country...
Corporal is the lowest non-commissioned officer rank in the army. Commissioned officers, lieutenants and above, carried the King or Queen’s Commission...
This expression has become much loved by cricket commentators in the 21st century and describes a notional area on or just outside the off-stump, in w...
This expression refers to the higher echelons of government and administration with undertones of intrigue and covert influence, to wit confidential d...
see Arm and a leg
British homosexual slang dates from the 1950s for making contact through soliciting in public toilets, which euphemistically resembled cottages. Cotta...
To cotton on is to understand or realise that something is the case and this particular usage dates from the early 20th century. The OED gives several...
see Bless his/her cotton socks