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
Cream of the crop

The best of anything and cream has been used in this way since the 16th century. It is difficult to pinpoint a date for this expression because cream...

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Cream one’s jeans

Is to experience great delight or excitement, American slang from the 1950s and derives from allusions to semen or vaginal emissions while in a state...

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Cream/creamed

To cream someone is to defeat or beat them severely as one would whip cream, an Americanism with a first citation from the Princeton Alumni Weekly 24...

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Creature comforts

All those things in life that make us, as creatures, comfortable and happy, like a safe, cosy home, good food, warmth, hot water for bathing etc. Merr...

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Creep

A weak, ineffectual, potentially despicable person. American English expression first cited from the late 19th century. Derives from persons that cree...

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Creeps

Describes the unpleasant sensation of mild fear or abhorrence that one sometimes experiences, usually in the presence of someone or something that cau...

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Creepy-crawly

Colloquial expression for any, usually unpleasant, crawling insect. First cited from c. 1861.


Crikey

Crikey is a common exclamation of surprise and is a contraction of the much older expression Christ the King which dates from The Middle Ages.


Criss-cross

The modern, everyday meaning describes anything that is marked by intersections or transverse patterns and is a corruption of Christ-cross which descr...

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Critter

An animal, person or any creature, US and Canadian slang since the early 19th century derives from a corruption of the word creature to critter.


Crock

The full expression is crock of shit but the abbreviation crock is generally more acceptable in public media. It is American in origin and dates from...

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Crocodile tears

Represent an insincere show of sorrow or remorse and derive from the ancient and erroneous belief that crocodiles weep before devouring their prey. Cr...

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Crony

This familiar colloquialism dates from 1663 according to the OED and was first recorded as chrony. It was originally Cambridge University slang for an...

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Cropper

see Come a cropper


Cross bridges when you come to them

see Crossing bridges


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