A-Z Database
The face that launched a thousand ships was the face of Helen, the wife of King Menelaus of Sparta who ran off with Paris of Troy and precipitated the...
To face the music is an American expression from the early 19th century meaning to come to terms boldly with the consequences of one’s actions. No one...
To behave in a confused, unproductive and disorganised manner dates from the 1980s and its origin is unknown although there is the word faffle listed...
British slang for cigarette dates from the late 19th century and derives from a much older expression ‘fag-end’ that curiously enough is not slang and...
American slang for a homosexual dates from the early 20th century and most likely derives from an earlier meaning of faggot, a derogatory term for a w...
This very old proverb meaning that boldness triumphs in affairs of the heart has been around in various forms since the 1500s and probably before. It...
see Square/Square deal/Square meal etc
This expression meaning an equal chance or opportunity to achieve something may have been a British expression before its first citation in an Austral...
see Dinkum
Made with my own fair hands is a common enough expression today, but it remains curious that we still reserve the word fair for use in this one partic...
By fair means or foul means by any possible means and dates from the early 17th century. It derives from Shakespeare Macbeth Act I, Scene I, although...
A fair or equal opportunity, an Americanism, dates from the early 19th century and probably derives from playing with or gambling with dice. See also...
Someone who will only support or befriend another when it is easy to do so, but who will desert them when difficulties or problems arise, dates from t...
This tautological phrase usually used as a plea for fair play, without bias or advantage to one party or another, dates from late 19th century. The OE...
Denoting a generous benefactor who provides unexpected and lavish assistance, has been used in this sense since the 19th century, derives of course fr...