A-Z Database
An eccentric, possibly crazy person, extracted from the American expression nutty as a fruitcake, which dates from the early 20th century. It can also...
The first recorded usage of this word and its etymology are still disputed. The Oxford English Dictionary gives a first citation of 1503. Other source...
Slightly more robust form of love a duck in use since the mid-20th century and usually used to express surprise or disbelief but can also signify dism...
The OED gives this as British slang of unknown origin for an old-fashioned and ineffectual old person and cites 1904. Other sources, because of earlie...
Full blast is originally an American expression dating from the early 19th century meaning extreme or maximum power, speed or energy, and derives from...
see In full cry
The only thing we are sure about is the meaning, namely, the whole lot or the complete works and, as the 1997 movie taught us, when it comes to stript...
see Whole nine yards
Lively and energetic, originally American, but now Standard English, dates from the mid-19th century, arising from the belief that a bean-fed horse wa...
In the early 19th century it enjoyed its literal meaning as part of hot air ballooning but by the end of the same century it had become synonymous wit...
Boisterous, replete with youthful energy and enthusiasm, an American expression dates from the 1930s. During WWII, was used typically used to describe...
see All wind and piss
see At full tilt
South African informal for expert, derives from the Nguni umfundisi for teacher. Although the word may be centuries old in Nguni, it has only been par...
Bumping one’s elbow is known as hitting one’s funny bone because of the peculiar, tingling sensation that sometimes occurs. This sensation is not caus...