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
Give someone the pip/give or get the pip

This expression is usually in the form of someone or other giving one the pip, which means that the person in question is very annoying or irritating....

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Give someone the run-around

see Run-around


Give someone the time of the day

see Not give someone the time of day


Give someone the wink

see Tip someone the wink


Give someone what for

To chastise or punish someone dates from 1873 according to the OED. It is thought to have arisen in informal speech in response to the question, “What...

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Give something a bash

see Bash/bash on


Give something a fillip

To give something a fillip is to give it impetus or stimulation and this usage dates from the early 1700s. A fillip (sometimes spelt filip) is an imit...

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Give something the kitchen sink

see Everything but (or including) the kitchen sink


Give the hairy eyeball

View with suspicion or hostility, an American expression dates from the early 1960s derives from glowering at someone with lowered eyebrows and partia...

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Give the nod

see Get the nod


Give the wink

see Tip someone the wink


Give two hoots

see Don’t give a hoot/two hoots


Give up the ghost

Give up the ghost means to die. During the 1500s, ghost meant soul or spirit and this is the sense in which it is used in the King James Version of th...

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Gizmo

US Navy and Marine Corps slang for a thingummy or gadget; dates from the early 1940s and the origin is unknown.


Glad eye

To give the glad eye is to give a friendly, interested glance, especially flirtatious, dates from the late 19th/early 20th century and is a companion...

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