A-Z Database
Hiding meaning a thrashing is a colloquialism dating from the early 19th century. It derives from the mid-18th century verb hide meaning to flay the s...
see On a hiding to nothing
Higgle is simply a variation of haggle meaning to cavil, wrangle or dispute as to terms in reaching an agreement. In higgle-haggle, the repetition is...
This means disorder or confusion and is one of those largely nonsense, rhyming expressions that the language is so fond of, perhaps because children f...
High can mean intoxicated from alcohol and dates in this sense from the 1600s but from the 1930s could also mean intoxicated from drugs and in this se...
To be left stranded, with no help or recovery dates from the 18th century and derives from nautical language when boats and ships are left stranded or...
Drunk, intoxicated, an Americanism dates from the 1940s. From the obvious allusion to flying a kite up in the sky.
A feeling of anger and resentment dates from the mid-16th century and dudgeon in this sense is of unknown origin. The OED lists another dudgeon and da...
A form of celebration when two people slap the opposing palms of one hand, or sometimes both, together with arms raised. There are many claimants for...
A person who mounts his or her high horse is someone who adopts a superior attitude. To tell someone to get down from their high horse is to urge them...
British expression for lively merrymaking and boisterous pranks dates from the 16th century when it was a drinking game with the loser performing sill...
To be in for the high jump is to be in big trouble derives from British police slang for capital punishment or hanging from the late 19th century.
To live high on the hog means to enjoy an affluent and luxurious lifestyle. The expression is American, dates from the early 20th century and refers t...
This American expression first attested from the 1880s describes an affluent spender, a big player or gambler, from the connotation of rolling gamblin...
This expression is originally American and can have a variety of meanings depending on the context. It was probably first used in America from the mid...