A-Z Database
In the sense of accountability or explanation not required, dates from the mid-19th century.
When one thinks about it, this is an odd construction of words frequently used to describe someone who has no respect for anybody. It is in fact a dir...
This phrase is used to express a lack of good sense or reasonableness and dates from 1664, according to the OED.
see Swing a cat
'No room to swing a cat' or 'not enough room to swing a cat' are metaphors used to describe a small, cramped space or a crowd of people crammed togeth...
It means that something makes no difference or does not matter and dates from the early 20th century. It is of American origin, allegedly from the spo...
An old English proverb that uses the analogy of smoke and fire to mean that there is always an underlying cause for any event or situation. It dates f...
see Spring chicken
See Leave no stone unturned
Nob is slang for head and dates, according to the OED, from the year 1700. The etymology is obscure but 'nob' is still used today in the British card...
Nobby is slang for smart or elegant and dates, according to the OED, from 1810. Nobby is the slang adjective that derives from the slang noun nob that...
Indicates there is no need to say anymore because no further elaboration or explanation is required. The expression dates from the 1600s but the origi...
Besides its obvious original meaning of an affirmative head movement, it also means to sleep as in to nod off. This latter usage dates from the late 1...
Slight, incomplete, superficial knowledge of someone dates from the early 19th century when first applied to persons who were greeted with no more tha...
The original meaning is a small mug, cup or drinking vessel, dates from c.1630 and is of unknown origin. Towards the end of the same century, it came...