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
Rotten egg

see Bad/rotten egg


Rotten in the state of Denmark

see Something rotten in the state of Denmark


Rough and tumble

Originally, a free-for-all fight without any rules, dates in this sense from the late 18th century; figurative as in ‘the rough and tumble of politics...

Read More


Rough diamond

A rough diamond or a diamond in the rough describes a person who, despite an uncouth manner or exterior, has a good heart underneath, dates in this se...

Read More


Round and about

see Around and about


Round Robin

A sporting tournament, in which all competitors play against one another in turn, dates in this sense form the late 19th century. Before this, as reco...

Read More


Round the bend/twist

Mad, crazy, insane dates from the 1600s, derives from bending or twisting something out of true.


Round the houses

see Around the houses


Roundhouse

A roundhouse punch in boxing is a wild, swinging punch dates from the late 19th century. The origin is American where roundhouses were the circular bu...

Read More


Roving eye

A widespread amorous interest in the opposite sex dates from the 18th century.


Row of beans

see Not worth a hill/row of beans


Royal

Royal as an adjective has been used to denote large size or scale since the late 1400s, as in a royal mess or a royal feast etc. From the allusion tha...

Read More


Rozzer

British slang for police officer dates from c. 1870. It is thought to derive from the Scottish dialect rooser meaning ‘braggart’ or the Romany roozlo...

Read More


Rub of the green

Rub of the green is simply a synonym for luck, either good or bad. It is a very old expression, deriving from the game of lawn bowls from the late 16t...

Read More


Rub salt into the wounds

Means to make an already painful experience even more painful and dates from late 19th century when salt was no longer rubbed into wounds as a matter...

Read More


back to top