A - Z Database
To get off to a brisk, successful start in any project, an American expression dates from the late 19th century. Its origin is not military as often s...
An American expression that dates from the late 19th century and means go to bed. Mattresses in those days were often nothing more than sacking stuffe...
This is 20th century American-Italian slang, typically Mafia, for going to war against rivals. It derives from sleeping rough, on mattresses, in safe...
Get to the precise point, to do or say something exactly right, its literal use of course as in carpentry must be centuries old, but its figurative us...
To leave, an American expression dates from the late 19th century.
Generally means to become very angry, but could also refer to prices, for example, that are excessively high. It is an American expression that dates...
see hit the hay/sack
Usually said of food or drink that satisfies perfectly is an American colloquialism from the mid-19th century.
Get into one’s stride, to be up and running and performing well; dates from the early 20th century. Itinerant bush workers in Australia would decamp,...
Reach one’s limit, especially physical endurance as in long-distance running, lack of sleep etc. from the obvious allusion of hitting a barrier. It is...
The word hitch dates from the mid-17th century and refers to a short, abrupt movement, a pull, push, jerk or lift. From the latter sense, we get a clu...
Meaning a trick or deception dates from the late 18th century and the OED maintains it is probably a contraction of hocus. See hocus pocus.
A hobbyhorse is a pet topic or personal interest, sometimes to the point of obsession, dates in this sense from the mid-17th century. Its abbreviation...
The current meaning and usage of hob-nob is to socialise on familiar terms and dates from the early 19th century. Earlier, from the 1600s, it had spec...
A tramp or vagrant, an American expression dates from the late 19th century. Its origin is unknown.