A - Z Database

A - Z Database

Land flowing with milk and honey

see Milk and honey


Land of Nod

The original reference to this is from the Bible. It was the land to which Cain was exiled after he had killed his brother Abel (Genesis 4:16). Since...

Read More


Land of the living

Originally a biblical phrase Job 28:13 “Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.” It is also in Psalms 52:5 “...

Read More


Landlord

This word dates back to the 1400s when it meant someone who owned so much land that some of it was rented out to tenants. It still retains this meanin...

Read More


Landslide

In the sense of a sweeping, overwhelming majority of votes, especially in an election campaign, this usage is originally American dating from the late...

Read More


Lap of luxury

see In the lap of luxury


Lap of the gods

see In the lap of the gods


Larder

So called because the larder was originally the room in which bacon was hung. The word dates from the 1400s when lard was originally fatty bacon and t...

Read More


Lardy-dah

see La-di-da


Large as life

The expression large as life dates from the early 19th century and originally described portraits or statues, which are literally life-size. Lewis Car...

Read More


Larger than life

Larger than life is a more modern expression dating from the mid-20th century describing persons or characters whose behaviour is more flamboyant or e...

Read More


Lark about

To frolic, play tricks etc dates from the early 19th century. Sometimes also known as skylarking and derives from the aerobatic antics of the European...

Read More


Larney/Larnie

see Laanie


Larrikin

A popular expression in Australia where it is still used to describe rowdy but generally good-natured hooligans. First cited in Australia from around...

Read More


Last but not least

The earliest citation for this now well-worn phrase appears to be from John Lyly Euphues and His England (1580) “last, but not the least”, closely fol...

Read More