A - Z Database
see Least/less said, the soonest mended
This phrase appears on nearly every memorial, epitaph or commemoration to those who have given their lives in war. It was coined by Rudyard Kipling in...
This expression dates from the early 17th century and means the same as let the past remain in the past in the sense of holding no grudges. A bygone i...
Means to hurl a missile, to fire or shoot at something, or vehemently express an opinion. All these meanings and uses date from the 16th century.
To be relaxed and uninhibited is American from the mid-1960s.
see Blow/let off steam
see off the hook
To dispense with formality, relax and have a good time, dates from the mid-19th century when women in particular would generally wear their hair pinne...
This is a very old proverb meaning do not stir up unnecessary trouble, In the 1300s, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote, “It is nought good a sleeping hound to wa...
This expression dates from the 18th century and means to disclose secret or confidential information, often by mistake. The origin remains unresolved...
see Chips, let them fall where they may
This British idiom means to make way and give someone an opportunity or opening. It dates from the 1930s. Some sources say it derives from hunting wit...
This expression is often used in a modern context as an appeal for illumination, both figuratively and literally, for example after a power cut. Its o...
To do one’s level best is to do the best that one can do. The expression is of American origin and dates from the mid-19th century. Why level? There a...
Is a British expression for a neck-and-neck race or contest; it dates from the early 19th century and derives from the game of crib or cribbage where...