A - Z Database
see Shotgun approach/strategy
There are eighteen alternative spellings for riffraff in the OED including rifraf and riff-raff. The word dates back to the early 14th century when th...
Right as rain follows a whole host of other ‘right as’ expressions, all of which signify degrees of well-being but are all equally baffling. For examp...
Means immediately or spontaneously and is an Americanism dates from the early 20th century. It derives from baseball. See also Off one’s own bat.
see On the money
see Out of the screws
see Left/Right (in politics)
Rigmarole is a lengthy, complicated and often unnecessary procedure or it can mean a long rambling discourse. Its origin goes back to a medieval game...
Ring and ring piece are British low colloquialisms for the anus and date from the late 19th century.
At first glance, ring down the curtain appears to be a mistake. Should it not be bring down the curtain? Apparently not. Ring down the curtain dates f...
This expression now means to employ alternative methods and originates from the ancient custom of bell ringing when different peals of the bells indic...
see Dead ringer
A ring-fence is an enclosure that completely surrounds an estate, a farm or a piece of ground. It is also used as a verb and first dates in this liter...
Derogatory term for a troublemaker or instigator of some reprehensible act or deed and dates from the early 16th century. Ring has been a collective n...
The expression is of course figurative in the sense that when something rings a bell it awakens a memory. Most etymological sources maintain this expr...