A - Z Database

A - Z Database

So-and-so

Originally, so-and-so meant something unspecified and dates in this sense from the late 1500s. Much later, it became a euphemistic term of abuse and h...

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Sober as a judge

One supposes that sobriety is the essence of good judgement so it is not surprising that judges should be singled out as epitomes of being sober and h...

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Soccer

Soccer was originally upper class student slang for association football dating from the 1890s. It is amusing that such upper class British slang shou...

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Sod/sod off

Besides being a piece of lawn or turf, sod is also a British swear word that derives from an abbreviation of Sodomite. When it first appeared in the l...

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Sod’s Law

This is a relatively recent synonym for the so-called Murphy’s Law. Sod’s Law is first cited in Britain during the late 1960s. Murphy’s Law, of course...

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Soft as a baby’s bottom

see Smooth as a baby’s bottom


Soft on

To be soft on someone is to be lenient or fond of them and dates from The Middle Ages.


Soft hearted

Tender hearted dates from the late 16th century. See also Soft on.


Soft soap

To soft soap someone is to cajole or flatter and is a British colloquialism that dates from the early 19th century. It derives from the allusion of so...

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Soft spot

Soft spot can mean both a weakness and a source of affection, as in to attack a soft or weak spot or to have a soft spot for someone. Both usages are...

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Soft touch

see Touch


Soft in the head

A colloquialism for a weak or feeble-minded person dates from the mid-19th century.


Soixante-neuf

Soixante-neuf is French for 69. The juxtaposition of these two numerals signifies sexual activity between two people who stimulate each other’s genita...

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Sold a pup

see Bought/sold a pup


Sold down the river

see Sell down the river