The greatest crimes are caused by surfeit, not by want. Aristotle 300 B.C.
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CALL A HALT---Discontinue an activity.---"We are going to have to call a halt to the game."---(1709) London Gazette "The Duke of Marlborough commanded an hault."
CALL A SPADE A SPADE---Describe something as it really is.---"That is the way it really is, let's call a spade a spade."---Menander (342-292 B.C.) "I call a fig a fig, a spade a spade." Dickens (1854) Hard Times "There's no imaginative sentimental humbug about me. I call a spade a spade."
CALM BEFORE THE STORM---Trouble is brewing.---"This is the calm before the storm."---It was noticed that before a severe storm, the air is still and the birds stop singing and go to shelter.---(1576) "Calm continueth not long without a storm."
CAME ON LIKE GANGBUSTERS---To arrive or operate in a loud or vigorous way.---"The team came on like gangbusters."---Reference to a popular old radio show Gangbusters which had an opening theme featuring gunfire and loud police sirens.
CAME UP SMELLING LIKE ROSES---Everything turned out well, usually referring to a person who, no matter how bad they do something, things seem to turn out alright.---"He could fall in a shit hole and come up smelling like roses."---(1969) The Times of London "If some disaster hit us, we would have to soldier on, pretending that everything in the column was coming up roses."
CAN'T LIVE WITH THEM, CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT THEM---A sort of "battle of the sexes" saying. Men and women are different in many ways but are drawn together by nature.
CAN'T SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TREES---Unable to grasp the meaning of a situation or point of an argument because of excessive attention to details. (Unable to get the "big" picture)---"He couldn't see the forest for the trees."---Old meaning - wood for the trees. John Heywood's English Proverbs (1546)
CAPTAIN OF HIS SOUL---In charge of one's destiny.---"He is the captain of his soul."---William Henley (1888) "I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.
CARDINAL SIN---A major offense---"He committed a cardinal sin."---The cardinal sins as listed by Bishop Thomas Ken in 1834, Pride, envy, sloth, intemperance, avarice, ire and lust.
new!CARPE DIEM---Seize the day.
CARRY A TORCH---Wholehearted support for; obsessive infatuation.---"How long is he going to carry the torch for her."---A common feature of political campaigns rural America was the torchlight parade. Ardent supporters of a candidate would hold torchlight parades complete with bands. The participants proclaiming their wholehearted support for their candidate. The transition was to an ardent lover in pursuit of their object of affection.
CARRY A TUNE IN A BUSHEL BASKET---Cannot sing well.---"She couldn't carry a tune in a bushel basket."
CARRY COAL TO NEWCASTLE---A meaningless task---"This is like carrying coal to Newcastle."---Newcastle was the center for coal mining in England. Horace (1583) "Salt Dysart, or colles to Newcastle!
new!CARTE BLANCHE---Freedom to choose; whatever you want.---"Whenever she visits her mother, it's carte blanche."---French meaning "blank paper".
(MORE ??? THAN) CARTER HAS LIVER PILLS---A large amount.---"He has more troubles than Carter has liver pills."---A very popular over the counter medicine in the early 20th century. (Carter's Little Liver Pills.)
CASH ON THE BARREL HEAD---Money up front.---"He won't take a check, he wants cash on the barrel head."---Many small frontier saloons consisted of small lean to sheds. It was not unusual for the barkeeper to use whisky barrels as tables or counter. Payment in advance was the rule of the road, so you had to put your cash on the barrel head if you wanted a drink.
CAST ASPERSIONS---Make a damaging charge against someone.---"You're not casting aspersions on me are you?"---Asperse meant to sprinkle or spatter.---John Speed (1611) The History of Great Britaine. "Monkish humours haue aspersed other such men with bitter reproaches."
CAST PEARLS BEFORE SWINE---Offer something of value to someone who can't appreciate it.---"It is like casting your pearls before swine."---Sermon on the mount: Jesus said, "Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under foot and turn to attack you."
CAT GOT YOUR TONGUE---At a loss for words; unable to speak.---"You were jabbering away a minute ago, what happened, cat got your tongue."---(Possible) A whip called a "cat of nine tails" was used in punishment, the anticipation of which could render one speechless.
CAT'S MEOW---A nifty idea, thing or person.---"She's the cat's meow."---"Cat's Pajamas" "Cat's Whiskers" Since the cat has the capability of looking enormously pleased, maybe the expression came from that appearance of satisfaction.
CATBIRD SEAT---Position of advantage.---"I was sitting in the catbird's seat, I knew what was going to happen."---Made popular by Red Barber the radio announcer for the Brooklyn Dodgers. "Thanks for the raises, from the start I was sitting in the catbird seat." The Mockingbird is often referred to as a Catbird and they typically like to perch in the very top of the tree where they have a good vantage point.
CATCH 22---Puzzling situation; paradox; conundrum.---"It's catch 22, no matter what you do it is going to be wrong."---Joseph Heller's book Catch 22 describes how anyone who applied to get out of the military service on grounds of insanity was behaving rationally and thus couldn't be insane.
CATCH AS CATCH CAN---By any means available.---Old child's game; a method of wrestling where the participants were allowed any grip they could get. O'Hara (1761) "There's catch as catch can, hit or miss, luck is all."
new!CATCH SOME Z'S---Get some sleep.---From the cartoons, a string of z's coming from a character's mouth signified that he was sleeping.
CATTYWAMPUS OR CADDYWAMPUS---Being in disarray; not aligned properly.---"He had the thing all caddywampus.
new!CAVEAT EMPTOR---Buyer beware.
CHANGE OF HEART---A reversal of one's attitude or opinion.---"I have had a change of heart, I think I will take the trip now."---Duke of Vienna (1604) Measure for Measure. "Come hither, Isabel, your friar is now your prince; as I was then, advertising and holy to your business, not changing heart with habit, I am still attorney'd at your service."
CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME---Take care of your responsibilities at home before you start helping others. If not you may be the one needing the charity.---John Wyclif (1380) "Charite shuld bigyne at hemself."
CHARLEY HORSE---A cramp in one's muscles.---"I can't run anymore I have a charley horse."---In the 1890's an old horse named charley was used in the old Chicago White Sox ballpark to pull a roller across the infield. He was old and his muscles would get so stiff he could hardly walk. Players and spectators who caught a cramp thought of the old horse and started calling the condition a charlie horse.
CHARMED LIFE---Always lucky.---"He's led a charmed life."---Shakespeare's "Macbeth." "I bear a charmed life, which must not yield to one of woman born.
new!CHERRY---Perfect; untarnished.---"When I was younger, I had a cherry "58" Chevy."---Slang expression also meaning hymen; virginity.
new!CHERRY PICKER---In basketball, one who lays back at his own basket on a possesion transition and waits for a defensive rebound and pass for an an easy basket.---Alludes to the ease which one can access things at heights using the piece of equipment called a cherry picker.
CHEW THE CUD---To think something over.---"He's chewing the cud."---From the practice of cows which regurgitate food and chew it for a second time.---(1547) In a British book of homilies: "Let us ruminate, and (as it were) chewe the cudde."
CHICKEN FEED---Of little value.---"The price was very low, it was mere chicken feed."---In pioneer days table scraps and inferior grain were used to feed their chickens. The transition was to a small amount of money.
CHICKEN OUT---To lose one's nerve.---"We have come this far, don't chicken out now."---Sir Thomas Stafford (1663) "Not finding the defendants to be chikins, to be afraid of every cloud or kite."
CHICKENS COME HOME TO ROOST---Things you have done wrong or have failed to do will return and cause more problems later.---"He got by with it this time, but the chickens will come home to roost."---The Curse of Kehama (1810): "Curses are like young chickens, they always come home to roost."
CHILDREN SHOULD BE SEEN AND NOT HEARD---There is nothing worse than people who do not teach their children manners and let them disrupt adults when they are visiting.---Shaw (1914) Parents and Children (Opp.) "And impudently proclaim the monstrous principle that little children should be seen and not heard."
CHILD'S PLAY---Easy task.---"This project is child's play."---Chaucer (1385) The Merchant's Tale "It is no childes play to take a wyf withoute avysement."
new!CHINK IN THE ARMOR---A weakness; flaw.---"I think we have found a chink in his armor."---Chink is a somewhat obscure word that means slit; fissure; weak point.
CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK---He is just like his father.---"Joe is a chip off the old block."---A chip off a block of wood is of the same makeup as the block itself.---Rowley (1633) Match at Midnight "He's a chip O' Th' old block."
CHIPS ARE DOWN---The situation is urgent, it must be dealt with.---"When the chips are down George will be there to help you."---In cards, when the chips are down, the bet has been made and you are committed to either win or lose according to the cards you have.
new!CHOCK FULL---Very full; as close to completely full as possible.---When two blocks of a tackle meet preventing any further movement, they are said to be "two blocks" or "chock-a-block".
CHOOSE THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS---Choose the less harmful of two bad options.---Chaucer (1385) Trolius and Criseyde "Of harmes two, the lesse is for to chuse."
CINCH---A sure thing.---"It is a cinch that we are going to win the game."---Originally a substitute for the English style belly bands used on saddles in the east, the cinch was used by the Mexicans of the southwest. Instead of straps and buckles the cinch used twisted ropes running between rings. The cinch was more secure and if adjusted correctly would stay in position all day unlike the the straps and buckles that needed frequent adjustment.
CLEAN AS A WHISTLE---Neatly and effectively done; pure.---"He maneuvered himself out of that sticky situation as clean as a whistle."---A whistle needs to be clean and free of moisture and debris to produce a clear sound.---Planch'e (1851) Extravaganza "Or else his head cut off, clean as a whistle."
CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH---A document signed by the proper authorities to the master of a ship certifying that when the ship sailed no infectious disorder existed in the place.---"I went to the doctor today and he gave me a clean bill of health."---Used figuratively today.
CLEAN SLATE---A new start.---"He is out of jail and he's starting with a new slate." Edmond Yates (1868) The Rock Ahead "He had passed the wet sponge over the slate containing any records of his early life."
CLEANLINESS IS NEXT TO GODLINESS---Often used as a Bible quote but is actually not in the Bible. Bacon (1605) Adv. of Learning "Cleanness of body was ever deemed to proceed from a due reverence to God."
CLEAR AS A BELL---Very clear; understandable.---"It was clear as a bell to me."---Dickens (1838) Twist "Fresh, genuine port wine, clear as a bell; and no sediment!"
CLEAR AS MUD---Unclear; don't understand.---"You will have to repeat that, it was clear as mud."
CLEAR THE AIR---Remove obstructions that have complicated an issue.---"Lets clear the air and start working together."---John Wyclif (1380) "Winds of truth should blow away heresies, and clear the airs of holy church, which is now full troubled."
CLEAR THE DECKS---Make ready for action.---"Let's clear the decks of old business so we can get started."---Old meaning was to clear the decks on sailing vessels of clutter before engaging in battle.
CLIMB ON THE BANDWAGON---To show support for a popular movement or trend with intent to profit or reap easy material benefit.---"It looks as though everybody is climbing on the band wagon."---It was customary, particularly in the southern states, for a band to play on a wagon through the streets to advertise a forthcoming meeting, political or otherwise. At election time local leaders would show their support of a candidate by climbing on the wagon and riding with the band.
CLIMB THE WALL---Restless; feel the need for some action.---"Find Karen something to do, she is climbing the walls."---Bible: Joel 2:7 "They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one of his ways, and they shall not break their ranks."
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR---Almost winning.---Certain games of skill at a fair or carnival would give cigars as prizes.
CLOSE ONLY COUNTS IN HAND GRENADES AND HORSESHOES---Referring to a situation where precision might be needed.
CLOSE SHAVE---A narrow escape.---"The car just missed him, that was a close shave."---A man who shaves too close is likely to cut himself. Charles A. Davis (1834) Letters of Jack Downing "I did not so much as get my feet wet when the bridge fell, though it was a close shave."
CLOTHES DON'T MAKE THE MAN---Some things are more important than clothing.---Greene (1617) Works "Thy estate may be great, for the hood makes not the monk, nor the apparel the man." (Opposite) Shakespeare (1602) Hamlet "For the apparel oft proclaims the man.
CLOUD NINE---Extremely happy.---"She's on cloud nine."---In Dante's Paradise there were 10 heavens or steps to heaven. Clouds being logical steps, nine was as close to divine presence and one could get.
COAST IS CLEAR---The way is open with no obstacles or enemies in sight.---"Let's go, the coast is clear."---Samuel Johnson (1755) Dict. of the English Language "The danger is over, the enemies have marched off."
COCK AND BULL STORY---Made up story; untrue.---"Don't believe it, it is another cock and bull story."---Day (1608) Law Trickes "What a tale of a cock and bull he told my father."
COCK OF THE WALK---The dominant or most noticeable figure.---"He acts like the cock of the walk."---The "walk" was an enclosure for chickens and there was one cock that was dominant. Randle Holme (1688) The Academy of Armoury "The cocks walk is the place where he is bred, which usually is a place that no other cock comes to."
COCKLES OF THE HEART---Innermost feelings; cockles: Shellfish with two heart shaped shells.---"That just warms the cockles of my heart."---S. Wesley (1685) Maggots "It terrifies the cocales of my heart."
new!COIN A PHRASE---To invent a phrase.---To coin or mint as in new coins---If it is a telling phrase it may "gain currency" i.e. become popular.
COLD AS ICE---Unfeeling.---"He is as cold as ice."---Jerrold (1845) Mrs. Caudle "As cold too, as any ice."
COLD ENOUGH TO FREEZE THE BALLS OFF A BRASS MONKEY---On old sailing ships the cannon balls were stacked next to the cannons on a pad made of brass called the "Monkey". In severe cold the iron and brass would contract a different rates and cause the pile of cannon balls to fall.
COLD FEET---Unwilling to move or take some action; scared.---"We were going to buy the house but my wife got cold feet."---Old time gamblers would sometimes slip out of a game of cards when things were going bad by complaining that their feet were cold.
new!COLD FISH---A person who shows little or no emotion.---"I tried to be friendly with him, but he certainly is a cold fish."---Fish are cold blooded and the water they live in is generally colder than the surroundings, therefore they are generally thought of as being cold.
COLD HANDS, WARM HEART---A reserved, cool exterior may disguise a kind heart.---V. S. Lean (1903.) Collectanea
new!COLD SHOULDER---Rebuff; snub; intentional indifference.---"I tried to say hello to Tom and he just gave me the cold shoulder."---Someone who is ignoring you will turn away and expose you to their shoulder.---(Possible) Allusion to a shoulder of meat. In England a common wayfarer stopping at a farmhouse and asking for a meal would probably be given cold food. Since the wayfarer would not necessarily be welcome and since the common food would be mutton, he would be given the "cold shoulder"
COLD TURKEY---To quit something abruptly; deal with something in a businesslike way.---"He quit drinking last week, he did it cold turkey."---(1928) Daily Express of London "She talked cold turkey about sex."
COLDER THAN A WELL DIGGERS ASS IN JANUARY---Very cold.
COLDER THAN A WHORES HEART---Very cold.---"It is colder than a whores heart out here."---A whore was not thought of as being particularly warm hearted.
COME HELL OR HIGH WATER---To continue no matter what the obstacles.---"We are going to get there come hell or high water."
COME OFF IT---Stop doing that; give up the idea.---(1889) Century Dictionary
COOK ONE'S GOOSE---You are done; you've had it.---"He has done it this time, his goose is cooked."---Geese at one time were the dominant barnyard bird unlike the chickens of today. When a farmer or householder was down to his last goose and it was cooked, he was out of luck. The threat to cook one's goose was an expression of total defeat, or the end.
new!COP A PLEA---Plead guilty to something when you know you are caught; confess.---"If she asks him where we have been tonight, you know he is going to cop a plea."---To get "copped" is to get caught by the police.
COME WHAT MAY---No matter what happens; what happens, happens.---"I am going on the trip come what may."---Shakespeare (1606) Macbeth "Come what come may, time and the hour runs through the roughest day."---Heywood Proverbs "Come what come would."
COMPANY AND FISH STINK AFTER THREE DAYS---No exclamation necessary. (1864) Notes & Queries "Company's good if you are going to be hanged."---Benjamin Franklin (1833) Poor Richard's Almanack "After three days men grow weary, of a wench, a guest, and weather rainy."
new!CONNIPTION FIT---Fit of anger; hysteria.---"When my father found out about it he had a conniption fit."---Exact origin of conniption unknown.---Possible: In British folk lore conniptions were small furry animals that inhabited there homes. On seeing one of these creatures the lady of the house was likely to have a conniption fit.
CONSPICUOUS BY ONE'S (IT'S) ABSENCE---Disapproval of an event or a persons worth by failure to attend.---"He did not bother to attend the ceremony, he was conspicuous by his absence."---John Russel (1859) (speech) "Among the defects of the bill, which were numerous, one provision was conspicuous by its presence and another by its absence."
COOKED HIS GOOSE---Did him in; spoiled his plans.---"He has been found out, his goose is cooked."---An old story relates that a medieval town under siege hung a goose from a tower, symbolizing the stupidity of the attackers. The attackers were so enraged that they burned the town, thereby literally cooking the townspeople's goose.---Henry Mayhew (1851) London Labour and the London Poor "If they come here we'll cook their goose, the Pope and Cardinal Wiseman."
COOL AS A CUCUMBER---Unruffled; serene.---"Nothing bothers him, he is cool as a cucumber."---The cucumber, like the watermelon, is served in the summer and is a symbol of coolness and thus as an antidote to the heat. Beaumont and Fletcher (1615) Cupid's Revenge "Young maids were as cold as Cowcumbers."
COULDN'T HIT HIS ASS WITH BOTH HANDS---Very drunk.---"Tim drank too much, he couldn't hit his ass with both hands."
COUP DE GRACE---The finishing stroke; the stroke of mercy.---"That touchdown was the coup de grace."---When a prisoner was being tortured, the executioner finished him off with a coup de grace to put him out of his misery.
COURAGE OF YOUR CONVICTIONS---Act in keeping with what you believe; put your words into action.---"Do what is right, have the courage of your convictions."
CRACKED UP---Laughter at a joke or tale.---"That Charlie cracks me up with his jokes."---Transition from cracking a smile, laughter as cracking up.
CRAZY AS A BED BUG---Acting crazy; running around aimlessly.---"He's crazy as a bed bug."---Alludes to how bed bugs would run around on a mattress when exposed.
CREAM OF THE CRAP---The best of the worthless.---"He is the best player on the team, he's the cream of the crap."---The best person or thing in a group, the whole group being of little value.---Clarke (1639) "Better be the head of the ass than the tail of the horse."
CREAM RISES TO THE TOP---The best usually end up on top; the richest.---Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-82)
Essays Turds also float to the top, so take your pick.
CRIME DOESN'T PAY---Inevitably, sooner or later, criminals will be caught and punished.---N. Martin (1927) Mosaic
CROCODILE TEARS---False grief; insincere sympathy.---"She was crying crocodile tears."---Crocks do have a secretion that comes out of the eyes for their protection when they attack prey. This would look like tears. Thomas Cooper (1548) "A prouerbe, applied unto them, which hating an other man, whom they would destroie, or have destroied, they will seme to bee sory for hym."
CROOKED AS A DOG'S HIND LEG---Dishonest.---"Don't trust him, he is crooked as a dog's hind leg."---Peacock (1889) Manley, etc., Gloss "He was also as crooked as a dog's hind leg on the turf.
CRAWFISH---To back out on something.---"You just watch, he will crawfish out of this."---Crawfish swim backwards when escaping from something, thus backing out became synonymous with crawfishing.
CRY WOLF---false alarm; exaggerate a danger.---Aesop fable: The short of the story is that a lad tending sheep cried wolf in jest, the men came running. When the wolf really came no one paid the lad any attention............
CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT---Don't stick your nose into something you aren't supposed to, it could get you into trouble.---The expression is a corruption of "care killed the cat," This comes from the old saying that though a cat is said to have nine lives, "care will wear them out." The change came about because a spiteful or backbiting woman is called a "cat" and women are notoriously curious. Therefore, more in hope than belief, "curiosity will kill the cat."
CUT AND DRIED---Routine; already prepared.---"The speech was cut and dried."---When crops or herbs were cut and already dried, the job was already done, ready for use.
CUT AND RUN---Leave hastily.---"Here come our wives it's time to cut and run."---Alludes to old sailing days when the anchor ropes were hemp. If they were in a hurry they would cut the ropes and sail off. (1794) The Elements and Practice of Rigging and Seamanship "To cut and run, to cut the cable and make sail instantly, without waiting to weigh anchor."
CUT OFF YOUR NOSE TO SPITE YOUR FACE---Self defeating gesture.---"He is just cutting off his nose to spite his face."---R. L. Stevenson (1889) Balantrae "He was in that humor when a man, in the words of the old adage, will cut off his nose to spite his face."
CUT THE COAT ACCORDING TO THE CLOTH---Make the project fit the resources; live within your income.---"You are going to have to cut the coat according to the cloth."---Heywood (1546) Proverbs "I shall cut my cote after my cloth when I nauer her." (1926) Lay Thoughts "We must cut our coat according to our cloth and adapt ourselves to changing circumstances."
new!CUT THE CRAP---Quit; stop fooling around.
CUT THE MUSTARD---Having the ability to do something.---"He can still cut the mustard." "He's to old to cut the mustard anymore."---You were able or unable to go into the field and cut mustard.
new!CUT THE SHENANIGANS---Mischief; nonsense; trickery.---"Ok, settle down and cut the shenanigans"---Another one of my father's favorites.---Irish (nachuighim) I play the fox.
CUT THROUGH THE RED TAPE---A solicitor used to band case papers with a red ribbon to keep all the papers together. In order to access the papers and get things started he would cut through the red tape. (Possible)
CUT TO THE CHASE---Get to the good part.---"Let's dispense with the crap and cut to the chase."---Old time movies often had a dull storyline but ended with a wild chase scene. So skip the dull stuff and cut to the chase.
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