A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds. Francis Bacon 1625
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O.K.---All right. ---"Everything is o.k."---Comes from the presidential election of 1840. Martin Van Buren, was nicknamed "The Wizard of Kinderhook" - after "Old Kinderhook," the Hudson Valley village in which he
had been born. In reference to this village and Van Buren's nickname one of the Democratic groups formed to support him in New York City called itself "The Democratic O.K. (Old Kinderhook) Club." Other supporters of Van Buren picked up the term "O.K." as a sort of a slogan, and Democratic rowdies used it as their war cry in their attempts to break up meetings of Whigs. The phrase caught on
generally and soon established itself as synonymous with the feeling of the original club members that they and their candidates were "all right."
ODD MAN OUT---Someone being excluded---"He has always been the odd man out"---Originally from a gambling game, also used when choosing between three people usually for two positions. Each tosses a coin and the two who match (heads or tails) stay and the odd man is out.---(1889). Saturday Review "The good luck which attends us in the political 'odd man out' game."
ODDS AND ENDS---Miscellaneous things.---"The drawer is full of odds and ends."---Odd things that don't belong with other things. Ends, as ends or remnants of cloth.---Thomas Collier (1746). Caveat. "There dekinge about for odde endes, at length founde a lytle whystell of sylver."
OFF HIS ROCKER---Insane or mentally impaired.---"He's off his rocker."---Origin not known.---(1897). Daily News. "When asked if he had swallowed the lineament, he said, 'Yes, I was off my rocker.'"
OFF THE CUFF---Not formal; impromptu.---"Lets just keep this little transaction off the cuff."---At one time credit was so limited that a fellow operating a livery stable could keep his records on his shirt cuff. Transactions were usually on a cash basis. Casual business transactions were common enough to cause anything impromptu to be termed "off the cuff".
OFF THE DEEP END---Irrational; impulsive.---"He's gone off the deep end."---Possibly the idea of jumping into deep water without knowing what is below the surface.---Christopher Morley (1939). Kitty Foyle. "I wish there was some man she'd go off the deep end about."
OFF THE WALL---Unusual; erratic; unconventional.---"This whole idea is off the wall."---In any sport, i.e. racquetball, where a ball is hit off a wall there will be some erratic bounces.---(1974). National Review. "Brian knows how to startle the over interviewed with off the wall questions that get surprising answers."
OIL AND WATER DON'T MIX---Things or individuals with different natures do not combine well.---Joseph Jones (1783.)
OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW BETTER BUT TOO YOUNG TO RESIST---Lack of self control.
OLD FUDDY DUDDY---An old fashioned person; a person set in there ways---"He's nothing but an old fuddy duddy."---One possible link is to William Dickinson (1899). He recorded "duddy fuddy" in his glossary of the Cumberland dialect in England.
OLD HABITS DIE HARD---People don't change easily; adherence to familiar practices.---"He won't change his approach, old habits die hard."---Thomas Kempis (1450). The Imitation of Christ. "Olde custom is harde to breke."
OLD HAT---Familiar; dull or boring.---"I am tired of this routine, it is getting to be old hat."---Probably the rapid changes in hat fashions when they were so popular.---Sir Arthur Quiller (1911). Brother Copas. "So it has happened with Satan and his fork; they have become 'old hat.'"
OLD STAMPING GROUND---Any place one returns to on a regular basis.---"It is good to be back in my old stamping ground."---Prairie chickens were famous of performing an elaborate courtship dance, they made a loud booming noise while strutting and stamping about. They would return to these same mating areas year after year. These mating grounds would be worn bald. The people in these areas were familiar with these areas and they became known as the "old stamping ground. Places where men congregate on a regular basis became known as their "stamping grounds".
OLDER THAN DIRT
ON A RAMPAGE---Acting out of anger; become boisterous; spoiling for a fight; rioting.---"When he found out about his wife having a boy friend, he went on a rampage."---Charles Dickens (1861). Great Expectations. "She's been on the rampage this last spell, about five minutes."
ON TENTERHOOKS---In suspense; anxious.---"I wish they would give the results, they have me on tenterhooks."---Originally a frame with pointed pins for stretching cloth.---Tobias Smollett (1748). The Adventures of Roderick Random. "I left him upon the tenter hooks of impatient uncertainty."
ON THE BALL---With it; sharp and competent.---"He is really on the ball today."---Possible: From baseball, when a pitcher had something on the ball (movement on the ball) he was going to have a good game.---(1912). Collier's. "He's got nothing on the ball, nothing at all."
ON THE CARPET---Called in front of the employer for a reprimand.---"He is going to get called on the carpet for that stunt."---A worker being called into the employer's office for a reprimand. Usually a carpeted office.---John Galt (1823). The Entail. "Making her servants walk the carpet.'"
ON THE FLY also WING IT---Hastily; improvising as you do something.---"We don't have any plans we are just going to do it on the fly, we are going to wing it."---Henry Mayhew (1851). London Labour and the London Poor. "Taking them on the fly; which means meeting the gentry on their walks, and beseeching them or sometimes menacing them until something is given."
ON THE LAM---To flee.---To "do a lam" was defined as meaning, to run. (1904). Life in Sing Sing. "He plugged the main guy for keeps and I took it on the lam for mine."
ON THE LEVEL---Being honest or fair.---"I think he is on the level."---Term from Freemasonry. The level is an emblem of that organization, as is the square. Masons first used the term to refer to other Masons. George Ade (1896). Artie. "I see barrel house boys going around for hand outs, that was more on the level than you."
ON THE MAKE---Looking for financial, social or sexual gain.---"I think she is on the make."---J.H. Beadle (1873). The Undeveloped West. "They're all on the make."
ON THE QT---Meaning to keep something quiet; not to be overheard.---"Let's keep this on the QT, don't tell anyone else."---Abbreviation for the word "quiet".
ON THE ROCKS---In trouble; suffering physical, mental or financial troubles.---"I can't pay my rent, they have me on the rocks."---A ship that has run on the rocks.---Alexander Murdoch (1889). Scottish Readings. "Fork out, for I'm fair on the rocks."
ON THE ROPES---In a difficult situation; in danger of failure.---"He had me on the ropes."---Boxing term, when a fighter was on the ropes he was in a precarious position. Pierce Egan (1829). Boxicana. "Lenny found himself hanging on the ropes, where he was milled down."
ON THE SKIDS---Headed for a downfall.---"He lost his job and he is on the skids."---To save time and cut down on labor ramps and platforms made of heavy timbers were constructed. Often slanted sharply, it was easy to slide things down such an incline, especially if it was greased. Once a barrel or bale was placed in position and given a push, it was on the skids and headed downward out of control.
ON THE SPOT---In difficulty; expected to explain some action, or take some action.---"He really put me on the spot in that meeting."---Original American slang expression was to be marked for assassination. The "spot" is believed to be the ace of spades, which pirates showed to a traitor to indicate he was to be executed.---(1930). Punch. "You get rid of inconvenient subordinates by 'putting them on the spot', that is deliberately sending them to their death." In this case "death" meant discharge, or transfer to a worse job.
ON THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT---With little or no forethought.---"We left on the spur of the moment."---Opportunity stimulates the beholder as the spur stimulates the horse.---Admiral Nelson (1806). "The contrivance of Mr. Wyatt, on the spur of the moment."
ON THE UP AND UP---Honest; fair.---"Everything was on the up and up."---(1863). Humboldt Register. "Now that would be business, on the dead up and up."
ON THE WAGON---Abstaining from alcohol.---"Joe has been on the wagon for a week now."---(1904). Dialect Notes. "To be on the water wagon, to abstain from hard drinks."
ONCE A THIEF, ALWAYS A THIEF---People never change; a basic weakness remains.---J. Stevens (1706.) New Spanish and English Dictionary.
ONCE BITTEN TWICE SHY (ONCE BURNT TWICE SHY)---Once bitten one tends to keep one's distance.---John Heywood (1546.) Northall (1894).
ONCE IN A BLUE MOON---Rarely.---"He only comes around once in a blue moon."---The moon rarely has a blue cast to it. William Roy and J. Barlow (1528). Rede Me and Be Nott Wrothe. "Yf they saye the nome is belewe, We must believe that it is true."
ONE FELL SWOOP---A quick and savage action.---"We lost it all in one fell swoop."---Fell from the Latin root "felon" an once meant "cruel." Shakespeare: Macbeth. "What, all my pretty chickens and their dam at one fell swoop?"
ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE---In a bad way; seriously ill.---"Don is in a bad way, he has one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel."---Alexander Barclay (1509). The Shyp of Folys. "Thy grave is open, thy one fote in the pyt."
ONE FOR THE ROAD---One more drink before you leave the pub.---"Give me one for the road bartender."---J. P. Donleavy (1955). Ginger Man. "You've had a few," observes one
character. "Five for the road," boasts the traveler. "Never let it be said that I took to the highway or even byway without fuel for me little heart."
ONE GOOD TURN DESERVES
ANOTHER---A good turn by one should be repaid by a good turn.---"I will help him on Saturday he helped me today, one good turn deserves another."
ONE MAN'S JUNK IS ANOTHER MAN'S
TREASURE
ONE SWALLOW DOES NOT A SUMMER
MAKE---Don't draw conclusions prematurely based on a single fact.---John Heywood (1546.)---Alludes to the fact that the migratory patterns of swallows herald a change of season. The birds send out scouts ahead of the main migration, so one swallow does not mean the migration is taking place.
ONLY THE GOOD DIE YOUNG---Byron Childe Harold. "Heaven gives its favorites early death."
ONLY YOUR FRIENDS WILL SCREW YOU, YOUR ENEMIES WON'T EVEN TALK TO YOU---Someone has to be close to really hurt you.---Howell (1659). "Better to be stung by a nettle than prickt by a rose."
OPEN AND
ABOVEBOARD---Fair; conducting business without trickery.---"The whole deal was open and aboveboard."---Board in the since of a table where everything was in plain view.---Richard Carpenter (1620). The Conscionable Christian. "All his dealings are square and above board."
OPEN AND SHUT CASE---A straightforward matter; no doubt as to the outcome.---"It is an open and shut case, he will go to jail."---(1841). New Orleans Picayune. "The contest between humming Bird and Maria Collier was considered all but a 'dead open and shut game.'"
OPENING PANDORA'S BOX
OPINIONS ARE LIKE ASS HOLES, EVERYBODY HAS ONE
OPPORTUNITY ONLY KNOCKS ONCE---Always be in a position to take advantage of an opportunity should it arise.---Fenton (1567). Bandello. "Fortune once in the course of our life dothe put into our handes the offer of a good torne."
OPPOSITES ATTRACT---People with opposing qualities and traits are often drawn together by their complementarity.---J. Watson & A. J. Rees (1918.) Mystery of the Downs.
OUT AND OUT---Complete; extreme.---"That was an out and out lie."---Out meant: To the conclusion.---Chaucer (1374). Troilus and Criseyde. "For out and out he is worthiest.."
OUT OF ONES ELEMENT---Not operating in your area of expertise.---"They promoted him to manager, now he is out of his element."---Fuller (1732). "He is as much out of his element as an eel in a sand bag."
OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF MIND---If you don't see someone or something you tend to forget about them or it.---Caxton (1477). Jason. "What the eye sees not, the heart rues not."
OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES---Children will say the damndest things; they tell it like it is with no slant.---Bible: Psalm 8:2. "What is man, that thou art mindful of him?" says of the Lord. "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast ordained strength.."
OUT OF THE WOODS---Clear of danger or difficulty.---"I think we are finally out of the woods on this deal."---Francis Burney (1792). Diary and Letters. "Mr. Windham says we are not yet out of the wood, though we can see the path through it."
OUT ON A LIMB---In an exposed or dangerous position.---"He really had me out on a limb."---A.H. Louis (1897). Wolfville. "Seven of us seein' whatever we can tie down and brand, when some Mexicans gets us out on a limb."
OUTLANDISH---Bizarre or uncouth.---"The whole story was outlandish."---The Anglo Saxon English brought the Dutch word uitlander to England. By the 1600's the word became outlander. The word was used to describe the customs and costumes of foreigners.---Henry Fielding Tom Jones. In the book he jeered at a woman whose clothing he described as being "outlandish".
OVER A BARREL---Helpless.---"He certainly had Harry over a barrel."---(1) Someone who had been rescued from drowning was draped over a barrel in an attempt to revive him.---(2) A person considered too guilty to escape with tar and feathers was often publicly whipped. To prevent escape the victim was tied to an overturned barrel, he was over the barrel.---Raymond Chandler (1939). The Big Sleep. "We keep a file on unidentified bullets nowadays. Someday you might use that gun again. Then you'd be over a barrel."
OVER THE HILL---Past one's prime; old.---"Bill is fifty now he is over the hill."---Alludes to the fact that one can't do all the things you used to when you were younger. Actually the top of the hill is about age 36 with a life expectancy of 72. After 36 it is downhill. Hence the saying: "Its all downhill from here."---(1950). New York Herald Tribune. "He has lost his punch, he's a lot farther over the hill than I was when I hung up the gloves in 1927."
OWN WORST ENEMY---One who brings most of their troubles on themselves.---"He is his own worst enemy."---Robert Greene (1592). A Quip for an Upstart Courtier. "I thinke him an honest man if he would but live within his compasse, and generally no mannes foe but his own."
OYSTERS ARE NOT GOOD IN MONTHS THAT HAVE NOT AN R IN THEM---Butts (1599).
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