Category: English Phrase
Peg Out Meaning Die. Origin This phrase is widely thought to have been taken from the scoring in card games like cribbage, in which the score is kept on …
Pass The Buck Meaning Blame someone else; avoid accepting responsibility by passing it off to someone else. Example In times of trouble, my old boss was quick to pass …
Paper Tiger Meaning A person who appears to have power but is in reality ineffectual. Origin This expression became known in the West as a slogan that Mao’s Chinese …
Paint The Town Red Meaning At the end of final exams college students have traditionally gone out to paint the town red. College students traditionally also do this at …
Out of Sorts Meaning Mildly unwell; not in one’s usual health or state of mind. Origin Since at least the 17th century ‘sorts’ has been the name of the …
One Red Cent Meaning A single symbolic penny. Example I refuse to pay even one red cent for the work until you complete the whole job. Origin The Red …
On The Wagon Meaning Abstaining from consumption of alcoholic beverages. Example Dean Martin never fell off the wagon. You have to be on the wagon before you can fall …
On The Dole Meaning Unemployed and in receipt of state benefit. Origin In the UK, Unemployment Benefit has been known by the slang term ‘the dole’ since WWI. This …
On The Bubble Meaning On the threshold; finely balanced between success and failure. For example, if a qualifying competition for an event allowed the top eight runners to proceed …
On The Ball Meaning To be on top of a situation; in control. Example If you were a bit more on the ball, we might have averted the reactor …