Red Light District Meaning A district in which houses of prostitution are numerous. Example Like a salmon swimming upstream to spawn, George makes his annual visit to the red …
Red Herring Meaning A false trail. Origin This phrase refers to smoked herring. In many parts of 19th century Britain, such fish have a very strong smell and were …
Raze to the Ground Meaning To destroy and sweep completely away. Origin This, in a similar way to ‘bated breath’, causes confusion in its spelling. The source of these …
Rack Your Brains Meaning To rack one’s brains is to strain mentally to recall or to understand something. Origin The rack was a mediaeval torture device. The crude but, …
Rack and Ruin Meaning Complete destruction. Origin It might be thought that the rack in this phrase refers to the mediaeval torture device, as in the phrase rack one’s …
Rabbit and Pork Meaning Talk. Origin ‘Rabbit and pork’, which is often shortened just to ‘rabbit’, is a nice example of Cockney rhyming slang. The first citation in print …
Quit your Belly Aching Meaning Stop complaining, bitching, or whining. Example Quit your belly aching and get a job. Origin Someone afflicted with a bellyache might do a bit …
Quiet as a Mouse Meaning Silent or still; making very little noise; saying nothing; hushed, subdued. Example Returning from the disco at 3 AM, Roger walked quiet as a …
Quid Pro Quo Meaning One thing in return for another. Example What is the quid pro quo for my entering into this deal? Origin Quid pro quo is Latin …
Quicker than Lager Turns to Piss Meaning Very quick. Origin A recent, i.e. 1980s, expression, originating in the UK. The earliest citation that I can find of it is …
