Madison Etymology of Words and Ideas

The origins of words and phrases that were commonplace in the 1930s, in the order of the chapters of Madison in which they first appear.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 35 36 37 38 39 40 41

Chapter 1

Saloon describes a car body style which in the US is called a sedan. In the early 20^th century, British car makers borrowed this term from the railway industry where saloon described luxurious, spacious railway carriages.

Claret is a general term used by the British for Bordeaux wines. The term comes from the French word clairet meaning clear or pale-coloured. In the Middle Ages, wine shipped from Bordeaux was a light pale red or dark rosé. The British continue to use the term despite the shift to vinicole making deep, bold red wines.

Fuddy-duddy is a light-hearted slang term to describe a fussy, old-fashioned, or overly cautious person. Its first recorded use was in the late 19^th century in the Galveston Daily News.

Curmudgeons are bad-tempered, grumpy, or stubborn people. The term first appeared in writing in the 1570s.

Shindig is 19^th century US slang, describing a lively, noisy party or dance. It was derived from the earlier colloquial word shindy which meant a brawl or boisterous merrymaking.

Knees-up originated from the famous late 1880s Cockney pub song, Knees Up Mother Brown. It describes a boisterous, lively party or dance where revellers would kick their knees up in the air.

Plonked means to place, drop, or sit something down carelessly or noisily. It’s a 19^th century word, mimicking the sound made by sitting down heavily.

Wangled is British slang dating back to the 1880s, meaning to obtain something through trickery, manipulation, or clever underhanded manoeuvring. The word originated from printers manipulating an image to look like something else. It was later popularised by British soldiers in WWI.

A tad is mid-19^th century American slang for a small child, being a shortened form of tadpole. By 1915 in the UK, it morphed into meaning a small amount.

Wheeler-dealer is a person who uses clever, cunning, and sometimes dishonest methods to negotiate business agreements for personal gain. The slang phrase originated in the late 18^th century gambling houses to describe the person who spun the roulette wheel and dealt the cards.

Dirt-poor describes a person or household experiencing extreme, grinding poverty. The phrase originated in the United States during the 1930s, referencing the Dust Bowl migration of farmers during the Great Depression.

Schlep is an informal verb or noun of Yiddish origin. It means to carry, drag or haul something heavy, or make a tedious journey. It entered the English language in the early 20^th century.

Skedaddle was military slang during the American Civil War. It meant to run away or hastily retreat. It possibly stems from an Old English dialect or Scottish term, skeindaddle, meaning to spill or scatter.

Chinwag is a British expression dating back to the 1870s meaning to have a chat or discussion with someone. The term evolved from the movement of one’s chin while speaking.

Brash means overly bold or overly confident. Possibly originating from the Scottish word meaning a sudden attack or fit of sickness, in the 19^th century it became partially mixed with the word rash.

Donkey’s years is a British idiom, originating in the late 19^th century, punning on the long ears of a donkey.

Kaput has French roots, where in the card game piquet, a player who lost without winning a single trick was said to be capot. German speakers adapted the term spelling it kaputt where over time the meaning shifted to mean something utterly defeated or ruined. Then, English speakers borrowed it from the German spelling in the late 19^th century, anglicising it to kaput and applying it to broken machines, failed plans, or wrecked objects.

Chapter 2

Pals historically is an informal term referring to friends. It entered common usage in early 20^th century Britain from the Pals Battalions, which referred to groups of friends who enlisted together to fight in WWI.

Cheder is a traditional Jewish religious elementary school focused on teaching Hebrew, the Torah, and Judaism’s ethical and religious foundations.

Deed poll is a specific type of legal document used in the UK and Commonwealth countries to formally declare an intention or obligation. By executing a deed poll, an individual can legally abandon their old name and adopt a new one. It acts as legal evidence required to update passports, driving licences, bank accounts, and medical records. Under UK law, you can change your name by deed poll for any reason, as long as it is not to deceive, defraud, or escape legal obligations.

Falangists are members and supporters of the Falange, a fascist political party that became Franco’s sole legal and political organisation when he eventually became dictator.

Altreich, meaning Old Empire, is an historical term used to describe Nazi Germany within its pre-1938 borders, before the annexation of Austria and the Sudetenland.

Copper-bottomed certainty is a British idiom implying an outcome is guaranteed. Its origin comes from the late 19^th century when wooden-hulled ships were covered with copper sheets to protect them from marine organisms. Barnacles and mussels attached themselves to the oak bottom, boring into the wood and increasing drag.

Prat is a British slang term meaning a fool, incompetent, or arrogant person. In older slang, it referred to the buttocks, giving rise to the term pratfall for an accidental fall on the street.

Sitting duck is a person or thing that is easy to attack, hurt, or criticise. The term is derived from duck hunting where a flying duck is difficult to hit, while one sitting on a waterway is an easy target.

Kowtow was derived from the ancient and traditional Chinese custom involving deep prostration to show respect, submission, or worship. By the 19^th century, the definition shifted from a physical bow to mean an overly submissive or grovelling manner.

Tin-pot dictator originated in the 19^th century to describe a low-quality authoritarian leader. Tin-pot was conventional slang for something cheap or shabby when tin was considered a low-quality metal as compared with copper, brass, or steel.

Chapter 3

Bottled it is a British slang term for losing one’s nerve or choking under pressure. It’s traced back to Cockney rhyming slang, bottle and glass which rhymed with arse, where having no bottle implied someone was so frightened, that they lost control of their bowels.

Blather means to talk foolishly without making much sense. Its origins can be traced to Old Norse and was later popularised throughout the UK.

Chapter 4

Confab is an informal noun or verb meaning a casual chat, friendly discussion, or meeting. It first appeared in English around 1700, as a shorthand version of the longer word confabulation.

Haven’t the foggiest is an informal British expression to have no idea or knowledge about something. It was in common usage from the late 19^th century.

Chapter 5

Jam-packed originated in the early 20^th century as a combination of the verb, jam meaning to wedge, squeeze, or force into a tight space and the word packed which implies something filled to capacity. The metaphor arises from jam making where the fruit is squeezed into jars, leaving no space for air that could lead to mould growth.

Coffers are large strong chests used to store valuables like money or gold. Metaphorically, it refers to the treasury or available funds of a government or organisation. The word dates back to the 13^th century, from the Old French word cofre, meaning chest or box.

Old fogies first appeared in 1756, meaning an old, eccentric, and miserly man.

Doddering refers to a person who trembles, shakes, or moves in a slow and unsteady manner due to old age. It is commonly used to describe a person who is both physically frail and mentally unsteady. The word first came into use during the mid-1700s.

Chapter 6

Horse of a different colour is a reference from Shakespeare’s early 17^th century play, Twelfth Night, meaning something entirely different.

On the QT means doing something confidentially or secretly. It’s an abbreviation of ‘on the quiet’. It first appeared in 19^th century vaudeville before being accepted as part of the British vernacular.

Snug is a small, private, semi-enclosed seating area in a British or Irish public house. It was generally used in the 19^th and early 20^th centuries by patrons who wished to drink out of sight of the main public bar.

Jump the gun originated in the early 20^th century American track and field competitions referring to a runner who’d start the race before the official starter’s pistol fires. It references acting prematurely or impatiently.

Lie of the land is an expression originating in the 17^th century from navigation and surveying. In American usage, it’s usually the lay of the land.

Preprandial means happening or done before a meal and usually refers to drinks or an apéritif. It was first found in writing in 1822 in a letter from Charles Lamb to Samuel Coleridge.

Pimm’s Cup was created in the 1840s by James Pimm, the owner of a London oyster bar. It was a gin-based tonic infused with herbs and quinine, served in a small tankard as a digestive. As the house speciality, it became known as Pimm’s No 1 Cup. Later in the 19^th century, he began to bottle his secret gin formula for commercial sale.

Smashing is a classic British expression meaning wonderful, brilliant, or excellent. By the mid-19^th century, it began to be used metaphorically as an intensifier.

Drop of a hat originated in the early 19^th century American West. It means doing something instantly and without hesitation. It’s derived from the practice of signalling the start of a fight, race, or contest by literally dropping or waving a hat.

Cahoots describes two or more people collaborating or conspiring together in secret for dishonest purposes. It originated in the early 19^th century United States. It possibly is derived from the French word cahute meaning a cabin or hut, the imagery referring to people hiding away in a small cabin, plotting in secret. Or it might come from the French or Spanish word cohort meaning company or band of companions.

Claptrap is absurd, insincere, or nonsensical talk. Originally it was 1720s theatre slang, where the term combines clap and trap to refer to a cheap trick or dramatic flourish to catch applause from the audience.

If push comes to shove is an expression that originated in the United States in the late 19^th century. It likely comes from the game of American football or English rugby where players face each other in a scrimmage or a scrum. This idiom refers to a situation that escalates to a critical or desperate point, such that a decisive or hard choice must be made.

Johnny-come-latelies is a 19^th century American plural idiom that can be traced back to fictional literature. It refers to a person who arrives late to a situation, implying they are a brash newcomer or an inexperienced player.

Set the wheels in motion was a phrase that dates back to the 1700s. It means to take the first step to start a plan, process, or a long chain of events. It is derived from the Industrial Revolution when large machinery and clocks required the turning of a small gear or wheel to make the connected parts move.

Chapter 7

A turn-up for the book means a surprising, unexpected event or a lucky stroke of fortune. The phrase originated in 18^th and 19^th century English horse racing. Bookmakers recorded wagers in a daily journal called the book. When an outsider won a race, the bookmaker kept the profits from the bets on the other horses. Such a surprise win was called a turn-up for the book.

Bottoms up was a popular drinking toast in 18^th century Britain. It originated from a scam whereby Royal Navy recruiters would attempt to trick men into accepting the King’s Shilling, which was a bribe to force them into military service. Drinkers would shout, bottoms up to ensure no coins were in their pint glasses. For the same reason, tankards were introduced with clear glass bottoms which allowed patrons to inspect their drinks to ensure there were no coins in the bottom of the mug.

Get the ball rolling means to start an activity, task, or process. It’s likely origin is from the English sports of croquet or lawn bowls. In William Harrison’s 1840 US presidential campaign, supporters pushed massive ten-foot rolling metal and leather balls through streets during parades while singing campaign songs with the refrain, keep the ball rolling.

Cut to the chase originated during the 1920s Hollywood silent film era, where directors used action-packed chase sequences to resolve plots and enthuse audiences to prevent a film from becoming bogged down.

Darkies is a racial slur referring to a Negro or an African American. Its origins can be traced back to the mid-18^th century, describing their skin colour. In the 19^th and 20^th centuries, the phrase became popularised in American minstrel shows.

Spics is a derogatory term referencing people living in Spanish-speaking countries. It derives from spiggoty, a term used by English-speaking labourers who built the Panama Canal. This term was meant to mock the local labourers who, in broken English, used the phrase, No speak-a de English. Over time spiggoty was shortened to spic.

Freeloader is a person who takes advantage of another’s kindness, money, or food, without paying anything in return. It first appeared in print in the late 1930s.

Ditched is late 19^th century US slang for abandoning or getting rid of something. It dates back to the 12^th century Old English noun dīċ, meaning a trench, ditch, or moat. By the 19^th century, it came to mean the physical act of throwing an object into a ditch, then progressing onto its current meaning.

Hogwash dates back to the 15^th century and means nonsense, foolish talk, or worthless ideas. Originally, it referred to the kitchen scraps, or swill fed to pigs.

Worked like a charm describes a plan or method that performs perfectly on the first try. It dates back to the 1820s as a figurative phrase.

Niggrahs is a phonetic spelling of the racial slur for the N-word. This was derived from the Latin, Spanish, and Portuguese word negro and the French word nègre, meaning black.

Jim Crow Laws described a series of racist statutes implemented in the southern United States. The term was first used in the 1830s, when a white entertainer named Thomas Dartmouth ‘Daddy’ Rice popularised a song-and-dance routine called Jump Jim Crow. Rice performed this in blackface, wearing tattered, ill-fitting clothes. It became a racial slur and a derogatory epithet for black Americans and was adopted by the press to generally refer to segregation.

Ponied up, or pony up, is an American 19^th century phrase, referring to the slow process of settling a bill at a merchant-tailor’s shop. It’s derived from the British slang word pony, which referred to a small amount of money. The term was adopted in North America by way of working-class immigration.

Trumped-up meant to fraudulently concoct, fabricate, or devise something false with the intention to deceive or punish someone unfairly. It’s derived from the Old French word tromper, meaning to deceive.

Right off the bat is a 19^th century expression derived from American baseball referring to a batter making contact with the ball.

Ku Klux Klan is an American white supremacist, right-wing, extremist, and hate group which operates as a secret terrorist organisation. They use violence and intimidation against minority groups in order to uphold white supremacy and oppose civil rights. The name originates from the Greek word kuklos, meaning circle or band, with the added word Klan, derived from the word clan, for the purpose of alliteration.

Yids is an historically offensive ethnic slur referring to the Jewish people. Yiddish itself is their word meaning Jew.

Dead as doornails is an idiom that can be traced back to the 14^th century. It was used to describe something lifeless and ended. It stems from medieval carpentry where heavy nails were driven through thick doors and their protruding ends, hammered flat, making the nails fixed but unusable for any future projects.

Gerrymandering was a term originally written as Gerry-mander and dates back to March 26^th, 1812 when Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry redrew districts to favour his party. The mander part of the expression derived from the shape of one district that a local newspaper said resembled a salamander. As a Democratic-Republican he was anti-federalist but went on to serve as James Madison’s vice president until he died in office in 1814.

ASAP, the abbreviation for as soon as possible, first appeared in print in 1920 and it was used on recommendation lists for office secretaries.

Nightcap was originally a warm cloth cap worn at bedtime. By the early 19^th century, it evolved into meaning a final drink, usually alcoholic, taken before bedtime, to induce slumber.

Gill is a 14^th century unit of liquid measure, equal to one-quarter of a British pint. It is equal to five imperial fluid ounces, about 142ml. A quarter gill is equal to 1 US fluid ounce or 1.25 Imperial fluid ounces.

Backhander is British slang for an illegal payment, bribe, or kickback to someone in authority to corruptly influence their judgment. In the 18^th century, it was coined to describe a sharp sudden blow to the back of a hand. In the 19^th and early 20^th centuries, it evolved to describe the under-the-table transfer of money passed secretly into another person’s hand. It first appeared in the English language in 1803.

Chapter 8

Toddler describes a young child, typically less than 3 years old. The term comes from the English verb toddle, which means to walk unsteadily with short steps. The verb toddle first appeared around 1600 in Scottish and northern English dialects.

Wehrmacht is the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. Wehr means defence or resistance and macht means force or power.

Clear and present danger as a phrase originated in the 1919 US Supreme Court case, Schenck v. United States, when Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote the unanimous opinion that stated that the government may limit free speech if the words create a clear and immediate threat of serious harm that a government has a right to prevent. The case involved socialists who handed out leaflets telling men to resist the military draft and were arrested under the Espionage Act of 1917. The famous analogy is that no one has the right to falsely shout ‘fire’ in a crowded theatre and cause panic.

Gather steam is an expression that dates back to the Industrial Revolution when 18^th and 19^th century steam engines and locomotives built up pressure in the boiler before it could move or function. It means to gain momentum, speed, energy, or popularity.

Amber light and green light are references to traffic lights where the amber light means proceed with caution and the green light signals it is OK to proceed at full speed. These lights were first introduced in London on August 3, 1926.

Doddle means something easy to accomplish, as in the trip will be a doddle. It is British slang, first recorded in the late 1930s, and is of uncertain origin. It may come from the dialect word dodder, to walk unsteadily, or from dawdle, to waste time, which is the confusion the word invites to this day.

Bill of goods as an expression, describes a set of deceptive, misleading, or fraudulent claims or promises. In the early 20^th century, it was simply a written invoice of items to be sold. It took on a negative connotation when a dishonest salesperson would present a list of promises, then fail to deliver the products or would supply defective or inferior items.

Bunkum is an informal noun meaning nonsense or foolish talk. Its origins date back to the 1820s when Felix Walker, a member of the House of Representatives for Buncombe County, North Carolina, delivered a long, tedious, and largely irrelevant speech to Congress. When challenged, he explained that he was not speaking to Congress but to Buncombe. Over time, speaking to Buncombe was shortened into bunkum and eventually to bunk.

Crackpot is a 19^th century slang metaphor for a mentally unstable or eccentric person. It combines crack, meaning flawed or broken, with pot, which is slang for head or brain. It emerged from an earlier 17^th century expression, crack-brained.

Past his prime means that a person is no longer at their best, peak, or most successful stage of life or ability. Prime has meant the best part since the 1400s and the expression past-prime was first used in the 1800s in farming and sports where animals or athletes have a clear peak age before they slow down.

Dilly-dallying originated in the 1700s to mean wasting time, loitering, or being indecisive and slow to act. The root verb comes from the 14^th century word dally, derived from the Old French slangy, which meant to converse, flirt, or pass time lazily.

Chapter 9

Strike while the iron’s hot originated from 15^th century blacksmithing. In order to shape a piece of iron, it had to be done immediately after heating, before it cooled and became unworkable.

Take a load off is an idiom that means to sit down, rest, or relax. It entered American English in the early 20^th century.

Tinker is an ethnic slur for the Irish Travellers. Many worked as itinerant tinsmiths or metal workers. They were also called Gypsies, in the mistaken belief that they had originally immigrated from Egypt.

Great Depression as a description of the economic downturn from 1929 to 1939 came into the language as a result of the 1934 publication, The Great Depression by the economist, Lionel Robbins.

Golliwog. The golliwog doll was a rag-doll created by author Florence Upton in 1895. It evolved into a racist caricature, in the tradition of the American minstrels portraying a black-skinned, large-eyed, bright-red-lipped, frizzy-haired Negro. For this reason, golliwog has become an offensive racial slur.

Kikes is an ethnic slur against the Jews that came into use at the end of the 19^th century. It is believed it originated when Jewish immigrants at Ellis Island, who were unable to write in Latin script, refused to sign their name with an X as it resembled the Christian cross. Instead they signed with a circle, which in Yiddish is kikel.

Spot on as an expression of agreement first entered the English language in the 1920s from target shooting, archery, or RAF bombing missions where hitting the target dead centre or the bullseye, meant you were on the spot.

Well-to-do means being rich and prosperous. It traces its origins to the late 18^th century.

Schmuck is a slangy Yiddish word referencing the male sexual organ. It’s a derogatory term used to describe someone who is foolish or contemptible and entered the English language in the late 19^th century.

Double first is a degree at Oxford or Cambridge universities involving achieving first-class honours in two distinct academic subjects or earning a first-class grade in two separate major examination components.

Boondoggle originated in the 1920s and was coined by American Scoutmaster, Robert H Link. He used this term to describe the braided lanyard and decorative knots made by Boy Scouts at summer camps. In 1935, the term acquired a pejorative meaning, referring to FDR’s Works Progress Administration (WPA). A New York Times article falsely suggested the government had spent $3 million teaching white-collar workers hobbies like shadow puppetry and knot-tying.

Ball and chain is a colloquial expression for a spouse, stemming from the 19^th century prison restraint, implying one’s female partner restricted her husband’s freedom.

Fortnight is a contraction of fourteen nights, meaning two weeks. Its usage follows from the medieval German tradition of counting time by nights rather than days.

Cricket buff refers to an enthusiastic and knowledgeable fan of the sport of cricket. Buff dates back to early 20^th century enthusiastic American firefighters, who wore buff-coloured uniforms.

The Ashes is a cricket trophy that originated in 1872 after Australia’s first Test match victory on English soil. A British newspaper published a satirical obituary declaring English cricket to be dead, stating that the governing body would be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia. The following year, the England captain vowed he’d bring the mythical ashes back home. After England won that series, a small terracotta urn, purportedly holding the charred remains of cricket balls and a stump, was presented to the captain, which gave birth to the legendary rivalry and this famous symbolic trophy.

Holy Grail originally referred to the sacred cup or dish used by Jesus at the Last Supper. Now, it’s a famous word picture for any grand prize or goal that people try very hard to achieve.

Boche is a derogatory French slang term first used in WWI to refer to the Germans. It’s a shortened version of Alboche which combined Allemand, French for German, and caboche, a slang word for a head of cabbage.

Duffers is an informal term for an incompetent, clumsy, or foolish person who lacks skills, especially at the game of golf. Its roots date back to the 18^th century as an affectionate or slightly dismissive label for an older man.

Chapter 10

Perambulator is a baby carriage, also shortened to pram. The term came into common usage in the 19^th century. Americans call these baby buggies.

Gambol means to frolic, caper, or jump playfully. It entered the English language in the early 1500s, describing the spirited movement of one’s legs.

Nappies in UK English are what Americans call babies’ diapers. It is a shortened form of the word napkin and dates back to the 1920s and the word napkin traces back to the Old French word nappe, meaning a tablecloth. Diapers originated from the Middle English word diaper which described a white cotton cloth woven with repeated small diamond or geometric patterns.

Chapter 11

Gripsack is an old-fashioned term for a small travelling bag. By the early 20^th century it was often shortened to a grip.

Ammo is the shortened form of the word ammunition that emerged in the 19^th century. The word ammunition comes from the 17^th century French phrase la munition, meaning military provisions. Over time, English speakers misheard the la part of the word, turning lammunition into ammunition.

Stodge originated in late 17^th century England meaning to stuff full or gorge. By the 1820s it became a noun meaning heavy food that made one feel uncomfortably full.

Bully-boy is a term dating back to the early 1600s that has come to mean a ruffian or an aggressive blusterer and a swaggering harasser.

Waffling comes from 17^th century northern English or Scottish dialect words for the yelping of a puppy. It shifted to mean foolish talk to delay taking action, or dithering.

Feathering his nest means to grow rich, usually by taking selfish or dishonest advantage of one’s job, power, or public position. The idiom comes from how birds line their nests with soft feathers to make a warm, safe home for their chicks. It was first used as a figure of speech in the mid-1500s.

Kettle of fish is an expression meaning a messy, awkward, or problematic situation. It dates from 18^th century Scots, where wealthy landowners held gatherings known as kettle of fish parties. At these, live salmon were tossed into pots of boiling water, creating a chaotic situation resulting in a messy and unpredictable outcome.

Part and parcel refers to an essential, necessary, or unavoidable part of a larger experience, job, or situation. The phrase was first used in 15^th century legal jargon and by the 1800s had moved into everyday speech.

Babbling means making meaningless speech sounds like an infant or talking too much without making much sense. Its root comes from 13^th century Middle English words like babeln which meant to prattle or talk like a baby.

Dressed to the nines means wearing highly fashionable, elaborate, or formal clothing. The phrase originated in 18^th century Scotland, likely a misunderstanding of the phrase ‘to then eyen’ (to the eyes), meaning to perfection.

Chapter 12

Somewhere at Sea was the song written especially for the May 27^th, 1936, maiden voyage of RMS Queen Mary. She sailed from Southampton, England to Cherbourg, France and then to New York City. Her voyages repeatedly set transatlantic records for her crossings and received the coveted Blue Riband of the Atlantic, an unofficial accolade given to regular service passenger ships with the fastest crossing times. RMS Queen Mary won this prize twice, first in August 1936 and then again in August 1938, retaining it until 1952. The song was regularly played by Henry Hall and his BBC Dance Orchestra. The recording can be heard here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAVdcb6AP4k, with vocals by Dan Donovan. The video also shows the Queen Mary on her maiden voyage.

All dolled up means to dress in fine clothing and apply makeup for a special occasion. The expression originated in the 19^th century, having evolved from the slang term doll which was used to describe a particularly pretty or impeccably dressed woman. It originated as a nickname for Dorothy.

Chapter 13

Two shakes is a common American expression deriving from the 1840s saying, two shakes of a lamb’s tail. It references the rapid wagging of a lamb’s tail when suckling and now means to do something quickly.

Gotham is an alias for New York City. It originated as a medieval English folk tale about a village of mad men, or wise fools, who feigned insanity to drive away royalty. In 1807, Washington Irving used it as a satirical nickname for NYC. In 1940, Bill Finger named Batman’s home, Gotham.

Hack originates from the Old French word hacquenée, which referred to an ambling horse for hire. Over time, these horses were attached to carriages for public transport. In the 12^th century, the London Borough of Hackney was known for breeding and grazing horses. Because of that, taxis are called Hackney carriages. For the same reason, to hack is to ride a horse in the countryside.

Wound up is a legal term for a company or scheme going through the formal process of closing down. A liquidator sells the assets, pays off debts and gives what’s left to the survivor or heir.

Chapter 14

Perks are an extra benefit, advantage, or bonus given in addition to a regular business arrangement. It is the shortened version of perquisite, a 15^th century Latin-derived term meaning incidental profit or tip attached to an office or position.

Bub is an informal and dated term of address. It originated as an American colloquialism in the 1830s and is thought to be a shortened form of brother like buddy or bubba, or derived from the German word Bube meaning boy.

Cutie Patootie can be traced back to 1918 when Patootie was a variant of sweet potato. It subsequently evolved into a slang expression for an attractive woman. Cutie was added later just for the rhyme.

Top dog is an idiom meaning one of the leaders, bosses, or dominant figures in a group or organisation. Coined in the 19^th century, it likely stems from the practice of dogfighting, referring to the one that ended up winning. Alternatively, it might refer to pit-sawing where two men used a large two-handed saw to cut timber. The senior worker stood on top of the tree trunk, the top dog, while the junior worker, who stood in a pit below, enduring the harder, uncomfortable labour and the sawdust, was the underdog.

Polack is an ethnic slur first recorded in the 16^th century as an anglicisation of the word polak, meaning a Polish person.

Heebs is a derogatory term for Jewish people derived from an abbreviation of Hebrew. It entered American English in the early 20^th century.

Twaddle means silly or idle talk. First used in the late 18^th century, it traces its origin to the older, now-archaic word twattle, meaning to chatter. Both words are echoic or onomatopoeic, coined to mimic the sound of foolish or meaningless babble.

Bunch of hooey is American slang, meaning a load of nonsense, rubbish, or foolish talk. This term first emerged in the 1920s as either a euphemism for horse excrement or an adaptation of the older expression phooey.

Wop is an offensive slur against persons of Italian birth or descent. It comes from the Neapolitan dialect word guappo, meaning a swaggerer, brawler, or a tough person. It emerged in the early 20^th century amid high rates of Italian immigration.

Gibberish refers to unintelligible, nonsensical, or rapid and inarticulate speech. In the mid-16^th century, it was used to imitate the sound of rapid chatter.

Chutzpah is Yiddish meaning supreme audacity, gall, or nerve. It entered the English language in the late 19^th century.

Meshugenah is Yiddish meaning a crazy, insane, or foolish person. It was first recorded in English texts around 1880.

Bigots entered English in the late 1500s from Middle French, originally meaning a religious hypocrite. It is believed the word began as a derogatory nickname used by the French to describe the Normans, who frequently used the phrase bi God.

Dead-easy means something is completely and utterly easy to accomplish. It became an informal idiom in the 19^th century.

Redneck is a derogatory term for poor, rural, white Southerners, implying a lack of sophistication and generally conservative and racist views. It originated in the late 19^th century and stems from the sunburned necks of farmers who toiled in their fields bent over hoeing or harvesting.

Cracker is a racial slur directed at poor or rural white people in the Southern United States. It possibly is derived from the sound of the cracking of whips used by white overseers of their slaves. Alternatively, the root is 16^th century British slang where Shakespeare uses the word craker in his 1590 play King John, as an insult for a loud, boastful braggart.

Hook, line, and sinker means to completely believe a lie, trick, or story without doubt or question. It comes from fishing, where a hungry fish swallows not just the baited hook, but the entire line and heavy lead sinker as well.

Nincompoop is 17^th century English slang for a foolish person, possibly deriving from the corruption of the Latin and legal phrase non compos mentis, meaning not of sound mind.

Malarkey is informal slang meaning nonsense, lies, or false information. It first appeared in US English in the 1920s. It was possibly connected to an Irish surname and became associated with long-winded storytelling.

Two-bit Putz was an expression combining two slang expressions. Two-bit was slang for twenty-five cents stemming from a time before the United States had its own currency. The gold Spanish dollar (peso) was frequently cut into triangular bits to make change, hence two bits was equal to a quarter of a dollar. Putz is a Yiddish word that entered American slang in the 1920s to mean a foolish or despicable person.

Not by a long shot means something that’s completely untrue, highly improbable, or falls short of its goal. It originated in the 19^th century from the early use of firearms and archery.

Wised up means to become aware, informed, or be realistic about a situation. It was first used in American slang in the early 1900s.

Bible Belt refers to a region in Southern and Midwestern United States which is known for high church attendance, evangelical Protestantism, and socially conservative values. It was coined by HL Mencken and popularised during the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial in Tennessee.

Cretin is an insulting word to describe a very stupid or foolish person. Its medical meaning stems from cretinism which describes a person marked by stunted growth, physical deformities, goitres, and intellectual disabilities. The term is derived from the 18^th century French word crétin, meaning Christian. In remote alpine villages, iodine-deficiency related cretinism was common, and locals called such people Christians, meaning they were still human beings with a soul.

Barmy means crazy or foolish and comes from barm, the frothy head of yeast that forms at the top of fermenting beer. By the late 16^th century this was used as a metaphor to describe someone who was excitable, flighty, or empty-headed. In the 19^th century it came to mean the unpredictable behaviour of someone deemed to be mad.

Flim-flam refers to a deceptive trick, fraud, or swindle. It also has come to mean nonsense, foolish talk, or meaningless speech intended to mislead or confuse. It first appeared in the 1530s and is an echoic formation with likely Scandinavian origins.

Snippets are brief extracts such as a short quotation or bit of news. The word originated in mid-1600s England as a diminutive of the older word snip, meaning to cut.

Ballyhoo refers to flamboyant, exaggerated, or sensationalised publicity, used to attract attention or promote a product for sale. It originated in early 20^th century circus and carnival slang, where barkers or pitchmen used loud, wild spiels to draw crowds into their sideshows. It possibly is derived from the Irish village called Ballyhooly, whose inhabitants became known for their rowdy, noisy, and argumentative behaviour.

Piffle means nonsense or trivial talk and originated in mid-19^th century Britain. It likely stems from a blend of the words piddle, to waste time, and trifle which is something of little value.

Charlatan is derived from the 17^th century Italian ciarlare, meaning to chatter or prattle. It’s also similar to the Spanish word charlatán meaning an indiscreetly talkative person or a chatterbox.

Plonk is an informal British Commonwealth term for cheap, low-quality wine. Its origin can be traced back to WWI military slang where Australian and British soldiers mangled the French phrase, vin blanc, meaning white wine, to vin blank and plinketty-plonk which eventually was shortened to plonk.

Bankrolled means to receive the money needed to pay for a project or business. It is derived from the physical habit of gamblers and businessmen in the late 1800s, rolling up their paper money in a wad.

Bootleggers were people involved in the manufacture, transportation, distribution, or sale of goods. During the years of US Prohibition, 1920-1933, it specifically related to alcoholic beverages. The term originated in 1880s Midwestern United States where traders and smugglers wore tall boots to conceal the alcohol that they intended to sell to the Native Americans.

Speakeasies were illicit nightclubs that sold alcoholic beverages during the Prohibition era. The term originates from the practice of speaking easy (whispering) to avoid drawing attention from neighbours or the authorities. Often these required secret passwords to enter the premises.

Chapter 15

Valves is the British term for what the Americans call vacuum tubes. These are the glass components that control electrical current in radios prior to the invention of the transistor.

Hymie is a derogatory ethnic slur derived from the traditional Hebrew name Chaim, meaning health or life. Hyman and its diminutive Hymie were popular names amongst Jewish immigrants to America in the late 18^th and the early 19^th centuries.

Queens is an area in NYC named in honour of Catherine of Braganza, the Portuguese princess who became Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland when she married King Charles II. Initially, it was paired with Kings County, named for Charles II, which is now called Brooklyn.

Get our skates on is a British idiom, dating back to Victorian times when both ice skating and the newly invented roller skates were popular recreational activities. It meant to get moving to accomplish some task or objective.

Scarper means to run away or leave quickly. Its primary root is the Italian word scappare meaning to run away. It first entered the English language via 19^th century street slang. In WWI, it received a boost from Cockney rhyming slang matching Scapa Flow with to go.

Scooched is the past tense of scooch meaning to move over or shift to one side. It first appeared in the US in the mid-1800s.

Ragtag originated from the 16^th century phrase tag and rag which, in the 18^th century, evolved into ragtag and bobtail, and was used to describe the lower classes. By the 19^th century, the long phrase was shortened to just ragtag.

Cabal is a small, secretive group of people who work together on a hidden plan, usually aimed at getting power or political control. It traces its origins back to French and Medieval Latin to the Jewish word qabbālāh, meaning received or traditional lore and was originally linked to Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah). There is an historical coincidence where in 17^th century England, five ministers, Clifford, Arlington, Buckingham, Ashley, and Lauderdale, formed a council whose initials spelt CABAL. This popularised the term in UK politics.

Keister means a person’s buttocks. It’s derived from the German word Kiste meaning a chest or box. The word was common slang used by 19^th century British criminals.

Dough as slang for money, originated in the United States in the mid-19^th century. The slang word bread was also used to refer to a person’s livelihood or their means of subsistence. Because dough is the fundamental building block of bread, dough was adopted as a synonymous slang term for cold, hard cash.

Limeys is an informal and often derogatory slang term for a British person. It was derived when the Royal Navy mandated a daily ration of citrus juice to combat scurvy. Lemons were preferred but limes from the British colonies in the Caribbean were often used leading to the nickname, lime-juicer, coined around 1885.

Froggys in the mid-19^th century became an ethnic slur for a French person, stemming from the traditional English stereotype of their culinary habit of eating frogs’ legs.

Gave him the boot is an expression dating back to 1888, stemming from the literal, physical action of kicking someone out of a space using one’s boot. Today, it means to fire, reject, or forcibly eject someone.

Go to hell in a hand-basket is an expression implying a situation that is deteriorating and rapidly spinning out of control and heading straight for disaster or total ruin. The first written record was in 1682. It largely faded in Britain but became a staple American idiom and 19^th century folklore.

Rag is a slang and derogatory term for what is considered to be a low-quality or overly sensational newspaper. It stemmed from the time when cheap newsprint was flimsier or partly made from cotton/linen rag fibres.

Snooze originated in the late 18^th century as slang, likely from blending sounds similar to snore and doze.

Kip was commonly used in British and Irish slang to mean a cheap lodging or to sleep. It evolved from the 18^th century Danish term kippe, meaning a hovel, cheap inn, or brothel.

Gobsmacked is an informal British term meaning to feel completely shocked or amazed to the point of being speechless. It was first used in 1936 in the north of England. Gob is a regional dialect word for mouth and smacked meant to hit or strike. Literally, it means that something was so surprising or jaw-dropping that one stopped talking.

Give it a once-over means to perform a quick, superficial look or inspection of an object or a document. It first appeared around 1913 in the works of the American cartoonist, TA Dorgan.

Bandy about means to casually toss, circulate, or discuss an idea or rumour. The phrase dates back to the 16^th century where the verb bandy was a sporting term for hitting or tossing a ball back and forth as in early tennis or field hockey games. After the 18^th century, it took the meaning of argumentative sparring, then progressed to mean a more neutral sense of ideas or gossip being tossed around openly.

Laissez-faire is a French phrase that translates to let do or leave alone. In economics, it describes a hands-off, non-interference policy and complete lack of government interference or control. It implies the operation of a free market with no government rules, taxes, or limits.

Get my goat is an American expression first used around 1905. It likely was derived from horse racing where nervous and highly strung racehorses were kept calm by giving them a companion goat.

Fabian Society is a British left-wing socialist organisation founded in London in 1884. It advocates for democratic socialism to reform society gradually, thus avoiding a violent revolution to overthrow the existing establishment.

Oxbridge is a common portmanteau combining the names of the English universities of Oxford and Cambridge, first used in the 19^th century.

Won’t wash is UK slang meaning something unconvincing that would not stand up to examination. The 1800s expression originally referenced a fabric that was too fragile to stand up to washing.

Grey area means an ambiguous situation, topic, or rule that’s not clearly defined or does not fit neatly into established categories such as right or wrong, legal or illegal. The term originated in the 1930s, suggesting a shady grey area existed between the absolute extremes of black and white.

Ponzi scheme originated from Charles Ponzi, an Italian con artist who orchestrated massive fraudulent investment operations in Boston in 1920. He lured investors by promising 50% profits after 45 days. In reality, he made no real investments, using capital obtained from new investors to pay off the promised return to the older investors.

Chapter 16

Toing and froing refers to the act of moving repeatedly between two places or endlessly vacillating between ideas. It originated from the Middle English phrase, to and fro, combining the preposition to meaning moving forward with fro meaning to move away.

Miffed means slightly annoyed or offended. The word emerged in the early 19^th century, deriving from the noun and verb miff, which first emerged in the 17^th century. The word is likely onomatopoeic, mimicking the disgusted mff sound people make when fed up.

Fessed up is an informal American English phrase meaning to admit wrongdoing or confess to the truth. It originated in the 1840s as a shortened colloquial version of the word confess. Adding the adverb up appeared in the 1930s to emphasise full disclosure.

Lingo refers to a specialised vocabulary, jargon, slang, or a foreign language. It’s a 17^th century corruption of the Latin word lingua, meaning tongue or speech.

Lingua franca is a common language used for communication between groups of people who do not share a native language. The word literally means Frankish tongue in Italian. Historically it referred to a hybrid language composed of elements of Italian, French, Spanish, Greek, and Arabic that traders, crusaders, and sailors used in the Mediterranean from the Middle Ages through the 19^th century.

Pidgin is like lingua franca as it is a grammatically simplified contact language that develops spontaneously so groups with no common language can communicate.

Esperanto is the most widely spoken constructed auxiliary language. Designed for simplicity, with logical vocabulary, it was intended to be used by the global community. Today, it’s estimated that several million speak this language.

Dime novels were inexpensive, mass-produced paperbound books that were highly popular in the US from 1860 to 1915. Most were fast-paced, sensational stories about the American frontier, detectives, romance, or melodrama. In the UK, these were called penny dreadfuls.

It was a breeze refers to a task, event, or situation that was extremely easy to achieve as it required little effort and caused no trouble. This slang phrase first emerged in American English in 1928.

On standby means to be ready and waiting to act or serve when needed. It has 12^th century nautical roots meaning to stand near, watching or supporting someone. By 1796, the noun described a ship kept nearby for emergencies.

John Hancock is a slang term originating from the Founding Father, John Hancock, who famously signed the 1776 US Declaration of Independence using a large and flamboyant signature. Because he was the first to sign, his prominent name became synonymous with the act of signing. The legend is that he claimed he wrote his name large enough so King George III could read it without his glasses.

Paddies refer to the Irish and is a shortened version of the Irish name Patrick. While widely used as a friendly nickname amongst the Irish, it’s also considered an offensive ethnic slur when used by outsiders. The term dates back to the late 1700s.

Gefilte fish is Yiddish for stuffed fish and originated in medieval Germany in the 14^th century.

Matzo ball soup is made with Ashkenazi Jewish soup morsels of a mixture of matzah meal, beaten eggs, water, and usually bonded with chicken fat.

Snap brim Fedora is a hat that features a flexible brim that can be flipped up or snapped down in the front or all the way around. The snap brim was first recorded in 1905-1910. The Fedora hat was introduced in 1890 by a French hatmaker, Victorien Sardou, named after the title character of Sardou’s play, Fedora, which premiered in 1882.

Scratch in American slang means money or cash. It evolved in the United States around 1914 from the notion of scratching for, or scraping together, a living.

Hold your horses means to be patient or slow down. It comes from the 19^th century horseback riding and horse-drawn carriages where riders or drivers had to physically pull back the reins to keep their team from moving prematurely or running out of control in busy streets.

Don’t give two hoots originated in 19^th century American English. The idiom hoot was slang for the smallest or most trivial amount and the expression has nothing to do with an owl’s call.

Broads, meaning women, emerged in early 20^th century American English. It either was a physical description of a woman with broad hips or an abroad wife, meaning a woman enslaved or trafficked, living away from her husband. As criminal or theatrical slang, it carried the connotation of immorality, prostitution, or being a pimp’s female companion.

On the ball means one is alert, highly competent, and quick to react to situations. It originated in early 20^th century American baseball, referring to a pitcher throwing a ball with exceptional speed, spin, or deceptive movement.

Like nobody’s business is 1920s American slang meaning to do something with extreme intensity or great proficiency. It first appeared in print in the 1938 PG Wodehouse novel, The Code of the Woosters.

Keep your shirt on is an idiom meaning to calm down or be patient. Originating in 19^th century America, it comes from the practice of men removing their good, starched shirts before a fistfight to avoid ruining them. The act signalled a brewing altercation, making the plea a call to de-escalate.

Fink is an American slang term meaning an informer, a contemptible person, or a strike breaker, what the British call a scab. It was in common usage in the 19^th century and originates either from the German word Fink, meaning finch. This was student slang to describe a frivolous person because finches are known to be chatterboxes. Alternatively, it could be tied to the Pinkerton Detective Agency, often shortened to Pinks. That private armed force was infamous for infiltrating unions and breaking strikes such as the 1892 Homestead Strike.

Goombah is Italian-American gangster slang derived from the Southern Italian word cumpà, meaning friend or comrade. It was commonly used by Italian immigrants in the early 1900s.

Mugs are either fools or gullible people. In older 20^th century criminal slang, it refers to a thug, ruffian, or suspicious person.

Deliver the goods is a slang phrase originating in the mid-19^th century. It means to successfully do what was promised, expected, or required.

Big shot emerged in American English in the late 19^th century. Then, a shot was literally a heavy projectile or artillery shell. The metaphor is gangster slang for an influential boss who has significant firepower.

Snitch dates back to 18^th century British underworld slang, where the verb meant to betray and was attached to an informer.

Rat out means to betray a person by revealing their secrets or wrongdoings to an authority figure or an opponent. It was first used to describe an informant or traitor in the 17^th century. It derives from the expression, rats leaving the sinking ship.

Chapter 17

Riff-raff originated in the 15^th century as an Anglo-French phrase, rif et raf, which originally meant one and all. It came to refer to disreputable or undesirable rabble or low-class individuals.

Scallywag is a 19^th century American term used to describe a person who behaves badly, often in a slightly dishonest manner. It was likely derived from a term for a worthless or undersized farm animal.

Spiffing is British slang from the 1870s. It is derived from the earlier adjective spiffy meaning spruced or well-dressed. Today, it means excellent, splendid, or first-rate.

USDA Prime is the highest grade given by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for beef. It was first established in 1926 for buyers to identify top-quality, heavily marbled beef from young cattle.

Minced patties are the British equivalent of hamburgers. The word patty came from the French word pâté, meaning a small pie or mass of minced filling. In the 19^th century, immigrants brought the Hamburg steak to America and placed it between slices of bread to create the modern-day hamburger.

Shepherd’s pie is a savoury baked casserole made of minced or diced meat and vegetables, with a topping of mashed potatoes. It originated in late 18^th century United Kingdom and Ireland.

Stuffed to the gills is a 19^th century UK expression, initially used by nautical and fishing communities. By the early 20^th century, it had transitioned into general slang to describe being inebriated or completely full after eating.

Trifle is a traditional English dessert made of sponge cake, fruit or jelly, custard, and whipped cream. As a food, it is documented in cookbooks since 1596, and has been much as described since the 18^th century.

Combo is an informal short form of the word combination, meaning a group or mixture of things put together. It first appeared in 1920s American slang to describe a small jazz band or dance group.

Lindy Hop is an American dance, born in the Harlem African-American communities in 1928 as part of the swing era.

Shelling out as an idiom can be traced back to the early 19^th century based on a metaphorical comparison. Taking cash out of a pocket or purse is likened to the physical act of removing a nut or seed from its hard outer shell.

Sawbuck is American slang for a $10 bill. It originated in the mid-19^th century from the visual resemblance of the Roman numeral X on early banknotes that resembled the X-shaped wooden timber racks called sawbucks or saw horses used to hold and cut firewood.

Moolah is a slang US expression meaning money or cash. Its origin is unknown, possibly coming from Sanskrit, Romani, Irish Gaelic, or even Fijian, as it’s close to their word for money. It was common US vernacular in the 1920s and 1930s.

Tightwad describes a stingy, miserly, or extremely frugal person, and originated in American English around 1900. The adjective tight, meaning close-fisted or stingy, dates back to 1805 and wad was slang for a roll of paper money, so a tightwad describes someone who keeps their money tightly shut, refusing to spend it.

Clam meaning one dollar originated in 19^th century America and became widely popular in the 1920s. It was inspired by the ancient indigenous practice of using seashells such as wampum and cowrie shells as currency.

Huckster dates back to 12^th century Middle English. It originates from the Dutch noun hokester and the verb hoeken meaning to hawk or peddle small items on the street or from door to door. For that reason, it has a derogatory implication when describing an aggressive or shady salesperson selling low-quality goods or services.

Skint is British informal slang meaning completely broke. It originated in the 1920s as an altered pronunciation of the past tense of the word skinned. Amongst gamblers and con-artists, to skin someone meant to strip them of their money or valuable possessions, leaving them exposed and destitute.

Cheapskate is a mildly derogatory slang term for someone who is unusually miserly, stingy, or reluctant to spend money. It first emerged in American English around 1896 as a combination of the two words, where cheap meant something with a low price or a person unwilling to spend money and skate, being a 19^th century slang term for a worn-out horse or a generally mean and contemptible person.

Chapter 18

Done and dusted is an English idiom, likely coming from British house cleaning. Another theory links it to old clerical practices where absorbent powder was sprinkled on freshly signed documents to dry the wet ink before the page could be dusted clean.

Catnap originated in the 19^th century to describe a short, light sleep, referencing the behaviour of cats who doze for brief periods.

Chapter 19

A bit merry is a British expression for being slightly or cheerfully drunk. It has its origins in the Old English myrge, meaning pleasant. In Victorian times, being merry usually related to communal, festive drinking.

Cheeky means slightly rude, bold, or disrespectful, but in a funny or playful manner. It was first used in England in the 1830s and was derived from the word cheek meaning face or jaw. The added suffix linked it with face-based phrases such as mouth off or giving lip.

Chapter 20

Tommies is a British slang term or nickname for the common private soldier in the Army. It was first used in 1743 to describe an exemplary soldier who behaved bravely. In the 19^th century, it was a generic name used by the British War Office, similar to GI Joe, having been derived from Tommy Atkins. Rudyard Kipling popularised the name in his 1892 book, Barrack-Room Ballads.

Friends of mine in Mafia slang means they are an associate who works with the mob, but who is not a direct rival. Whereas friends of ours, amico nostro means they are an officially inducted, fully-fledged, made-man. Both were originally used by Sicilian and Italian-American organised crime families, dating back to their 19^th century oral code of conduct.

Neck of the woods originated in colonial America in the 1700s. It combined the word neck, describing a narrow strip of land containing a small settlement, surrounded by forest. Over time, it evolved to mean any neighbourhood, locality, or region where someone lives.

Clipped, meaning to kill someone, emerged in the Prohibition Era of the 1920s and 1930s. It meant to strike someone, overcharge, or swindle them, as in a clip-joint. It ultimately took on the meaning to execute them.

Wetback is an ethnic slur for Mexicans that originated in the 1920s. It was used to describe individuals who swam or waded across the Rio Grande river to illegally enter the United States, thus getting their backs wet.

Greasers is another ethnic slur for Mexicans. This originated in the 19^th century, and likely stems from labourers in the Southwest who greased wagon axles or cured animal hides.

Kraut comes from the German word for cabbage or herb. In the 19^th and early 20^th centuries, English speakers adopted the word from the traditional dish sauerkraut. During WWI and WWII, it became an ethnic slur for German soldiers.

Gin Rickey was invented in the 1880s at Shoomaker’s saloon in Washington, DC. It was created by bartender George Williamson and Democratic lobbyist Colonel Joe Rickey.

Highball originated in the 19^th century, evolving from the British brandy-and-soda cocktail to refer to Scotch and soda in New York. The name likely comes from 1890s slang where a ball of whiskey, Irish slang for a shot, was served high in a tall glass. The name could also stem from American railroad jargon when a ball was raised on a pole as a signal to the driver to proceed at full speed because there’s a clear track ahead.

Gin and It is a classic cocktail made by mixing equal parts of gin and sweet Italian vermouth, the It being a reference to the Italian vermouth. It dates back to the late 1880s.

Sounds a hoot means something is amusing, hilarious, or wildly entertaining. Its origins can be traced back to 12^th century Middle English, evolving from the sound of an owl’s call into a slang term for laughter.

Chapter 21

Just deserts (note the single s) originated in the 16^th century when the noun desert meant that which was deserved.

Sobriquet is a descriptive nickname given to a person, place, or thing. Often clever or humorous, it usually highlights a specific trait or achievement and is frequently bestowed by others rather than chosen by the individual. The word entered the English language in the mid-1600s, having been borrowed from the French. In Middle French, soubriquet referred to a playful, gentle tap or chuck under the chin before evolving to mean a quip and then a nickname.

Moniker is a word meaning a person’s name, nickname, or alias. It originated in the 19^th century British and American underworld and from hobo slang. It’s thought moniker derived from munik, which, in the Shelta language used by the Irish Travellers, is the word for name.

Chapter 22

Lox and a schmear is a classic New York Jewish deli staple. It’s a fresh bagel, generously spread with cream cheese, the schmear, and topped with brined or cold-smoked salmon, lox.

Cherry-pick means to select only the best, most profitable, or most useful items while ignoring the rest. It originated as nautical slang to describe sailors or workers who chose the easiest duties.

Canny means being clever, smart, and quick-thinking. It comes from 16^th century Scottish and Northern English dialects.

Get cracking dates back to early 20^th century British and American military slang, having evolved from older expressions like crack on and cracking along, both used to describe brisk movement. The cracking part is believed to be an auditory metaphor derived from the sharp snap of a carriage whip, being cracked to signal horses or oxen to start moving quickly.

Harangue is a long, loud, and angry speech, used to criticise something or forcibly encourage people to do something. It is traced to the Old High German hring, meaning a ring or circular crowd. It passed into French as harangue before entering English in the 1500s when it shifted from a public address to a harsh, scolding lecture.

Sodomites, in the Book of Genesis, were inhabitants of the biblical city of Sodom. Historically, it meant a person who took part in anal sex or same-sex acts. It evolved into meaning a religious or political insult against one’s enemies.

Cup of Joe likely originated in 1913 when Josephus Daniels was appointed secretary of the Navy by President Woodrow Wilson. He issued General Order 99, which prohibited alcohol aboard naval vessels, such that the strongest drink allowed was coffee. It’s thought that disgruntled and now sober sailors weren’t happy about his proclamation so, out of spite, they started to call coffee a cup of Joe.

Main drag refers to the busiest street in a town or city. It was first popularised in mid-19^th century London underworld and theatrical slang.

Have no truck with means to refuse to deal, associate, or be involved with someone or something because of strong disapproval. Truck derives from the Old French troque, meaning to barter, swap, or exchange goods. Over time, it evolved to refer to business dealings or general communication.

Fixer is a person who solves problems, makes arrangements, or handles delicate, often illicit situations. This meaning of the noun originated in the US in the 1840s.

A stand-up guy is a person of strong integrity, honesty, and unwavering loyalty. The phrase originated in early 19^th century American and British boxing and pugilism, for a fighter who fought honourably on their feet, refusing to back down or resort to fake falls. It evolved within the underworld to mean someone who was tough and stayed loyal under intense pressure or questioning by the authorities.

Fuzz, meaning the police, was 1920s slang. It possibly was a mispronunciation of the word fuss, implying that the police were making a fuss over minor offences. Originally, it was also used to describe the fuzzy, woolly texture of heavy British police uniforms or their felt-lined helmets.

Top banana is US early 20^th century slang having been derived from burlesque and vaudeville theatre slang. It refers to the leading player in a comedy team or stage show.

Spiel entered US English in the late 19^th century. It derives from the German verb spielen, meaning to play or perform, and the Yiddish shpil, meaning to play or game. By the late 1890s, its usage shifted to describe a persuasive pitch or high-flown talk, often associated with carnival barkers and salespeople.

Fat chance can be traced to early 20^th century American English, referring to an unlikely event or one impossible to happen. It’s an example of ironic inversion where the phrase came to mean someone or something that had actually no chance at all.

Pinko Commie is a political slur coined by Time magazine in 1925 to describe someone sympathetic to socialist ideals but not a hardcore supporter of communism, playfully implying a diluted shade of red.

Blockhead is a wooden or cork block used by hatmakers and wigmakers to hold and display their merchandise. The term dates back to the early 16^th century.

Put the kibosh on was a phrase that originally emerged from 1830s British working-class and Cockney slang. Etymologists have suggested several origins. Arabic/Turkish from the words urbāsh or kırbaç, meaning a heavy hide whip used as an instrument of punishment. Alternatively, it could stem from the Gaelic phrase caipín báis, meaning cap of death. It’s also been suggested it derives from the French heraldic term caboche, meaning to cut off a stag’s head close to the ears. It eventually transitioned to London slang for ending or beheading a plan or idea.

Peckish emerged in 18^th century Britain as a combination of the verb peck, referring to birds lightly nibbling their food, and the suffix ish. It describes being hungry and ready to peck at a snack or eat a full meal. The term migrated to North America finding a home in 1830s rural and Western dialects.

Snag originates from early 20^th century British and Scottish slang, where the verb snag meant to capture, seize, or catch.

A stone’s throw is an expression that can be traced back to the Bible (Luke 22:41) meaning a distance implying a close proximity. It referenced the physical limit of how far a person could throw a rock.

Shtick is a Yiddish term derived from the Old High German word stucki or the modern German word Stück, meaning piece, slice, or a theatrical play. It refers to an actor’s or musician’s gimmick or routine.

A-Tisket, A-Tasket was a children’s rhyming game, first noted in the US in 1879. It was later turned into a massive swing hit by Ella Fitzgerald and Van Alexander.

Cranks describe people who are eccentric and irrationally fixated, and who hold bizarre and unshakeable beliefs. It originated from a mechanical crank, because it was twisted or bent. In 1833, it was applied to a person who has a mental twist or crooked way of thinking. A barrel organ metaphor in the 19^th century suggests the term was popularised by the crank of a barrel organ where turning the crank over and over was likened to a person who obsessively repeats the exact same bizarre idea. It exploded into popularity in American slang in December 1881 during the high-profile trial of Charles Guiteau, the mentally unstable assassin of US President, James A Garfield. The popular media labelled him as a crank.

Chapter 23

Hoof it is an informal idiom that can be traced back to the mid-17^th century, meaning to walk or travel somewhere on foot. The phrase refers to the hardened foot of an animal like a horse or mule. By the 1640s, it humorously became slang for the human foot and subsequently evolved into the verb to hoof it to describe walking. By the 1920s, it also evolved into the term meaning to dance.

Shanks’ mare in the 1920s was regarded as an old-fashioned idiom. It means to travel by foot using one’s own legs as the method of transportation. It refers to the shank, one’s lower leg, being used as a horse, hence mare.

Lowdown means the true, unadorned, or inside information about a situation. This idiom dates from early 20^th century American slang, evolving from the earlier 1850s adjective low-down which originally referred to things that were vulgar, degraded, or close to the ground. First found in print in the San Francisco Chronicle in 1905, the term had shifted to describing the intimate inside story or ground-level facts.

Sidekick is a term for a subordinate companion, helper, or partner who accompanies the main hero or leader on an adventure. The term surfaced around the turn of the 20^th century and was popularised by O Henry’s short stories.

Pardon my French is an English idiom used as a polite or humorous apology for swearing, using crude language, or making a blunt statement. The phrase originated in 19^th century Britain, first used literally for casually and pretentiously dropping French words to sound sophisticated. Over time, it evolved into its present meaning and usage.

Butt-whooping originated in the 19^th century American South as an expansion of the words butt referring to the buttocks being the intended target and whoop meaning to thrash or spank someone. Over time the expression evolved into slang for a severe physical beating, physical discipline, or a crushing defeat in a competition.

Clunker was first used in the 1930s in America. It originated as an onomatopoeic word, imitating the clanking or clunking sound made by an old rickety car, now referring to an old, dilapidated, and unreliable decrepit motor vehicle.

Dumbfounded comes from the mid-17^th century, blending two words, dumb, meaning unable to speak, and confound, meaning to surprise or confuse. Its first use is recorded around 1640. It literally means to be so shocked or confused that one is struck silent, like a person unable to speak.

Bean eaters is a dated and offensive ethnic slur directed at Mexicans and Mexican-Americans, stemming from their use of beans as a staple ingredient in their cuisine.

Jigaboos is an extremely offensive, archaic slur primarily directed at Black people. It was first recorded in American English in 1905 to 1910. There’s some historical evidence it may have originated in the late 19^th century to mock Black dancers, with the dance jig combined with a rhyming suffix.

‘Gator bait originated as a racial slur and dehumanising trope in the 19^th century American South, specifically in Florida. The term was associated with horrific rumours and popular vintage postcards claiming Black children were used as live bait to lure alligators.

Balderdash is an old-fashioned British expression meaning utter nonsense or exaggerated talk or writing. Its origins go back to the late 16^th century, meaning an unappetising mixture of drinks. A century later, it took on its present meaning and remains common in everyday usage.

Chapter 24

Tacky describes something gaudy, in poor taste, or of cheap or shabby quality. The term originated in the 19^th century American South, often spelt tackies, and was later used as a slur for poor rural Southerners before evolving to its current slang meaning.

Carny barker originated in the 19^th century, combining carny, slang for a travelling carnival worker, and barker, from the Old English beorcan, meaning to bark. It describes an employee who loudly advertised sideshows to lure customers inside.

Kewpie dolls debuted in 1909 as cherubic, winged baby characters. They were named after Cupid because of their tiny wings and meant to symbolise love and kindness. Physical doll production began in Germany in 1912.

Fly-by-night describes an untrustworthy person who is unreliable or prone to disappearing suddenly to avoid paying debts or when facing legal trouble. In the 18^th and 19^th centuries, it had the literal meaning of moving secretly in the dark, eventually used to describe dishonest debtors who would vanish overnight before bills could catch up with them.

Chapter 25

Dire straits was first used in the early 19^th century, originating from nautical terminology. It refers to the perilous experience of sailing a ship through narrow and dangerous waters or straits. In the early 19^th century, it appeared as an analogy for financial ruin or desperate situations.

Five NY Mafia families in 1938 were as stated. The Luciano family later became the Genovese family. Mangano became Gambino, Profaci became Colombo, Gagliano became Lucchese, and Maranzano became the Bonanno family.

Chin-chin is a friendly UK drinking toast similar to saying cheers and used as an exclamation when clinking glasses to wish others health and happiness. The phrase originated when early European traders adopted the Chinese courtesy expression qǐng qǐng, meaning please, please.

Chapter 26

Posh dates back to the 1830s, first meaning a small coin or ready cash. By 1890, its meaning had shifted to refer to a dandy or someone with money who dressed flashily. By 1914, British soldiers used the term to describe smart uniforms or stylish civilian clothing.

Bamboozle means to deceive, trick, or completely bewilder someone. It was first used in early 1700s slang, where the word bam was short for a trick or con. It might have been derived from the Scottish words like bumbazed or bonbaze, meaning to confound or perplex.

In short trousers is a British expression meaning a male child or being inexperienced and naïve in a particular field. It stems from the early 20^th century practice of requiring young boys to wear knee-length pants in all weathers until they entered secondary school at the age of 11.

Aitch is the traditional English name for the letter H, with its plural form, aitches. It dates back to Old French, ache and late Latin, acca or accha. Unlike most letters which are named by their sound, such as bee or dee, in Middle English during the medieval period, aitch was fully established in common usage by the 16^th century.

Patois refers to a regional dialect or language that is used primarily by the common people and differs from a country’s standard language. An example is Jamaican Creole. The word patois originated in 17^th century France, derived from the Old French verb patoier, meaning to babble awkwardly.

Argot is a specialised vocabulary, slang, or secret language used by groups intending to communicate with each other while excluding outsiders. First used in the English language in the 1860s, it came directly from the French where argot referred to an organised community of beggars, rogues, and professional thieves.

Scouse is the distinct accent or dialect used by the native people in Liverpool, England. The term originates from lobscouse, a cheap, hearty meat and vegetable stew brought to the city’s docks by Northern European sailors in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. In the same way, London Cockney rhyming slang was used by dock workers to make it impossible for their bosses to understand what they were saying and was used in order to protect the workers’ privacy.

Fag is British slang for a cigarette. This usage can be traced to the 19^th century term fag end which originally referred to the loose, frayed end of a piece of cloth. By the 1800s, it had been shortened to fag.

Faggot originated in the 1300s from the Old French word fagot, meaning a bundle of sticks of kindling. In the 16^th century, it progressed to meaning heretics, troublesome women, or children. In 19^th century slang, it became a slur against gay men.

Johnny is an example of genericisation where a product’s popularity results in it becoming a generic term. Becoming a slang term for a condom occurred when John Milles, a 17^th century London apothecary, became famous for commercially selling condoms.

French letter is 19^th century British slang for a condom. It stems from the Victorian-era association of Gallic culture’s romantic intrigue and sexual sophistication. Ironically, the French refer to a condom as une capote anglaise, meaning an English bonnet. The word letter stemmed from either its letter shape where early condoms were made from sheep intestines which were folded tightly and hence compared to flat envelopes or sealed letters. Alternatively, young British men travelling through France on their Grand Tour, often enclosed folded contraceptive sheaths in messages sent back home. In WWI, the usage of the term spiked when British troops, stationed in France, were issued condoms to combat venereal disease.

Cronies is a 17^th century slang term that originated amongst students at Cambridge University, England. It refers to close friends, companions, or associates, usually carrying a negative or disapproving meaning, describing pals who get special favours, jobs, or power due to personal connections rather than their inherent skills.

Daft is a British informal term meaning a silly, foolish, or mildly insane person or idea. The word can be traced back to the Old English word dæfte, meaning fitting, mild, gentle, or meek. By the 15^th century, it began to be associated with a lack of worldly cleverness, slowly shifting its connotation to dull, slow-witted, and then silly or foolish.

Lark is a carefree, spirited adventure or an activity done purely for amusement and fun. It likely stems from the bird, skylark, for its habit of swirling together in the sky. In the late 18^th century, sailors used this word to describe scampering around and playing roughly in the rigging of a ship.

Taken by storm means to be suddenly and overwhelmingly captivated, impressed, or dominated by something or someone. It describes a situation where a person, product, or trend achieves rapid, widespread popularity and success. It originated in the 17^th century, when it meant a military campaign, involving taking a castle or fortified position through a sudden, overwhelming, and violent physical attack, just as a severe weather storm sweeps through and dominates an area.

Pygmalion won the 1939 Oscar for Best Screenplay at the 11^th Academy Awards held in February 1939. It had also been nominated for Best Picture, Best Actor (Leslie Howard), and Best Actress (Wendy Hiller). In 1925, George Bernard Shaw became the first person to win both a Nobel Prize for Literature and an Academy Award for this screenplay.

Assonance is a literary device repeating similar or identical vowel sounds, such as fish and chips, surf and turf, no pain, no gain. This term entered the English language in 1727 from the French and Latin verb assonaire, meaning to answer with the same sound.

Public schools in the UK are private, fee-paying, selective schools, historically reserved for the wealthy upper classes. They were called public schools because they were open to anyone who could afford the fees, regardless of religion, geographical location, or guild memberships. This contrasted with the older exclusive grammar schools or private tutors, whose services were restricted to specific aristocratic families or clergy. This contrasts with schools in America where public schools are publicly funded and open to every child while fee-paying private sector entry is limited by income and wealth of the family.

Buffoon is a person who acts in a silly, foolish, or ridiculous manner, without meaning to do so. It comes from the Italian word for jester, buffone. It entered the English language in the late 1500s, first meaning a type of silly dance and later becoming a word for a fool or clown.

Take the mickey is an example of Cockney rhyming slang. In the late 19^th century, Michael Bliss was a fictional character. By saying taking the mickey, one avoided saying a much cruder word for urination rhyming with Bliss.

Chapter 27

Mutton chop sideboards are a bold facial-hair style where thick sideburns extend down the cheeks to the jawline, flaring out at the bottom while the chin remains clean-shaven. Jarvis, being a retired Regimental Sergeant-Major, adopted this style while he was Humphrey’s non-commissioned adjutant during the Boer War. The style was typical in the British military during the 19^th and early 20^th centuries.

Derring-do means displaying heroic courage or a daring feat. It originated from 14^th century Middle English, when in 1374, Geoffrey Chaucer used the phrase during don. In the 16^th century, the phrase was misprinted as derrynge do. Then, the poet Edmund Spenser used the misprinted phrase in 1579, mistaking it for a single noun and defined it as manhood and chivalry. Then in the 19^th century, Sir Walter Scott used the phrase in his novels, thereby ensuring it became part of modern English.

Gasper is British slang for a cigarette, from the cheap, unfiltered, high-tar cigarettes that left the smoker coughing or gasping for air. The term first emerged around 1914 and was associated with brands like Woodbine, Senior Service, and Capstan. The expression appeared in Dorothy L Sayers’ 1933 mystery, Murder Must Advertise.

Chapter 28

Guv’nor is the English abbreviation for the word governor, and is used as a respectful address or greeting to a boss or superior. It dates back to the 19^th century East End of London.

Gaffer is British slang for a boss or supervisor, originating from the 16^th century contraction of godfather or governor.

Special Branch are the UK police units, charged with investigating threats to national security, intelligence gathering, counter-terrorism, and political extremist threats. It originated in 1883 to combat IRA bombing threats.

Chapter 29

Schutzstaffel (SS) translates from German as Protective Squadron. Formed in 1925, it was Hitler’s personal bodyguard. By 1929, it had grown into a massive and feared organisation, run by Heinrich Himmler. It was able to operate independently from the state and its ethos was based on fanatical loyalty and racial ideology.

Sicherheitsdienst (SD) was the Nazi Party’s intelligence service. Formed in 1931 and under the control of Heinrich Himmler, it was a subset of the SS, or Schutzstaffel. The SD was responsible for gathering information about the Nazi Party’s real or perceived enemies.

Hawked meant to peddle or aggressively sell goods. The verb to hawk can be traced to the late 15^th century from the noun hawker which comes from the Middle Low German word höken meaning to peddle or carry goods on one’s back.

National Income was the preferred measure of economic output in 1938. The Russian-born American economist, Simon Kuznets, had introduced the concepts of GNP (Gross National Product) and GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in 1935. However, it wasn’t until the early 1940s that both were measured and tracked by the US and UK governments.

Tosh is British slang meaning nonsense or rubbish, typically used to dismiss a statement or idea as foolish, untrue, or meaningless. It first appeared as slang in the 1890s. Experts suggest the word might have been influenced by words with similar sounds such as trash and the Turkish-derived word bosh with the same meaning.

Blinkered view describes a narrow, biased, or short-sighted way of looking at the world. It’s derived from blinkers, the leather flaps on either side of a racehorse’s head, preventing it from seeing to the side and getting distracted from the race.

Violence is the last resort of the incompetent. My apologies to Isaac Asimov, as it’s a slight misquotation from his 1951 novel, Foundation. There, he referred to violence as the last refuge of the incompetent.

Loan-sharking is unregulated and illegal lending that typically preys on desperate individuals by offering quick cash at exorbitant interest rates. Repayments are enforced by aggressive intimidation, extortion, and violence. The term emerged in the US in the late 19^th century where the term shark referred to a predatory and ruthless businessman, a term dating back to the 1600s.

Bloodsucking as a noun can be traced back to the late 14^th century to describe insects such as leeches. By the 17^th century, it metaphorically described extortionists, spongers, or people who prey on others. Since the 19^th century, it has referred to anybody who is exploitative or parasitic, such as greedy lenders.

Pettifogging is an adjective referring to quibbling, overly trivial, and insignificant details using dishonest, unethical, or petty arguments, especially in a legal or professional context. The word emerged in the late 16^th century as a combination of the two elements. Petty derived from the French petit, meaning small or insignificant, and fogger, which was old British slang for a huckster who was a low-level merchant or a cringing beggar. Historically, a pettifogger was an inferior, lower-status lawyer who handled small, unimportant cases, often seen as sneaky, dishonest, and willing to use unethical methods or trickery to make a profit.

Shyster is a term originating in the US in the 1840s. It was derived from the German word Scheißer, meaning defecator, but also took on the meaning of a worthless person. In 19^th century New York slang, it came to describe a corrupt lawyer. It’s a common misconception that it derives from the Shakespearean character Shylock, in Merchant of Venice.

Flummox means to completely bewilder, confuse, or baffle someone. It first appeared in British and Irish slang from the word flummock which was used to describe a clumsy person. It was eventually immortalised when Charles Dickens used this term in his 1837 novel, The Pickwick Papers.

Red herring is a distracting piece of information, false clue, or an argument that misleads someone and pulls them away from the actual truth or primary issue. The phrase is traced to the British practice of curing fish. A red herring is a specific type of herring that had been salted and smoked, turning its skin a dark reddish brown and giving it an intensely pungent odour. This expression was popularised in 1807 by the English journalist William Cobbett. He wrote an anecdote about using one of these strong-smelling fish to distract hunting hounds from chasing their actual target of a rabbit or fox, by dragging the herring across the path to create a false scent or trail. It was popularised by Dorothy Sayers in her 1931 Lord Peter Wimsey novel, The Five Red Herrings.

Gaffe is a social blunder, tactless remark, or public mistake. It first entered the British vernacular in 1909 from the French word gaffe, meaning a clumsy remark. Originally, a gaff was a boat hook.

Mumbo jumbo originated in the 18^th century, stemming from European misinterpretations of the West African religious ritual called maamajomboo, where a masked dancer resolved disputes. It later evolved into a slang phrase meaning nonsensical, confusing language.

Chapter 30

Bash is UK and Canadian slang for a lively, large, or boisterous party. The term originates from the 17^th century verb to bash, meaning to hit or strike. By the early 1900s, this evolved into the idiomatic phrase, to be on a bash, which was slang for a wild drunken spree.

New-fangled means something recently made, designed, or invented. The term dates from the 15^th century word newefangel which combines the word newe and fangel which is derived from Old English fōn, meaning to grasp or seize.

Verboten is the German word meaning forbidden, prohibited, or not allowed by law, rule, or social custom. It traces its origin to Old High German farbioten and shares a common Germanic root with the English word forbid. The word first entered the English language around 1912.

Chapter 31

Flicks is a casual slang word for movies. It was first used in the early 1900s when motion pictures had low frame rates and used unsteady mechanical projectors. This caused the images on the screen to shake or flicker.

Dead ringer is an idiom meaning a person or thing that looks or seems identical to another. It comes from late 19^th century American horse racing slang. Using a ringer, was a dishonest practice where a fast horse was substituted for a slower one under a false name and pedigree to cheat the bookmakers. Adding the word dead, does not mean deceased, but is an intensifier meaning exact or precise as in dead centre.

Rumbled, in UK slang, means to be discovered, caught, or exposed. It originated in the 19th century and came from earlier thieves’ slang where rumboyle meant a watchman or someone being actively sought after.

Chapter 32

Half-cocked means to act, speak, or react impulsively, prematurely, or without proper preparation or thought. If a gun was left resting at the half-cock safety position, it might fire prematurely or inaccurately. By the 1700s, this potential mishap gave rise to the idiom.

Chapter 33

Cast aspersions means to make damaging, critical, or disparaging remarks that attack someone’s reputation or character. It has religious roots dating from the 15^th and 16^th centuries, when aspersion stemmed from the Latin root aspergere meaning to sprinkle or scatter. By the 16^th century, sprinkling or spattering of water became associated with mud or stains, then becoming a metaphor for lies and rumours that could damage a person’s good name. It became popularised when Henry Fielding utilised it in his 1749 novel, Tom Jones.

Mouthy is used to describe someone who talks too much, loudly, or rudely. It first appeared in the late 1500s and has come to mean an insolent, back-talking individual.

Bint is UK derogatory slang for a woman or girl, derived from the Arabic word bint meaning girl. The term entered the English language in the mid-19^th century and was adopted by British servicemen stationed in the Middle East. It’s paired with adjectives to describe a foolish or difficult woman.

Ferreting out means to discover, uncover, or dig up something that is hidden or hard to find such as information or the truth. The phrase comes from the hunting practice of using domestic ferrets to flush out rabbits or rodents from their underground burrows. By the 1570s, the term evolved into the figurative verb to describe tirelessly digging for hidden facts.

Smoke and mirrors originated in the 18^th century where stage conjurers literally used smoke to cloud the audience’s vision and mirrors to reflect images making objects appear or disappear. It refers to a deceptive or illusory explanation or tactic designed to obscure the truth and thus mislead.

Sack means to be fired from a job. It dates from the 1800s when travelling workers carried their tools in a bag or sack, leaving it at their workplace for safekeeping. When fired, their boss gave them their tool sack back as a sign they had to leave.

Barking up the wrong tree means to pursue a mistaken line of thought, accuse the wrong person, or waste your effort on a false lead. It comes from 19^th century American raccoon hunting. Hunters would train dogs to track and corner prey. When a dog successfully trapped an animal, it would stand at the base of the tree and bark to alert the hunters of the animal’s location. Occasionally, the raccoon would outsmart the hounds by leaping from one tree to another, thereby escaping.

Smell a rat means to suspect that something is wrong, dishonest, or deceitful. The phrase dates from the 16^th century, where smelling the foul odour of a hidden dead rat implied there was a deeper problem under the floorboards. Also, it described canine behaviour where dogs would sniff out and track hidden rats, thus describing how humans might sense hidden deception or trouble.

Chapter 35

Martinet is a strict person who demands obedience and cares too much about small rules and correct methods. The word comes from the 17^th century French army officer and inspector general, Jean Martinet, who created tough new drills and training systems.

Wellingtons are waterproof rubber boots that reach to mid-calf or higher. These boots are named after Arthur Wellesley, the 1^st Duke of Wellington. In the early 1800s, he asked his shoemaker to modify the military Hessian boot by trimming it closer to the calf and removing the tassels for better comfort under tight trousers. Over time, British speakers shortened the word to the informal slang word wellies.

Struck a chord means to evoke a strong emotional reaction, trigger a personal memory, or resonate deeply. The idiom originates from music, specifically from playing stringed instruments like pianos or guitars. An 18^th century term, it began when one’s heart or mind was compared to a stringed instrument.

Much of a muchness was an idiom used to describe two or more things that are so similar there are no significant differences between them. The phrase originated in British English in 1728 and gained popularity in 1865, through Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

Bigwig originated in the late 18^th century to describe high-ranking officials and wealthy aristocrats. It refers to the elaborate powdered wigs worn as status symbols by elite and powerful men. It came from an era when, ‘The bigger the wig, the higher the status.’

Big shot emerged in US slang in 1929 to replace bigwig in common usage.

Chapter 36

Hunkered down means to crouch low to the ground or stay safe in a secure place during a storm or emergency. The phrase has 18^th century Scottish roots from the word hunker meaning the haunches or to squat.

Green around the gills means looking pale, sickly, or nauseated. The idiom pairs the colour green, long associated with illness, with gills, which historically referred to the flesh under a human’s jaws and cheeks. The expression was famously recorded in an 1843 letter by English novelist Charles Dickens.

Nicked is UK slang meaning to be arrested by the police. In the 16^th century it meant to cheat or steal. By the 17^th century, the slang expression, to nick, came to mean catching someone in an illegal act. By the 19^th century, the noun nick was used to describe a jail or police lockup.

Boot is the British word to describe the rear storage compartment of a motorcar. In the US, it’s called the trunk. Boot originated from the 18^th century horse-drawn carriage compartments called a boot locker, where coachmen stored their boots and other belongings.

Lickety-split is an American 19^th century colloquialism, meaning very quickly or at full speed. Lick is derived from the phrase at a great lick, likely referring to the quick flick of a whip used to make an animal run faster. Split is early American slang to mean in a hurry or moving at full split. Combining the two created an alliterative rhyming rhythm that allowed speakers to emphasise extreme urgency.

Spring for is a phrasal verb meaning to pay for or buy something for someone else. It originated in early 20^th century North America.

Make heads nor tails means to be completely confused or unable to understand something. It originated from the concept of examining a furry animal to find its beginning, its head or its end, the tail. It also emerges from the 17^th century practice of coin flipping.

Out for the count originates from the sport of boxing where, if a boxer is knocked down and fails to get up before the referee’s count reaches ten, he is counted out. The phrase appeared in the early 1900s and by the 1920s had transitioned to everyday English. It most commonly describes someone who is sleeping heavily or completely wiped out from tiredness or illness.

Tickety-boo is British slang meaning everything is fine, okay, in good order, or going exactly as it should. It was first recorded in the 1930s, deriving either from the Indian Subcontinent Hindi phrase hīk hai, bābū, meaning it’s all right, Sir. This was likely picked up by British military personnel stationed in India and brought back to the UK. Alternatively, it could be a playful, extended rhyming variation of the phrase that’s the ticket, meaning a proper or advisable thing.

Spruced up means to make a person, place, or thing appear cleaner, neater, or more attractive. The phrase originates from 16^th century Prussia, which was historically called Pruce. In the 15^th and 16^th centuries, Britain imported high-quality leather goods from the region, most notably the spruce jerkin, which was a short fashionable leather jacket.

New York Journal-American was a daily newspaper published by William Randolph Hearst from 1937 to 1966. It resulted from the merger of the two morning papers, the New York American and the New York Evening Journal. Its primary audience was blue-collar workers and the paper’s stories were sensationalist and aggressive, designed to exploit shock value. Its predecessors birthed the term, yellow journalism.

Cough up is an informal phrase meaning to reluctantly surrender, provide, or relinquish something, usually money. It was first recorded around 1890, referring to the literal action of clearing phlegm or ejecting an object from the throat. Figuratively, it implied that forcing money or a confession out of someone is as difficult as physically coughing something up.

Backlash is a commonly used sociological or political expression meaning a sudden, strong, or adverse reaction by a large group of people to a social, political, or cultural change. The term was first used in 1815 to describe the sudden recoil of machine wheels or gears against one another.

Lift a finger is always used in negative constructions, meaning to never offer the slightest effort to help or contribute. The earliest recorded version appears in the King James Version of the Bible in both Matthew 23:4 and Luke 11:6.

Scratch each other’s backs means to engage in a mutually beneficial exchange of favours. It’s believed to come from 17^th century English Navy, when sailors were ordered to whip a fellow crewmate with a cat o’ nine tails as punishment. They’d make pacts to go easy on each other, delivering just a light scratch.

Hocker is New York Yiddish slang meaning an obnoxiously ambitious person who trades in gossip and pesters others. It’s derived from the 19^th century Yiddish verb hock, meaning to nag, bother, or pester.

Stubborn as a jack mule refers to a person who is extremely hard-headed, obstinate, and completely unwilling to change his mind or listen to reason, even when confronted with contrary evidence. It entered the English language in the early 1800s.

Gantse Macher is an 1800s Yiddish expression meaning a person who aspires to be a big shot by pulling strings to get things done.

Punch above his weight is an expression originating in 19^th century boxing circles meaning to perform better than expected or to compete outside one’s usual class. In boxing there are weight classes such that if a lighter boxer stepped into the ring against a heavier opponent, they would literally be attempting to punch above their weight.

Pissant is a derogatory term for someone or something that’s highly irritating, insignificant, or contemptible. It traces its origin to the 14^th century Scandinavian word for the insect, when observers noted the pungent, urine-like smell emanating from anthills. By 1903, Americans were using it to describe a contemptible, insignificant human being, much like calling someone a pest.

Schwartze is an historically offensive Yiddish term for a Black person, originating from the German word schwarz, meaning black.

Pinched meaning to be arrested, comes from the literal physical action of squeezing or grasping something tightly between the fingers. It traces back to Middle English, pinchen or Old Northern French, pinchier. By the 1700s, thieves would pinch, meaning to steal an item. By the late 19^th century, criminals and police extended the metaphor to mean grabbing a suspect and taking them into custody.

Hoosegow is an American slang term for jail or prison. It originated in the early 20^th century as an anglicisation of the Mexican-Spanish word juzgado which meant courtroom or tribunal. In the Old West, courts and jails were frequently housed in the same building.

Scot-free as a phrase, comes from medieval England and means to escape a penalty or harm without punishment. A ‘Scot’ was a local or royal tax paid by residents to cover shared town costs or poor relief. It has no connection to the Scottish people.

Caught red-handed means being discovered in the act of doing something wrong, illegal or forbidden. The phrase originated in 15^th century Scotland and is embedded in Scots law. It referred to an illegal poacher who was apprehended with the blood of their victim or with a stolen animal still in their hands. It was popularised by Sir Walter Scott in his 1819 novel Ivanhoe.

Chapter 37

Brass monkey weather is a 19^th century idiom for extremely cold weather. It’s a myth that it stemmed from the popular naval proverb, it’s cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey where warships used a brass rack or tray called a monkey to hold pyramid-stacked iron cannonballs. In reality, the phrase began as a humorous and exaggerated 19^th century metaphor for the genitals of a monkey figurine.

Fork over is a phrase originating in 19^th century American and British slang meaning to pay, hand over, or surrender something, usually money, either reluctantly or under obligation. Two main roots have been suggested. In farming, it derives from the physical act of using a garden fork to turn over, pitch, or throw soil or hay to dry in the field. The metaphor took on the meaning of pitching or throwing money from your hand into someone else’s. Alternatively, it was popularised in 19^th century underworld slang, where fork referred to the first two fingers being used to extract money from a victim’s pocket.

Smackers was an American slang term for dollars that originated just after WWI. It’s apparently derived from the word smack which was the sound made when placing cash down on a table or counter.

Plainclothes dicks is American 19^th century slang for undercover detectives. It was popularised in 1931 with the debut of the comic strip Dick Tracy.

Mingling refers to the act of mixing or blending in during a social gathering. The word can be traced back to the 15^th century Middle English word myngen, meaning to mix.

Nogoodnik is a slang term for a scoundrel or troublemaker, combining the phrase, no good, with the Slavic/Yiddish suffix -nik. It first appeared in written American English in 1936.

Nishtgedeiget, Shayna maidel is a Yiddish phrase meaning, Don’t worry about it, pretty girl. It was meant as a gentle and soothing term or endearment.

Scone is a small bread or pastry, originating in Scotland in the early 1500s. It’s derived from the Gaelic term sgonn, meaning a shapeless mass or a large mouthful.

Bobby is a common British slang term for a policeman. This nickname came from Sir Robert (Bobby) Peel who, in 1829, established London’s Metropolitan Police Force.

Something up his sleeve means to hold a secret plan, idea, or advantage one can use when the time is right. It comes from the worlds of magic and gambling where magicians or card cheats would physically hide props, coins, or cards in their large loose sleeves to produce them unexpectedly at a crucial moment.

Toff is a British slang term for a rich, well-dressed person, implying they are aloof, snobbish, or pretentious. It originated in the 1850s, likely being derived from tuft, the gold tassel worn by titled undergraduates at Oxbridge universities.

Blithering idiot combines two words meaning foolish. Blithering is a variant of the word blather which originated from Old Norse blathra, meaning to talk stupidly. Idiot stems from Greek idiotes, meaning a person who lacks professional skills. The phrase gained prominence in the late 19^th century, reflecting a blustering person who talks incessantly without making sense.

Rotten apple is a disruptive, corrupt, or problematic person whose behaviour negatively influences a group. It is derived from the literal agricultural fact that a decaying apple releases ethylene gas, causing the surrounding apples in a barrel to rot. The American variation, a rotten apple spoils its companion, was quoted by Benjamin Franklin in 1736.

Coppers, meaning the police, is a slang term coming from the Old French verb caper and the Old English verb cop, meaning to seize, catch, or arrest. In the 1840s, police became known as coppers, meaning one who cops.

Chapter 38

Grain of salt means to approach a statement, claim, or news with scepticism and caution. The phrase dates back to ancient Rome and Latin manuscripts. In 77 AD, Pliny the Elder proposed a recipe for an antidote against poison which, amongst other ingredients, had an added grain of salt which made the mixture easier to digest while still mitigating the effects of the poison.

Hot shot originated in the late 16^th century, meaning a reckless or hot-headed person. By the 1930s, it had evolved to mean a confident, flashy, or highly capable individual.

Bread and butter refers to a person’s primary source of income or livelihood. The phrase originated in 17^th century England when bread spread with butter was a staple and reliable source of food for the common people.

Coons is a deeply offensive and hateful racial slur aimed at Black individuals. The term comes from the shortened form of raccoon, which in the 19^th century became popular in minstrel shows through racist caricatures such as one called Zip Coon. White performers put on blackface to portray the Negro as lazy, ignorant, childish, or comical buffoons.

Thugs are violent, aggressive criminals, ruffians, or gang members who use intimidation to achieve their goals. During the 19^th century British Raj in India, the term Thug referred to an organised, secret network of murderous highway robbers.

Hooligans are rowdy, violent, or disruptive persons, often associated with gangs. The term originated in London in the 1890s, where a common Irish surname, Houlihan, was used in London music hall songs as a comical byword for a troublesome or hell-raising Irishman. In print, Clarence Rook’s book, The Hooligan Nights, documented the life of a young, small-time London criminal and bouncer named Patrick Hooligan who reportedly terrorised the streets of the South London borough of Southwark.

Punk was originally a coarse synonym for a prostitute and used by Shakespeare in several plays. In the early 20^th century, it took on the meaning of an inexperienced criminal as in the term, he’s a punk kid.

Guardian angels were spiritual beings believed to protect individuals. In Christianity, the concept is rooted in Psalm 91:11 and Matthew 18:10. St Thomas Aquinas classified these entities as the lowest rank of angelic hierarchy, whose primary purpose was to help individuals reach heaven.

Go the extra mile originates from the Bible, specifically from Matthew 5:41, Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount. Under Roman Law, soldiers could legally force civilians to carry their heavy packs for exactly one mile. In the passage, Jesus instructs his followers: And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. By choosing to walk a second mile voluntarily, civilians transformed a forced and resentful obligation into an unexpected act of grace, kindness, and personal agency. Today, that idiom is used to praise someone’s exceptional work ethic, customer service, or selfless attitude.

Divvied up means to divide or share something into smaller portions or shares. The phrase originated as American slang in the late 19^th century shortly after the end of the American Civil War. Divvy was the shortened form of the word dividend, which transitioned into describing a person’s cut or share of the loot or his profits.

Walk-ups are cheap apartments without elevators, thus requiring occupants to use the stairs. The term originated in the early 1900s in the United States and became synonymous with older apartments with cheaper rents.

Mark in US slang is a person who is the intended target of a scam, con, or manipulation. The term comes from carnival and con-artist slang. Swindlers would literally put chalk on the back of a gullible person so other members of their gang knew who to target and exploit.

Keep on our toes means to stay alert, focussed, and ready for action to anticipate and prepare for an opponent’s next move. It originated in sports, martial arts, dance, and sailing. In the 19^th century, sailors stood on the tips of their toes against cracks in the ship’s wooden deck to maintain balance during rough seas.

Dekko is informal British slang, meaning to take a quick look, glance, or an investigative view at something. The term originated in the mid-19^th century during the days of the British Raj. The Hindi word dekho is the imperative form of the verb to look or see. British soldiers and officers stationed in India adopted the word and brought it back to the UK, where it subsequently integrated into British colloquial speech.

Chapter 39

Kith and Kin is an old-fashioned phrase that derives from 14^th century Middle English. Kith means neighbours or acquaintances and kin refers to blood relatives.

Load of old bollocks means nonsense or rubbish. It derives from the Old English word beallucas, meaning testicles. By 1900, this slang term had transitioned into meaning contempt for a subject or idea.

Privy, in the UK, refers to an outdoor toilet or outhouse where one could attend to one’s private needs. It is derived from the Old French privé, meaning private or intimate. In the 13^th century, it was applied to a toilet because bodily functions required a private place.

Take a gander was and is a common British expression meaning to take a look. It originated in the late 19^th century, stemming from the way male geese, ganders, crane their necks when looking around.

Blow up in our faces refers to a situation whereby a plan or action suddenly goes completely wrong or backfires. The expression originated in the 1500s from the literal mechanics of explosive devices. Early firearms and cannons were highly volatile. If a weapon was mishandled, overloaded, or defective, the barrel could burst backwards instead of firing outward, literally exploding in the gunner’s face.

Hit the ground running was an expression that emerged from American pony express riders. When changing mounts, they’d leap from their horses, literally hitting the ground running to mount the next horse so as to not delay the mail.

Chapter 40

Carriage trade refers to wealthy, upper-class customers who purchase high-end luxury goods. The expression originated in the early 1700s, when the wealthy could afford to own and ride in private horse-drawn carriages.

Hotchpotch means a confused, messy, or heterogeneous mixture of different things. Originally, it was a hearty stew made by throwing numerous different ingredients into the same pot. It is derived from the 14^th century Old French term hochepot, which is synonymous with the Americanised variant, hodgepodge.

Have a butcher’s is Cockney rhyming slang meaning to take a look at something. The rhyme was derived from the S-shaped butcher’s hook for hanging sides of meat. It dates from the 19^th century East End of London.

Paying it forward means one responds to a good deed by helping a different person instead of paying back the original helper. The intention is to create a chain reaction of kindness. That exact phrase first appeared in 1916 when the author, Lily Hardy, wrote in her book, Garden of Delight, You don’t pay love back; you pay it forward. The concept can be traced back to Benjamin Franklin when he wrote about lending money, with the rule that the borrower must help another person later.

Shake a leg, meaning to hurry up, originated with the British Royal Navy, from the command ‘show a leg’ given by boatswains to wake up sailors in hammocks. This required them to prove they were awake and about to report for duty.

Chock-full is an expression that dates back to the 15^th century Middle English word chokkefull, meaning full to choking or packed tight as a cheek. By the 18^th century, the expression denoted anything filled completely to its absolute limit.

Catch an early dinner refers to eating the primary evening meal earlier than customary. This concept stemmed from the 1920s restaurant industry, where, as part of early bird promotions, restaurants introduced off-peak deals to boost revenue during slower late-afternoon hours. This was done to offset the loss of alcohol revenues due to Prohibition.

Flat broke is a 19^th century English idiom meaning to have absolutely no money. Broke dates back centuries. William Shakespeare used the term a broken man to describe someone who’d gone bankrupt. Adding the word flat means completely or downright, the parallel being a tyre with no air meaning you are stuck and unable to go anywhere in your car.

Friggin is an example of a minced oath used as a mild substitute for the taboo word f#cking. It dates back to the 15^th century, originally meaning to move, rub, or chafe. It evolved as a commonly used vulgar word for masturbation and by the 1920s, it became an adjective intensifier.

Pricks originated in Old English prica, meaning a point, puncture, particle, or small portion of space or time. In the 16^th century, it came to mean an endearment for a man before turning into a slang word for a penis, later describing an irritating or contemptible person. By the 1920s, it had become a common profanity.

Gentile is most commonly defined as a person who is not Jewish. The word originates from the Latin gentilis, which relates to a clan, family, or nation. It was used in early Bible translations to represent the Hebrew word goyim, meaning the nations or anyone who belonged to another nation or people rather than the Hebrew people.

Knucklehead is an informal insult for a foolish, bumbling, or stupid person, implying a person has a hard, thick head like a knuckle bone, that lacks a brain. It was first recorded in print in the US around 1890.

Baloney is American slang for nonsense, foolishness, or pretentious talk. The term was first used in this way in the early 20^th century and is derived from bologna sausage. Because it was cheap and made of leftover scraps of mixed meat of dubious quality, the name evolved into a metaphor for speech or ideas that were insubstantial, worthless, or garbage. It was popularised by Jack Conway, when writing in Variety, when he criticised sports reporters for writing stories full of baloney.

Cobbled together means to build or put something together quickly without a proper plan. Its origins date back to the 1500s when the verb cobble meant to mend or patch something, hence the word cobbler for a shoemaker. This two-word expression became common in the late 18^th century.

Knackered is derived from the 19^th century British slang term knacker, who was a person who slaughtered old or sick horses. Being knackered meant you were as worn out as a horse fit only for the knacker’s yard.

Tycoon is a wealthy, powerful, and influential businessperson or industrialist. The word originates from the Japanese word taikun which literally translates to great lord or supreme prince. The term entered the English language in 1857, following Commodore Matthew Perry’s expedition to open up Japan to trade with the West. After the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln playfully referred to Perry as The Tycoon because of his immense political power. The same nickname was applied to Lincoln by his own staff.

Stoop is a small porch or entrance stairway, usually in front of rowhouses or brownstones. It entered American English in the 1700s as a term brought by Dutch settlers to New Amsterdam, modern-day New York. The Dutch word stoep is a doorstep or flight of stairs.

Super in the US and Canada is the informal term for a building superintendent, the live-in person responsible for the day-to-day maintenance, repair, and overall smooth operation of a residential building. In the 1550s, it was originally used in ecclesiastical contexts to describe a church official who oversaw several churches in a district. By 1935, the term was officially adapted to describe the custodian or manager of an apartment building.

Take a load off is an American colloquial phrase that emerged around 1914, meaning to take a seat.

Hit the hay means to go to sleep or go to bed. The idiom originated in 1903, referencing the rural practice of stuffing cloth sacks or mattresses with hay and straw for bedding and the physical act of hitting or fluffing the mattress before lying down.

Offed, meaning to kill or murder, emerged as slang around 1930.

Chapter 41

Bent cop is British slang for a dishonest or corrupt police officer, similar to being called a crooked cop in the US. Bent, meaning outside the law, has been used since the early 20^th century. It has been suggested this expression is a pun on an old penny being counterfeit as it is easily bent.

Bumped off means to kill or murder someone. It originated in the US around the early 1900s as underworld and gangster jargon. It was later popularised in 1920s literature by Ernest Hemingway.

Pigs as derogatory slang for the police originated in early 19^th century London underworld slang. The criminal classes adopted the term, likening officers to swine who aggressively take more than their fair share through illicit bribes or confiscated goods.

Rifugio segreto is Italian for a secret refuge or hideout.

Sweetener is 19^th century gambling and poker slang, referring to an extra incentive whereby sweetening the pot meant adding more money to raise the bet to tempt other players.

Bunk with means to share a room, a bed, or temporary living quarters with someone. The phrase comes from the noun bunk which is a narrow built-in bed or berth used on 18^th century ships.

Chump is an informal slang term for a foolish, gullible, or easily tricked person. The term first appeared in the late 17^th century meaning a short, thick lump of wood. It evolved into the metaphor for someone perceived as dull, thick-headed, or simple.

Pimping refers to a person who acts as a broker or agent for sex-workers, collecting a proportion of their earnings in exchange for protection or providing clients. It originated in early 17^th century English from the French word pimpant, meaning seductive.

Goomah is an Italian-American slang term for a female mistress or lover. It comes from the Neapolitan dialect word comare, meaning godmother or co-mother. The term first appeared in the early 20^th century in Italian-American immigrant communities.

Way out in left field means something completely unexpected, surprising, or unusual. It’s derived from the American sport of baseball where it was the furthest position from home plate and the main action.

Jackpot originated from the game of poker. In 1881, antes began when no player had a pair of jacks or better to open the betting, jack being the playing card and pot being the money in the centre at stake.

Rolling in it is a late 19^th century expression meaning wealthy, painting a picture of someone having so much cash they can literally roll around in it as a child would roll around in a pile of leaves.

Filthy rich was a term that originated in the US in the 1920s. It derived from the 16^th century phrase ‘filthy lucre’, which referred to money or wealth gained through dishonest or dishonourable means.

Flush means having a lot of money to spend or being well-supplied with cash. It’s an English idiom dating back to the late 1500s. It started out as describing something in full-bloom, overflowing, or swelling to the brim, which led directly to its financial meaning of having overflowing pockets.

Kicked the bucket means to die. Its exact origin is disputed, ranging from the Old French word buquet, which is a balance or yoke. When farmers hung pigs for slaughter from this beam, the dying animal would kick. It first appeared in print in 1785 and was therefore in common slang in the 18^th century.

Well-heeled originated in 19^th century American slang. Either it connected directly to footwear, such that a person with expensive shoes indicated prosperity and the ability to pay. Alternatively, it originated with cockfighting, where sharp spurs were attached to the heels of fighting roosters. It grew into frontier slang meaning well-armed with a gun, morphing into a different type of power derived from money.

Talk turkey means to speak frankly, honestly, and directly, in order to get down to business. It was first recorded in 1824 American English. The origin is debated, but it has been suggested it is derived from a 19^th century folk tale whereby a white man and a Native American go hunting and return with a turkey, as well as a less appealing bird such as a crow or a buzzard. The white man offers a division of the game, suggesting he’ll take the turkey and the Indian can take the buzzard. This prompts the Indian to reply, ‘You never talk turkey to me’.

Vig is the shortened form of the word vigorish and is often called the juice. It’s the fee or commission a bookmaker charges on a bet. It’s an adaptation of the Yiddish word vigish, meaning winnings or profit. This slang term first appeared in the early 20^th century.

Fancy-pants is an American English slang term to describe someone who is pretentious, snobbish, or tries too hard to impress others. It was first used in print in Pennsylvania, in the 1870s.

Chit is a short, signed note or slip of paper used as a voucher, receipt, or record of money owed, such as the tab for food or drinks. The word was introduced to English during the British colonial era in India, being derived from the Hindi word chitti, meaning a note or letter.

Pay the piper originates from the 17^th century German folktale, the Pied Piper of Hamelin, where a piper lures away the town’s children after leaders refuse to pay him for removing a rat infestation. It means to face the inevitable consequences of one’s actions, especially after a period of indulgence or rash behaviour.

Minder is English slang for a bodyguard or someone hired to protect a high-profile individual. The word originated from the late 15^th century Middle English, as one who attends to the needs of another.

Renege means to back off from a promise, break a deal, or fail to follow through on a commitment. The word entered the English language in the 1540s, coming from the Medieval Latin word renegare, meaning to deny again.

Readies is UK slang for cash, derived from the phrase ready money. It was first used in the 14^th century to describe coins or funds on hand for immediate payment. It’s been in regular use since the 19^th century.

Caught short generally means being unprepared, or lacking the necessary resources when needed. In UK slang it means being taken by surprise by an urgent bladder or bowel need when loos are not available. The general expression dates back to the early 1500s.

Zilch is informal slang meaning absolutely nothing, zero, or an insignificant nobody. It originated in 1920s American theatre and college slang.

Yapping about means talking excessively, incessantly, or without making a meaningful point. In the 1600s, it referred to a small dog’s high-pitched bark, eventually describing human chatter.

Cistern is a receptacle used to hold and store liquids and can refer to the overhead tank used to flush toilets by pulling the chain to release the flow of water. The word derives from Middle English cisterna, meaning an underground reservoir for water.

Like a sack of potatoes describes a heavy, graceless, or dead weight, likening a person to a burlap sack of heavy tubers which is limp, rigid, and completely lacking any ability to brace themselves when dropped. Used as a metaphor for an inanimate or lifeless object, it echoed Karl Marx’s 19^th century political metaphor comparing an isolated peasant to a sack of potatoes because they formed a mass but lacked collective consciousness.

Hog, referencing a motor car, implies it was like a greedy pig, consuming petrol at a prodigious rate. The term can be traced back to the early 20^th century, when automobiles were the primary user of petroleum products.

American gallon equals 3.785 litres whereas the UK Imperial gallon equals 4.546 litres. Thus, the Imperial gallon is 20% larger than the US liquid gallon.

Esso was an active major brand of gasoline in 1939. The name came from the phonetic letters SO for the Standard Oil of New Jersey, one of the 34 companies spun off from Rockefeller’s company of that same name as a result of the 1911 Supreme Court decision breaking up his monopoly.

Windscreen is what the British call the windshield.

Boot is what the British call the trunk of a motorcar.

Wing is what the British call a car’s fender.

Bonnet is what the British call the hood of a motorcar.