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: CLEAN AS A WHISTLE – “One possibility is that the old simile describes the whistling sound of a sword as it swishes through the air to decapitate someone, and an early 19th century quotation does suggest this connection: ‘A first rate shot. (his) head taken off as clean as a whistle.
Where did the expression clean as a whistle originate?
“Clean as a whistle” first appeared in print in the early 18th century, meaning “completely, absolutely, leaving no trace” (“A first rate shot; … head taken off as clean as a whistle,” 1849).
What does the idiom as clean as a whistle mean?
For many of you, “clean as a whistle” probably means really clean, as in not dirty. For example, “The sink was clean as a whistle after he scrubbed it.” Or maybe you’d say something like, “Since she’s never even had a speeding ticket, her record is clean as a whistle.”Aug 12, 2018.
What does the saying clear as a bell mean?
Definition of (as) clear as a bell : very clear Clear as a bell, I heard him say my name. It was clear as a bell that morning—not a cloud in the sky. The water was as clear as a bell. : very clearly.
Where does the saying as cute as a button come from?
the button quail is a very small gray super, super fluffy squishy looking (or ‘cute’ if you will) bird. people used to say “cute as a button”, meaning “cute as a button quail” b/c the bird was considered so adorable.
Where did the expression hunky dory come from?
This American-coined adjective has been around since the 1860s, from the now-obsolete hunkey, “all right,” which stems from the New York slang hunk, “in a safe position,” and the Dutch root honk or “home.” The origin of dory is unknown.
Why do we say fit as a fiddle?
The phrase fit as a fiddle dates back to the 1600s in British English, but had a slightly different meaning then. The word fit had as its primary meaning ‘well-suited, apt for a particular purpose’. But then fit came to mean ‘in good physical shape’ and so fit as a fiddle came to mean ‘in good condition physically’.
What is cup of tea meaning?
Definition of cup of tea 1 : something one likes or excels in I see already that storytelling isn’t my cup of tea— John Barth also : a person suited to one’s taste. 2 : a thing to be reckoned with : matter poltergeists are a different cup of tea— D. B. W. Lewis.
What is as black as?
Also, black as coal or pitch . Totally black; also, very dark. For example, The well was black as night, or She had eyes that were black as coal. These similes have survived while others-black as ink, a raven, thunder, hell, the devil, my hat, the minister’s coat, the ace of spades-are seldom if ever heard today.
What does the saying high as a kite mean?
Definition of as high as a kite informal. : greatly affected by alcohol or drugs : very drunk or intoxicated The driver was as high as a kite.
What does cuter than a button mean?
Pretty or attractive in a dainty way, as in That baby is cute as a button. Cute originally was a shortening of acute, for “sharp-witted and clever,” but in the early 1800s it also took on its current meaning. Other than that buttons and bug’s hearing organs can be small, there is no good explanation for these similes.
What does as gentle as a lamb mean?
very kind and calm. Brian was as gentle as a lamb and wouldn’t hurt anyone.
Is the baby was as cute as a button a metaphor?
An idiom is a metaphorical figure of speech, and it is understood that it is not a use of literal language. The idiom cute as a button is a simile, which is a phrase used in a sentence that is a comparison of one thing with something else using the word like or the word as.
Where does kick the bucket come from?
Kick the bucket surfaced in print only at the end of the eighteenth century, and a legend spread “in the slang fraternity” almost at once that a certain person “who, having hung himself to a beam while standing on the bottom of a pail, or bucket, kicked the vessel away in order to pry into futurity, and it was all up Feb 17, 2016.
Why do they call it hanky panky?
What’s the origin of the phrase ‘Hanky-panky’? The term is first recorded, in relation to its original ‘trickery’ meaning, in the first edition of ‘Punch, or the London Charivari’, Vol 1, September 1841: “Only a little hanky-panky, my lud. The people likes it; they loves to be cheated before their faces.
What does it mean to give a leg up?
informal. 1 : to hold one’s hands together so that someone can step into them while climbing up onto something I don’t think I can get on this horse without help. Can someone give me a leg up? 2 : to give someone an advantage over others These skills will give you a leg up in the job market.
Where did the phrase for Pete’s sake originate?
From where did the phrase “for Pete’s sake” come? “For Pete’s sake” originated as a substitute for “for Christ’s (or God’s) sake,” and other similar expressions—as using a shortened form of the disciple St. Peter’s name instead was considered less offensive.
Why do we say as sick as a dog?
The origin of the phrase ‘sick as a dog’ can be found in the early 1700’s, when it was common to compare undesirable things to dogs. The explanation for this isn’t that people didn’t like dogs, it is that diseases such as the plague were often spread via animals like rats, birds, and unfortunately, dogs.
