a candle loses nothing by lighting another candle
Sharing knowledge or skills doesn't diminish one's own
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a cat has nine lives
A cat is more tenacious of life than many animals. It is a careful, sly, and suspicious beast, and — in the wild state — is strong, hardy, and ferocious; also, after a fall, it generally lights upon its feet without injury, the foot and toes being well padded.
a cat may look at a king
Even those of low status have rights
a chain is only as strong as its weakest link
A system is only as strong as its weakest part
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Or, a chain is no stronger than its weakest link
The strength of a system is limited by its most vulnerable part
a chalice
The eucharist. The circle inscribed in an equilateral triangle, or the triangle in a circle. To denote the co- equality and co-eternity of the Trinity.
A cheerful wife is the spice of life. (Strauss, 1998 p. 20)
A happy and cheerful wife brings joy and excitement to life
a chip of the old block
A son «r child of the same stuff as his father. The chip is the same wood as the block. Burke applied the words to William Pitt.
a cigar is just a cigar
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
a circulating library
A library from which the books may be borrowed and taken by readers to their homes.
a civil question deserves a civil answer
A polite question should receive a polite response
a clean tongue
Not abusive, not profane, not foul. Cleanliness is next to godliness.
a clear day
An entire, complete day. "The bonds must be left three clear days for examination," means that they must be left for three days not counting the first or the last.
a clear head
A mind that is capable of understanding things clearly.
a clear statement
A straightforward and intelligible statement.
a clear style
A lucid method of expressing one's thoughts.
a clear voice
A voice of pure intonation, neither husky, mouthy, nor throaty.
a clouded cane
A malacca cane clouded or mottled from age and use. These canes were very fashionable in the first quarter of last century and earlier.
a cock and bull story
A long, rambling, idle, or incredible yarn; a canard. There are various so-called explanations of the origin of the term, but the most likely is that it is connected with the old fables in which cocks, bulls, and other animals discoursed in human language on things m general.
a cock of hay
A small heap of hay thrown up temporarily. (Ger. kocke, a heap of hay; Norw. kok, a heap.
a cockle hat
A pilgrim's hat. So called from the custom of putting cockle-shells upon their hats, to indicate their intention or performance of a pilgrimage.
a cold day in July
something that is very unlikely to happen
a cool card
A person who coolly asks for something preposterous or outrageous. "Cool" in this connexion means coolly impudent. Cp. COOLING CARD below.
a cooling card
An obsolete expression for something that cools one's ardour, probably derived from some old game of cards. It is quite common in Elizabethan literature.
a coon's age
Quite a long time; a "month of Sundays" (U.S. slang).
a couple of something
a small, informal number of something
a cross
The Christian's life and conflict; the death of Christ for man's redemption.
a crown
The reward of the perseverance of the saints.
a curtain call
An invitation to an actor to appear before the curtain, and receive the applause of the audience.
a day after the fair
Too late; the fair you came to see is over. Day in, day out. All day long and every day. Every dog has its day. See DOG.
a day or two
a short period of time
a dead dog
Something utterly worthless. A Biblical phrase (see I Sam. xxiv, 14, "After whom is the king of Israel come out? After a dead dog?") Cp. also Is THY SERVANT, etc., below.
a dead hand
It was believed that a candle placed in a dead man's hand gives no light to any but those who use it. See HAND.
a decline in student numbers
a decrease in the number of students
a deluge of words and a drop of sense
Many words with little meaningful content
a diamond of the first water
A specially fine diamond, one of the greatest value for its size. The colour or lustre of a diamond is called its "water.
a dirty dog
One morally filthy; one who talks and acts nastily. In the East the dog is still held in abhorrence, as the scavenger of the streets. "Him that dieth in the city shall the dogs eat" (1 Kings xiv, 1 1).
a diver lining
The prospect of better days, the promise of happier times. The saying, Erery; cloud has a silver lining, is an old one; thus m Milton's Comus, the Lady lost in the wood resolves to hope on, and sees a "sable cloud turn forth its silver lining to the night.
a dog in a doublet
A bold, resolute fellow. In Germany and Flanders the strong dogs employed for hunting the wild boar were dressed in a kind of buff doublet buttoned to their bodies. Rubens and Sneyders have represented several m their pictures. A false friend is called a dog in one"s doublet.
a dog in the manger
A churlish fellow, who will not use what is wanted by another, nor yet let the other have it to use. The allusion is to the well-known fable of a dog that fixed his place in a manger, would not allow an ox to come near the hay and would not eat it himself.
a dog is a man's best friend
A dog is extremely loyal and beneficial to its owner
a dog will not howl if you beat him with a bone
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
a double first
In the first class both of the classical and mathematical final examinations, Oxford; or of the classical and mathematical triposes, Cambridge. Now, a first class in any two final examinations.
a douse in the chops
A heavy blow in the face. My fellow-servant Umphry Klinker bid him be sivil, and he gave the young man a douse in the chops ; but I'fachins, Mr. Klinker wa'n't long in his debt — • with a good oaken sapling he dusted his doublet. — SMOLLETT: Humphrey Clinker, Lett, xxxiv.
a downy cove
A knowing fellow, up to, or, as formerly, down to every dodge.
a dream come true
Something that is very desirable and has finally happened
a drop in the ocean
An infinitesimal quan- tity; something that scarcely counts or matters in comparison with the whole.
a drop of the creature
A little whisky. The Irish call it "a drop of the cratur.
a dropping fire
An irregular fusillade from small-arms, machine guns, etc.
a drowning man will clutch at a straw
A desperate person will try anything to survive
a far cry
A long way; a very considerable distance; used both of space and of time, as, "it is a far cry from David to Disraeli," but they both were Jews, "it's a far cry from Clapham to Kamschatka." Sir Walter Scott several times uses the phrase, "It's a far cry to Lochow (Lochawe)," and he tells us that this was a proverbial expression among the Campbells, meaning that their ancient hereditary dominions lay beyond the reach of an invading enemy.
a far remove
very far away in distance or character
a fat and pursy man
Shakespeare has "pursy insolence," the insolence of Jesunin, "who waxed fat and kicked." In Hamlet we have "the fatness of these pursy times" — i.e. wanton or self-indulgent times.
a feather in one's cap
An achievement to be proud of; something creditable.
a feather in your cap
An honour to you. The allusion is to the very general custom in Asia and among the American Indians of adding a feather to the headgear for every enemy slain. The ancient Lycians, and many others had a similar custom, and it is still usual for the sportsman who kills the first woodcock to pluck out a feather and stick it in his cap.
a few
a small, indefinite number
a few minutes
a short period of time
a few sandwiches short of a picnic
Lacking intelligence.
a few times
On several occasions
a few years
a small, indefinite number of years