a watched man never plays
Traditional English proverbial phrase; full definition pending editorial review.
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a watched pot never boils
Said as a mild reproof to one who is showing impatience; watching and anxiety won't hasten matters.
a week from next Tuesday
a time far in the future
a week is a long time in politics
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
a weight-for-age race
A sort of handicap Oy.v.), in which the weights carried are appor- tioned according to certain conditions. Horses of the same age carry similar weights, costens paribus.
a wet blanket
A discouragement; , a . marplot or spoil-sport. A person is a wet blanket who discourages a proposed scheme. "Treated with a wet blanket,*' discouraged. "A wet blanket influence," etc. A wet blanket is used to smother fire, or to prevent one escaping from a fire from being burnt.
a whip-round
An impromptu collection for some benevolent object.
a white elephant
Some possession the expense or responsibility of which is more than it is worth.
a white lie
A conventional lie, such as telling a caller that Mrs A. or Mrs. B. is not at home, meaning not "at home" to that particu- lar caller.
a white man
A thoroughly straight- forward and honourable man.
a white night
A sleepless night; the French have the phrase Passer une nuit blanche.
a white squall
One which produces no diminution of light, in contradistinction to a black squall, in which the clouds are black and heavy.
a wide range of something
Common English phrase; full definition pending editorial review.
a wild goose never laid a tame egg
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
a wild-cat scheme
A rash and hazardous financial venture; a speculation in which one would have about as much chance of making a profit as of catching a wild-cat in the woods.
a wind egg
An egg without a shell, or an unfertilized one; from the old superstition that the hen that lays it was impregnated, like the "Thracian mares," by the wind.
a wise man changes his mind, but a fool never does
Intelligent people are willing to change their opinions, while foolish ones are not.
a wolf in sheep's clothing
An enemy posing as a friend. The phrase is taken from the well- known fable of -fesop.
a woman of the town
A prostitute. The little stranger has come to town. The expected child is born.
a word spoken is past recalling
Something said cannot be taken back
a wrap and a slap
A fixed-order word pair (irreversible binomial); full definition pending editorial review.
a wry face
The features drawn awry, expressive of distaste.
A Yarmouth capon
A red herring. Capon is also an obsolete term for a love- letter, after the Fr. poulet, which means not only a chicken but also a love-letter, or a sheet of fancy notepaper. Thus Henri IV, consult- ing with Sully about his marriage, says: "My niece of Guise wpuld please me best, though report says maliciously that she loves poulets in paper better than in a fricassee.
a year and a day
a period of time used to establish a precedent or tradition
a young man married is a young man marred
An early marriage can ruin a young man's life
Aaron's Beard
The popular name of many wild plants, including Great St. John's Wort (Rose of Sharon), the Ivy-leaved Toadflax, Meadowsweet, Saxifrage Sarmentosa, etc.
Aaron's Rod
The name given (with refer- ence to Num. xvii, 8) to various flowering plants, including Golden Rod, Great Mullein, and others.
aaron's serpent
Something so powerful as to eliminate minor powers. And hence one master passion in the breast, Like Aaron's serpent swallows up the rest.
ab ovo
From the very beginning. Stasinus, in his Cypna, a poem in 11 books belonging to the Homeric cycle and forming an intro- duction to the Iliad, does not rush (as does the Iliad itself) in medias res, but begins with the eggs of Leda, from one of which Helen was born. If Leda had not laid this egg, Helen would never have been born, therefore Paris could not have eloped with her, therefore there would have been no Trojan War, etc.
Abbey of St
Denis dated 1534. Original Sin. See SIN. Orinda the Matchless (o rin' da). Katherine Philips (1631-64), the poetess and letter-writer. She first adopted the signature "Orinda" in her correspondence with Sir Charles Cotterell, and afterwards used it for general purposes. Her praises were sung by Cowley, Dryden, and others.
Abbot's Priory
a place or situation where someone has absolute authority
Abbott and Costello
A fixed-order word pair (irreversible binomial); full definition pending editorial review.
abel-wackets
Blows given on the palm of the hand with a twisted handkerchief, instead of a ferula; a jocular punishment among seamen, who sometimes play at cards for wackets, the loser suffering as many strokes as he has lost games.
abigail
A lady's waiting-maid.
abigail
A lady’s-maid; perhaps obtained from old comedies. Used in an uncomplimentary sense. Some think the term is derived from Abigail Hill (Mrs. Masham), lady-in-waiting to Queen Anne, and a typical ABIGAIL in the way of intrigue.
able to do something
Having the skill or capability to perform a task
Abou Hassan
A rich mer- chant (in The Arabian Nights), transferred dur- ing sleep to the bed and palace of the Caliph
abound in one's own sense
To have a strong and self-centered opinion
about right
"to do the thing ABOUT RIGHT," i.e., to do it properly, soundly, correctly; "he guv it ’im ABOUT RIGHT," i.e., he beat him severely.
about time
happening sooner than expected
about to
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
above all
more than anything else
above and beyond
Exceeding what is expected or required
above board
Honest and transparent in all dealings
above one's bend
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
above one's huckleberry
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
above par
Better than average or expected
above par
A commercial term meaning that the article referred to is at more than its nominal value. See PAR.
above the curve
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
above the fray
Not involved in a contentious or chaotic situation
above the law
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
above the salt
A position of honor or prestige at a table
above water
Managing to survive or stay financially afloat
Abraham and Isaac
A father-son relationship with a significant age gap
abraham's bosom
The repose of the happy in death — The sons of Edward sleep in Abraham's bosom. Richard ///, iv, 3.
abraham's willing
A shilling.
abraham-man
A vagabond, such as were driven to beg about the country after the dissolution of the monasteries.—See BESS O’ BEDLAM, infra. They are well described under the title of Bedlam Beggars.—Shakspeare’s K. Lear, ii. 3.
abraham-sham
Or SHAM ABRAHAM, to feign sickness or distress. From ABRAHAM-MAN, the ancient Cant term for a begging impostor, or one who pretended to have been mad.—Burton’s Anatomy of Melancholy, vol. i. p. 360. When Abraham Newland was Cashier to the Bank of England, and signed their notes, it was sung:—
abrahamic covenant
The covenant made by God with Abraham (Gen. xii, 2, 3, and xvii), interpreted to mean that the Messiah should spring from his seed. This promise was given to Abraham, because he left his father's house to live in a strange land, as God told him.
abram cove
A cant word among thieves, signifying a naked or poor man; also a lusty, strong rogue.