bags of mystery
Slang for sausages or saveloys ; the allusion is obvious.
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bail on
to leave or abandon something suddenly
bail out
to rescue someone from a difficult situation
bail out on
to abandon or leave someone or something suddenly
bailey bridge
The name given in World War II to a metal bridge made of easily portable sections of amazing strength which could be speedily erected. A major factor in the rapidity of Allied advances, particularly in N.W. Europe, was the employment of these bridges. They were invented by the British engineer, D. C. Bailey.
bailey’s
(Nath.) Etymological English Dictionary, 2 vols. 8vo. 1737.
baily's beads
When the disc of the moon has (in an eclipse) reduced that of the sun to a thin crescent, the crescent assumes the appear- ance somewhat resembling a string of beads. This was first described in detail by Francis Baily in 1836, whence the name of the phenom- enon, the cause of which is the sun shining through the depressions between the lunar mountains.
Bain Marie
The French name for a double saucepan like a glue-pot. The term is sometimes used in English kitchens. It appears earlier (as in Mrs. Glasse's Cookery Book, 1796) under its Latin name, Balneum Manx, hence the "St. Mary's bath" of Ben Jonson's Alchemist, II, in. The name is supposed to be due to the gentleness of this method of heating.
bait and switch
Luring someone with a attractive offer, then substituting something less desirable
bait and tackle
Equipment for fishing
bait the hook well and the fish will bite
Make an attractive offer to get someone interested
bake something blind
to make something without a recipe or instructions
bake up
to create or concoct something
baked
Seasoned, "he’s only HALF-BAKED," i.e., soft, inexperienced.
baked bean
The queen.
baker's dozen
Thirteen items, one more than a standard dozen
baker's dozen
Thirteen for twelve. When a heavy penalty was inflicted for short weight, bakers used to give a surplus number of loaves, called the inbread, to avoid all risk of incurring the fine. The 13th was the "vantage loaf.
baker's half dozen
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
baker's knee
Knock-knee. Bakers were said to be particularly liable to this deformity owing to the constrained position in which they have to stand when kneading bread.
baker-knee'd
One whose knees knock together in walking, as if kneading dough.
baking hot
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
balaam
Printers’ slang for matter kept in type about monstrous productions of nature, &c., to fill up spaces in newspapers that would otherwise be vacant. The term BALAAM-BOX has often been used as the name of a depository for rejected articles. Evidently from Scripture, and referring to the "speech of an ass."
balance of power
Such an adjustment of power among sovereign States as results in no one nation having such a preponderance as could enable it to endanger the independence of the rest.
balance of trade
The money-value differ- ence between the exports and imports of a nation.
balance out
To offset or compensate for something
balance the books
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
bald as a coot
The coot has a strong, straight, and somewhat conical bill, the base of which tends to push up the forehead, and there dilates, so as to form a remarkable bare patch.
bald-faced stag
A term of derision applied to a person with a bald head. Also, still more coarsely, "BLADDER-OF-LARD."
bald-headed hermit
The penis.
bale out
The literal meaning of this phrase is to ladle out with buckets, as when one empties the water out of a small boat. Among flying men "to bale out'* means to descend from an aeroplane by parachute when some emergency necessitating this arises, and in the army to get out of a tank in a hurry when it is hit.
bale up
to gather or collect something, especially hay or straw
bale up
An Australian term equivalent to our "Shell out." A demand for instantaneous payment.
ball hog
A player who dominates the ball, refusing to pass to teammates.
ball of chalk
A walk.
ball of fire
Someone or something full of energy and enthusiasm
ball of malt
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
ballache
A nuisance.
ballambangjang
The Straits of BALLAMBANGJANG, though unnoticed by geographers, are frequently mentioned in sailors’ yarns as being so narrow, and the rocks on each side so crowded with trees inhabited by monkeys, that the ship’s yards cannot be squared, on account of the monkey’s tails getting jammed into, and choking up, the brace blocks.—Sea.
ballast
Money. A rich man is said to be well-ballasted. If not proud and over-bearing he is said to carry his ballast well.
ballistic
Very angry.
ballistic podiatry
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
balljuice
Semen.
ballocks
The testicles of a man or beast; also a vulgar nick name for a parson. His brains are in his ballocks, a cant saying to designate a fool.
balloon goes up
A situation becomes serious or chaotic
balloon knot
A knot that is easy to untie
ballot stuffing
Falsifying election results by adding fake votes
ballpark estimate
An approximate calculation or guess
ballpark figure
An approximate number or estimate
balls and strikes
key decisions or elements
balls of steel
Extremely courageous or fearless
balls on
To blather.
balmy
Weak-minded or idiotic (not insane).
baloney
Nonsense.
baloney pony
The penis.
balum rancum
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
bam
A jocular imposition, the same as a humbug. See HUMBUG.
bamboo ceiling
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
bamboozle
To deceive, make fun of, or cheat a person; abbreviated to BAM, which is sometimes used also as a substantive—a deception, a sham, a "sell." Swift says BAMBOOZLE was invented by a nobleman in the reign of Charles II.; but this is very likely an error. The probability is that a nobleman then first used it in polite society. The term is derived from the Gipsies.
bammy
Crazy.
Bampton Lectures
Founded by the Rev. John Bampton, canon of Salisbury, who, in 1751, left £120 per annum to the university of Ox- ford, to pay for eight divinity lectures on given subjects to be preached yearly at Great St. Mary's, and printed afterwards. M.A.s of Oxford or Cambridge are eligible as lecturers, but the same person may never be chosen twice. Cp. HULSEAN LECTURES.
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