made in Japan
Denotes high quality and attention to detail
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Where will you be? Anywhere UK & IrelandUnited StatesOnline slangBusiness jargon
made in the shade
Having great success or ease
made of sterner stuff
Having a stronger or more resilient character
madge
The vulva.
madge
The private parts of a woman.
madow
heroin.
madza
Half. Italian, MEZZA. This word enters into combination with various cant phrases, mainly taken from the Lingua Franca, as MADZA CAROON, half-a-crown, two-and-sixpence; MADZA SALTEE, a halfpenny [see SALTEE]; MADZA POONA, half-a-sovereign; MADZA ROUND THE BULL, half a pound of steak, &c. This word is, in street phraseology, invariably pronounced MEDZER.
Mae West
The name given by flying men in World War II to the inflatable life-preserver vest or jacket worn when there was a possibility of their being forced into the sea. The name was given in compliment to the figure and charms of the famous film star.
mag
A halfpenny.—Ancient Cant, MAKE. MEGS were formerly guineas.—B. M. Carew. MAKE, the old form, is still used by schoolboys in Scotland. "Not a blessed MAG!" would be the phrase of a cadger down on his luck to express his penniless state.
Magdeburg Centuries
The first great work of Protestant divines on the history of the
maggot bag
A meat pie.
maggotty
Whimsical, capricious.
maggoty
Fanciful, fidgety. Whims and fancies were formerly termed MAGGOTS, from the popular belief that a maggot in the brain was the cause of any odd notion or caprice a person might exhibit. Deer are sometimes found to have maggots in their brains, which, perhaps, accounts for the origin of the term.
magic asterisk
An unspecified or unrealistic solution to a financial problem
magic box
A device with mysterious or unexplained functions
magic bullet
A simple, effective solution to a complex problem
magic garters
In the old romances, etc., garters made of the strips of a young hare's skin saturated with motherwort. Those who wore them excelled m* speed.
magic touch
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
maginn
(Dr.) wrote Slang songs in Blackwood’s Magazine. 1827.
Maginot Line
A zone of fortifica- tions, mostly of concrete, with impregnable gun-positions, shelters, etc., built along the eastern frontier of France between 1929 and 1934, and named after Andre Maginot (1877- 1932), Minister of War, who was responsible for their construction. The line extended from the Swiss border to that of Belgium, and for long it deluded the French into the belief that it would make a German invasion impossible.
Magnetic Mountain
A mountain of mediae- val legend which drew out all the nails of any ship that approached within its influence. It is referred to in Mandeville's Travels and in many stories, such as the tale of the Third Calender and one of the voyages of Sinbad the Sailor in the Arabian Nights.
magnum bonum
A bottle containing two quarts of wine. See SCOTCH PINT.
Magoa Cnarta
The Great Charter of English liberty extorted from King John, 1215.
magsman
A street swindler, who watches for countrymen and "gullible" persons, and persuades them out of their possessions. MAGSMEN are wonderful actors. Their work is done in broad daylight, without any stage accessories; and often a wink, a look, or a slip of the tongue would betray their confederacy. Their ability and perseverance are truly worthy of a better cause. MAGSMEN are very often men of superior education.
Maharao Rajah
The native ruler of Bundi, India. MaharawaL The native rulers of Banswara, Dungarpur, Jaisalmer, and Partabgarh, India.
mahcheen
A merchant. Chinese pronunciation of the English word.—Anglo-Chinese.
mahogany
"to have one’s feet under another man’s MAHOGANY," to sit at his table, be supported on other than one’s own resources; "amputate your MAHOGANY," i.e., go away, elaboration of "cut your stick."
mahogany flat
A bedbug.
maholla
A greeting.
mahometan gruel
Coffee: because formerly used chiefly by the Turks.
Maid of Athens
The girl immortalized by Byron, was Theresa Macri.
Maid of Norway
Margaret (1283-90), daughter of Eric II and Margaret of Norway. On the death of Alexander III of Scotland (1285), her maternal grandfather, she was acknowledged Queen of Scotland, and was betrothed to Edward, son of Edward I of England, but she died on her passage to Scotland.
Maid of Saragossa
Augustina Zaragoza, distinguished for her heroism when Saragossa was besieged in 1808 and 1809, and celebrated by Byron in his Childe Harold (I, liv-lvi).
Maiden Assize
One in which there is no person to be brought to trial.
maiden over
A cricket term for an over in which no runs are made.
maiden sessions
A sessions where none of the prisoners are capitally convicted.
Maiden Town
A town never taken by the enemy (cp. MAIDEN ASSIZE above). Also, specifically, Edinburgh, from tradition that the maiden daughters of a Pictish king were sent there for protection during an intestine war.
To post a letter; "this screeve is mailed by a sure hand."
mail it in
to do something with minimal effort
Mail Order
The carrying on of business by post, that is of receiving orders and cash by post and sending on the goods purchased by the customer also by post, grew to enormous dimensions in U.S.A. where, in great agricul- tural areas, it was the only method whereby people could obtain other than the mere necessaries of life.
Maillard and Mile Aubray
The procession was attended by the municipal officers and national guards, while troops of ballet girls carried "torches of truth"; and many apostate clergy stripped themselves of their canonicals, and, wearing red nightcaps, joined in this blas- phemous mockery. So did Julien of Toulouse, a Calvinistic minister. Such Feasts of Reason were held in various towns of France for several years after.
main character
The most important or central person in a story
main event
The most important or exciting part of a series of events
main man
A person's closest friend or most important associate
Main Street
The typical or average part of a community
Main Street
The principal thoroughfare in many of the smaller towns and cities of U.S.A. The novel of this name, by Sinclair Lewis (1920) epitomized the social and cultural life of these towns, and gave the phrase a signifi- cance of its own.
main-toby
The highway, or the main road. See TOBY.
Maitland Club
A club of literary antiquaries, instituted at Glasgow in 1828. It published or reprinted a number of works of Scottish historical and literary interest.
Majolica Ware
A pottery originally made in the island of Majorca or Majolica. See FAIENCE.
make
Any one is said to be "on the MAKE" who asks too high a price for his goods, or endeavours in any way to overreach.
make a better door than a window
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
make a big thing out of
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
make a break for it
To suddenly try to escape or run away quickly
make a career of
To devote one's life to a particular activity or profession
make a case
To present evidence or arguments to support a claim
make a case for
To present arguments or evidence in support of something
make a clean breast
Confess everything honestly
make a difference
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
make a fist of
to completely fail at something
make a go of
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
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