neither fish, flesh, nor good red herring
Something or someone that is unclear or indefinite in purpose or nature
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neither hawk nor buzzard
Of doubtful social position — too good for the kitchen, and not good enough for the family; not hawks to be fondled and petted — the "tasselled gentlemen" of the days of falconry — nor yet buzzards — a dull kind of falcon synonymous with dunce or plebeian. "Neither flesh, fowl, nor good red herring.
neither hay nor grass
That hobbledehc'y state when a youth is neither boy nor man.
nerdlinger
A nerd.
Nereus and his wife Doris
Their palace was at the bottom of the Mediterranean; his hair was sea-weed.
nertz
nuts.
nervous hit
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
nescio
He sports a Nescio; he pretends not to understand any thing. After the senate house examination for degrees, the students proceed to the schools, to be questioned by the proctor. According to custom immemorial the answers MUST be Nescio. The following is a translated specimen:
Nestor Ironside
Sir Richard Steeie assumed the name in The Guardian. Ironsides*. The soldiers that served under Cromwell were so called, especially after the battle of Marston Moor (1644), where they displayed an iron resolution.
net gen
Ten shillings, or half a sovereign.
net nevis gen
Seventeen shillings.
net roaf gen
Fourteen shillings. It will be seen by the foregoing that the reckoning is more by tens than by "teens." This is, however, matter of choice, and any one wishing to be considered accomplished in this description of slang, must do as he thinks best—must lead and not be led.
net worth your salt
Not worth your wages. The reference is to the salary (q.v.) composed of rations of salt and other necessaries served out by the Romans to their soldiers, etc.
nettled
Teized, provoked, out of temper. He or she has pissed on a nettle; said of one who is peevish or out of temper.
never ask pardon before you are accused
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
Never cast a clout until May be out
Don't stop taking precautions until a situation is fully resolved
never do things by halves
Do things completely or not at all
never give a sucker an even break
Take advantage of someone who is naive or vulnerable
never give advice unless asked
Refain from offering guidance unless someone requests it
never in a million years
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
never in a month of Sundays
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
never judge a book by its cover
Do not judge something by its appearance
never let the right hand know what the left hand is doing
Acting secretly or deceptively, often in one's own interests
never let the sun go down on your anger
Resolve conflicts before the end of the day
never let the truth get in the way of a good story
Embellish or distort facts for entertainment value
never lie to your doctor
Be honest with your doctor for proper treatment
never lie to your lawyer
Be honest with your lawyer for effective representation
never look a gift horse in the mouth
Don't question or criticize something given to you for free
never mind
forget about it or don't worry about it
Never Never Land
An Australian term for North Queensland.
never put off till (until) tomorrow what you can do today
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
never put off till tomorrow what can be done today
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
never put off until tomorrow what you can do today
Do tasks now rather than delaying them
never reveal a man's wage, and woman's age
Some personal information is best kept private
never say die
Never give up, even when things seem hopeless
never say never
Do not rule out any possibility
never speak ill of the dead
Avoid criticizing or speaking negatively about someone who has died
never tell tales out of school
Don't reveal confidential information
never the twain shall meet
Two things are incompatible and will never come together.
never too old to learn
It's never too late in life to acquire new knowledge or skills
never trouble trouble 'til trouble troubles you
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
never you mind
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
nevis stretch
Seven years’ penal servitude.
new brooms sweep clean
Those newly appointed to an office are as a rule very zealous and sometimes ruthless in sweeping away old customs.
new college students
Golden scholars, silver bachelors, and leaden masters.
new dawn
A new beginning or fresh start
new dictionary
Of the Terms, Ancient and Modern, of the Canting Crew in its several tribes of Gypsies, Beggars, Thieves, Cheats, &c., with an addition of some Proverbs, Phrases, Figurative Speeches, &c., by B. E., GENT., 12mo. N. D. [1710.]
new drop
The scaffold used at Newgate for hanging of criminals; which dropping down, leaves them suspended. By this improvement, the use of that vulgar vehicle, a cart, is entirely left off.
New England
The name given collectively to the north-eastern States of the U.S.A. — Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The name was given by Captain John Smith to what was then part of "North Virginia," granted to the Plymouth Company by James I, in 1606.
new hotness
Something or someone that is currently very popular or trendy
new kid in town
A newcomer or recent arrival in a place or situation
new light
One of the new light; a methodist.
new normal
a new standard or way of life after a significant change
new school
Modern or contemporary ideas and methods
New Style
The reformed or Gregorian Calendar, adopted in England in 1752. See GREGORIAN YEAR.
new territory
An unfamiliar or unexplored area of knowledge or experience
New Theology
An interpretation of Christian teaching based on broader views than that of the older fundamental reading of the Bible. It was first expounded in 1907 by R. J. Campbell, at the time Congregational minister at the City Temple. He later entered the Church of England.
New Thought
A general term for a system of therapeutics based on the theory that the mental and physical problems of life should be met, regulated and controlled by the sug- gestion of right thoughts. This system has nothing in common with Christian Science, auto-suggestion or psycho-therapy.
new wine expands as it matures
If put in a new skin (bottle) the skin expands with it; if in an old skin, when the wine expands the skin bursts.
new wine in an old bottle
A new idea presented in a traditional or familiar way