the best art conceals art
True skill appears effortless and natural
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Where will you be? Anywhere UK & IrelandUnited StatesOnline slangBusiness jargon
the best condiments are authentic flavors
Traditional English proverbial phrase; full definition pending editorial review.
The best defence is a good offence. (Strauss, 1994 p. 518)
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
the best defense is a good offense
It's better to take action than to react to a problem
The best goods are cheapest in the end. (Kelly, 1859 p, 95)
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
the best is cheapest
High-quality items are ultimately more cost-effective
the best place for criticism is in front of your mirror
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
the best thing
Something that is extremely good or beneficial
the best thing to do
the most beneficial or sensible action
the best things in life are free
Valuable experiences and things can be obtained without cost
the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry
Even well-planned actions can go wrong
the best… in the country
Common English phrase; full definition pending editorial review.
the big drink
An American expression for any large stretch of water, such as the Atlantic (cp. HERRING-POND) or Lake Superior.
the big gooseberry season
A mid- Victorian phrase applied to the dull time in journalism when Parliament was not sitting, the Law Courts were up, and nobody was in Town, when the old-fashioned editor published accounts of giant gooseberries, sea-serpents, vegetable marrows, sweet peas, just to fill up his paper.
the bigger they are, the harder they fall
The more powerful or prominent someone is, the more severely they will be affected by a failure or downfall.
The Bill will cross the lobbies
Be sent from the House of Commons to the House of Lords.
The bird of Juno
The peacock. Minerva's bird is either the cock or the owl; that of Venus is the dove.
The bird of Washington
The American or bald-headed eagle. The well-known bald-headed eagle, sometimes called the Bird of Washington. — WOOD.
the birds and the bees
Human reproduction and sex
The Bishops' Bible
A version made at the instigation of Archbishop Parker (hence also called "Matthew Parker's Bible"), to which most of the Anglican bishops were contribu- tors. It was a revision of the Great Bible (tf.v.), first appeared in 1568, and by 1602 had reached its eighteenth edition.
The Black Dwarf
A gnome of the most malignant character, once held by the dales- men of the border as the author of all the mischief that befell their flocks and herds. Scott has a novel so called (1816), in which the name is given to Sir Edward Mauley, alias Elshander, the recluse, Cannie Elshie, and the Wise Wight of Mucklestane Moor.
The Black Goats
A public-house sign, High Bridge Lincoln, formerly The Three Goats— i.e. three gowts (gutters or drains), by which the water from the Swan Pool (a large lake that formerly existed to the west of the city) was conducted into the bed of the Witham.
The Bloody Butcher
The Duke of Cumber- land (1721-65), second son of George II. So called from his barbarities in suppressing the rebellion of the Young Pretender.
The Bloody Eleventh
The old llth Foot, "The Devonshire Regiment," was so called from their having been several times nearly annihilated, as at Almanza, Fontenoy, Roucoux, Ostend, and Salamanca (1812), in capturing a French standard.
The Boafs Head
The cognizance of the Gordons, etc. The Bolt~in-Titn. The punning heraldic badge of Prior Bolton, last of the clerical rulers of St. Bartholomew's, previous to the Reformation.
The Boar's Head Tavern
Made immortal by Shakespeare, this used to stand in East- cheap, on the site of the present statue of
The Board of Green Cloth
A Court that used to form part of the English Royal House- hold, and was presided over by the Lord
The Board of Trade
A Government department— officially a Committee of the Privy Council — dealing with commercial and industrial affairs, such as bankruptcy, com- pany matters, railways, weights and measures, harbours, patents, trade and merchandise marks, etc.
The Bonny Cravat
An old public-house sign at Woodchurch, Kent; a corruption of
The Book of Books
The Bible; also called simply "the Book," or "the good Book.
the books of the four kings
A pack of cards. After supper were brought in the books of the four kings. — RABELAIS: Gargantua and Pantagruel, i, 22.
the bottom of the bag
The last expedient, having emptied every other one out of one's bag, a trump card held in reserve,
the boughs that bear most hang lowest
Those who have the most to lose are often the most humble
the bow was prophetic
It belonged at one time to Eurytus of (Echalia.
the box they're going to bury it in
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
the boy is the father of the man
A person's childhood characteristics influence their adult personality
the bread never falls but on its buttered side
Things tend to go worse for those who are already unfortunate
The Breeches Bible
The Genevan Bible (see above) was popularly so called because in it
the breeze-fly
The gad-fly; called from its sting (A.S. briosa; Gothic, bry, a sting).
The British Roscius
Thomas Betterton (1635-1710), of whom Cibber says, "He alone was born to speak what only Shakespeare knew to write." The title was also accorded to Garrick.
the bubble
The party cheated, perhaps from his being like an air bubble, filled with words, which are only wind, instead of real property.
The Bubble Act
An Act of George I, passed in 1719, its object being to punish the promoters of bubble schemes. It was repealed in 1825.
The Bug Bible
Coverdale's Bible (<?.v.), of 1535, is so called because Ps. xci, 5, is trans- lated, "Thou shalt not nede to be afrayed for eny bugges by night." The same reading occurs in Matthew's Bible (q,v.
the burden of proof
The obligation to prove something. The burden of proof is on the party holding the affirmative [because no one can prove a negative, except by reductto ad absurdum].
the burnt child dreads the fire
Once caught, twice shy. "What! wouldst thou have a serpent sting thee twice?
the business end
The end of the tool, etc., with which the work is done.
the button of the cap
The tip-top. Thus, in Hamlet, Guildenstern says: "On fortune's cap we are not the very button" (ii, 2), i.e. the most highly favoured. The button on the cap was a mark of honour.
the buttons come off the foils
Figuratively, the courtesies of controversy are neglected. The button of a foil is the piece of cork fixed to the end to protect the point and prevent injury m fencing.
the calculator
A number of mathematical geniuses have been awarded this title; among them are: —
the call is coming from inside the house
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
The call of Abraham
The invitation or command of God to Abraham, to leave his idolatrous country, under the promise of becoming the father of a great nation.
The call of God
An invitation, exhortation, or warning, by the dispensations of Providence (Isa. xxii, 12); divine influence on the mind to do or avoid something (Heb. iii, 1).
The Calydonian boar
In Greek legend, CEneus, king of Calydon, in ^Etolia, having neglected to sacrifice to Artemis, was punished by the goddess sending a ferocious boar to ravage his lands. A band of heroes collected to hunt the boar, which was wounded by Atalanta, and killed by Meleager.
the canon
Canon law (<?.v.). Self-love which is the most inhibited sin in the canon. Airs Well that Ends Well, i, 1.
The Cape of Storms
So Bartholomew Diaz named the south cape of Africa in 1486, but John II of Portugal (d. 1495) changed it to the Cape of Good Hope.
the case
A situation or circumstance
The Casket Homer
An edition corrected by Aristotle, which Alexander the Great always carried about with him, and laid under his pillow at night with his sword. After the battle of Arbela, a golden casket richly studded with gems was found in the tent of Darius; and Alexander being asked to what purpose it shpuld^be assigned, replied, "There is but one thing in the world worthy of so costly a depository," saying which he placed therein his edition of Homer.
The Castle
This, being the arms of Spain, signified that Spanish wines were to be ob- tained within.
The Cat and Wheel
A corruption of "St. Catherine's Wheel"; or an announcement that cat and balance-wAee/s are provided for the amusement of customers.
the cat's out of the bag
A secret is revealed
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