Arabia Felix
Felix is a mistranslation by Ptolemy of Yemen, which means to the "right*' — i.e. of Mecca.
Browse all entries 2428
All languages English Tiếng Việt
Arabian Desert on the W
Since World War I — as a consequence of which it was freed from Turkish rule and constituted a separate king- dom—its name has been changed to Irak (#,v.), or Iraq.
arabian was one
The others were Byerley Turk, the charger of Capt. Byerley at the Battle of the Boyne, and Godolphm Arabian, brought to England in 1730 by Edward Coke, from whose hands he passed into the possession of the Earl of Godolphm.
Arbor Day
A day set apart in Canada and the United States for planting trees. It was first inaugurated about 1885 in Nebraska.
arcadian beasts
An old expression, to be found in Plautus, Pliny, etc.
arch doxy
A woman considered the most skilled or prominent in a particular field of vice
arch duke
A comical or eccentric fellow.
arch rogue, dimber damber upright man
The chief of a gang of thieves or gypsies.
archimedean screw
An endless screw, used for raising water, etc., invented by Archimedes.
Arcos Barbs
War steeds of Arcos, in Andalusia, very famous in Spanish ballads. See BARB.
Arden of Feversham
This tragedy, first printed in 1592, was at one time attributed to Shakespeare; it is possibly the work of Thomas
are you deaf
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
are your ears burning
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
area sneak
A thief who commits depredations upon kitchens and cellars.
Aretinian Syllables
Ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la, used by Guido d'Arezzo in the llth century for his hexachord, or scale of six notes. They are the first syllables of some words in the opening stanza of a hymn for St. John's Day (see DOH). Si, the seventh note, was not introduced till the "17th century.
Argand Lamp
A lamp with a circular wick, through which a current of air flows, to supply oxygen to the flame, and increase its brilliancy. Invented by Aime Argand, 1789.
argol-bargol
To bandy words.—Scotch.
aris
arse
aristotle
A bottle.
ark
A boat or wherry. Let us take an ark and winns, let us take a sculler. CANT.
ark ruffians
Rogues who, in conjunction with watermen, robbed, and sometimes murdered, on the water, by picking a quarrel with the passengers in a boat, boarding it, plundering, stripping, and throwing them overboard, &c. A species of badger. CANT.
arm candy
An attractive person accompanying someone to an event
arm in arm
Walking in a friendly way with arms linked.
arm to the teeth
Heavily armed or prepared for battle
arm up
to prepare for a challenge
arm's length
At a distance to avoid intimacy or involvement
armchair quarterback
Someone who criticizes or advises from a position of inexperience
armed and dangerous
Considered to be a threat, often due to possessing a weapon
armed at all points
Armed to the teeth; having no parts undefended. A figure like your Father, Ann'd at all points exactly, Cap a Pe, Appears before them.
Armistice Day
Hostilities in World War I ended at 11 o'clock on November llth, 1918, when an armistice was signed. In subsequent years November llth was kept as Armistice Day, marked by a two-minute silence and cessation of work at 11 a.m., followed in various places by ceremonies. In 1946 the old name was changed to Remembrance Day, to include a memorial of the close of the 1939-45 war and it is kept on the Sunday nearest llth November.
armour
In his armour, pot valiant: to fight in armour; to make use of Mrs. Philips's ware. See C--D--M.
Army or Navy
It was almost entirely used to get men for the Navy. Edward IU set up a Com- mission of Empressment, 1355.
army volunteer
a person who joins the army by choice
aroint thee
A phrase that first appears in Shakespeare's Macbeth (I, iii, 6) and King Lear (III, iv, 129), on both occasions in connexion with witches. It signifies "get ye gone," "be off"; and its origin js unknown. The Brownings made a verb of it, Mrs. Browning in her To Flush — "Whiskered cats arointed flee," and Browning in The Two Poets of Ci oisic, and elsewhere.
around Robin Hood's barn
to take a long and indirect route
around the Horn
sailing around Cape Horn
around the world
everywhere in the world
arrah now
An unmeaning expletive, frequently used by the vulgar Irish.
arrive at
to reach a conclusion or decision
arrow in the quiver
A resource or option available for use
arse
To hang an arse; to hang back, to be afraid to advance. He would lend his a-e and sh-te through his ribs; a saying of any one who lends his money inconsiderately. He would lose his a-e if it was loose; said of a careless person. A-e about; turn round.
arse cheeks
Buttocks.
arse end of nowhere
A very remote or isolated place
arse over tip
to fall over, typically in a clumsy or awkward manner
arse over tit
to fall over or fail completely
arse-licking
Sycophancy.
arsecheek
A buttock.
arseholed
drunk
arsewash
Nonsense.
arsey
Unpleasant, especially in a sarcastic, grumpy or haughty manner.
arsy varsy
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
arsy versy
Completely backwards or upside down
arsy yarsey
To fall arsy varsey, i.e. head over heels.
art gallery
A building or space for exhibiting and selling artworks
Artesian Wells
So called from Artels, the Old French name for Artois, in France, where they were first bored. They are sunk with a boring or drilling apparatus into water or oil-bearing strata from which the liquid rises by its own pressure to the top of the bore.
artful dodger
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
Artful Dodger
A young thief in Dickens's Oliver Twist, pupil of Fagin. His name was Jack Dawkins, and he became a most perfect adept in villainy.
Arthur's Seat
A hill overlooking Edin- burgh from the east.
Arthurian Romances
The stories which have King Arthur as their central figure appear as early as the 12th century in the Historia Regum Britannice of Geoffrey of Monmouth (d.
article
A wench. A prime article. A handsome girl. She's a prime article (WHIP SLANG), she's a devilish good piece, a hell of a GOER.
Advertisement
Ad space — ads help keep Idiomer free. Premium will remove them.