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Used it for the first time. Men fleshed in cruelty — i.e. initiated or used to it. A sportsman's expression. A sports- man allows a young dog or hawk to have the first game it catches for its own eating, thus at the same time rewarding it and encouraging its taste for blood. This "flesh" is the first it has tasted, and fleshing its tooth thus gives the creature a craving for similar food.
Someone who gives promptly is more generous than someone who gives the same amount later
It is impossible to satisfy everyone's expectations
Has failed in trade. In France it used to be customary, even in the 17th century, for bankrupts to wear a green bonnet (cloth cap).
He is not quite compos mentis, he's a little mad. His mind is like a piece of machinery that needs adjusting — it won't work properly.
He is not quite compos mentis, not all there. In Freemasonry, to tile a lodge means to close and guard the doors to prevent anyone uninitiated from entering, the officer who does this being called the Tiler, sometimes spelled tyler.
Some selfish motive in the background; some personal interest to answer. Franklin tells of a man who wanted to grind his axe, but had no time to turn the grindstone. Going to the yard where he saw young Franklin, he asked the boy to show him how the machine worked, kept praising him till his axe was ground, and then laughed at him for his pains.
Vole is a deal at cards that draws the whole tricks. To vole is to win all the tricks.
He is "wide awake," quite sophisticated; he has "his weather-eye open." The eye-teeth (i.e.
Said of a very indolent and sleepy man, from the narcotic and stupefying properties of the plant, well known to the ancients.
He has got good value for his money; sometimes said of one who has received a good drubbing.
He is half-silly; "not all there"; he is "a button short.
He is so excited and confused that he does not know the right thing to do.
Something or other has frightened him; formerly said of a person who had lost his voice. Our forefathers believed that if a man saw a wolf before the wolf saw him, he became dumb, at least for a time.
Eaten his last meal; he is dead. Keep your breath to cool your porridge. A rude remark made to one who is giving un- wanted or unsought advice.
Taken her for his wife. The Roman bride wore a chaplet of flowers on her head, and a girdle of sheep's wool about her waist. A part of the marriage ceremony was for the bridegroom to loose this.
Someone who acts foolishly or shamelessly
A dull, stupid fellow. The play is upon flat (stupid), and such fish as plaice, dabs, and soles.
A colloquialism which may mean that he has entered on his period of (natural or induced) decay.
Recovering from sick- ness; recovering from a fit of the sulks; returning to friendship; he is coming round to my way of thinking, he is beginning to think as I do.
Has become a ruined man, or a depraved character. He is mixing with bad companions, has acquired bad habits, or is (usually implying "through his own fault") in bad circumstances.
In dreamland; enter- taining visionary notions and so having no distinct idea about the matter in question.
A friend is one who helps, not just feels sorry for you
A person who helps or supports me is considered a friend
My principal assistant, my best and most trustworthy man.
Done for, laid on the shelf, superseded, dead. The bent pieces of iron on which the hinges of a gate rest and turn are called hooks.
Very out of sorts ; in need of a thorough rest and overhauling, like a clock that has run down.
Someone extremely valuable or helpful
He is a shrewd fellow not to be imposed on. One of the senseless questions of logic was Quid est quid?
The person who ultimately succeeds or achieves their goal is the one who deserves to laugh
He creates a problem for himself
A Devonshire proverb, said incredulously of husbands who pretend to be masters of their wives. It also means, "If you have done what you say, you can accomplish anything.
Won, hit, accomplished it. A nick is a winning throw of dice in the old game of "hazard.
Used to refer to a person without specifying their gender
He acted judici- ously and skilfully, like a whist-player who plays his hand with judgment.
He was altogether in error. The allusion is to shooting at the mark or bull's-eye of a target.
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
Borrowing money often leads to trouble and regret
One who is easily influenced should avoid temptation
Even the least capable person can still contribute or assist
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
One who shows weakness will be taken advantage of
The Bible quotation in Hob. ii, 2, is, "Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
One who starts a problem will face much worse consequences
One must take risks to achieve success
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
People who talk freely about what they know may also talk freely about what they don't know
One who talks to themselves is foolish
Someone dependent on others may face delays or uncertainties
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
Someone who wants to get rid of something gives a false reason for doing so
He twiddled or rattled with the latch before opening the door. The pin was not only the latch of chamber doors and cottages, but the "rasp" of castles used instead of the modern knocker. It was attached to a ring, which produced a grating sound to give notice to the warder.
He had made too great an effort; was breathless and exhausted either bodily or with suppressed anger or emotion.
Chief man, the most distinguished of the company. The allusion is to the leader of concerts, who leads with a fiddle.
Those who are capable do, while those who are not teach others.
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
If you don't make progress, you will lose ground