rags to riches
From poverty to wealth
Browse all entries 1871
All languages English Tiếng Việt
rain buckets
raining very heavily
rain death
to attack or criticize severely
rain does not fall on one roof alone
Everyone experiences problems or difficulties at some point
rain dogs and cats
raining very heavily
rain down
to fall or come down in large quantities
rain fire and brimstone
To strongly condemn or punish someone
rain hellfire
to criticize or attack severely
rain off
to be canceled due to rain
rain on someone's parade
to spoil or ruin someone's plans or event
rain or shine
regardless of the weather
rain pitchforks
to rain very heavily
rain stopped play
An event or activity has been interrupted or cancelled
rainbow
Knight of the rainbow; a footman: from being commonly clothed in garments of different colours. A meeting of gentlemen, styled of the most ancient order of the rainbow, was advertised to be held at the Foppington's Head, Moorfields.
rainbow baby
A baby born after a miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss
Rainbow Comer
In World War II Messrs. Lyons* Corner House in Shaftesbury Avenue, London, was taken over and turned into a large cafe and lounge for American service men under this name. It became a general meeting place for Americans in London during the war. The name was a sentimental reference to the earlier Rainbow Division (<?.v.), plus the rainbow in the insignia of SHAEF (#.v.).
Rainbow Division
The most famous and finest Division of the American Army sent to Europe in World War I.
rainbows and unicorns
Something overly optimistic or unrealistic
raincoat
A condom.
rainy day
a time of financial difficulty
raise Cain
to cause trouble or chaos
raise eyebrows
Cause surprise or suspicion
raise money
Collect funds for a purpose
raise money for something
Collect funds to support a cause or project
raise one's eyebrows
Express surprise or skepticism
raise one's voice
speak louder, usually in anger or emphasis
raise someone's hackles
To annoy or irritate someone
raise someone's shag
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
raise someone's spirits
Improve someone's mood or morale
raise the bar
Set a higher standard or expectation
raise the flag and see who salutes
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
raise the line
Improve the standard or quality of something
raise the roof
to celebrate or party wildly
raise the spectre
To evoke a frightening or threatening idea
raise the stakes
Increase the level of risk or potential consequences
raise the wind
To obtain credit, or money,—generally by pawning or selling property, but not unusually by borrowing. Sometimes varied to WHISTLE UP THE BREEZE.
raise to the purple
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
raised by wolves
Having been raised without social norms or civilization
rake over
to review or discuss something unpleasant again
rake over the coals
to criticize or scold someone severely
rake together
To gather or collect something, especially money, quickly and roughly
raker
TO GO A, is, in racing parlance, to put more money than usual on a certain horse. "Going a RAKER" often leads to "coming a cropper."
rally around
To unite in support of someone or something
rally round
To gather and support someone in a time of need
rally round the flag
To unite in support of a common cause or leader
ralph
To vomit.
Ralph Roister Doister
The title of the earliest English comedy; so called from the chief character. Written by Nicholas Udall about 1533 for performance by the boys at Eton, where he was then headmaster.
Ralph Winwood writes to Mr
Secretary Cecil: I said, "What I spake was not to make him angry." He replied, "If I were angry, I might turn the buckle of my girdle behind me. "—Dec 17,1602.
ram something down someone's throat
Force someone to accept or do something
ramhead meet
Never. Dudman and Ramhead (now spelt Ramehead) are two forelands on the Cornish coast, about twenty miles apart.
rammer
The arm. The busnapper's kenchin seized my rammer; i.e. the watchman laid hold of my arm. CANT.
rammish
Rank. Rammish woman; a sturdy virago.
ramp
To hustle, to rob with violence, to levy blackmail in a ferocious manner; to extort by means of threats. RAMPING is generally done in gangs.
rampage
TO BE ON THE, on the drink, on the loose. Dickens, in Great Expectations, refers to Mrs. Jo as being on the RAMPAGE when she is worse tempered than usual.
ramper
A ruffian of the most brutal description, who infests racecourses and similar places on welching expeditions during summer, and finds pleasure and profit in garrotte robberies during winter.
ramshackle
Queer, rickety, knocked about, as standing corn is after a high wind. Corrupted from RAM-SHATTER, or possibly from RANSACK.
ramshackled
Out of repair. A ramshackled house; perhaps a corruption of RANSACKED, i.e. plundered.
ran-tan
"on the RAN-TAN," drunk.
rancho
Originally a Spanish-American word, signifying a hunting-lodge, or cattle-station, in a wood or desert far from the haunts of men. A hunting or fishing station in the Highlands or elsewhere. In Washington, with their accustomed ingenuity in corrupting words and meanings, the Americans use the appellation for a place of evil report. The word is generally pronounced RANCH now.
randall
(Jack), a Few Selections from his Scrap-book; to which are added Poems on the late Fight for the Championship, 12mo. 1822.