Entry 1
Act your age
Meaning Behave in a manner appropriate to your stage in life.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- Grandad is doing his jazz dancing again. So embarrassing. I wish he’d act his age.
Pronunciation
Idioms · 19 entries
Date
What does "Date" mean?
Behave in a manner appropriate to your stage in life.
Act your age
The United Kingdom.
Between the wars
Calendar year
Britain, 17th century.
Carpe diem
Latin
Daily grind
Britain, late 19th century.
Date rape
USA, late 20th century. Previously referred to as ‘acquaintance rape’.
Day surgery
Britain, mid 20th century.
Daylight saving time
Britain, early 20th century.
Donkey’s years
Duvet day
Britain, 1990s.
First footing
Britain, especially Scotland, from 19th century onward.
High season
Britain, 18th century.
Many happy returns
Britain, 18th century.
No spring chicken
USA, 20th century. Young chickens are considered more tasty to eat than those slaughtered later in the year.
Red letter day
Britain - 15th century.
Salad days
Shakespeare
That Friday feeling
20th century origin, although the similar ‘Friday face’ is known in England since the 16th century.
The glorious twelfth
Winter drawers on
Britain, early 20th century. A pun on the expression ‘winter draws on’ (that is, winter is approaching). ‘Drawers’ is a British slang term for knickers.
Entry 2
Between the wars
Meaning The period between WWI and WWII.
Usage Mostly Britain.
Example
- My parents were married in 1930. I'm not really a war baby, more a between the wars baby.
Pronunciation
Entry 3
Calendar year
Meaning Twelve months beginning from the first of January.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- The tax report shows our earnings for a full calendar year.
Pronunciation
Entry 4
Carpe diem
Meaning Latin expression meaning seize the day.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- Rise and shine kids. The sun is shining. Carpe diem!
Pronunciation
Entry 5
Daily grind
Meaning The dull daily routine.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- Monday morning again - time to get to work and start the daily grind.
Pronunciation
Entry 6
Date rape
Meaning The rape by a man of his partner on a date.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- There's been so many stories of date rape in the news lately that Suzy arranged to meet her date in a busy pub.
Pronunciation
Entry 7
Day surgery
Meaning Minor surgery that does not require the patient to stay in hospital overnight.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- I've got to have a gallstone op - luckily it doesn't take long. It will be a day-surgery job.
Pronunciation
Entry 8
Daylight saving time
Meaning The adjustment of clocks to provide longer evening daylight.
Usage Mostly Britain but has also been taken up by other countries that adjust the clocks seasonally.
Example
- I can never work out if Daylight Saving Time gives me an hour more in bed or an hour less.
Pronunciation
Entry 9
Donkey's years
Meaning 1. Cockney rhyming slang for ears. 2. A very long time.
Usage Mostly Britain.
Example
- 1. Prince Charles has a fine pair of donkeys. 2. This is the first school reunion we've had since 1982. I haven't seen some of these people in donkey's years.
Pronunciation
Entry 10
Duvet day
Meaning A work day which an employee is allowed to spend at home relaxing.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- We'd all worked so hard getting the latest design out on time the boss rewarded us with a duvet day to do whatever we wanted.
Pronunciation
Entry 11
First footing
Meaning Making a round of visits at New Year.
Usage Mostly Scotland but has travelled with Scots throughout the world.
Example
- As soon as the clock strikes midnight on 31st December we'll be off around town first footing all our neighbours.
Pronunciation
Entry 12
High season
Meaning The most popular time to visit a resort or attraction - when prices are highest.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- It's way too busy here to get a deckchair on the beach. I suppose that's what we should have expected when we booked a holiday in high season.
Pronunciation
Entry 13
Many happy returns
Meaning A toast given to someone on their birthday.
Usage Worldwide. This idiom has to have a claim for being spoken by more people more frequently than any other in the language.
Example
- The old fella is 80 today - many happy returns Grandad.
Pronunciation
Entry 14
No spring chicken
Meaning Said of people who are no longer young but may behave as though they were.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- Dad's marrying again, to a woman in her 60s. Mind you, he's no spring chicken either.
Pronunciation
Entry 15
Red letter day
Meaning A significant, important or happy day.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- Mom will be a hundred years old on the 23rd. That's a real red-letter day for the family.
Pronunciation
Entry 16
Salad days
Meaning The days of one's youthful inexperience and enthusiasm.
Usage Mainly Britain.
Example
- I'm too old and cynical to believe politician's promises now. I'm well past my salad days.
Pronunciation
Entry 17
That Friday feeling
Meaning Anticipation of the weekend after a hard working week.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- I'm ready for a few jars at the pub after work - I've got that friday feeling.
Pronunciation
Entry 18
The glorious twelfth
Meaning The 12th of August - the start of the British grouse shooting season.
Usage Britain.
Example
- Just two weeks to go. I've booked all the beaters and the trip to the grouse moor is all set - bring on the glorious twelfth.
Pronunciation
Entry 19
Winter drawers on
Meaning British euphemistic joke.
Usage Britain.
Example
- Autumn is over and these summer clothes aren't keeping the cold out - winter drawers on I suppose.
Pronunciation