Phrase Finder

Idioms · 23 entries

Location

What does "Location" mean?

Some endeavours either succeed or they don’t - to miss narrowly is still failure.

A miss is as good as a mile

USA.

A place in the sun

The United Kingdom, early 20th century. An allusion to a literal pleasant retirement location.

A stone’s throw

The United Kingdom.

Barnet Fair

Britain.

Bat from the pavilion end

Britain, 20th century. An allusion to the game of cricket.

Brighton Pier

Britain.

Cross that bridge when you come to it

First World

USA, mid 20th century.

First World problem

USA, late 20th century.

It’s a small world

Britain, in an 1873 novel by G. Chesney.

Khyber pass

Britain.

Never-never land

Australia

New York minute

USA, 20th century.

New kid on the block

USA, mid 20th century.

Out on the town

Paint the town red

USA, 19th century.

Queer street

Britain - 17th century.

Rome was not built in one day

Britain, 16th century. From a translation of Erasmus’s proverbs.

Scarper Flow

Britain.

Swing by

Origin uncertain but possibly an allusion to a ‘swing-by’ which is a use of gravity by a spacecraft to change course.

The Big Pond

USA, 1840s. Previously called, in both UK and USA as ‘The Great Pond’.

Up a blind alley

Britain, 16th century.

X marks the spot

Britain, mid-20th century.

Entry 1

A miss is as good as a mile

Meaning Some endeavours either succeed or they don’t - to miss narrowly is still failure.

Usage Worldwide.

Example

  • He came within a millimetre of breaking the high jump records. Sadly, a miss is as good as a mile.

Pronunciation

Entry 2

A place in the sun

Meaning An idealistic dream of a sunny hideaway.

Usage Worldwide, not not common.

Example

  • We’ve been lucky, we managed to buy ourselves a place in the sun for our retirement.

Pronunciation

Entry 3

A stone’s throw

Meaning A short distance.

Usage Worldwide.

Example

  • Number Ten Downing Street is just a stone’s throw from parliament - the Prime Minister can walk there in no time.

Pronunciation

Entry 4

Barnet Fair

Meaning Cockney rhyming slang for hair.

Usage Mostly Britain.

Example

  • I'm not sure about that new hairdresser - he cut my barnet much too short.

Pronunciation

Entry 5

Bat from the pavilion end

Meaning Slang term for a homosexuality.

Example

  • If Julian didn't want us to know he was batting from the pavilion end he shouldn't keep wearing those lilac loafers.

Pronunciation

Entry 6

Brighton Pier

Meaning Cockney rhyming slang for queer (i.e. homosexual).

Usage Mostly Britain.

Example

  • Quite appropriate that James lives with Julian in Brighton - they are Brighton Pier after all.

Pronunciation

Entry 7

Cross that bridge when you come to it

Meaning Deal with a problem if and when it becomes necessary, not before.

Usage Worldwide.

Example

  • My pension might not be enough to live on when I'm retired, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

Pronunciation

Entry 8

First World

Meaning The industrialised affluent and wealthy nations.

Usage Worldwide.

Example

  • The rise of China and India means we may have to redefine the First World before long.

Pronunciation

Entry 9

First World problem

Meaning A relatively trivial problem only affecting the affluent.

Usage Worldwide.

Example

  • Jack's complaining again that his 48 inch screen is giving him eyestrain. That's a First World problem if there ever was.

Pronunciation

Entry 10

It's a small world

Meaning Said when people meet unexpectedly, away from their usual haunts.

Usage Worldwide.

Example

  • I went to New York and the first person I met was the guy from next door. it's a small world alright.

Pronunciation

Entry 11

Khyber pass

Meaning Cockney rhyming slang for arse.

Usage Mainly Britain. Note that the original pronunciation of 'pass' would have been 'parse', to rhyme with 'arse'. This reflects the 'long r' vocalisation of Cockneys. Current pronunciation depends on where you come from

Example

  • That was really insulting to my mother. When he bends over he's going to get a good kick up the khyber.

Pronunciation

Entry 12

Never-never land

Meaning A utopian dreamland.

Usage Worldwide.

Example

  • Sonya says she's going to get a part in Jonny Depp's new movie. She needs to stop living in never-never land.

Pronunciation

Entry 13

New York minute

Meaning A short space of time.

Usage Mostly USA.

Example

  • I know we need to leave soon, but I can get ready really quickly. I'll be with you in a New York minute.

Pronunciation

Entry 14

New kid on the block

Meaning Someone new to the group or area.

Usage Worldwide.

Example

  • Let's go and play with him. Its hard being the new kid on the block.

Pronunciation

Entry 15

Out on the town

Meaning Out enjoying oneself.

Usage Worldwide, this hippie-sounding expression is no longer fashionable.

Example

  • Let's go to the pub and then on to a club. Its good to have a night on the town every now and again.

Pronunciation

Entry 16

Paint the town red

Meaning Go on a boisterous or exuberant spree

Usage Worldwide, although considered rather old fashioned language

Example

  • It's the last day of term and everyone wants to party. Why don't we paint the town red?

Pronunciation

Entry 17

Queer street

Meaning The imaginary location of people who have major problems in their life, especially debt. (Note: not a real place, nor connected to homosexuality)

Usage Worldwide.

Example

  • The business has gone into liquidation, my wife has left and the mortgage company want the house. I'm really in queer street.

Pronunciation

Entry 18

Rome was not built in one day

Meaning Major and important projects take time.

Usage Worldwide, but less commonly than in the past.

Example

  • The new airport won't be finished for another ten years. I know Rome wasn't built in a day but that seems too long to wait.

Pronunciation

Entry 19

Scarper Flow

Meaning Cockney rhyming slang for go.

Usage Mostly Britain.

Example

  • The police are on there way. With your record they are bound to think the fight was your fault - you'd better scarper before they get here.

Pronunciation

Entry 20

Swing by

Meaning Drop in for a visit.

Usage Worldwide.

Example

  • Come and join us - well be down at the pub until 9pm. Why don't you swing by around 8.30?

Pronunciation

Entry 21

The Big Pond

Meaning Nickname of the Atlantic Ocean between the UK and the USA.

Usage Mostly USA and Britain.

Example

  • London's getting boring - I'm planning to hop the big pond and have a weekend in New York.

Pronunciation

Entry 22

Up a blind alley

Meaning On a fruitless course of action.

Usage Worldwide.

Example

  • We couldn't trace their fraudulent transactions - the evidence was gone. We were just looking up a blind alley.

Pronunciation

Entry 23

X marks the spot

Meaning Said of a location that indicates something significant - like a pirate's mark on a treasure map.

Usage Worldwide.

Example

  • Jim said the cafe was opposite the yellow street sign and here it is. I guess X marks the spot.

Pronunciation