Entry 1
Back to square one
Meaning Back to the beginning.
Usage In the UK, but less so than a few years ago.
Example
- He had nearly climbed the cliff before he slipped off. Now it's back to square one.
Pronunciation
Idioms · 17 entries
Sport
What does "Sport" mean?
Back to the beginning.
Back to square one
Britain, early 20th century.
Bat from the pavilion end
Britain, 20th century. An allusion to the game of cricket.
Be a sport
Britain, early 20th century.
Boat race
Bring your A game
USA, 20th century.
Double header
USA, late 19th century.
Face card
Field day
Britain, 18th century.
Hat trick
Britain, 19th century.
Level playing field
USA, 20th century.
Peg out
1. USA, mid 19th century. 2. Britain, mid 19th century.
Play safe
USA, late 19th century.
Saved by the bell
Britain, 18th century. Not connected, as is often thought, to bells attatched to coffins.
The ball is in your court
Britain, mid-20th century.
The sound of leather on willow
Throw the towel in
USA, 1910s. The allusion is to a boxing match where throwing the towel in indicates a concession
Work out
1. Britain, 16th century. 2. (As ‘workout’) USA, late 19th century.
Entry 2
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 3
Be a sport
Meaning Be generous and/or sportsmanlike.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- Sorry Mr. Jones our ball is in your rose bed again. Be a sport and throw it back over the fence.
Pronunciation
Entry 4
Boat race
Meaning Cockney rhyming slang for face.
Usage Mostly Britain.
Example
- Stupid am I! Look into my boat and say that again!
Pronunciation
Entry 5
Bring your A game
Meaning Perform to the best of your ability.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- The cup game tomorrow is the biggest in the club's history. Everyone in the team needs to bring his A game.
Pronunciation
Entry 6
Double header
Meaning A sports expression denoting two events held at the same time.
Usage Mostly USA.
Example
- The semi-finals are always played together as a double-header to give no team an advantage.
Pronunciation
Entry 7
Face card
Meaning The jack queen or king in a set of playing cards.
Example
- Cutting the pack and getting a face card isn't as unlikely as some might think - there's a 23% chance of that.
Pronunciation
Entry 8
Field day
Meaning A day noted for remarkable or exciting events.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- When my daughter was married everyone had a real field day.
Pronunciation
Entry 9
Hat trick
Meaning A threefold feat in sports or some other activity.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- Warne was really on good bowling form today - three wickets in three deliveries. That's the first hat-trick in the match.
Pronunciation
Entry 10
Level playing field
Meaning Fair competition where no side has an advantage.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- There were six of them and only four of us, so it wasn't really a level playing field.
Pronunciation
Entry 11
Peg out
Meaning 1. To die, especially to die of old age. 2. To complete a circuit of the board in the card game cribbage.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- 1. Gran had been bedridden for months and finally pegged out yesterday. 2. Just six more holes to go - if I get three nines I'll be able to peg out.
Pronunciation
Entry 12
Play safe
Meaning Avoid risk.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- We could have invested in that new stock but we decided to play safe and wait for a more secure place for our money.
Pronunciation
Entry 13
Saved by the bell
Meaning Saved by a last minute intervention.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- That solar panel scheme was just about to be cancelled, then an environmentalist minister came in and it was saved by the bell.
Pronunciation
Entry 14
The ball is in your court
Meaning It is your turn to make a decision.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- I've done more than my share in this partnership. The ball is in your court to decide what happens next.
Pronunciation
Entry 15
The sound of leather on willow
Meaning The sound of the ball on the bat in cricket.
Example
- There's nothing more English than this - sitting in a deckchair at the Worcester county ground, watching the match and the sound of leather on willow.
Pronunciation
Entry 16
Throw the towel in
Meaning Give up, especially to avoid further punishment when facing certain defeat.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- AltaVista tried to hang on and compete with Google, but eventually they just couldn't compete and were forced to throw the towel in.
Pronunciation
Entry 17
Work out
Meaning 1. Calculate using arithmetic. 2. Take exercise (also spelled 'workout').
Usage Both forms used Worldwide.
Example
- 1. We decided to share the bill for the taxi. My part worked out to four pounds. 2. I've joined the gym. My plan is to work out once a week.
Pronunciation