Jobs for The Boys Meaning Favouritism where jobs or other patronage is given to friends and acquaintances. Origin The boys in this phrase means any group of men who …
Jimmy Riddle Meaning Urinate. Jimmy Riddle = piddle. Origin Cockney rhyming slang. The term is mentioned in Partridge’s A Dictionary of slang and Unconventional English, 1937, where it is …
Jimmy Horner Meaning A corner. Origin Cockney rhyming slang.
The Jig is Up Meaning You are caught, you are discovered, the deception is uncovered. Example The jig is up for Lisa. Her boss caught her doing work on …
Jerry Built Meaning Built in a makeshift and insubstantial manner. Origin The phrase has been around since at least 1869, when it was defined in the Lonsdale Glossary: “Jerry-built, …
Jam Tomorrow Meaning Some pleasant event in the future, which is never likely to materialize. Origin This derives from Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass and What Alice …
It Takes Two Fools to Argue Meaning A wise man never argues with a fool – he knows there’s no sense in it. Example Arguing with a 2-year-old accomplishes …
It Never Rains But it Pours Meaning When troubles come, they come together. Origin A proverbial phrase. The origin is unknown but the phrase itself was known by the …
It is That Man Again Meaning The full title of the popular 1940s BBC radio comedy – ITMA. Origin The title derived from newspaper references to Adolf Hitler. The …
It is Meat and Drink to me Meaning Meat and drink in this phrase have two meanings, which appear to be independent of each other. Either, to be …