Reader Opinions
John – (cat’s pajamas) December 21, 2025
Well, aren’t you the cat’s pajamas? Means “So you must think you’re really special!”
If I say, “I got this great deal for $85”, and you say, “Well I found the same thing on E-Bay for $40”, then I might say, sarcastically, “Well aren’t you the cat’s pajamas!”
Sean – (mull over) December 17, 2025
The use of “mull” and variations (both nouns and verbs) is much older. Scottish-English words for mull can be found in the “Dictionaries of the Scots Language.” There are a number of pre and post 1700 usages for the word that may have evolved into the more modern usage.
Steve – (take five) December 16, 2025
“…woman, get out my face” is spoken by Jimmy the pimp to Bessie Smith after he shoves her to the floor. (“Bessie Smith in St Louis Blues” [movie, 1929] soundtrack at approx 6:50.
Glenn Claypoole – (pig in a poke) December 10, 2025
Farmers would take their pigs to market to sell, but the runt often stayed home for dinner or ended up in a bag (a “pig in a poke”). It was then hawked in the crowd outside the auction house. A buyer knew it was alive because it moved and squealed, so you could tell it was a pig. But if you were buying one this way, you were still gambling on what you were getting.
Luilly – (go for broke) November 27, 2025
Una caja de esa es importante para los niños que los necesita
Richard Cutts – (a little of what you fancy does you good) November 23, 2025
Does this include drinking alcohol?
Anonymous – (burn the midnight oil) November 18, 2025
Emblemes was a book of poems
Rahima – (face to face) November 9, 2025
I like this expression because it means meeting people in person. I think face-to-face conversations are better than talking on the phone.
Chris – (like a hole in the head) November 4, 2025
I wonder if this “hole in the head” idiom originated from the story of an army chief’s death (Sisera) from the hands of a Jewish woman (Jael)? This account is found in Judges 4:21.
Diane – (at odds) November 2, 2025
I respectfully submit that “at odds” is an evolution of the earlier phrase “at sixes and sevens”, which would put one at odds.
