Where did the phrase give the devil his due come from?
This idiomatic expression is originated from a history play Henry IV, Part 1 by William Shakespeare, supposed to have been printed no later than 1597.
What does have his due mean?
phrase. You can say ‘to give him his due,’ or ‘giving him his due,’ when you are admitting that there are some good things about someone, even though there are things that you do not like about them. To give Linda her due, she had tried to encourage John in his school work.
What does the phrase the devil’s own mean?
extremely difficult or bad: We had the devil’s own job/time finding the place!
What does the saying between the devil and the deep blue sea mean?
phrase. If you say that you are between the devil and the deep blue sea, you mean that you are in a difficult situation where you have to choose between two equally unpleasant courses of action.
Do not give the devil his due?
Literally, the phrase ‘give the devil his due’ means to pay the devil what you owe him. Figuratively, the phrase is used to mean that one has to acknowledge the positive qualities of a person who is unpleasant or disliked.
What does play the second fiddle mean?
Definition of second fiddle
: one that plays a supporting or subservient role.
Where did the phrase between the devil and the deep blue sea come from?
This expression has existed since at least the 1600s. This expression doesn’t have to do with the devil of the Bible but to a seam around a ship’s hull near the water. When a sailor attempted to caulk this seam in heavy seas, he was in serious danger of failing overboard and drowning.
Who wrote between the devil and the deep blue sea?
Harold Arlen
Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea/Composers
What is the meaning of a rock and a hard place?
Faced with two equally dangerous or difficult choices or circumstances: “Trying to please two supervisors is like being between a rock and a hard place.” This phrase dates from the early twentieth century.
How do you play between the devil and the deep blue sea on the ukulele?
What is the meaning of in a fix?
In a difficult or embarrassing situation, in a dilemma. For example, I was really in a fix when I missed the plane, or Lost and out of gas—how did we get in such a pickle? or John had lost all his money in the crap game—now he was in a spot.
What is the meaning of get hot under the collar?
See synonyms for hot under the collar on Thesaurus.com. Angry, as in She is quick to get hot under the collar, but once the problem is ironed out she forgets it entirely. This expression alludes to the heat of anger. [ c. 1900]
What does down to the wire mean idioms?
Definition of down-to-the-wire
: full of suspense especially : unsettled until the very end.
What does the phrase in a flash mean?
Definition of in a flash
informal. : very quickly or suddenly I’ll be back in a flash.
What does out of woods mean?
Out of difficulties, danger or trouble, as in We’re through the worst of the recession—we’re out of the woods now, or That pneumonia was serious, but Charles is finally out of the woods. This expression, alluding to having been lost in a forest, dates from Roman times; it was first recorded in English in 1792.
What does drop of a hat mean?
See synonyms for at the drop of a hat on Thesaurus.com. Immediately, without delay, as in We were ready to pack our bags and go on vacation at the drop of a hat. This phrase probably alludes to signaling the start of a race or other contest by dropping a hat. [
What is tickled pink?
Definition of tickled pink
informal. : very happy or amused I was tickled pink to see her.
What means I smell a rat?
smell a rat. Suspect something is wrong, especially a betrayal of some kind. For example, When I didn’t hear any more from my prospective employer, I began to smell a rat. This expression alludes to a cat sniffing out a rat. [