pea soup
n.— «Pea soup. An expression meaning the boss is coming.» —“Metallic Lathers’ Slang and Jargon” by Metallic Lathers’ Union of New York and vicinity, Local 46 of the Wood, Wire and Metal Lathers International Union Lexicon of Trade Jargon , 1938-39. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Language is always evolving, and that’s also true for American Sign Language. A century ago, the sign for “telephone” was one fist below your mouth and the other at your ear, as if you’re holding an old-fashioned candlestick...
A listener in Unadilla, New York, says her husband, whose family is French-Canadian, uses the phrase That burns my onions when something irritates him. There are several kitchen-related metaphors used to express anger, including that steams my...