If someone’s extremely annoyed or frustrated, you describe them with the idiomatic expression they’re fit to be tied. But where did this saying come from? This is part of a complete episode.
mortal lock n.— Note: A cinch, an odds-on favorite, a guaranteed thing or event. «It is a sure bet—a mortal lock as they say in the business— that if Robespierre was around today, we would be standing knee-deep in decapitations...
Jesus handle n.— «Run a zip line between the ohshit handles of your car, then clip your pup on top for perfect posture.…I’ve also heard it referred to as the “Jesus Handle.” Because people frequently say “Jesus...
peter roll v. phr.— «Jurors heard from teens ages 14-17, who described their lives near areas where guns are readily available. Wednesday, a 16-year-old gang member told jurors that prior to Brown’s murder, Latham said he wanted to “peter...
back up the truck v. phr.— «The safety of these securities caused financial firms to load upon on them (“back up the truck,” in Wall Street parlance). They were considered so safe that financial firms used borrowed funds to buy more, and...
steel monkey n.— «This is where not being a sissy comes in. Steel monkeys as they are affectionately called, have to walk the steel girders in order to put the steel beams in place. They walk the beams a hundred feet in the air. One false...