Where does bat an eyelid come from?
Where does bat an eyelid come from?
In the 19th century, and presumably for some period earlier, batting ones eyes or eyelashes was a similar fluttering, like rapid serial winking. It was used in the negative to indicate a lack of emotion or indifference (“without batting an eyelash”), or in the positive one might say it of a coquette.
What does batting an eyelid mean?
[British] to not be shocked or offended by something that would shock or offend most people. I thought Sarah and David would be acutely embarrassed. But they didn’t bat an eyelid.
What does I don’t give a fig mean?
not care
Definition of not care/give a fig informal + old-fashioned. : to not care anything at all He doesn’t care a fig about what others think. I don’t give a fig whether he comes or goes.
Is it bat an eye or bat an eyelid?
Meaning: to not show any shock or surprise. Example: When the Court pronounced the prisoner guilty of murder, the accused stood there without batting an eyelid.
What does dont bat an eyelid mean?
British, informal. : to show no surprise, fear, concern, etc. : not bat an eye.
What does the idiom not a dry eye mean?
—used to say that everyone in the audience in a theater or concert hall has tears in their eyes When the movie ended, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
What is to bear in mind?
or to keep sth in mind. phrase. If you tell someone to bear something in mind or to keep something in mind, you are reminding or warning them about something important which they should remember.
What is the meaning of up to the hilt?
Completely, to the maximum degree, as in The house was mortgaged up to the hilt. This idiom alludes to the handle (hilt) of a sword, the only portion that remains out when the weapon is plunged all the way in.
What does it mean to give someone the fig?
give (one) the fig To insult another person, typically with a rude gesture called the “fig” or “fico” (in which someone puts the thumb between the first two fingers or in the mouth).
What does the term put on the dog mean?
Definition of put on the dog US, informal + old-fashioned. : to pretend that one is very stylish or rich They really put on the dog for their daughter’s wedding.
What does the idiom blue blood mean?
an aristocrat, noble, or member of a socially prominent family. aristocratic, noble, or socially prominent lineage or relatives: They boasted a lineage of pure blue blood.
