What does as keen as mustard mean?
very excited and interested
Definition of (as) keen as mustard
British. : very excited and interested : very enthusiastic I gave him the job because he was willing to learn and seemed as keen as mustard.
Where does the term keen as mustard come from?
Origin of “As Keen as Mustard”
The phrase is also stated to have been referred by William Walker in his book Phraseologica Anglo-Latina, or Phrases of the English and Latin Tongue published in 1672. It has been referred to exactly in the same words “as keen as mustard,” having the same meanings.
What does mustard mean in Cockney slang?
He’s mustard, for example, means “He’s great.” It’s this idea, of mustard as “excellent” or “great,” that seems to be at work in cut the mustard.
Where does the phrase can’t cut the mustard come from?
Etymology. Probably from likening the pungency of the spice mustard as a superlative or as something that adds zest to a situation. Possibly derived from the idiom ‘to pass muster’, an expression for assembling military troops for inspection.
When was Keens mustard first made?
1742
Keen’s Mustard
The first mustard factory in London was opened by Messrs Keen & Sons at Garlick Hill in 1742, and in the 1890s the chimes of the Royal Exchange, set to the well known song ‘The Roast Beef of Old England’, could be heard, during a lull in the traffic, at Keen’s factory.
Where does bright as a button come from?
The term as bright as a button is a play on words. It plays on the idea that bright means both clever and shiny. (Early military uniforms had highly polished metal buttons, and this will have contributed to the idea that buttons are bright.)
Where does the saying sixes and sevens come from?
The term at sixes and sevens goes back at least to the 1300s. Originally, the phrase was rendered on six and seven, and referred to a dice game where throwing on a six or seven meant risking one’s entire fortune. Until the 1600s, on sixes and sevens meant to take a careless risk.
What does being at sixes and sevens mean?
confused
in a confused, badly organized, or difficult situation: We’ve been at sixes and sevens in the office this week. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Confusion, confusing and feeling confused. addled.
What is a Jimmy in Cockney slang?
The term Jimmy Riddle is rhyming slang for going pee or having a piddle.
What does the term Bob’s your uncle mean?
idiom. British, informal. used to say that something is easy to do or use. Just complete the form, pay the fee, and Bob’s your uncle!
What is the origin of the phrase at sixes and sevens?
Who owns Keen’s mustard?
However, it was probably not until the 1950s, after the brand was bought by Reckitt & Colman, that it became widely used on the Australian mainland. These days, Keen’s Mustard and Keen’s Curry come in similar packaging and are both owned by McCormick Foods Australia, so it’s natural to think they had a common origin.
What is hot English mustard?
English mustard is just one variety of hot mustard. Most commonly seen under the Colman’s brand, English mustard is a mix of yellow and brown mustard seeds.
Where does the term smart as a whip come from?
The sharp crack of a whip has been a metaphor for mental quickness since the mid-nineteenth century in America. “He was as smart as a whip,” wrote B. F. Taylor (World on Wheels, 1874), one of the early appearances of this expression in print.
What does cute as a bug’s ear mean?
The phrase ‘as cute as a bug’s ear’ or ‘cute as a bug’s ear’ means a small child or a person is very cute or beautiful. This phrase is mostly used for toddlers and babies. In other words, the phrase means ‘very cute’.
Where does to the nines come from?
The phrase is said to be Scots in origin. The earliest written example of the phrase is from the 1719 Epistle to Ramsay by the Scottish poet William Hamilton: The bonny Lines therein thou sent me, How to the nines they did content me.
Why do we say chalk and cheese?
According to some scholars, John Gower was the first person to use it in his text ‘Confessio Amantis’ written in 1390. When you say that two people are like ‘chalk and cheese’, you are suggesting that the two are very different from each other; they have nothing in common.
What does the saying chalk and cheese mean?
very different from each
When you say that two people are like ‘chalk and cheese’, you are suggesting that the two are very different from each other; they have nothing in common. The expression, which has the same meaning as ‘apples and oranges’, can be used with things as well.
What does the phrase to the nines mean?
phrase. If you say that someone is dressed up to the nines or dressed to the nines, you mean that they are wearing very smart or elegant clothes. [informal]
What is Jack and Danny slang for?
There’s also the unfortunate coincidence that ‘Jack and Dani’ means something a little rude in Cockney rhyming slang – a dialect Danny is very familiar with. See more. “Jack and Dani means something in Cockney rhyming slang….. Fanny. It means fanny.”
How do you say goodbye in Cockney?
5 ways to say goodbye like a Brit: How to say goodbye in English – YouTube
Why do we say Fanny’s your aunt?
Used as a humorous response to the phrase “Bob’s your uncle,” which is used to emphasize how easily or quickly something can be done. Primarily heard in UK, Australia.
What does Fanny’s your aunt mean?
A phrase with the same meaning is ‘Fanny’s your aunt’. When used together it means complete or the whole lot. If Bob’s your uncle and Fanny’s your aunt you’ve got a full set of relatives and you are complete.
What does dressed to the nines mean origin?
Answer: The phrase “dressed to the nines” is just a specific application of the Scottish phrase “to the nine ” The earliest written evidence of this phrase appeared in the late 18th century in the poetry of Robert Burns. Its meaning is “to perfection; just right.”
When was Keens mustard invented?
Keen’s Mustard