Sport
Back to square one
Meaning
Back to the beginning.
Examples
He had nearly climbed the cliff before he slipped off. Now it’s back to square one.
Where did it originate?
Britain, early 20th century.
Where is it used?
In the UK, but less so than a few years ago.
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Bat from the pavilion end
Meaning
Slang term for a homosexuality.
Examples
If Julian didn’t want us to know he was batting from the pavilion end he shouldn’t keep wearing those lilac loafers.
Where did it originate?
Britain, 20th century. An allusion to the game of cricket.
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Be a sport
Meaning
Be generous and/or sportsmanlike.
Examples
Sorry Mr. Jones our ball is in your rose bed again. Be a sport and throw it back over the fence.
Where did it originate?
Britain, early 20th century.
Where is it used?
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Boat race
Meaning
Cockney rhyming slang for face.
Examples
Stupid am I! Look into my boat and say that again!
Where did it originate?
Where is it used?
Mostly Britain.
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Bring your A game
Meaning
Perform to the best of your ability.
Examples
The cup game tomorrow is the biggest in the club’s history. Everyone in the team needs to bring his A game.
Where did it originate?
USA, 20th century.
Where is it used?
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Double header
Meaning
A sports expression denoting two events held at the same time.
Examples
The semi-finals are always played together as a double-header to give no team an advantage.
Where did it originate?
USA, late 19th century.
Where is it used?
Mostly USA.
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Face card
Meaning
The jack queen or king in a set of playing cards.
Examples
Cutting the pack and getting a face card isn’t as unlikely as some might think – there’s a 23% chance of that.
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Field day
Meaning
A day noted for remarkable or exciting events.
Examples
When my daughter was married everyone had a real field day.
Where did it originate?
Britain, 18th century.
Where is it used?
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Hat trick
Meaning
A threefold feat in sports or some other activity.
Examples
Warne was really on good bowling form today – three wickets in three deliveries. That’s the first hat-trick in the match.
Where did it originate?
Britain, 19th century.
Where is it used?
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Level playing field
Meaning
Fair competition where no side has an advantage.
Examples
There were six of them and only four of us, so it wasn’t really a level playing field.
Where did it originate?
USA, 20th century.
Where is it used?
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Peg out
Meaning
1. To die, especially to die of old age. 2. To complete a circuit of the board in the card game cribbage.
Examples
1. Gran had been bedridden for months and finally pegged out yesterday. 2. Just six more holes to go – if I get three nines I’ll be able to peg out.
Where is it used?
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Play safe
Meaning
Avoid risk.
Examples
We could have invested in that new stock but we decided to play safe and wait for a more secure place for our money.
Where did it originate?
USA, late 19th century.
Where is it used?
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Saved by the bell
Meaning
Saved by a last minute intervention.
Examples
That solar panel scheme was just about to be cancelled, then an environmentalist minister came in and it was saved by the bell.
Where did it originate?
Britain, 18th century. Not connected, as is often thought, to bells attatched to coffins.
Where is it used?
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The ball is in your court
Meaning
It is your turn to make a decision.
Examples
I’ve done more than my share in this partnership. The ball is in your court to decide what happens next.
Where did it originate?
Britain, mid-20th century.
Where is it used?
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The sound of leather on willow
Meaning
The sound of the ball on the bat in cricket.
Examples
There’s nothing more English than this – sitting in a deckchair at the Worcester county ground, watching the match and the sound of leather on willow.
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Throw the towel in
Meaning
Give up, especially to avoid further punishment when facing certain defeat.
Examples
AltaVista tried to hang on and compete with Google, but eventually they just couldn’t compete and were forced to throw the towel in.
Where did it originate?
USA, 1910s. The allusion is to a boxing match where throwing the towel in indicates a concession
Where is it used?
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Work out
Meaning
1. Calculate using arithmetic. 2. Take exercise (also spelled ‘workout’).
Examples
1. We decided to share the bill for the taxi. My part worked out to four pounds. 2. I’ve joined the gym. My plan is to work out once a week.
Where is it used?
Both forms used Worldwide.
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