Ngram: the expression ‘come to a head’ seems to be used from the 18th century and appears to refer to the culminating part of boil, a pimple or abscess that is likely to break. Come to a head: The phrase finder refers to MW: a) the part of a boil, pimple, or abscess at which it is likely to break.
Where did the phrase coming to a head come from?
Origin of Bring Something to a Head
Grossly, and most commonly, the phrase is believed to come from medicine. When a pimple is brought to a head, a white point of it shows, and it is near to exploding. In medicine, the “head” of something is a tip that is about to burst open, just like with pimples.
What does the phrase coming to a head mean?
If something comes to a head or someone brings something to a head, a situation reaches a point where something must be done about it: Things hadn’t been good between us for a while and this incident just brought it to a head. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Coming to an end.
Where did the expression it is what it is come from?
Where does it is what it is come from? According to the New York Times, the phrase it is what it is appeared as early as an 1949 article by J.E. Lawrence in The Nebraska State Journal.
Where does the expression used to come from?
This comes from the word “use” meaning “habit”. In Shakespearean English, you would see lines such as “it is in his use”, meaning he has a habit of doing it. So in that sense “was used to” would have meant it was his habit.
What’s another way to say came to a head?
What is another word for came to a head?
| reached a crisis | capped |
|---|---|
| culminated | ended |
| finished | reached a crossroads |
| wound up | came to a climax |
| came to the crunch | reached a critical point |
Is going head to head an idiom?
To face someone else in a direct, one-on-one contest, conflict, comparison, etc. I’m going head-to-head against last year’s spelling bee champion—of course I’m nervous!
What does the idiom have a bee in one’s bonnet mean?
to keep talking about something again and again because you think it is very important: She never stops talking about healthy eating – she’s got a real bee in her bonnet about it.
What does dressed up to the nines mean?
idiom informal. to be wearing fashionable or formal clothes for a special occasion: Jackie went out dressed to the nines. Wearing clothes.
What does Heavens to Betsy mean?
Good gracious; good heavens
Interjection. heavens to Betsy. (chiefly US, dated) Good gracious; good heavens.
What does it mean when someone says Close but no cigar?
used to say that someone almost succeeded, but is not completely successful or correct: It was close but no cigar for Johnny as he came second once again. Want to learn more?
What is the origin of cat got your tongue?
On English sailing ships, anyone entrusted with a secret by a higher officer would be threatened with “the cat” for telling; thus, the saying ‘has the cat got your tongue?’ became slang for ‘are you afraid to tell?’
Did the cat got your tongue?
‘ cat / cat’s got your tongue: an expression that is used when someone is quiet and isn’t talking or responding when you expect them to.
Where did the expression the whole nine yards come from?
Where does the expression ”the whole nine yards” come from? The bullets for the machine guns used in American combat planes of WW2 and since were in chains twenty-seven feet in length. Thus if a pilot was able to fire all his bullets off at one target he was said to have given his adversary ‘the full nine yards’.
What do you call someone who came before you?
Definition of predecessor
1 : one that precedes especially : a person who has previously occupied a position or office to which another has succeeded. 2 archaic : ancestor.
What is the slang word for head?
Synonyms. (part of the body): caput (anatomy); pate, noggin (slang), loaf (slang), nut (slang), noodle (slang), bonce (British slang)
What do you call someone who is up and coming?
synonyms for up-and-coming
promising. ambitious. climbing. coming on strong.
When should you go over someone’s head?
to speak to or ask permission from someone who has more authority than the person who you would normally go to in that situation: Amanda was refusing to give me the week off so I went over her head and spoke to the boss. Want to learn more?
What does going toe to toe mean?
idiom (also stand toe to toe, be toe to toe) mainly US. to be willing or able to compete or fight with someone in a strong, forceful, determined way: We had a good candidate who stood toe to toe with the President and beat him in three debates.
Is over your head an insult?
Telling someone that they are in over their head may be considered derogatory or an insult, but in fact, it may simply describe the truth of a situation. English idioms are words and phrases that are derived from a number of situations.
Have all your ducks in a row meaning?
To get your ducks in a row means to organize your tasks and schedule so that you are ready for the next step. There are a number of theories behind the origin of this expression. Real ducklings, of course, walk in a line behind their parent, and the expression ducks in a row certainly brings that image to mind.