in one's birthday suit
Meaning: Completely naked.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “The toddler escaped from the bath and ran through the party in his birthday suit.”
Category: Body & Senses
Origin: The joke is that you wear it on the day you were born. In the 18th century a "birthday suit" was a fine outfit worn to court on the monarch's birthday; the naked sense is recorded by the late 18th century.
Equivalents in other languages
- French: Dans le plus simple appareil — literally: In the simplest apparatus
More idioms — Body & Senses
- go under the knife — To have a surgical operation.
- only have eyes for — To be interested in or attracted to one person only.
- shoot oneself in the foot — To damage one's own interests through a foolish action.
- set tongues wagging — To cause people to gossip.
- twiddle one's thumbs — To do nothing while waiting or out of boredom.
- have a free hand — To have freedom to act as one sees fit.
More English idioms
- throw caution to the wind — To stop being careful and take a risk.
- a last stand — A final, determined effort to resist, usually when defeat is likely.
- you could hear a pin drop — It was completely silent.
- just to be on the safe side — As an extra precaution, even if it is probably unnecessary.
- perfidious Albion — A mocking name for England or Britain as treacherous and untrustworthy.
- the die is cast — A decision has been made and cannot be undone.
From our proverbs
- Once well done is twice done. — Completing work carefully the first time eliminates the need for costly, time-consuming c…
- Make much of one, good men are scarce. — Valuing the good people in your life deeply matters because genuine integrity and virtue…
- The mouse that hath but one hole is easily taken. — A creature relying on single escape route faces inevitable capture when discovered.