Idioms

Larry

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(as) happy as a clam

Very joyful and contented. Look at your sister out there! She's happy as a clam now that she's back in the starting lineup again. I know I'll be as happy as a clam once I get this stupid cast off my leg. I'm home from that work trip and happy as a clam. I can't wait to sleep in my own bed tonight!
See also: clam, happy

(as) happy as Larry

In very good spirits. The phrase's origin is unknown, but it may refer to Australian boxer Larry Foley. I was as happy as Larry when I found out that I'd gotten an A on my hardest exam. I've been happy as Larry ever since we moved to the countryside. I was happy as Larry in my sitting room surrounded by my three beautiful children.
See also: happy, Larry

(as) happy as the day is long

Very happy; contented. I've been happy as the day is long ever since we moved to the countryside. Johnny's in a bit of a bad mood, but just give him a new toy to play with and he'll be as happy as the day is long. I'm home from that work trip and happy as the day is long. I can't wait to sleep in my own bed tonight!
See also: happy, long

be as happy as Larry

To be in very good spirits. The phrase's origin is unknown, but it may refer to Australian boxer Larry Foley. I was as happy as Larry when I found out that I'd gotten an A on my hardest exam. I've been happy as Larry ever since we moved to the countryside. I was happy as Larry in my sitting room surrounded by my three beautiful children.
See also: happy, Larry

give (someone or something) Larry Dooley

dated slang To act with more effort or enthusiasm. The phrase initially referred to famed Australian boxer Larry Foley. It is unclear how the name Larry Dooley came to be used instead. That performance was dull as can be—come on, give it some Larry Dooley! I know you can beat this guy if you give him a bit of Larry Dooley! Make sure to give the interviewers Larry Dooley!
See also: Dooley, give, Larry

give (someone) a Larry Dooley

dated slang To physically beat someone. The phrase initially referred to famed Australian boxer Larry Foley. It is unclear how the name Larry Dooley came to be used instead. Please, I could give that scrawny twerp a Larry Dooley if I really wanted to. The 33-year-old man admitted to the police that he'd gone out that night with the intention of giving someone a Larry Dooley. Listening to that smug imbecile made me want to just give him a Larry Dooley right then and there.
See also: Dooley, give, Larry

Larry Dooley

dated slang A physical beating. The phrase initially referred to famed Australian boxer Larry Foley. It is unclear how the name Larry Dooley came to be used instead. Primarily heard in Australia. Please, I could give that scrawny twerp a Larry Dooley if I really wanted to.
See also: Dooley, Larry

Larry Leadfoot

slang One who drives excessively or dangerously fast in a car. The phrase is based on the expression "have a lead foot," meaning to have a tendency to speed when driving. The image is that of one's foot being made of lead, which is very heavy, and thus pushing down on the accelerator. I've always been a bit of a Larry Leadfoot when I get behind the wheel, so I've gotten my fair share of speeding tickets. Some Larry Leadfoot went flying past me on the interstate and nearly careered into a truck.
See also: Larry, Leadfoot
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

happy as Larry

BRITISH, INFORMAL
If you are as happy as Larry, you are very happy. I gave her a police badge to wear on her sleeve and she was as happy as Larry. Note: `Larry' may refer to the successful Australian boxer Larry Foley (1847-1917). Alternatively, `Larry' may come from `larrikin', a 19th century word for a hooligan or ruffian, used mainly in Australia.
See also: happy, Larry
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

(as) happy as the day is ˈlong/as a ˈclam/as ˈLarry

(informal) very happy: Grandpa’s as happy as a clam helping the children to fly their kites.
See also: clam, happy, Larry, long
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
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References in periodicals archive
Whether it's cutting down trees, trimming up bushes, or slicing apart firewood, Chainsaw Larry shows people what the top chainsaw is to get the job done right
Chainsaw Larry Helps Homeowners Find the Best Chainsaws for Every Purpose
Larry had Stevie, Davy, Terry and Lawrence who he left when little, to move around Byker and the town.
REUNITED
As reported by Ora TV and cited by CNN, Larry, 85, had been scheduled for an angioplasty but visited the hospital early last Thursday to be examined for chest pain, said the statement, issued on Monday.
Larry King recovering in hospital after undergoing angioplasty
Owner's story: Chris said: "Larry was a rescue cat and I saved him back in 2002.
Larry loves sun and prawns
Larry Michael Leable Larry Michael Leable, age 60, of Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, passed away from a lingering illness on Wednesday evening, April 17th, 2019, at St.
LEABLE
4 March 2019 - US-based auto dealership operator Larry H.
Larry H. Miller Dealerships Acquires Berge Ford in Mesa, Arizona, USA
LARRY the guinea pig had a nasty lump that had grown quickly to the size of a small sausage.
Happy as old Larry after op; Yorkshire Vet
Two peas in a pod, Larry's the proud owner of a successful acting career (most notably for Gavin & Stacey and EastEnders) and George - whose dad split from Scots mum Linda when George was a teen - is a TV presenter.
You can love someone and want to kill them
Larry Wheeler had just shot the biggest whitetail he'd ever seen in the wild.
ANYTHING is POSSIBLE One Oklahoma crossbow hunter taking two 200-inch bucks? And doing it on back-to-back hunts from the same stand--on a low-fenced property, a month before the rut? Amazing, but true!
A unique mix of camp charm, catchphrases and gentle innuendo made Larry Grayson one of the bestloved entertainers of all time.
Camp comedy pioneer who opened the door for new generation of stars; AS NEW ITV SHOW EXPLORES LARRY'S LIFE; EXCLUSIVE
They are the imaginary stage companions of Larry Grayson, the Nuneaton funnyman who, at the peak of his powers, hosted top TV show, The Generation Game.
DAME FOR a laugh! A new book reveals a treasure trove of previously unseen pictures and autobiographical writings of camp Midlands comic Larry Grayson. MIKE LOCKLEY talks to the author
It came to Oregon ATM Larry Myers as a wedding gift in 2002, but aside from a few outings and despite relatively good optics, it mostly sat in storage.
A New Criterion: Larry Myers raises the bar on rebuilds
in Queensland, Australia I'M A Celebrity's Larry Lamb is battling a whirlpool of emotions over a daughter he has seen only once - more than 46 years ago.
LARRY LAMB I don't know if my girl knows I'm her dad.. or if we'll ever meet again; Rescue hero in heartache over long-lost daughter
John Hall's delightfully bookish Bibliophilia, Larry Dickerson, a retired New York bank clerk with time on his hands, decides that he's going to become a collector of rare books -- namely, first editions, autographed copies, and the like.
Bibliophilia
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