Off-the-Wall
This is a way to say about particularly lucky people, those who get everything they want from the day they were born. This expression comes from Medieval times: when newborns were born inside their amniotic sac, people used to consider them particularly lucky in life. Maybe it’s just a superstition, but since ancient times this remained a strong belief that people say it is proven to be the truth.
This is a way to name a persecutory attitude towards a political fraction or a group of people. This attitude is usually based on simple suspects, not real facts. The first origin of this term arrives from Mediaeval, where it was used for every opportunity to define women suspected of witchcraft practice. Later it’s interpretation became diffused in politics, especially during the Fifties, following the campaign of the USA Senator Joseph McCarthy (1908-1957). It was addressed against everybody, who was suspected to be communist or even a simple supporter of this party. In turn, this term was associated to refer to persecutory attitudes without foundation.
This means, that when it gets tough, really tough, you shall know that a man who has courage will not stop, instead will get till the end, completely involved, pulling out the best of his character. This expression comes from the American movie “Animal House” (1978), directed by John Landis, having as protagonist the brilliant John Belushi. Bluto, the protagonist, gets involved in the most grotesque situations, in a fiercely and determined research for most unrestrained fun (the tough play, so to speak). The film has become a cult and had an impact not only on the American cinematography but also influenced the lifestyle of a young American generation.
This expression is used to define a relationship, sentimental or not, that involves very intensive feelings to the point to make it harmful. The adjective “fatal” defines a negative aspect of a relationship, as it is confirmed by the original locution, originated from the successful movie from 1989 "Fatal Attraction" interpreted by Michael Douglas and Glen Close. In the film, Douglas finds himself having to make accounts with a one-night lover, Glen Close, which is not willing to accept the idea of being only a “diversion” and pretends the official role. So she's persecuting emotionally and physically her lover until the tragic conclusion.
This is a malicious definition used to identify intellectual persons, particularly referring to those, who are too absorbed by their thoughts and get distracted. The definition was minted by Richard Nixon in 1952, the Republican candidate at Presidency. He used this expression to contemptuously refer to Adlai Ewina Stevenson II (1900-1965), the US Democratic politician of high influence and remarkable cultural background. His had was almost completely bald (indeed, it is used to describe a large forehead), which is considered to be the sign of a person with particular intelligence. Stevenson was undoubtedly an enlightened Governor of Illinois. He reformed the State Police and fought to gamble. He also declared himself against nuclear experiments during the Cold War, which cost him one of the two defeats against Eisenhower in the race to the White House.