open up daylight
v. phr.— «The speedy Baby Bubble quickly outfoot that gelding and opened up daylight over Grog.» —“Gratton Colt Is Surprise As He Takes Derby Trial” in Hialeah Park, Fla. Syracuse Herald (N.Y.) Jan. 26, 1936. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Nate in Tucson, Arizona, says his grandmother from Nova Scotia used to express surprise with the exclamation dear me suz! It goes back to the 1820s and is likely a form of dear me, sirs! Variants include suz alive, law me suz, oh suz alive, and law...
Book recommendations, including a collection of short stories inspired by dictionaries, and a techno-thriller for teens. Or, how about novels with an upbeat message? Publishers call this genre up lit. Plus, a clergyman ponders an arresting phrase in...