Father of the House, subs. phr. (Parliamentary).—The oldest elected member. See Babe.
House that Jack built, subs. phr. (common).—A prison. For synonyms, see Cage.
Like a house on fire, adv. phr. (common).—Quickly; with energy. See Like.
1851–61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, ii., 85. I’m getting on like a regler house on fire.
Safe as houses, adv. phr. (common).—Perfectly safe.
1864. E. Yates, Broken to Harness, ch. xxxii., p. 361 (1873). I have the means of doing that, as safe as houses.
1874. T. Hardy, Far from the Madding Crowd, ch. lvii. ‘The clothes will floor us as safe as houses,’ said Coggan.
1886. Grant Allen, In All Shades, ch. i. Why, of course, then, that’s the explanation of it—as safe as houses, you may depend upon it.
1890. Grant Allen, Tents of Shem, ch. xxviii. You may make your forgery itself as safe as houses.
House-bit (or -keeper, or -piece), subs. (colloquial).—A servant-mistress.