Phrase of the hour
Blue chip
A blue chip is a share in a large, established, financially dependable company, and by extension any first-class, reliably valuable asset or person…
Uncover the storyA curious dictionary of everyday English
Every odd phrase has
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Discover what peculiar British and American expressions mean, where they came from, and how people actually use them.
1,789
curious expressions
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research references
Plain-English meanings.
Folklore labelled honestly.
Folklore labelled honestly.
Start with a letter
Browse the cabinet
Pulled from the drawers
A few curious finds
Sharp as a tack
Very quick or smart, keen.
Meaning & originQueer as a three-dollar bill
Historically, obviously false, counterfeit, suspicious, or highly unusual. The expression is dated and should not be applied to a person: it has also…
Meaning & originMore sinned against than sinning
Said of someone whose own wrongdoing looks small beside the wrong others have done to them: a claim to be chiefly the injured party - less blameworthy…
Meaning & originVanish into thin air
To disappear completely and mysteriously, leaving no trace, sign, or explanation behind. Applied to people, objects, money, files, and hopes alike, it…
Meaning & originBury your head in the sand
To deliberately ignore an unpleasant or dangerous situation in the hope that it will go away, rather than confront or deal with it. The phrase implies…
Meaning & originRide the wave
To roll with success or trends, coasting high.
Meaning & originNot for Joe
Certainly not for me; an emphatic refusal of an offer, proposal or course of action. Dated and jocular. Joe or Joseph stands for the speaker, not…
Meaning & originGrey matter
Literally, the brownish-grey nervous tissue, rich in nerve-cell bodies, of the brain and spinal cord, as distinct from white matter. Figuratively and…
Meaning & originLanguage has legends. Evidence matters.
Colourful story or documented history?
Phrase origins are full of irresistible myths. We separate what historical sources can show from what remains disputed, and link the references behind researched entries.