Phrase of the hour
Plea bargain
A negotiated agreement in a criminal case under which the defendant agrees to plead guilty or no contest in exchange for prosecutorial concessions - a…
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1,941
curious expressions
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Plain-English meanings.
Folklore labelled honestly.
Folklore labelled honestly.
Start with a letter
Browse the cabinet
Pulled from the drawers
A few curious finds
Like billy-o
Very hard, fast, loudly or intensely. Can intensify many verbs, not only movement: rain, work, shout and hurt are natural combinations. Regional use…
Meaning & originAn albatross around your neck
A heavy burden of guilt, shame, or misfortune that someone cannot shake off, especially one created by their own actions. Usually said of a lasting…
Meaning & originA little bird told me
A playful way of saying that you learned something from an informant you prefer not to name. It typically teases or gently signals that you know a…
Meaning & originTake to something like a duck to water
Said of someone who tries a new activity for the first time and adapts to it instantly and naturally, as if born to it, with no awkward learning…
Meaning & originAcross the board
Applying to everyone or everything in a group, without exceptions or selective treatment - an across-the-board pay rise, an across-the-board tariff…
Meaning & originWash your hands of something
Disclaim responsibility for, or end involvement with, a person or problem. Often implies a conspicuous or morally questionable refusal of…
Meaning & originHell in a handbasket
A rapid or unchecked decline into ruin, disorder, or moral decay. Current informal idiom Regional use: United States and Britain.
Meaning & originKnow which side your bread is buttered (on)
To understand where your own advantage lies and to act accordingly, especially by staying on good terms with whoever controls that benefit; usually…
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.