Phrase of the hour
Leave no stone unturned
To exhaust every possibility or effort in pursuit of a goal, searching thoroughly without overlooking anything, driven by determination or…
Uncover the storyA curious dictionary of everyday English
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Discover what peculiar British and American expressions mean, where they came from, and how people actually use them.
2,006
curious expressions
1,690
source-backed entries
3,678
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
Trojan horse
A trick that smuggling past a defence what could never breach it openly - a person, plan, or program welcomed inside on innocent pretences that then…
Meaning & originBurn a hole in your pocket
Said of money - or occasionally a letter, ticket or voucher - that you are itching to spend or use: the item seems so impatient to get out that it…
Meaning & originGrease someone's palm
To bribe someone by slipping money discreetly into their hand; to pay for a favour, access or special treatment under the table. The image is…
Meaning & originTouch grass
A dismissive instruction telling someone to go offline and reconnect with reality, aimed at people whose views seem warped by spending too much time…
Meaning & originCut the Gordian knot
To solve a hopelessly tangled problem by one bold, unconventional stroke rather than patient untangling - accepting rough justice in place of elegant…
Meaning & originUnderstood the assignment
Praise meaning someone grasped exactly what a situation demanded and delivered it impressively, meeting or beating expectations. Said of outfits…
Meaning & originChain reaction
A sequence of events in which each one causes or triggers the next, so the process feeds itself and accelerates - from chemistry and nuclear physics…
Meaning & originUnder the gun
Under strong pressure, attack or an urgent deadline. The expression is informal and especially common in North American English.
Meaning & origin
Language 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.