Phrase of the hour
Keep your hair on
Stay calm or cool, no flap.
Uncover the storyA curious dictionary of everyday English
Every odd phrase has
a story to tell.
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
Magnum opus
The greatest single work of an artist, writer, composer, or builder; a masterpiece regarded as the crowning achievement of a career. It is a formal…
Meaning & originWool-gathering
Daydreaming or letting the mind wander aimlessly instead of attending to the matter in hand. Somewhat literary or ironic now, often used…
Meaning & originHave the blues
Feel depressed, melancholy or low in spirits; 'I've had the blues all week'. Informal and mild. The same noun gave its name to the blues, the…
Meaning & originHead and shoulders above
Measurably or dramatically better, taller or more impressive than everyone or everything else in a comparison. Applied to quality, ability…
Meaning & originHalf seas over
Dated informal slang, chiefly British, for being drunk - specifically the cheerful middle stage of intoxication, as if halfway through the voyage from…
Meaning & originStage fright
Acute nervousness before or during a performance, speech or any task carried out in front of others; performance anxiety in everyday dress. Used well…
Meaning & originMoney burns a hole in your pocket
Cash you itch to spend fast.
Meaning & originCopycat
A person who deliberately imitates what someone else does, says, makes or wears rather than originating anything. As a modifier it describes imitation…
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.