Phrase of the hour
Safe and sound
Completely out of danger and found or returned without physical injury, loss, or damage. Sound retains its old whole or uninjured sense in this…
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.
725
curious expressions
409
source-backed entries
855
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
Talk the hind leg off a donkey
Talk at exhausting length, especially with little pause for anyone else. Informal and humorous. Singular and plural leg forms both occur. Regional…
Meaning & originKeep the ball rolling
Maintain momentum by causing an activity, discussion, plan, or process to continue rather than stall or stop. Informal but suitable in many…
Meaning & originSick as a dog
Real ill or down, laid low.
Meaning & originCross that bridge when you come to it
To deal with a problem only when it arises, not fretting ahead.
Meaning & originJump the shark
To reach a conspicuous moment when a television series or other long-running enterprise is perceived to sacrifice credibility or quality for a…
Meaning & originFlat out like a lizard drinking
Working extremely hard, very busy, or moving at top speed. The Australian simile is deliberately comic.
Meaning & originSmart aleck
Someone irritatingly smug about being clever or knowledgeable. Current informal and mildly insulting Regional use: United States, with early Western…
Meaning & originThe whole ball of wax
Everything involved in a matter: the complete collection, arrangement, business, or set of related concerns. Informal and sometimes slightly…
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.