Phrase of the hour
Over your head
Too complex or specialised for you to understand, as with a lecture, contract, or joke that simply does not register. A second sense describes taking…
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.
1,941
curious expressions
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source-backed entries
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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
Other fish to fry
Other, usually more important or more interesting things to do, invoked to explain why one is not attending to the matter at hand. Almost always in…
Meaning & originQuick as a flash
Moving or reacting with lightning speed, instantaneous.
Meaning & originFish for compliments
To try to elicit praise from others indirectly, typically by making self-critical or falsely modest remarks in the hope that listeners will contradict…
Meaning & originA bolt from the blue
A sudden, completely unexpected event or piece of news that shocks like a lightning strike on a cloudless day. Typically used of dismissals…
Meaning & originBack to school
Literally, returning to school after a vacation. As a merchandising term it names the shopping season just before the school year starts; as a…
Meaning & originRattle your dags
Hurry up or get moving. Very informal. The literal farming reference makes the phrase earthy but not normally obscene. Regional use: New Zealand; also…
Meaning & originNight owl
A person who habitually stays up late and feels most alert or active at night, typically at the cost of early mornings. The term is neutral and often…
Meaning & originThe be-all and end-all
The most important, decisive or comprehensive part of something, treated as if nothing else matters. Often appears in negative statements that reject…
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.