Phrase of the hour
Cloud cuckoo land
An imaginary realm of wildly impractical or deluded notions; if someone lives in cloud cuckoo land, their beliefs or plans are hopelessly unrealistic…
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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 rats deserting a sinking ship
Used disparagingly of people abandoning a failing organization, activity, or cause in large numbers as soon as its decline becomes visible, rather…
Meaning & originHang in there
To endure or persist through tough times, holding on.
Meaning & originDine with Duke Humphrey
Go without dinner, especially while pretending or hoping to dine. Archaic. It refers to missing a meal, not to eating grandly with a nobleman…
Meaning & originA litmus test
A single decisive check whose result settles a question or reveals a true position. Borrowed from the chemistry test in which litmus dye changes…
Meaning & originWhat's the craic?
What is happening, what is the news or how are things? In this question craic usually means news or happenings. In good craic it means enjoyable…
Meaning & originCut from the same cloth
Said of people who are very similar in character, values or background, as if they were made from one shared material. It is almost always a…
Meaning & originFifth wheel
A person or thing that is unnecessary, surplus to requirements, or in the way, especially an extra person who feels awkward or out of place in a…
Meaning & originRaise Cain
To make a furious commotion - riotous trouble-making, violent protest, or a wild row. It belongs to the family of raising the Devil, raise hell, and…
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.