Phrase of the hour
Bucket list
A list of experiences, places, or achievements a person hopes to complete before dying, from the idiom 'to kick the bucket'; by extension, any…
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.
1,789
curious expressions
1,473
source-backed entries
3,041
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
You're pulling my leg
Teasing or tricking someone with a tall tale, yanking them along with playful deceit.
Meaning & originCrème de la crème
The very best of a group; the choicest individuals or finest examples of something. It intensifies the long-standing metaphor of cream as the richest…
Meaning & originThe boot is on the other foot
The situation has been reversed, so that the person who previously held the advantage, or who handed out the treatment, is now on the receiving end…
Meaning & originWe're all Jock Tamson's bairns
We share a common humanity and none of us is inherently above the others. Affirming and egalitarian. It may refer to all humanity or, in a narrower…
Meaning & originA smash hit
An outstandingly successful show, film, song, game or product; a success so emphatic it dominates its field for a season. Originally entertainment…
Meaning & originBeat a dead horse
Keep pursuing, arguing or discussing something after further effort cannot change, revive or resolve it. 'Beat' is chiefly US; British English…
Meaning & originBreak a leg
Said to wish a performer good luck just before they go on stage, standing in for the words 'good luck', which theatre superstition treats as a jinx…
Meaning & originIn the lap of luxury
Living in grand comfort or wealth, pampered.
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.