Phrase of the hour
What'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…
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
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A few curious finds
The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak
A person sincerely intends to do something but lacks the physical strength, discipline or resolve. Frequently self-deprecating. Flesh can mean bodily…
Meaning & originNo rose without a thorn
Even the most attractive opportunity or pleasant circumstance has some drawback, difficulty, or pain. More literary than every rose has its thorn. It…
Meaning & originA needle in a haystack
A person or thing that is extremely difficult, or practically impossible, to find because it is hidden within a much larger search area or mass of…
Meaning & originGordon Bennett
An exclamation of surprise, disbelief or exasperation. A mild, non-obscene exclamation. Capitalise it because it retains the form of a personal name…
Meaning & originIn for a penny, in for a pound
Once committed to a course of action, it is worth accepting the larger commitment needed to finish it. Often spoken at the moment a small undertaking…
Meaning & originThe more the merrier
An occasion or shared activity is likely to be more enjoyable when additional people join. Usually friendly and inclusive, though it can be ironic…
Meaning & originMake a virtue of necessity
Turn an unavoidable or unwelcome situation to advantage, or accept it with good grace. Can mean either gaining an advantage from constraint or…
Meaning & originSee which way the wind blows
To wait and gauge the situation, testing the drift.
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.