Phrase of the hour
Caught between a rock and a hard place
Facing a dilemma with no good options, stuck picking between two tough choices.
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.
1,849
curious expressions
1,533
source-backed entries
3,174
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
Rags to riches
A rise from deep poverty to great wealth, whether as a real biography or as a stock narrative arc. Usually admiring of effort and luck, but often…
Meaning & originGet a leg up
To gain an advantage or boost, stepping ahead.
Meaning & originClutch at straws
To resort to desperate remedies or arguments that have almost no chance of working, because no real options remain. Typically said of fading hopes - a…
Meaning & originLove bombing
Flooding someone with affection, attention, gifts, and flattery far beyond normal warmth, originally as a recruitment tool of high-control groups and…
Meaning & originCircle back
In workplace speech, to return to a topic, question, or person later, after other matters have progressed or more information is available. Often used…
Meaning & originFine and dandy
Entirely satisfactory, agreeable, or in good order, sometimes said sarcastically when the situation is plainly otherwise. Informal. Tone determines…
Meaning & originOut of left field
Completely unexpected and without warning or apparent connection to what came before, as of a question, offer, or development that catches everyone…
Meaning & originShipping
Fandom slang for endorsing or hoping for a romantic pairing between two fictional characters or, more riskily, real people; a ship is the pairing…
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.