Phrase of the hour
Laconic
Using as few words as possible - terse to the point of eloquence. Where taciturn reads as a character flaw, laconic reads as a discipline: the reply…
Uncover the storyA curious dictionary of everyday English
Every odd phrase has
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Discover what peculiar British and American expressions mean, where they came from, and how people actually use them.
2,006
curious expressions
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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
Get the sack
To be dismissed from a job, usually unceremoniously. The phrase is informal and common in British and Australian English; in American English 'get…
Meaning & originKeep your hair on
Stay calm or cool, no flap.
Meaning & originBated breath
Breathing held or subdued because of suspense, fear or intense expectation. Bated, not baited, is the standard spelling. It most often follows with…
Meaning & originBrownie points
Notional credit earned by doing small favours or by flattering someone in authority, especially at work or school; the points are imaginary and…
Meaning & originLike a bull at a gate
Charging hard and fast, no pause.
Meaning & originThe Midas touch
The seeming ability to turn anything one deals with into success or money - the lucky or skillful knack that makes every venture flourish. The phrase…
Meaning & originOnce in a blue moon
Describes something that happens very rarely or almost never. It functions as a fixed adverbial measure of rarity - 'we see each other once in a blue…
Meaning & originThe clothes make the man
A person is judged, and to some extent shaped, by how they dress: outward appearance drives the impression others form. Usually quoted in this compact…
Meaning & origin
Language 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.