Phrase of the hour
Know which side your bread is buttered (on)
To understand where your own advantage lies and to act accordingly, especially by staying on good terms with whoever controls that benefit; usually…
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.
1,465
curious expressions
1,149
source-backed entries
2,335
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
Put your foot in it
Say or do something tactless by mistake and thereby embarrass or upset someone. This is chiefly the British form; North American English usually says…
Meaning & originGig economy
A labour market built on short-term, freelance, and on-demand jobs arranged through digital platforms, where workers are paid per task rather than…
Meaning & originAll fur coat and no knickers
Showily impressive on the surface but lacking substance, taste or the expected basics underneath. Informal, vivid and potentially insulting. Earlier…
Meaning & originSix of one and half a dozen of the other
Used to say that two options, explanations or parties are essentially the same, so that choosing between them, or dividing praise or blame between…
Meaning & originSerendipity
The occurrence of happy or valuable discoveries made by accident rather than by design; also the ability to find agreeable things one was not looking…
Meaning & originTurn up trumps
Produce an unexpectedly good result or prove especially helpful when needed. Informal and approving. Come up trumps is a very common modern form…
Meaning & originHappy as a clam
Very contented, comfortable, and satisfied. Current and widely understood Regional use: United States, probably associated early with the Northeast…
Meaning & originHang out to dry
To abandon someone to face trouble, criticism or punishment alone, especially after they had good reason to expect backing, often with blame shifted…
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.