Phrase of the hour
What in Sam Hill?
An emphatic but softened way to ask what, who, where, or how in the world. Dated, comic, and mildly emphatic Regional use: United States and Canada.
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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
Raison d'être
The core purpose or justification for someone's or something's existence; the reason a person, group, or institution is felt to matter. It is a…
Meaning & originFool's gold
Something that looks valuable but isn't, a shiny fake.
Meaning & originLegerdemain
Sleight of hand: the quick, deceiving manual skill a magician uses to make objects appear, vanish, or transform. By extension it names any adroit…
Meaning & originOn cloud nine
Extremely happy, elated, or euphoric.
Meaning & originHave a butcher's
To take a quick peek or look, a glance.
Meaning & originThrow in the towel
To give up or surrender after effort fails, admitting defeat with a gesture of finality.
Meaning & originA pretty penny
A considerable amount of money. Usually said of something expensive ('cost a pretty penny') or of a handsome profit or income ('made a pretty penny')…
Meaning & originSeen better days
Someone or something is old, worn, shabby, or in decline, and was once in far better condition. Originally said of people who had fallen from wealth…
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.